EMDR Therapy: Healing Memories and Finding Yourself Again

You know those moments in life that stick with you? Memories that pop up uninvited and make you feel anxious or sad? Maybe it was something that happened years ago, or maybe it’s more recent. Either way, those memories can hold you back from feeling fully present and fully you.

That’s where EMDR comes in. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.

It might sound technical, but the idea is simple. It helps your brain process painful or stuck memories so they no longer control how you feel today.

How EMDR Works

Think of your brain like a filing cabinet. Most memories get filed away neatly. But traumatic or overwhelming experiences can get stuck in the wrong folder. That’s why certain sights, sounds, or smells can trigger strong emotions you don’t expect.

There are multiple phases involved in an EMDR session, but the following description will give you an idea of how your mind moves through troubling memories to decrease or alleviate intense emotional charge.

During an EMDR session, your therapist guides you to focus on certain parts of a memory you are going to reprocess. Here’s the breakdown- once the memory to reprocess is identified, your therapist will ask you to identify:

- an image that represents the worst part of the experience

- a negative thought that arises due to that image

- a positive thought you prefer to believe instead

- how true or false the positive thought feels to you

- what emotions you feel about the negative experience

- how disturbing the memory feels to you now on a scale from 0 to 10 (0 being neutral and 10  

  being the most disturbing), and

-where you feel that disturbance in your body

Then your therapist will have you focus on those details while following a type of gentle, rhythmic stimulation, often eye movements or tapping. This process helps your brain “re-file” the memory in a way that it’s no longer overwhelming.

The memory stays, but the emotional charge softens or dissipates completely.

Clients often say it feels like their brain is finally catching up with what their body has been feeling all along.

What People Gain From EMDR

Everyone experiences EMDR differently, but here’s what some clients have said after working through memories with me:

● “I’m empowered to be who I really am.”

● “I’ve believed my belief is permanent, but I now realize things can change and get better. I feel more optimistic.”

● “It’s been an amazing surprise that it works the way it does.”

● “I feel more self-compassion, self-love, and self-confidence.”

● “I feel more regulated emotionally.”

● “Things don’t seem as difficult as they did before.”

● “I’m more okay with the uncertainty of life. It’s uncomfortable, but I’m okay.”

● “I feel like I gained myself. I’m more connected to myself. I’m more connected to my body. I don’t feel apologetic about being myself; no longer feeling shame.”

Pretty powerful, right? These show the real shifts in how people feel, think, and show up in their own lives.

Why EMDR Can Be Different

How is EMDR different from other therapy approaches?

Many therapies focus on talking about what happened. EMDR still includes conversation, but it also works directly with the brain and body. It helps you reprocess memories without getting stuck in the story over and over.

This means you can experience relief without reliving the trauma again and again. You start to notice your reactions to everyday life changing. Things that used to feel overwhelming feel more manageable. You feel more grounded. More yourself.

Who Can Benefit From EMDR

EMDR is most often used for trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and stressful life experiences. But it’s also helpful for people who want to move past negative beliefs about themselves, things like “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t handle this.”

Basically, if there’s something in your past that keeps showing up in the present in ways you don’t like, EMDR can help.

Ready to take the first step?

Starting EMDR might feel a little intimidating. You’re revisiting memories you’ve maybe tried to push away for years.  I promise, you won’t have to force yourself to relive the past. I’ll help your brain process it in a safe, supportive way.

Clients often report that even after a few sessions, they feel lighter, more connected to themselves, and more confident navigating life. And that’s exactly what therapy is meant to do: help you live more fully in the present instead of feeling trapped by the past.

The beauty of EMDR is that it’s about reclaiming the parts of yourself the traumatic memories have overshadowed. Feeling more self-love, more optimism, more confidence. Feeling like you finally have permission to be you.

If you’ve been carrying memories or beliefs that don’t serve you, EMDR might be the gentle, effective way to release them. It’s a process that meets you where you are and helps you move forward, one session at a time.

Curious to find out what EMDR can do for you?

At Peace of Wisdom Therapy, I provide EMDR in a safe, compassionate, and supportive environment. Together, we can work through those stuck memories so you can feel more connected, confident, and empowered in your life.

Because you deserve to feel like yourself again, and maybe even discover the person you’ve been waiting to meet.