What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a trauma treatment with a proven ability to decrease the frequency and intensity of a range of trauma specific symptoms including flashbacks, nightmares and intrusive thoughts.

This specific approach to therapy enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. EMDR is also highly effective in reducing the impact of trauma triggers in order to improve overall function.

In Person or Virtual Appointments

Therapy appointments generally last for an hour and meet routinely once a week. You and your therapist can discuss what is the best schedule for you and your situation. Appointments are available Monday - Saturday in the morning, during the daytime, and in the evening.

Who provides EMDR therapy?

Courtney Emery, LCPC

Courtney is warm, collaborative and strengths based in her therapeutic approach, carefully attending to the context of her clients’ lives. She has extensive experience working with adults coping with severe and persistent mental illness, depression and anxiety. She is interested in grief, trauma, and the needs of women and LGBTGEQ+ people throughout the adult life course.

She is trained in the trauma specific treatment EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and she is actively pursuing EMDR certification.

How does EMDR work?

Traumatic experiences do not need to be described in great detail in order for EMDR to be effective. Initial sessions focus on creating a sense of safety and connection with therapist and client by the process of identifying techniques to help manage distressing symptoms and experiences such as anxiety, emotional flooding and dissociation. The therapist and client work together to identify a supportive framework so that the EMDR work can be tolerable enough to be effective. The goal of the initial sessions prior to starting the EMDR work is to properly assess if EMDR is the appropriate approach.

During a structured EMDR therapy session the client will be asked to incrementally discuss emotionally disturbing material in brief segments while also simultaneously being asked to focus on an external stimulation using one of their five senses. Often what is used as “external stimulation” is audio sounds over headphones, the client tapping on their own shoulders or knees, the client holding sensors that vibrate, or a light bar that alternates from one side to another.

You may have heard of the term “bi-lateral stimulation”. This essentially is a technical term for stimulation that is experienced on one side of the body and then on the other side. This can be hearing a sound in one ear and then the other or the vibrating sensors alternating between hands with a vibration.

EMDR therapy fan access the traumatic memory network, so that information processing is enhanced, with new associations forged between the traumatic memory and more adaptive memories or information.

These new associations are thought to result in complete information processing, new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and development of cognitive insights. EMDR therapy uses a three pronged protocol: (1) the past events that have laid the groundwork for dysfunction are processed, forging new associative links with adaptive information; (2) the current circumstances that elicit distress are targeted, and internal and external triggers are desensitized; (3) imaginal templates of future events are incorporated, to assist the client in acquiring the skills needed for adaptive functioning.

EMDR Institute, Inc.

Dr. Francine Shapiro developed an information processing theory to explain and predict the treatment effects seen with EMDR therapy. This theoretical model also describes the development of personality, psychological problems and mental disorders.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy

A structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories.

Getting Started

To schedule an appointment call us at:

(312) 360-1983

You may also use the form to start the intake process or answer any questions. An intake coordinator will return your call within 24 hours.

We have appointments 6 days a week (Monday - Saturday) in the AM and PM

At Higgins & Carter LLC, we accept most major insurance providers. Please contact us to inquire about coverage.