The EMDR Method in Shoreview, Minnesota.
How EMDR works, step by step.
EMDR is a structured therapy that helps your brain reprocess experiences that still feel current. Here is what it is, what happens in each phase, and what the research does and doesn't show.
IN PERSON THERAPY
Shoreview, Minnesota
4570 Churchill St, Suite 220
For clients located in Minnesota
You need to be physically in Minnesota during the session.
OTHER STATES
Currently I can only see client who are physically in Minnesota. Florida telehealth registration and Wisconsin licensure are in progress.
WHAT EMDR THERAPY IS
Your brain already knows how to heal. EMDR helps when it gets stuck.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It rests on a simple idea: your brain normally processes what happens to you and files it away. When an experience is overwhelming, or happens again and again, the memory can stay stuck, carrying the original fear, beliefs, and body sensations with it. That is why something from years ago can still feel like it is happening now.
In EMDR therapy, you focus on a memory or a trigger while following a back-and-forth stimulus, such as eye movements, taps, or sounds. This is called bilateral stimulation. Between short rounds, you tell me what you notice. Over time, the memory tends to feel less vivid and less charged, and the beliefs attached to it, like "I'm not safe" or "I'm not enough," change.
You still remember what happened. The difference is that it stops hitting you as if it were happening today.
Francine Shapiro first described the method in 1989. Today it is taught through structured training, and certification through EMDRIA requires additional hours of supervised practice.
Why does bilateral stimulation work?
Bilateral stimulation - the rapid eye movements or alternate tapping - mimics the neurological activity that occurs during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep - the stage when the brain processes and integrates daily experiences. When trauma disrupts this process, memories stay fragmented and unprocessed - stuck. EMDR restarts that integration system, allowing the brain to do what it was designed to do.
THE EIGHT PHASES OF EMDR THERAPY
What happens, and in what order.
1
History and planning
We talk about what brought you in, your background, and what you want to be different. Together we pick the memories and situations to work on.
2
Preparation
I explain how EMDR works, and we build ways for you to stay steady during and between sessions.
3
Assessment
You choose a specific memory, notice the belief about yourself that goes with it, and rate how disturbing it feels.
4
Desensitization
You follow the eye movements, taps, or sounds in short sets and briefly tell me what comes up. We repeat until the memory feels much less distressing.
5
Installation
We strengthen a more accurate, helpful belief about yourself, such as "I did the best I could."
6
Body scan
You bring the memory to mind and check for any tension left in your body. If there is some, we keep working with it.
7
Closure
Every session ends with you feeling steadier than when the hard part began. If we haven't finished, I'll tell you what to expect before we meet again.
8
Reevaluation
Each new session starts by checking how the last one is holding up, and what to work on next.
INSIDE AN EMDR THERAPY SESSION
What it feels like in the room.
You hold the memory or trigger in mind while you tap for a short stretch. Then we stop, and I ask what you noticed.
What comes up is different for everyone. A feeling may rise. An image may change. Another memory may surface, or a new way of seeing the situation. You don't have to analyze any of it. Just briefly share what you notice, and we continue.
What EMDR therapy helps with.
Trauma and PTSD
This is where EMDR is best established. It is used for single events, such as an accident or assault, and for experiences that built up over time.
Childhood and relational trauma
EMDR is used to work with early experiences that shaped how you trust and connect. The research here is smaller, so I pair it with preparation and careful planning. See attachment trauma therapy.
Stress and old patterns
Perfectionism, anxiety, and over-responsibility often trace back to specific experiences. Clinicians use EMDR for these too, though the research is less extensive. See individual EMDR.
HOW I WORK
Ninety minutes gives EMDR room to work.
I am an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and a licensed marriage and family therapist. I use EMDR on its own and alongside couples work, depending on what you need.
A standard hour can leave little room to open a memory, work with it, and bring you back to the present. Ninety minutes gives us time for all three, so you don't leave in the middle of something difficult.
For online sessions, bilateral stimulation can be done on screen, with taps, or with sounds. We go over what works best for you in your first session.
FAQ ABOUT EMDR THERAPY IN MINNESOTA
What people ask about EMDR.
Q. Is EMDR hypnosis?
No. You stay awake and aware the whole time, and you can tell me what you are noticing as we go.
Q. Will I have to talk about what happened?
No. I'll ask about your history, but you don't have to describe your memories in detail. During processing, you tell me briefly what you notice after each set.
Q. Does EMDR erase the memory?
No. You will still remember what happened. The memory usually feels less vivid and less upsetting, and the beliefs attached to it tend to shift.
Q. How many sessions will I need?
It depends on your history. For a single event, many people notice change within a few sessions. Longer or more complicated histories take more time.
Q. Will EMDR be painful or overwhelming?
Strong feelings can come up while we process, and they usually rise and then ease. We prepare first, and every session ends with time to bring you back to the present.
What is EMDRIA Certification
and Why It Matters
EMDRIA (the EMDR International Association) is the governing body for EMDR practice standards. EMDRIA Certification requires completing an approved EMDR Basic Training, logging a specific number of clinical hours using EMDR, receiving consultation from an approved EMDRIA consultant, and passing a rigorous certification process. It represents a significant level of training and supervised experience beyond basic EMDR training, and it means you’re working with a therapist who has been vetted in using this method with clients.
RELATED: EMDR Therapy · Attachment Trauma · Couples Therapy
Your first session is where we begin.
Sessions are 90 minutes and $450, in person in Shoreview or online in Minnesota. I don’t offer free consultations, so we use that first session to talk through what’s going on and decide together how to move forward.