Claim the events of your life to make yourself yours

Watch a  10 minute video about how EMDR works here.

All therapy methods are client-choice and client-centered in my practice. I currently use  Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in most situations with clients. 

The Process

EMDR is a kind and gentle therapy. It's also a structured and effective form of psychotherapy that helps individuals heal from symptoms and emotional distress caused by disturbing life experiences. By focusing briefly on traumatic memories while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, EMDR therapy reduces the vividness and emotional impact of these memories. This process enables people to experience the benefits of psychotherapy in a shorter time compared to traditional methods.

The Research 

Research has shown that EMDR therapy is beneficial for:

• PTSD 
• Anxiety 
• Depression
• OCD
• Chronic pain
• Addictions  
• Other distressing life experiences 

Studies even indicate that EMDR can be more effective than Prozac in treating trauma. Learn more about the research here.

How it works

EMDR  leverages the brain’s natural healing processes. Just as the body works to heal a physical wound, the mind works to heal from psychological trauma. If the mind’s information processing system is blocked or imbalanced by a traumatic event, the emotional wound can persist and cause significant suffering. EMDR therapy helps to remove these blocks, allowing natural healing to resume.

EMDR therapy is recognized as an effective treatment by numerous organizations, to name a few:

• American Psychiatric Association 
• American Psychological Association
• World Health Organization

Clinicians trained in EMDR use detailed protocols and procedures to help clients activate their natural healing processes.  "EMDR therapists in 130 countries have successfully treated millions" (EMDRIA). 

Learn more about EMDR here.

Frances Wilder MA, LMHC:

I am an experienced, Licensed Psychotherapist who has been practicing since 1996. I have  recently incorporated EMDR into my work with clients because of how effective I've found it for my own personal growth. I have completed the EMDRIA Approved in-class and practicum portion of EMDR Training (40 hours). I currently use EMDR with clients and am in the consultation phase with an EMDRIA approved consultant and will complete the consultation phase in November of 2024. Learn more about where I am in the EMDR process here.

EMDR Institute, Inc. (n.d.). What is EMDR? Retrieved from https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/#layperson 

EMDR International Association. (n.d.). What is EMDR therapy? Retrieved  from https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/

Maxfield, L. (2019). A clinician’s guide to the efficacy of EMDR therapy. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 13(4), 239-246. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.13.4.239

Shapiro, F., & Forrest, M. S. (2016). EMDR: The breakthrough therapy for overcoming anxiety, stress, and trauma. Hachette UK

Van der Kolk, B.A., Spinazzola, J., Blaustein, M.E., Hopper, J.W., Hopper, E.K., Korn, D. L., & Simpson, W.B. (2007). A randomized clinical trial of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), fluoxetine, and pill placebo in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: treatment effects and long-term maintenance. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 68(1), 37-46.