EMDR Therapy
When your past is getting in the way of living in the present,
EMDR Therapy can help you move forward. In-person EMDR therapy in Membertou and Halifax, and online anywhere in Nova Scotia.
When you feel stuck and you can't see a way forward.
Experiencing a traumatic or distressing event can cause your brain’s natural healing process to become overwhelmed. When that experience cannot be properly processed, it may result in a ‘stuck’ point in your mind. EMDR Therapy can help you resolve the flashbacks, anxiety, fear, and isolation from your experience and the restores your sense of self.
EMDR Therapy can help you resolve the flashbacks, anxiety, fear, and isolation from your experience and the restores your sense of self.
Let’s start with a conversation.
emdr Therapy in Membertou & Halifax, NS
Does your experience leave you with:
- Distressing memories from a traumatic event?
- Physical symptoms stemming from a traumatic event?
- Overwhelming anxiety associated with memories?
- An inability to function well during daily tasks?
- Having a hard time focusing?
- Creating a meaningful connection in relationships?
EMDR Therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from a wide range of challenges.
Who benefits from EMDR treatment?
EMDR is used to help individuals of all ages who have experienced one or more traumatic events that is contributing to persistent distress. This includes first responders, war veterans, survivors of physical or sexual assault, healthcare workers, individuals who have experienced neglect or childhood abuse, those burnout from the pandemic and more. EMDR therapy has also been found to be effective for chronic pain or illness which affects daily living. If you’re wondering whether EMDR therapy may be right for you, request an appointment. Our Intake Team will be in touch to discuss your needs.
Meet Our Team
Match With an EMDR Therapist
in Membertou & Halifax, NS
Our team of psychologists, social workers, counselling therapists, and occupational therapists brings decades of combined experience. You’ll be matched with the clinician best suited to what you’re working on, at either location or online anywhere in Nova Scotia.
Clinical Social Worker
Registered Clinical Social Worker
Registered Psychologist
Clinical Director and Founder
Registered Social Worker
Registered Counselling Therapist, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist
Registered Counselling Therapist (Candidate)
Clinical Specialist
Registered Counselling Therapist
Registered Psychologist
Registered Psychologist
Registered Occupational Therapist
Registered Counselling Therapist (Candidate)
emdr Therapy | Membertou & Halifax, NS
How Our EMDR Therapy Works
Step 1
You will receive one-to-one access with an EMDR-trained, licensed mental health clinician who will work with you to establish your goals an create an environment that makes healing possible
Step 2
Throughout treatment, your therapist will lead you through a guided EMDR process, finishing each session with relaxation techniques and a brief discussion about your progress and feelings.
Step 3
EMDR therapy can take less time than other psychotherapies, and the number of sessions you attend will be determined by your therapist. Each session lasting 60-90 minutes and can be done in person or virtually.
* Receipts are provided for clients who wish to request reimbursement from their insurance company. Therapy sessions may be claimed as a medical expense on annual income tax where eligible.
EMDR Therapy in Membertou & Halifax, NS
Questions About EMDR Therapy
How is EMDR different from normal therapy?
Although EMDR therapy uses concepts from other therapeutic models, it is different from traditional talk therapy in some notable ways. EMDR is a transformational and metabolic process designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain.
It uses bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements) that reduce the vividness and emotion associated with traumatic memories and creates new neural pathways in the brain.
EMDR is based on the adaptive information processing (AIP) model, which assumes that trauma is stored and stuck in the neural network of the brain. AIP theory assumes that trauma symptoms are manifestations of stuck or un-integrated memories. Reprocessing of these traumatic memories reduces the associated anxiety and promotes development of new associations with the memories and increases adaptive behaviour.
Because EMDR doesn’t focus on narrative recall like so many traditional talk therapies, people don’t have to talk in great detail about their past traumatic experiences.
They work with their therapist to develop a treatment plan that targets the experiences or events that have contributed to the problem that has brought them to therapy.
There is no requirement to complete homework assignments in between sessions as with some other therapeutic approaches like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and exposure therapies. This is because the work of trauma resolution happens in a supportive environment with the therapist present.
For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies.
What is the data that shows it's effectiveness?
“EMDR therapy is extensively researched and widely recognized as effective trauma therapy. EMDR therapy is recognized as evidenced-based treatment for PTSD and other trauma and stressor disorders in treatment guidelines published by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the World Health Organization, and a growing number of national and international organizations. Treatment guidelines are based on reviews that evaluate the research of established evidence-based mental health treatments.”
How long will it take for me to feel better?
Therapy is an intensely personal process and because every person has their own unique set of experiences and circumstances the length of time it takes to complete therapy varies from person to person. Typically, EMDR therapy sessions last from 60-90 minutes.
It could take one or several sessions to process one traumatic experience. You and your therapist will develop a unique treatment plan just for you. It’s not uncommon for people to have several memories that require reprocessing.
The EMDR International Association explains it this way:
“The goal of EMDR therapy is to process completely the traumatic experiences that are causing problems and to include new ones that are needed for full health. The amount of time it will take to complete EMDR treatment for traumatic experiences will depend upon the history of the client. Complete treatment of a single EMDR trauma target involves a three-pronged protocol to alleviate the symptoms and address the complete clinical picture. The three prongs include:
- past memories
- present disturbance
- future actions
Although EMDR therapy may produce results more rapidly than other forms of therapy, speed is not the goal of therapy and it is important to remember that every client has different needs.”
Can EMDR be done virtually? Is it as effective?
Research conducted on the effectiveness of delivering EMDR virtually suggests that good clinical outcomes are being achieved. Much of this research evolved from the switch to online therapy that was necessitated during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The literature conveys that EMDR delivered in an online format can be an effective treatment for children, youth and adults experiencing mental health issues. Check out this 2-Minute Medicine article ‘Online Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy may improve mental health’
Additional research about the delivery of virtual EMDR:
Bates, A., Rushbrook, S., Shapiro, E., Grocott, M., & Cusack, R. (2020). CovEMERALD: Assessing the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of remotely delivered eye movement desensitization and reprocessing following Covid-19 related critical illness: A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BioMedCentral, 21: 929. Open Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-020-04805-1
Bongaerts, H. Voorendonk, E. M., van Minnen, A., & de Jongh, A. (2021). Safety and effectiveness of intensive treatment for complex PTSD delivered via home-based telehealth. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 12(1), 1860346. Open access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1860346
Fisher, N. (2021). Using EMDR therapy to treat clients remotely. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 15(1), 73-84.
Lenferink, L. I. M., Meyerbroker, K., & Boelen, P. A. (2020). PTSD treatment in times of COVID-19: A systematic review of the effects of online EMDR. Psychiatry Research, 293:113438. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113438
McGowan, I. W., Fisher, N., Havens, J., & Proudlock, S. (2021). An evaluation of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy delivered remotely during the Covid-19 pandemic. BMC Psychiatry, 21, 560. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03571-x
Spence, J., Titov, N., Johnson, L., Dear, B. F., Wootton, B., Terides, M., & Zou, J. (2013). Internet-delivered eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (iEMDR): An open trial [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]. F1000 Research, 2:79. Open access: https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.2-79.v2
Tarquinio, C., Brennstuhl, M., Rydberg, J. A., Bassan, F., Peter, L., Tarquinio, C. L., Auxemery, Y., Rotonda, C., & Tarquinio, P. (2020). EMDR in telemental health counseling for healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients: A pilot study. Issues in Mental Health Nursing published online. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2020.1818014
Winkler, O., Dhaliwal, R., Greenwhaw, A., O’Shea, K., Abba-Aji, A., Chima, C., Purdon, S. E., & Burback, L. (2021). Web-based eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for adults with suicidal ideation: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 10(11): e30711. Open access: https://doi.org/10.2196/30711
Does EMDR work with Complex PTSD?
Can I still receive EMDR Therapy if I am unable to perform rapid eye movements due health reasons?
Absolutely! EMDR’s treatment effects are not just achievable through the exclusive use of eye movements. We can also use various bilateral dual attention stimuli such as alternating tactile stimuli like tapping or through the use of auditory stimuli using a headset that plays alternating sounds.
Still have questions? We're happy to answer them.
EMDR Therapy | Membertou & Halifax, NS
What You Can Expect From EMDR Therapy
- Reduce vividness and emotion associated with past distressing emotions
- Relief of your symptoms
- Greater confidence in yourself
- A feeling of security in your relationship with others
- The ability to regulate your emotions, which will result in more authentic experiences
- Greater resiliency
- A stronger ability to navigate your needs
- Generate a new narrative about yourself and others
Transform how you are living with EMDR Therapy.
Stop letting your past get in the way of living in the present.
East Coast Psychotherapy & Trauma Clinic
How To Get Started
Here's the first one:
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Speak with us to ask questions or to book your consult or session.
Membertou
Halifax
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Fill out the contact form, and we'll get back to you within 24-48 business hours to discuss the next steps.
Finding the right fit matters, so our intake team takes the time to understand what you’re looking for before matching you with a clinician. Complete this form to begin.
201 Churchill Drive, Suite 205, Membertou, NS B1S 0H1
Meet us for EMDR therapy in Membertou and across Cape Breton, with online therapy anywhere in Nova Scotia.
3845 Joseph Howe Dr., Suite 209, Halifax, NS B3L 4H9
Offering in-person EMDR therapy in Halifax, with online therapy anywhere in Nova Scotia.