EMDR Therapy · Fort Worth, TX
You know why you react that way. You just cannot seem to stop.
EMDR therapy for the reactions insight alone has not touched. In person in Fort Worth and online across Texas and Florida.
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Does this sound familiar?
- A two-line email from your boss takes over your whole afternoon.
- One comment in a certain tone, and you feel twelve years old again.
- You can explain exactly where your anxiety comes from, and it shows up anyway.
- You have done therapy before. You gained insight. The feeling underneath stayed.
- Your body reacts before your mind has a chance to catch up.
None of this means you are broken or doing therapy wrong. It often means an old experience is still stored as if it is happening now.
Understanding a pattern and feeling differently are not the same thing.
EMDR works on the second part.
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps your brain reprocess experiences that are still stuck.
Some memories get stored with the same emotions, body sensations, and beliefs you had when they happened. That is why an old moment can still feel like now. In EMDR, you briefly focus on a memory while we use bilateral stimulation, like eye movements or tapping, so your brain can file it away as something that happened in the past.
It is not hypnosis. You stay fully aware and in control the entire time, and you do not have to retell every detail of what happened.
What EMDR can help with.
Strongest research
- PTSD, from a single event or many
- Accidents, assaults, or medical scares that still replay
Growing research
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Phobias, like flying, driving, or medical procedures
- Depression tied to painful life experiences
Common clinical use
- Criticism, rejection, or betrayal that still stings
- Beliefs like “I have to be perfect”
- Performance anxiety
- Grief and difficult birth or medical experiences
The research
What the evidence shows.
2013
The World Health Organization recommended EMDR, alongside trauma-focused CBT, for adults with PTSD.
WHO stress guidelines
2023
The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense named EMDR one of three recommended psychotherapies for PTSD.
VA/DoD clinical practice guideline
17
Randomized controlled trials in a 2020 meta-analysis found EMDR reduced symptoms of anxiety, panic, and phobias.
Journal of Psychiatric Research
The evidence is strongest for PTSD. Research on anxiety and other concerns is promising but newer, and a 2020 review noted that many studies were small. I believe you deserve the honest version, so I will always tell you what the research does and does not show.
- World Health Organization (2013). Guidelines for the management of conditions specifically related to stress.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (2023). Management of PTSD and acute stress disorder: guideline synopsis, Annals of Internal Medicine.
- Yunitri, N., et al. (2020). The effectiveness of EMDR toward anxiety disorder: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 123, 102–113.
- Cuijpers, P., et al. (2020). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for mental health problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 49(3), 165–180.
The process
The 8 phases of EMDR.
EMDR follows a structured, eight-phase protocol. Here is what each phase looks like with me, so nothing about the process feels like a mystery.
Prepare
History and planning
We talk about what brings you in, your history, and what you want to feel different. I also make sure EMDR is a good fit right now, and we choose what to target.
Preparation
This is where we build your foundation. I explain how EMDR works, and together we create a self-care plan and practice strategies like grounding and a calm place exercise, so you can tolerate difficult feelings and feel safe before any reprocessing begins.
Reprocess
Assessment
We pick one memory and name the image, the negative belief tied to it, the belief you would rather have, and where you feel it in your body.
Desensitization
You hold the memory in mind during short sets of bilateral stimulation, then share what you notice. We continue until it feels much less disturbing.
Installation
We strengthen the belief you want, like “I am enough,” until it feels more true.
Body scan
You notice your body while thinking of the memory, and we process any tension that is left.
Close and check in
Closure
Every session ends with you feeling steady, even if we are partway through a memory.
Reevaluation
Next session, we look at what shifted, what came up during the week, and what comes next.
Phases are not one per session. Preparation often takes the most time, and one memory may take one session or several. We only move into reprocessing when you are ready.
I completed EMDR training through CompassionWorks, an EMDRIA-approved training program, and I use it alongside my training as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Sessions are 50 or 90 minutes, in person or online.
What can change.
Everyone's process is different, and I will never promise a specific outcome. These are shifts people often describe:
- A memory that used to hit hard starts to feel like the past
- Criticism lands, but it does not knock you over
- Boundaries stop feeling like a betrayal
- You react to what is happening now, not what happened then
- “I am not enough” starts to lose its grip
- You trust yourself more
What people ask about EMDR.
Do I need a big trauma to benefit from EMDR?
No. Many people come in for smaller experiences that still left a mark, like ongoing criticism, feeling unseen, or growing up with pressure to be perfect.
Will I have to talk about everything in detail?
No. EMDR does not require a detailed retelling. You notice what comes up, and we keep moving.
Can EMDR be done online?
Yes. EMDR works well through telehealth. I offer EMDR online for adults across Texas and Florida, as well as in person at my Fort Worth office.
How much do EMDR sessions cost?
EMDR sessions come in two lengths: 50 minutes for $150, or 90 minutes for $270. Longer sessions give us more time to reprocess without stopping partway through. We will decide together which length fits you best. Your first appointment is a $160 intake.
How many sessions will it take?
It depends on what we are working on. Some people notice shifts within a few reprocessing sessions, and more layered patterns take longer. We will check in on progress together.
Is EMDR right for everyone?
Not always, or not right away. During the first phase, I look at whether EMDR is a good fit for where you are now. If it is not, we start with other approaches and build stability first.
Will I feel worse before I feel better?
Some people feel tired or emotional after a session. That is normal. Before we begin reprocessing, we build a self-care plan and practice strategies so you know how to take care of yourself between sessions.
The past does not have to keep running the present.
The first step is a free 15-minute connection call. We will talk about what is going on and whether EMDR is a good fit.
Book a Free Connection CallIn-person at 901 W Rosedale Street, Ste 250, Fort Worth, TX 76104, and telehealth across Texas and Florida.