Therapeutic Approach

EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR)

EMDR Therapy in Kingston, Ontario

About EMDR

  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy that helps individuals heal from trauma and emotional distress. By using bilateral stimulation (like guided eye movements), EMDR allows the brain to reprocess distressing memories and reduce their emotional charge. It’s especially effective for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other trauma-related conditions, offering lasting emotional relief and healing.

  • EMDR works by helping the brain process traumatic memories that have been "stuck," often causing emotional and psychological distress. Through bilateral stimulation, the brain’s natural healing mechanisms are activated, enabling the memory to be reprocessed and stored in a healthier way. Over time, this reduces emotional intensity and helps individuals develop more effective coping strategies.

  • EMDR benefits a wide range of individuals, including but not limited to:

    Those with PTSD: Ideal for anyone struggling with trauma, whether from military service, accidents, or abuse.

    Military Personnel and Veterans: Helps process combat-related trauma and reduce anxiety or flashbacks.

    Law Enforcement and First Responders: Effective for those with repeated exposure to trauma, helping to manage stress and emotional impact.

    People with Addictions: Addresses emotional wounds beneath addictive behaviors, supporting lasting recovery.

    Athletes and High-Performers: Reduces mental blocks, performance anxiety, and stress to improve focus and confidence.

  • EMDR provides a wide range of benefits, including emotional healing, reduced anxiety, and improved emotional resilience. It helps individuals process and reframe distressing memories, leading to long-term relief from trauma and stress. It can also enhance focus, reduce mental blocks, and improve overall coping skills.

    For specific populations, EMDR has been shown to be effective for those with PTSD, individuals recovering from addiction, high-performance professionals, and those with repeated exposure to trauma, such as military personnel, law enforcement, and first responders.

8-Phases of EMDR Therapy

  • Phase One: History Taking and Treatment Planning

    Gather information about your history

    Gain insight into your traumatic events + potential targets to reprocess

    Assess your internal & external resources

  • Phase 2: Preparation

    Establish therapeutic alliance

    Explain EMDR process & set expectations

    Address your questions & concerns

    Build your tool kit full of resources to lean on if/when processing becomes difficult

  • Phase Three: Assessment

    Identify memories + events to reprocess

    (Images, negative beliefs, emotions, body sensations)

    Have you rate how disturbing these memories/ events are on a scale of 1-10 (SUD Score) to get a baseline assessment before reprocessing

  • Phase Four: Desensitization

    Begin BLS (eye movements, alternating tapping, or sounds) while thinking of the traumatic event. Continue until the subjective units of distress (SUD) reduces to a 0 or as low as you feel is appropriate.

    Allowing for new images, thoughts, emotions & body sensations to emerge.

  • Phase Five: Installation

    Focus on stengthening the positive belief that you want to think/ believe about yourself when you look back on this memory/ event.

    Continue with this phase until it feels completely true on a gut level.

  • Phase Six: Body Scan

    While holding the memory of the traumatic event & the newfound positive belief, you will be asked to do a body scan to see if any negative / lingering disturbance is left in your body.

    If yes, we will continue with EMDR to move this energy until the body feels calm & clear

  • Phase Seven: Closure

    If a target is “completed” by the end of a session then you will notice the SUD score is a 0 (or close to), the positive belief feels completely true, and the body scan is calm/ clear.

    If a target is not “completed” at the end of the session, we will guide you towards re-establishing a sense of calm in your body prior to leaving the office.

  • Phase Eight: Re-Evaluation

    At the start of each new session, you will be asked to re-evaluate the target you were previously working on at the session before, to ensure that no new disturbing material has came up & that the target is still considered “closed”

    If the target is not “closed” you will continue the previous phases until it feels complete.

    If the target is “complete” then you will move on to choosing the next target!

Start Healing with EMDR

Book a FREE 15-minute consultation call with someone off our team, today.

Our In-Person EMDR Therapists

Therapy for athletes to enhance athletic performance
Therapy for complex trauma and C-PTSD in Kingston, Ontario
Therapy for correctional officers and first responders in Kingston, Ontario

  • EMDR Certified Therapist
    EMDRIA Consultant in Training

    Specialties

    • EMDR Consultation for EMDR trained therapists working towards certification

    • Blended EMDR and Internal Family Systems (EMDR + IFS)

    • EMDR + IFS with low-dose Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP)

    • EMDR for psychedelic preparation & integration

    • EMDR for Complex Trauma (C-PTSD)

    • EMDR for Sexual Trauma

    • EMDR for military/veterans

    • EMDR for first responders, law enforcement & correctional officers

  • EMDR Trained Therapist

    • EMDR for trauma & PTSD

    • EMDR for stress

    • EMDR for anxiety and depression

    • EMDR for addictions & substance use concerns

    • EMDR for athletes and performers

  • EMDR Trained Therapist

    • EMDR for PTSD

    • EMDR for complex-trauma

    • EMDR for addictions & substance use concerns

    • EMDR with Indigenous populations

    • EMDR with children

    • EMDR for relationship issues

    • EMDR for first responders

Our Virtual EMDR Therapists

Couples Therapy and EFT in Ontario
EMDR and Brainspotting in Ontario

  • EMDR Trained Therapist

    • EMDR for Individuals

    • EMDR for Couples

    • EMDR for trauma & PTSD

    • EMDR for addictions & substance use

    • EMDR for chronic pain

    • EMDR for eating disorders (bing eating)

  • EMDR Trained Therapist

    • EMDR for trauma & PTSD

    • EMDR + Brainspotting

    • EMDR for stress

    • EMDR for anxiety and depression

    • EMDR for domestic violence survivors

    • EMDR for relationship trauma

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