EMDR Therapy in Etobicoke Making space to process the past

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is an evidence-based therapy developed to help people process traumatic and distressing memories. Some experiences stay stuck. Years later, a memory can still bring up the same fear, shame or body sensations, as if it is happening now. EMDR is designed to help the brain process those memories so they can be held more like the past and less like the present.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, which simply means rhythmic left and right input, such as following your therapist’s hand or a light with your eyes, alternating taps or alternating tones. You briefly bring a memory to mind while the bilateral stimulation happens, then pause and notice what comes up. You do not need to describe every detail of what happened out loud.

How EMDR sessions are structured

EMDR follows a structured, eight phase approach, and it does not start with difficult memories. The early phases focus on getting to know you, understanding your history and building skills to feel steady before any memory work begins.

• History and planning: your therapist learns about your experiences and goals, and together you decide what to focus on.
• Preparation: you practise grounding and calming techniques you can use in and between sessions.
• Processing: you focus on a specific memory while your therapist guides short sets of bilateral stimulation, checking in with you throughout.
• Closing and reviewing: each session ends with time to settle, and the next one begins by checking in on what came up.

You stay awake, aware and in control the whole time, and you can pause or stop whenever you need to.

Who EMDR may help

EMDR is best known as a therapy for trauma and PTSD, including single incident trauma such as an accident or assault, and the effects of ongoing difficult experiences. It is also used for distressing memories that may not feel like trauma but still shape how you feel, such as a painful medical experience, a difficult birth, bullying or a sudden loss. Some therapists also use it for anxiety, phobias and painful beliefs about yourself, like “I am not safe” or “I am not enough”.

EMDR is not the right fit for everyone, or for every moment. If you are going through a crisis or need more stability first, your therapist may suggest building skills and support before any memory processing.

Combining EMDR with other approaches

EMDR rarely stands alone. It is often part of broader trauma-informed therapy that might also include Internal Family Systems, somatic and body-based work, mindfulness or Trauma-Focused CBT. Your therapist will talk with you about what fits your goals and how the pieces work together.

EMDR availability at Thought & Feeling

We want to be upfront: EMDR is offered only by therapists on our team with EMDR training, and availability is limited. Mention EMDR when you reach out or during your 15-minute phone consult and we will let you know current availability. If EMDR is not available right away, we will recommend therapists who offer other trauma-focused approaches, such as TF-CBT, IFS and somatic therapy, so you can start getting support now.