EMDR

What is EMDR Therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based, structured psychotherapy developed to help people heal from the emotional distress associated with traumatic or highly upsetting life experiences.

During EMDR therapy, a trained clinician guides the client to briefly focus on a distressing memory while simultaneously using gentle, bilateral stimulation — most commonly through guided eye-movements. This process helps reduce the vividness and emotional intensity of the memory, making it less distressing over time.

Because EMDR supports what the brain naturally does to heal from trauma, clients often process distressing memories without needing to revisit or verbally re-narrate the full traumatic event in detail.

Research shows that EMDR is highly effective not only for Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but also for a wide range of mental health challenges — including depression, anxiety, phobias, grief and loss, addiction, chronic pain, and other stress-related struggles.

At Catalyst Counseling, we offer EMDR as part of a compassionate, trauma-informed therapy approach — helping clients move from feeling “stuck” in painful memories toward healing, renewed perspective, and healthier emotional well-being.