Please reach us at if you cannot find an answer to your question.
EMDR is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Phew....In a nutshell: the therapist helps to desensitize (relieve) traumatic memories by using BLS (bilateral stimulation )..(sometimes eye movements). A therapist may also orchestrate BLS with tactile tapping, bilateral sounds, or vibrating tappers, for instance.
The "reprocessing" part is when the therapist helps the client identify with a more positive belief about themselves, when they think of the memory. For instance, instead of the belief, "I'm going to die", it may be reprocessed to "I am safe now".
These techniques are used after grounding and self-soothing techniques are established. Also, after the therapist assesses for anything that may interfere with processing such as a client experiencing a higher level of dissociation or other environmental safety concerns.
It is difficult to say exactly how long it will take to completely heal from trauma. But I can tell you that EMDR provides relief in a faster way than any other therapy. I have seen clients that have felt more positive after 1-2 sessions. They tell me they feel hope that they hadn't felt before. If a client comes in with one traumatic event to process, it can be relieved in 2-3 sessions at times. For someone with more complex PTSD, it can take longer. But the symptoms of PTSD can be relieved and you can live more in the present (where you belong!).
I also offer EMDR Intensives:
A 2-3 hour session allows for deeper healing in a one time session. In a one hour session, we use the first 10-15 minutes in the beginning of the session for preparation (grounding). We also need 10 or so minutes to close the session in a way that is calming and positive for you. So this would only allow for 25-30 minutes of processing. The memory may not be completely processed, and we continue to process the following week/s. However, the intensive 2-3 hr session gives more time for processing memories without the interruptions, and you may have relief of symptoms more immediately.
Sarah Starbird earned her Master's Degree in Social Work at UConn in 2005. She obtained a Connecticut license (LCSW) to work in private practice in 2007. She has worked in a variety of settings including local hospitals, schools, outpatient clinics for mental health and addiction, inpatient substance abuse programs, inpatient psychiatric programs, and private practice. She completed her EMDR training through EMDRIA in 2017, and advanced her EMDR training to obtain certification a few years later. Sarah continues to seek out advanced EMDR techniques that compliment her clients' needs. She is also required to continue her education in EMDR to keep her certification. In addition, she continuously seeks out advanced consultation with specific expertise in areas such as early trauma, dissociation, substance abuse, and more.
Starbird EMDR Therapy provides counseling services for teens and adults.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.