EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a type of therapy that helps people heal from distressing memories and trauma. It involves recalling these memories while performing specific eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation, which helps the brain reprocess the memories and reduce their emotional impact. This approach is structured in eight phases, focusing on identifying and processing troubling memories, and ultimately helping individuals develop healthier responses and beliefs. EMDR is designed to be a safe and supportive way to alleviate the effects of trauma and improve overall well-being.

Imagine your brain is like a filing system for your experiences. Most of the time, your brain files away memories properly, so they don't bother you. However, when something really bad happens (like a trauma), the brain can get overwhelmed and doesn't file it correctly. Instead, it leaves it out, raw and unprocessed, causing you to feel upset whenever you think about it.

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EMDR is like a way to help your brain finally file away those bad memories correctly. By thinking about the memory while doing specific movements (like following a light with your eyes), your brain can reprocess the memory, making it less painful and more manageable. The AIP model explains why this works: it's because your brain has a natural way of processing experiences, and EMDR helps kickstart that natural process for traumatic memories.

EMDR can treat a number of conditions including: PTSD, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, phobias, recent traumatic events, grief and other emotional challenges relating to traumatic experiences.

This varies person to person based on their depth of experiences. Some clients have experienced improvement in a few sessions, whereas others required months or longer. As your therapist, I will collaborate with you to create a customized roadmap to healing that may give you a better sense of the road that lies ahead. Your roadmap will act as your point of reference throughout your journey so you know exactly where you are, each step of the way. 

Clients often report increased dream activity and vividness, feeling tired after session, and occasionally feeling emotional between sessions. This is all very normal as your brain is not only working in session, but also behind the scenes between sessions. 

Weekly sessions are required, and truly beneficial for the beginning and middle phase of treatment. While your brain is learning a new way to process old material, stabilization and regular monitoring are essential to ensure you have the highest level of support. Once you reach the end of treatment, you and I can discuss biweekly or monthly check-ins during the maintenance stage of therapy. 

Not necessarily. One of the benefits to EMDR therapy is that you do not have to share in explicit detail what your experiences were. I will guide you every step of the way as I ask you to notice how you feel now as you look back on the memory. Our priority each and every session is to keep you within your 'window of tolerance,' emotionally and physically. What this means is keeping you within a range of discomfort that does not promote emotional or physical dysregulation, but allows for the work to happen. It is my job as your therapist to constantly monitor this and adjust as needed.

Typical therapy sessions range from 45-60 minutes in length. For EMDR therapy, 90-minute sessions are encouraged whenever possible in order to make significant progress on any given memory you might be working on. That is not to say 50-minute sessions are not effective - most therapy sessions I have conducted fall within the standard window. 

In some cases you may be eligible to use out-of-network insurance benefits. You will be responsible for paying for each session in full at time of appointment. ​

I work with Mentaya, a platform that helps clients get money back on out-of-network therapy sessions. If you have out-of-network benefits, Mentaya will file claims and handle the insurance paperwork to make sure you get reimbursed. They charge a 5% fee per claim and have helped people get thousands of dollars back per year. You can sign up and check your out-of-network insurance reimbursement here. 

Note: Mentaya's goal is to save you time and money. It's completely optional, and as your therapist I do not benefit in any way from your participation.

If you have out-of-network benefits, they typically will reimburse you for 60-80% of the cost of each session.

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You can sign up and check your out-of-network insurance reimbursement here. 

Your out-of-network benefits are usually pretty straightforward to use. To make things even simpler for you, you can sign up and check your out-of-network insurance reimbursement here with Mentaya.

Should you decide to submit on your own, most insurance companies have you upload your monthly superbill online (it’ll be sent to you on the 1st of each month) and then they will mail you a check with your reimbursement.

It’s always a good idea to call the number on the back of your health insurance card listed under Member Services.

You can ask them the following questions:

• Do I have out-of-network outpatient mental health coverage? Am I able to use these benefits for telehealth?

• What is my out-of-network deductible?

• How much of my deductible has been met this year?

• Do I need a referral from an in-network provider to see someone out-of-network?

• What percentage of outpatient psychotherapy sessions are covered per session?

• How much will I be reimbursed for a 45 minute psychotherapy session (CPT code: 90834)?

• How do I submit claim forms for reimbursement?

• How long does it take for me to receive reimbursement?

Yes, I reserve a limited number of sliding scale spots in my schedule. If you do not think you can afford my full fee, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

If I’m unable to offer you a sliding scale spot, I’d be happy to offer referrals to trusted clinicians in the area.

If you’re hoping to find an in-network provider, www.psychologytoday.com is a great resource.