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EMDR Therapy
Some things don't get better just by talking about them.
You might already understand, at least on some level, where the pain comes from. You can trace it back, name it, explain it. But understanding it hasn't made it stop showing up. It's still there in how you react when something touches that old wound, in the way your body responds before your mind has caught up, in the patterns that keep repeating no matter how much awareness you bring to them. EMDR therapy at Courage to Be Counseling and Consultation is for people who have done enough talking and are ready to work at the level where the stuck material actually lives.
What you might be carrying
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Memories or experiences that still feel present in a way they shouldn't, intruding on your daily life even when you're not trying to think about them
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A body that stays on alert, tense, reactive, or exhausted in ways that don't match what's actually happening around you right now
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Emotional responses that feel out of proportion to the situation, and a frustration that knowing that doesn't seem to change it
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A history you've processed in therapy before, but something still hasn't shifted the way you hoped it would
What starts to shift
What most people notice first is that the memory or experience starts to feel further away. Not gone, but no longer right at the surface. The charge around it decreases. You can think about what happened without your nervous system responding as though it's happening again right now.
Over time, the beliefs that formed around the experience tend to shift as well. The part of you that decided you were unsafe, or not enough, or responsible for something that wasn't yours to carry, starts to update. That update doesn't come from being convinced of something different. It comes from the brain finishing processing it couldn't complete at the time.
The changes from EMDR work tend to hold. That's one of the things that distinguishes it from approaches that manage symptoms without addressing the source.
How we work with you
EMDR at Courage to Be Counseling and Consultation is integrated into a broader trauma-informed framework alongside experiential and relational approaches. It isn't applied as a standalone protocol. The pacing, the preparation work, and the specific targets are shaped around your history and what your nervous system actually needs.
The early phase of EMDR is focused on preparation, building the internal resources and stabilization skills that make processing safe before any reprocessing begins. That foundation is not skipped. When active processing begins, sessions use bilateral stimulation to support the brain's natural information processing, working through targeted memories until their emotional charge resolves and more adaptive beliefs can take hold. Sessions are 50 minutes.
What to expect
The first session covers your history, your current symptoms, and what you're hoping EMDR will help with. There's no pressure to go into graphic detail in that first conversation. The preparation phase that follows is collaborative, and you'll have a clear sense of what's happening and why at each stage before moving forward. EMDR is not a passive process. Your engagement matters, and the pace is set by what you're ready for, not by a fixed timeline.
Sessions are typically weekly. Between sessions, some people notice material continuing to process, which is normal and something that gets addressed directly as part of the ongoing work.
Who this is a good fit for
EMDR at Courage to Be Counseling and Consultation works well for adults working through trauma of any kind, including childhood trauma, religious trauma, abuse, accidents, medical experiences, and the kind of repeated smaller experiences that accumulate into lasting patterns. It's a strong fit for people who feel stuck despite previous therapy, people who struggle with intrusive memories or heightened reactivity, and people who understand their history intellectually but haven't been able to feel the shift.
This is not the right starting point if you are currently in crisis or if your day-to-day functioning is significantly unstable. Stabilization work comes first in those situations, and that conversation happens openly in the intake process.
Fees
EMDR sessions are $150 per session, with sliding scale options available based on financial need. Courage to Be Counseling and Consultation does not accept insurance. A free consultation is available before your first appointment to discuss whether EMDR is a good fit for what you're working on.
Policies
Cancellations should be made in advance. Confidentiality applies to everything shared in session, within standard legal limits. Because EMDR processing can continue between sessions, consistent attendance matters more than in some other types of therapy, and gaps in the schedule are discussed as part of treatment planning.
FAQs
Is EMDR only for PTSD?
No. EMDR was originally developed for trauma and PTSD, and the research base there is strong. It's also used effectively for grief, anxiety, phobias, chronic self-critical beliefs, and experiences that don't meet a formal PTSD diagnosis but are still causing real distress. If you're not sure whether your history qualifies, the consultation is the right place to ask.
Do I have to talk through everything that happened in detail?
No. EMDR doesn't require a detailed verbal retelling of traumatic events. You hold the memory in mind during processing without needing to narrate it out loud. For people who have found traditional talk therapy retraumatizing, this is often one of the most significant differences.
How many sessions will it take?
It depends on what you're working on and how your nervous system responds to processing. Some single-incident traumas resolve in a relatively small number of sessions. More complex or layered histories take longer. A realistic estimate gets discussed early, once there's a clearer picture of what the work involves.
I've heard EMDR is intense. What if I get overwhelmed?
That concern is worth naming, and it's part of why preparation comes first. Before any active processing begins, you'll have stabilization tools in place and a clear understanding of what to do if something feels like too much. The pace is set by what you're ready for, not by a schedule.