Coming Soon - EMDR
REDUCED COST SPOTS FOR TRAUMA-FOCUSED COUNSELLING
$70 per 50-minute session
or
$110 per 80-minute session
Please note that I am not yet offering EMDR in my practice. I plan to begin offering it in the near future as an additional trauma-focused approach within my counselling work with clients who have experienced trauma.
I begin EMDR training in June 2026 and am currently looking for 5 clients who would like to start trauma-focused counselling now at a discounted rate, with the possibility of incorporating EMDR later this summer if it feels appropriate for your needs. If we determine that EMDR is not the best fit for you, I will still honour the discounted rate for your sessions, and we can continue using other therapeutic approaches to support your counselling journey.
During my training, I will be receiving both consultation and supervision as I work toward certification.
How EMDR works
If you are considering therapy to help with traumatic memories, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) may be an approach worth exploring. EMDR is an empirically supported, structured therapy that helps the brain process difficult experiences so they feel less overwhelming over time (Shapiro, 2018). During EMDR, you briefly bring aspects of a distressing memory to mind while the therapist guides you through a technique referred to as bilateral dual attention stimulation (more often referred to as bilateral stimulation or BLS), which could involve following a light or hand movement with your eyes, or gently alternating taps from left to right while focusing on the memory (Shapiro, 2018). Although the name of this modality refers to eye movements, EMDR can be done using touch or sound instead, particularly if the client finds these to be more supportive of their needs (Shapiro, 2018). EMDR is not rushed; it begins with building safety, coping skills, and readiness before moving into reprocessing. While some clients may need as few as 6-12 sessions for a full course of EMDR, the number of sessions needed will look different for each person, depending on the number of memories being addressed, their complexity, and the pace that feels supportive for you (First Session Editorial Team, 2026; Shapiro, 2018).
How Our Brains Record Trauma
When we go through something traumatic, the brain can store that experience differently than it stores everyday memories. Instead of feeling like something firmly in the past, a traumatic memory can remain vivid, emotionally intense, or fragmented (van der Kolk, 2014). Trauma can affect the brain systems involved in threat detection, memory, and emotional regulation, including the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex (van der Kolk, 2014). Because of this, reminders of the experience can sometimes make the nervous system respond as though the danger is happening all over again, leading to reactions such as fight, flight, or freeze, along with distressing emotions, physical sensations, and hypervigilance (Shapiro, 2018; van der Kolk, 2014). EMDR aims to help these memories become less distressing and more integrated over time. Many people also appreciate that EMDR does not usually require them to describe the traumatic experience in full detail; instead, they briefly bring aspects of the memory to mind while the therapist guides them through BLS (Shapiro, 2018).
Readiness
It is important to consider whether this is the right time for EMDR. You do not need to have a completely stress-free life to begin, but it does help to have enough stability and support to revisit difficult memories safely. Because EMDR can bring up strong emotions during and sometimes after sessions, we will first make sure you have tools for grounding, self-soothing, and emotional regulation. We will work together to build these resources so that you feel supported and better prepared for the process.
EMDR with Me
As a neurodivergent counsellor whose focus is on supporting fellow neurodivergent and questioning individuals, I aim to adapt counselling approaches to best support our diverse minds in ways that are supportive of diverse minds and nervous systems. With EMDR, this may include first trying different forms of BLS with a neutral memory, reducing demands such as sustained eye contact, or moving through the phases at a slower pace when needed (Lanza, 2025). I also tend to draw on approaches that I have personally found meaningful and helpful in my own counselling journey, and EMDR is one of the approaches I am looking forward to integrating into my work.
Phases of EMDR
Phase 1: History and Treatment Planning
In this phase, I will gather background information and learn more about what has brought you to therapy. We will talk about your goals, current symptoms, trauma history at a level that feels manageable, how you cope with strong emotions, your support system, and relevant mental health and medical history. This helps us decide whether EMDR may be a good fit and which memories or present-day triggers may be important to focus on in treatment.
Phase 2: Preparation
In the preparation phase, I will help you understand how EMDR works, what to expect during and between sessions, and how we will move through the process together. We will also build and strengthen grounding, calming, and emotional regulation strategies so that you feel more prepared for later phases of EMDR. For some people, this phase is brief; for others, it may take longer, depending on their history and needs.
Phase 3: Assessment
During the assessment phase, we identify the memory we will target and explore how it shows up for you now. This usually includes choosing an image that represents the memory, identifying a negative belief that became attached to it, noticing the emotions and body sensations connected to it, and identifying a more helpful belief you would like to move toward. We also establish baseline ratings to help us track change over time.
Phases 4, 5, and 6: Desensitization, Installation and Body Scan
These phases often unfold within the same processing sessions.
In desensitization, you bring the target memory to mind while I guide you through BLS, (eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds). After each set, I will invite you to notice what comes up, such as thoughts, feelings, images, or body sensations. Over time, the goal is for the memory to become less distressing and less disruptive.
In installation, we strengthen the positive belief you identified earlier, helping it feel more believable and more connected to the memory.
In body scan, you notice whether there is any lingering tension or disturbance in your body while holding the memory and the positive belief in mind. If needed, we continue processing until the body feels clearer and more settled.
Depending on the number and complexity of the memories being addressed, these phases may take place over multiple sessions.
Phase 7: Closure
Closure happens at the end of each processing session. The goal is to help you return to the present moment feeling grounded and supported, whether or not the memory has been fully processed that day. This may include calming or grounding exercises, guided imagery, or other strategies that help you leave the session feeling more settled. These exercises can also be used during further processing that takes place outside of sessions.
Phase 8: Reevaluation
At the beginning of a later session, we revisit the memory and check how it feels now. We notice whether the distress has remained low, whether the positive belief still feels true, and whether there are any remaining pieces that still need attention. We may decide to continue processing that memory, shift to a different target, or focus on present-day triggers and future situations.
References
First Session Editorial Team. (2025, November 5). EMDR therapy in Canada. First Session. https://www.firstsession.com/resources/emdr-therapy-exercises-techniques
Lanza, T. (2025, Winter). Finding the magic in the neurotype: Using EMDR with neurodivergent clients. Go With That Magazine. EMDR International Association. https://www.emdria.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Go-With-That-Magazine-Finding-the-Magic-in-the-Neurotype_-Using-EMDR-with-Neurodivergent-Clients.pdf
Shapiro, F. (2017). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Penguin Books.