EMDR is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which is a technique developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro to process trauma through bi-lateral stimulation (stimulating alternate sides of our body). The theory behind how EMDR works is that our body will naturally use bi-lateral stimulation to process events in our lives. Have you ever taken a walk to "mull things over" and returned feeling better afterwards? Walking is a mild form of bi-lateral stimulation that helps our brain process information. Our brain will naturally perform bi-lateral stimulation when we sleep during REM  (rapid eye movements), which is the stage in sleep where we dream. Dreaming is our natural way of processing and making sense of the things that happen in our lives. However, when we experience a traumatic event and lack the support to be able to process it naturally, it can turn into trauma or PTSD. EMDR works by targeting the traumatic event or belief and using bi-lateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or tones) to stimulate the body's natural ability to process trauma. EMDR therapy is a safe and effective way to process trauma in a therapeutic environment, and clients often see positive results a lot faster than when engaging in traditional talk therapy. Please see the My Approach to EMDR tab to read more about how I utilize EMDR to help my clients process trauma. Below I have linked a couple of youtube videos. The first one is a demonstration of how a telehealth EMDR session is conducted. The second video is information on the science of the amygdala and how EMDR targets trauma to heal the body and mind.