EMDR Therapy

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR Therapy (or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy) is an integrative therapy that helps people heal from Traumatic events as well as, life disturbing experiences. Discovered by Dr. Francine Shapiro, EMDR Therapy has gotten worldwide attention for helping millions of people heal from PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) caused from traumatic events, such as; rape, sexual abuse, auto accidents and combat. EMDR Therapy can also help people who feel distress in their lives to heal and feel more whole after events that have been disturbing such as; divorce, life transitions, grief, anxiety and much more.

When people are experiencing distress in their lives and can’t find a way to fix it on their own they end up coming in for EMDR Therapy. Sometimes events happen in a person’s life and they struggle to find a way to integrate that incident. That event can become an unprocessed memory and get stored in the brain creating symptoms that are uncomfortable. Physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, and images associated with the event can get locked into the brain, and without treatment, may lead to distressing symptoms and behaviors.

EMDR Therapy is designed to help a person identify and process these stuck pieces so that the symptoms can decrease, and one can feel more alive and less distressed. EMDR Therapy helps facilitate the activation of the brain’s inherent system to process and integrate the information that got stored or stuck. EMDR Therapy will not erase the memory; rather you will be able to remember the story without all the emotional charge that was distressing before the treatment.

What is trauma?

Trauma results from perceptions of threat combined with an inability to escape, and can be relational or non-relational.

Symptoms rather than history mark the existence of psychological trauma. Intrusive thoughts, sudden physiological changes such as elevated heart rate, elevated respiration, transient sensations in the gut, chest, and throat, and intense emotions such as rage or sadness all indicate a body and mind reaction to environmental cues that are perceived as threats.

EMDR is an effective therapy to reduce reactivity to triggers.

EMDR Consultation

Sarah offers individual and group consultation for trained therapists looking for support around EMDR therapy and working toward certification in EMDR therapy. Local and long distant consultation available. Please email for availability and more information: [email protected]

EMDR Trainings

Remote EMDR trainings are offered through the Maiberger Institute.

The Maiberger Institute offers a Remote EMDR Basic Training that will prepare therapists to use EMDR Therapy effectively with their clients. This complete training package will include lectures, live demonstrations, practicums, scripts and other EMDR Training tools and resources. Please visit the Maiberger Institute for more information on basic training.

Testimonials

“Sarah Rose is one of the most attentive and compassionate therapists I know. The couples counseling she provides with co-therapist Andy Rose is innovative and uniquely supportive. I never hesitate to refer couples to Sarah and Andy, and I always hear wonderful reports of their work. I especially love Sarah’s gentle, supportive presence as well as her quiet wisdom and commitment to continually honing her skills as a therapist. When I send clients to Sarah, I know they are in good hands.” – Peg Shippert, MA, LPC

EMDR Resources

EMDR Therapy Books:

Remote Together: A Therapist’s Guide to Cultivating a Sustainable Practice

EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology: Interventions to Enhance Embodiment in Trauma Treatment



Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessi… by Francine Shapiro	Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of You… by Francine Shapiro	EMDR: The Breakthrough “Eye Movement” Thera… by Francine Shapiro

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and … by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.	EMDR Made Simple: 4 Approaches to Using EMD… by Jamie Marich	EMDR Toolbox: Theory and Treatment of Compl… by James Knipe

A Therapist’s Guide to EMDR: Tools and Tech… by Laurel Parnell Ph.D.	Attachment-Focused EMDR: Healing Relational… by Laurel Parnell Ph.D.	EMDR Essentials: A Guide for Clients and Th… by Barb Maiberger


Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Ed… by Daniel Goleman	Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approac… by Pat Ogden	Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Viole… by Judith Herman

Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelmi…	Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine	Working with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman