What Is EMDR Therapy? A Gentle Explanation

ADG Therapy • 12 January 2026

If you’ve heard of EMDR therapy, you may be wondering what it actually is — and whether it’s right for you.
 
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. While the name sounds technical, the idea behind EMDR is actually very human and very simple.
 
EMDR is a therapy that helps the brain process experiences that were too overwhelming at the time they happened.

Why EMDR Works

When something stressful or traumatic happens, the brain usually knows how to make sense of it over time. But when an experience feels too intense, too sudden, or happens without enough support, the brain can get stuck.


That’s why people may say:

  • “I know I’m safe, but my body doesn’t feel like it.”
  • “I’ve talked about this before, but it still affects me.”
  • “I react strongly even when I don’t want to."


EMDR helps the brain finish processing.

What Happens in EMDR Therapy

EMDR is structured, paced, and focused on safety.


Using bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping), the brain is supported in moving memories into the past where they belong.

What EMDR Can Help With

  • Anxiety and panic
  • Low self-esteem or shame
  • People-pleasing and boundaries
  • Lack of confidence
  • Childhood wounds
  • Feeling stuck

What EMDR Is — and Isn’t

EMDR is not hypnosis or mind control.

It is collaborative, client-led, and focused on healing.

A Gentle Closing

You don’t need to have all the answers.

You just need a safe place to begin.

When the Body Remembers: Understanding Trauma Through an EMDR Lens

by ADG Therapy • 12 January 2026
You Might Have Trauma — Even if You Don’t Think You Do
Person with clasped hands in therapy session, facing a therapist who gestures with hands, in a well-lit room.

When Sadness is Rooted in Past Pain, EMDR Can Help Lift the Weight (Depression)

by ADG Therapy • 8 January 2026
Have you tried everything to feel better - but the heaviness, the sell-doubt, or the hopelessness still lingers? Depression often connects back to unresolved pain: losses, failures, or childhood rejection. The brain tends to loop around these old experiences, reinforcing painful beliefs like "I'm not good enough" or "Nothing will ever change." EMDR interrupts these loops by targeting the painful memory and the negative beliefs tied to it. Instead of reliving the pain over and over, EMDR helps the brain reprocess the memory in a healthier way. As healing takes place, new, life-giving beliefs can take root-like "l am worthy" or "I can move forward." The burden lifts, and clients often feel more hopeful and alive again. You don't have to carry this weight forever. EMDR can help lift the burden and open the door to a lighter, freer life. Reach out today to begin.
Two people hold hands, offering support, likely in a therapy or counseling setting.

How EMDR Can Calm the Body's Overactive Alarm System (Anxiety Disorders)

by ADG Therapy • 8 January 2026
Do you feel like your mind is always racing-like there's a constant alarm bell going off that you just can't shut down? Anxiety isn't just "in your head." It's your body stuck in fight-or-flight mode, convinced that danger is always around the corner. Life events, chronic stress, or past trauma can all flip this switch and keep it stuck on high alert. While coping skills help in the moment, they don't always resolve the deeper triggers. EMDR goes further by targeting those root triggers and retraining your nervous system to stand down. Clients often describe feeling calmer, lighter, and more in control after EMDR. It's not about erasing who you are - it's about finally letting your mind and body rest. Imagine living with a calmer mind and body. EMDR can help restore balance. Contact me to see how we can work together.