Something happened, and part of you never quite got past it
If you're reading this, there's probably something. An experience, a period of your life, a relationship. Something that still has weight to it in a way that doesn't match how long ago it happened.
You might have talked about it in therapy before. You might understand it pretty well intellectually. And yet it still shows up. In how your body responds to certain situations. In the reactions that feel too big for the moment. In the way certain things can pull you right back to a feeling you thought you were done with.
That gap between knowing something and feeling differently about it is exactly what EMDR is designed to close.
What EMDR therapy actually is
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured, evidence-based therapy developed specifically for trauma and distressing memories.
It works differently than talk therapy. Rather than analyzing what happened or building insight about it, EMDR helps your nervous system complete what it couldn't finish at the time of a difficult experience. The process uses bilateral stimulation, typically eye movements, while you hold a targeted memory in mind.
The goal is not to erase what happened. It's to help the memory lose its charge, so it stops pulling you back and driving your responses in the present.
What you might be carrying
- Memories or experiences that still feel raw or close, even when you know they're in the past.
- Physical responses like tension, a racing heart, or shutting down, that get triggered in situations that remind you of something that happened.
- A pattern of reacting in ways that feel out of proportion, and that you can't talk yourself out of in the moment.
- A sense that regular talk therapy helped you understand things but didn't change how they feel in your body.
What starts to shift
What clients often notice first is that the memory or experience loses its charge. It's still there, but it doesn't grip the way it used to.
Over time, that tends to extend outward. The triggered reactions become less intense and less frequent. The body stops sounding an alarm in situations that aren't actually dangerous. Clients describe it as the past starting to feel like the past.
How I work with you
I am certified in EMDR and use it as part of my work with clients dealing with PTSD, trauma, and experiences that have stayed stuck despite other treatment.
EMDR sessions happen within the context of our broader therapeutic relationship. It is not a standalone procedure disconnected from everything else. Before beginning any processing work, we spend time establishing safety, building your capacity to manage what comes up, and making sure you understand the process.
You stay in control throughout. We move at a pace that works for you.
Sessions are 55 minutes. For some clients EMDR becomes a central part of our work together. For others it is one tool among several, used when it's the right fit for what's coming up.
Fees and insurance
The initial 55-minute session is $175. Ongoing sessions are $150.
I am in-network with:
- Harvard Pilgrim
- United Healthcare
- United Behavioral Health
- Optum
- Maine Community Health Options
Superbills are available for out-of-network reimbursement.
Who this is a good fit for
Adults who have a specific experience or set of experiences they want to process. Or who have noticed that insight alone hasn't been enough to shift how they feel.
This is a good fit if you've been in therapy before and feel like you've done a lot of talking but something still isn't moving. It's also appropriate for people currently in ongoing therapy who want to add EMDR work specifically.
This is not the right fit for people in acute crisis or who need immediate stabilization before engaging in trauma processing. We would need to build that foundation first.
This is available in-person in Portland, ME and online.
FAQs
If you're not sure whether EMDR is right for what you're dealing with, a free 10 to 15 minute phone consultation is a good place to start.