Stonewater Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
Helping You Process the Past and Move Forward with Confidence
Painful or overwhelming experiences can continue to affect how you feel, think, and respond to everyday situations long after they occurred. Even when you understand that you're safe, certain memories, situations, or emotions may still leave you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy that helps individuals process distressing experiences and reduce their emotional impact. At Stonewater Therapy, we provide individualized EMDR therapy for children, teens, and adults, offering a supportive approach to healing that respects your experiences, needs, and goals.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR uses a structured treatment process that incorporates bilateral stimulation, often through guided eye movements, alternating sounds, or gentle tapping.
During memory reprocessing, you briefly focus on aspects of a distressing experience while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This is one component of the broader EMDR treatment process, which helps individuals work through distressing memories and develop more adaptive perspectives.
As treatment progresses, memories may become less emotionally intense, and the negative beliefs or reactions associated with them may begin to shift.
Unlike approaches that rely primarily on discussing experiences in detail, EMDR does not always require extensive verbal descriptions of traumatic events. Instead, treatment combines careful assessment, preparation, and structured memory processing to support meaningful change.
The goal of EMDR is not to erase or forget what happened. It is to help you remember the experience without continuing to feel overwhelmed by its emotional impact.
When Past Experiences Continue to Affect the Present
Sometimes the effects of difficult experiences are easy to recognize. Other times, you may notice patterns of anxiety, self-doubt, emotional overwhelm, or avoidance without fully understanding where those reactions began.
Experiences involving trauma, criticism, rejection, loss, or prolonged stress can influence how you view yourself, relate to others, and respond to everyday situations. You may find yourself:
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Feeling constantly on guard, even in situations that appear safe.
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Experiencing intense anxiety when making mistakes or facing criticism.
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Struggling with perfectionism or persistent self-doubt.
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Becoming overwhelmed by reminders of past experiences.
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Avoiding situations that trigger fear, embarrassment, or emotional discomfort.
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Having difficulty trusting others or feeling secure in relationships.
These reactions may develop when earlier experiences shape expectations about safety, control, relationships, or personal worth.
How Past Experiences Can Shape Core Beliefs
Difficult experiences can also influence the beliefs you develop about yourself and the world around you. These beliefs may include:
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"I am not safe."
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"I am not good enough."
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"I cannot trust others."
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"I am powerless."
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"I have to be perfect."
Even when you recognize that these beliefs do not accurately reflect your current circumstances, they may continue to influence how you feel, think, and respond to challenges. EMDR can help you explore and process experiences connected to these beliefs, creating opportunities to develop more balanced and adaptive perspectives.
While you cannot change what happened in the past, you can change how those experiences continue to influence your life today.
What Can EMDR Therapy Help With?
EMDR is an evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may also be incorporated into therapy for other emotional and psychological concerns, particularly when distressing experiences contribute to ongoing difficulties. At Stonewater Therapy, EMDR may be considered as part of an individualized treatment approach for the following concerns.
Performance Anxiety and Fear of Failure
Athletes, performers, students, and professionals may experience anxiety, perfectionism, or self-doubt related to past setbacks, criticism, or stressful experiences. EMDR may help address distressing memories and beliefs that interfere with confidence, concentration, and performance. Treatment can also be integrated with other therapeutic approaches to support emotional well-being and performance-related goals.
Negative Self-Beliefs and Self-Esteem
Experiences involving criticism, rejection, bullying, or other emotional difficulties can contribute to persistent feelings of inadequacy, shame, or self-doubt. EMDR may help process memories associated with these beliefs and support the development of more balanced perspectives, particularly when perfectionism, fear of failure, or low self-esteem affects every day functioning.
Depression and Emotional Distress
For some individuals, depressive symptoms occur alongside trauma, loss, or painful experiences that have influenced their sense of self. EMDR may be incorporated into treatment when these experiences contribute to persistent emotional distress, negative beliefs, or difficulties moving forward.
Anxiety and Panic
For some individuals, anxiety is connected to earlier experiences involving fear, uncertainty, rejection, or perceived danger. EMDR may help address distressing memories associated with anxiety, panic, social fears, or persistent worry, particularly when past experiences contribute to current emotional responses.
Grief and Loss
Grief can involve painful memories, complicated emotions, and difficulty adjusting to life after a significant loss. When distressing memories surrounding a loss continue to interfere with daily functioning, EMDR may help individuals process those experiences while honoring meaningful relationships and connections.
Trauma and PTSD
Traumatic experiences can affect your sense of safety, emotional well-being, relationships, and everyday functioning long after they occurred. EMDR can help process traumatic memories and reduce symptoms such as intrusive memories, avoidance, emotional distress, and heightened reactions to reminders of trauma. Treatment may address experiences involving childhood adversity, abuse, neglect, accidents, medical trauma, interpersonal violence, and other overwhelming events.
Not every concern requires EMDR, and the most appropriate treatment approach depends on your individual experiences, symptoms, and goals. Together, we can explore your needs and determine whether EMDR may be a helpful part of your care.
What to Expect During EMDR Therapy
Beginning EMDR therapy does not mean immediately revisiting your most difficult experiences. Treatment begins with understanding your needs, establishing a supportive therapeutic relationship, and developing the resources necessary to approach distressing memories safely.
EMDR follows an established eight-phase treatment protocol. Although each phase serves a specific purpose, the process can be understood through four general stages that guide treatment from initial assessment through memory processing and integration.
01 — Assessment and Treatment Planning
EMDR Phase 1: History Taking and Treatment Planning
We begin by exploring your current concerns, relevant history, symptoms, and treatment goals. Together, we identify experiences or patterns that may be contributing to your present difficulties and consider whether EMDR is an appropriate treatment option.
This stage helps establish an individualized treatment plan that reflects your needs, preferences, and readiness for memory processing.
02 — Preparation and Emotional Stabilization
EMDR Phase 2: Preparation
Before beginning memory reprocessing, we focus on developing the skills and resources needed to manage emotional distress. Preparation may include grounding techniques, relaxation strategies, emotional regulation skills, and ways to recognize and respond to signs of overwhelm.
The amount of preparation varies depending on your experiences and individual needs. Some individuals may be ready to begin reprocessing relatively quickly, while others benefit from additional time building stability and coping resources.
03 — Memory Processing and Reprocessing
EMDR Phases 3–5: Assessment, Desensitization, and Installation
During this stage, we identify specific memories for processing, including associated emotions, physical sensations, and negative beliefs (Phase 3: Assessment). When you are ready, we use structured EMDR techniques, including bilateral stimulation, to help process these experiences and reduce their emotional intensity (Phase 4: Desensitization).
As distress decreases, we work to strengthen more adaptive beliefs and perspectives associated with the experience (Phase 5: Installation). You remain actively involved throughout treatment, and the pace of processing is adjusted based on your responses and needs.
04 — Integration and Moving Forward
EMDR Phases 6–8: Body Scan, Closure, and Reevaluation
Following memory reprocessing, we assess whether any lingering physical tension or distress remains connected to the experience (Phase 6: Body Scan). Each session concludes with attention to emotional stability and strategies for managing any distress that may arise between appointments (Phase 7: Closure).
At subsequent sessions, we review your progress, assess how previously processed memories are affecting you, and determine whether additional processing or treatment adjustments are needed (Phase 8: Reevaluation).
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As treatment progresses, you may notice changes in how you respond to reminders of past experiences, approach challenges, or view yourself.
EMDR is a collaborative process.
Your comfort, readiness, and individual treatment goals help guide each stage of care.
EMDR Therapy for Children, Teens, and Adults
Distressing experiences can affect individuals at any age, although the ways people experience and express emotional distress often differ throughout life. Children, teens, and adults may all experience lasting effects from trauma, anxiety, loss, and other overwhelming events.
At Stonewater Therapy, we adapt EMDR treatment to each person's developmental needs, experiences, and treatment goals.
EMDR Therapy for Children
Children often express emotional distress through changes in behavior, sleep, play, emotional regulation, or relationships rather than directly communicating what they are experiencing. Trauma, frightening events, family disruptions, grief, and other stressful experiences can affect a child's sense of safety and emotional well-being.
When clinically appropriate, EMDR can be adapted using developmentally responsive approaches that incorporate age-appropriate language, creative activities, and caregiver involvement. Treatment focuses on helping children process distressing experiences while strengthening emotional regulation, a sense of safety, and connections with supportive adults. Caregivers may also be involved in supporting progress and reinforcing skills outside of therapy.
EMDR Therapy for Teens
Adolescence brings significant emotional, social, and developmental changes. Experiences involving bullying, rejection, family conflict, trauma, or other stressors may contribute to anxiety, negative self-beliefs, and difficulties navigating everyday challenges.
EMDR may help teens process distressing memories and the emotional responses associated with them. Treatment is tailored to each adolescent's developmental level, preferences, and readiness, with an emphasis on building trust, respecting autonomy, and involving caregivers when appropriate.
EMDR Therapy for Adults
Adults may seek EMDR therapy following a recent traumatic event or to address longstanding difficulties connected to earlier experiences. These concerns may involve anxiety, emotional triggers, negative self-beliefs, or patterns that continue to affect relationships and everyday functioning.
EMDR can help adults process distressing memories and develop more adaptive perspectives about themselves and their experiences. Whether you are addressing a specific event or longstanding patterns associated with the past, treatment is individualized to reflect your history, needs, and goals.
An Individualized Approach to EMDR Therapy
At Stonewater Therapy, we recognize that each person's experiences, strengths, and path toward healing are different. Our approach to EMDR emphasizes collaboration, emotional safety, and individualized care that respects your experiences, preferences, and treatment goals.
Trauma-Informed and Compassionate Care
I understand that discussing or revisiting difficult experiences can feel intimidating. Treatment is guided by respect, trust, and sensitivity to the ways trauma and overwhelming experiences can affect emotional well-being. I work collaboratively to understand your concerns, recognize your strengths, and create a supportive environment where you can approach difficult experiences at a pace that reflects your needs and readiness.
Supporting Meaningful Change
The benefits of EMDR may extend beyond reducing distress associated with difficult memories. Treatment may also help you develop greater confidence in managing challenges, respond more flexibly to emotional triggers, and engage more fully in meaningful relationships and activities. Although progress varies, EMDR can support new perspectives and create opportunities for personal growth and emotional well-being.
Integrating EMDR with Other Approaches
EMDR may be used as a primary treatment approach or incorporated alongside other evidence-based therapeutic interventions. Depending on your needs, treatment may include emotional regulation strategies, somatic awareness, cognitive and behavioral techniques, and other trauma-informed approaches. This flexibility allows therapy to address not only distressing memories but also the broader emotional, relational, and behavioral challenges affecting your daily life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. EMDR does not always require you to describe every detail of a traumatic or distressing experience. While communication and collaboration are important parts of treatment, much of the memory processing can occur without extensive verbal descriptions. We will work together to understand your concerns, establish treatment goals, and approach difficult experiences in a way that respects your comfort and readiness.
No. EMDR is an established, evidence-based treatment for PTSD, but it may also be incorporated into therapy for other concerns, including anxiety, distressing memories, negative self-beliefs, and certain performance-related difficulties. Because the research supporting EMDR varies across conditions, we will consider your individual needs when determining whether it is an appropriate treatment option.
Bilateral stimulation involves alternating stimulation from one side to the other, often through guided eye movements, alternating sounds, or gentle tapping. It is one component of EMDR's structured treatment process and is used during memory reprocessing.
The length of treatment depends on your history, symptoms, treatment goals, and the complexity of the experiences being addressed. Some individuals notice improvement after a relatively brief course of treatment, while others benefit from additional preparation or longer-term processing. We will regularly review your progress and adjust treatment based on your needs.
Yes. EMDR can be adapted for children and teens using developmentally appropriate methods that consider their age, emotional development, experiences, and support systems. Susan has specialized training in providing EMDR therapy to children and adolescents and incorporates age-appropriate approaches and caregiver involvement when clinically appropriate.
EMDR does not require you to experience a traumatic event again, but processing distressing memories may temporarily bring up uncomfortable emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations. Treatment includes preparation and coping strategies to help you manage these responses. We will work collaboratively to monitor your reactions and adjust the pace of processing based on your needs and readiness.
EMDR is not necessarily the best approach for every person or every concern. Your current symptoms, treatment history, emotional stability, available support, and personal preferences all help determine whether EMDR may be appropriate. An initial assessment provides an opportunity to explore your concerns and identify a treatment approach that best supports your needs.
Ready to Take the First Step?
Past experiences can continue to affect your life, but they do not have to define your future. At Stonewater Therapy, we provide compassionate, individualized EMDR therapy to help you process difficult experiences and move forward with greater confidence. Whether you're ready to begin therapy or would prefer to talk first, we can explore whether EMDR may be a good fit for your needs.