Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Virtual Sessions Across New York & Massachusetts

What EMDR Is, in Plain Language

When something overwhelming happens, your brain sometimes can’t file it away properly. EMDR helps your brain finish that job.

• An unfiled memory stays raw, with the original images, body feelings, and beliefs still attached.
• That’s why a smell, a voice, or a conflict can suddenly make you feel like you did years ago.
• You recall a memory while following left-right eye movements, sounds, or tapping. This is called bilateral stimulation.
• You won’t forget what happened. The memory just stops grabbing you the way it used to.
• You don’t retell your worst moments in detail or do homework. The work happens in session, at your pace.

The Evidence Behind EMDR

EMDR is one of the most thoroughly researched trauma treatments there is.

• The World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association recognize it as an evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs lists it among its strongly recommended trauma therapies.
• Dozens of randomized controlled trials show results comparable to the best trauma-focused talk therapies, often in fewer sessions.
• Created in the late 1980s for single-event trauma, it now also helps with complex trauma, anxiety, and smaller wounds.
• Maria completed EMDR Basic Training in 2021, Intermediate in 2022, and Relational EMDR, an attachment-aware approach, in 2026.

What an EMDR Session Looks Like

EMDR happens in phases, and feeling steady always comes first. It works well over video, and Maria has offered it this way since 2021.

1. 1

   Getting to know you

   Maria learns your history and goals, and honestly checks your readiness.

2. 2

   Building grounding skills

   You learn calming and grounding tools you can reach for if processing ever feels intense.

3. 3

   Choosing a memory

   Together you pick a target memory and the painful belief tied to it, like I am powerless or I am not enough.

4. 4

   Processing in short sets

   You hold the memory lightly during short sets of on-screen movement or tapping, then notice what comes up. You can stop anytime.

5. 5

   A truer belief takes hold

   Over the sets, distress drops and a truer belief, like I survived or it was not my fault, starts to feel real.

Who EMDR Helps Most

EMDR is a leading treatment for post-traumatic stress, but it helps with much more.

• Childhood wounds and complex trauma that formed inside relationships.
• Anxiety with clear roots in past experiences, plus phobias and grief that feels stuck.
• Harsh beliefs about yourself left behind by years of criticism, rejection, or chaos.
• People who understand their patterns from talk therapy but still feel the same panic, shame, or dread in their body.
• During active substance dependency, unmanaged dissociation, or a crisis, stabilization comes first. Maria never rushes anyone into processing.

How Long EMDR Takes

Sessions are weekly and 50 minutes. You will always know which phase you are in and why.

1. 1

   Start with a free consultation

   A free 15-minute consultation lets you ask anything about EMDR and whether it fits you, from anywhere in New York or Massachusetts.

2. 2

   Single-event trauma: often shorter

   For one event, like a car accident, an assault, or a scary medical event, research shows real relief sometimes within three to twelve sessions.

3. 3

   Complex trauma: usually months

   Childhood and complex trauma take longer, with more memories to work on, more preparation, and more relationship repair.

4. 4

   Progress, one memory at a time

   Most clients feel the change memory by memory, like distress dropping from a nine out of ten to a one or two.

Further Reading

• How to choose an EMDR therapist in Brooklyn
• Does EMDR work over video? What the evidence says
• What is EMDR? A plain-language guide