EMDR Therapy for Trauma & PTSD

Sometimes an experience is over, but it doesn't feel entirely over. A memory may still carry the same fear, shame, helplessness, or distress it held when the event occurred. You may understand intellectually that you are safe now, yet find yourself reacting emotionally or physically as though some part of the experience is still happening.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed to help people process traumatic and distressing experiences so that memories of the past become less emotionally powerful in the present.

I offer EMDR as part of my work with adults who have experienced trauma and PTSD, including complex and longstanding trauma.

What Is EMDR?

EMDR is based on the understanding that overwhelming experiences are not always fully processed in the way ordinary memories are. Thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs associated with an experience can remain easily activated long after the event itself has passed.

During EMDR, we identify experiences and memories that continue to cause distress and work with them in a structured way. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation—often guided eye movements or other forms of alternating left-right stimulation—while briefly attending to aspects of a troubling memory.

The goal is not to erase the memory or convince yourself that something painful wasn't painful. Rather, EMDR can help the memory become integrated as something that happened in the past, without continuing to carry the same emotional intensity or exert the same influence over your life in the present.

What Can EMDR Help With?

EMDR is best known as a treatment for PTSD and traumatic experiences. It may be helpful when someone continues to struggle with:

intrusive or distressing memories
avoidance of reminders of what happened
anxiety or fear connected to a past experience
shame, guilt, or self-blame
feeling constantly on guard or unsafe
emotional or physical reactions that feel disproportionate to what is happening in the present
painful beliefs about oneself that developed following traumatic experiences
experiences from the past that continue to affect relationships, trust, intimacy, or self-worth

A person does not necessarily need to have a diagnosis of PTSD for EMDR to be useful. Sometimes a particular experience or a series of experiences continues to have an emotional hold long after we believe we should have “moved on.”

What Happens During EMDR?

EMDR is more than eye movements. Treatment begins with understanding your history, what is troubling you now, and whether EMDR is an appropriate approach for you.

Before processing traumatic material, we spend time preparing for the work and making sure you have ways to remain grounded and emotionally regulated. We then identify particular memories, emotions, beliefs, and physical sensations that may be important to address.

During the processing phase, I will ask you to bring aspects of a memory to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation. You remain awake, aware, and in control throughout the process. You do not need to describe every detail of what happened, and we can pause at any time.

Over the course of processing, the memory may begin to feel less immediate and less emotionally charged. People may also find that beliefs associated with the experience (for example, “It was my fault,” “I'm not safe,” or “There is something wrong with me") begin to shift.

EMDR Within a Broader Psychotherapy

My approach to psychotherapy is psychodynamic and relational. With more than 30 years of experience as a clinical psychologist, I am interested not only in reducing symptoms but in understanding the larger emotional and relational context in which they developed.

For some people, EMDR may become a focused and important part of treatment. For others, trauma is intertwined with attachment, relationships, identity, loss, or experiences that unfolded over many years. In those situations, EMDR can be integrated thoughtfully into a broader psychotherapy.

The question is not simply, “Can we use EMDR?” but rather, “What kind of treatment will be most helpful for you?”

EMDR and Complex Trauma

Complex trauma often involves repeated or longstanding experiences, particularly those occurring within important relationships or during childhood. Its effects may extend beyond specific traumatic memories and influence a person's sense of self, ability to trust, emotional regulation, and expectations of relationships.

EMDR can be useful in working with complex trauma, but the treatment often requires particular attention to pacing, preparation, and the therapeutic relationship. We may spend more time establishing emotional safety and understanding current patterns before directly processing traumatic memories.

For some people with complex trauma, EMDR is one part of a longer course of psychotherapy rather than the entirety of the treatment.

EMDR and Other Trauma Treatments

I am certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), an evidence-based treatment developed specifically for PTSD.

CPT and EMDR approach trauma somewhat differently. CPT focuses particularly on identifying and examining beliefs that may have developed following trauma, while EMDR focuses on helping distressing memories and their associated emotions, sensations, and beliefs become more fully processed.

There is no single “best” trauma treatment for everyone. Part of my role is to help determine which approach, or combination of approaches, is most appropriate for you.

My Training and Approach

I am a New York State licensed clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience. Trauma and PTSD have been an important part of my clinical work throughout my career, including three decades as Director of Psychological Services in Rehabilitation Medicine at Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital.

I am certified in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD and have specialized training in EMDR. I incorporate EMDR into my trauma-focused work when clinically appropriate.

My aim is to offer trauma treatment that is both evidence-based and deeply individualized, drawing on structured approaches when they are useful while maintaining attention to the whole person and the broader meaning of their experiences.

EMDR Therapy in NYC and Westchester

I offer EMDR and trauma-focused psychotherapy for adults at my offices on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and in Westchester County. I also offer secure virtual therapy throughout New York State.

If you're wondering whether EMDR might be helpful for you, I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation. We can talk briefly about what brings you to therapy, what you're hoping to address, and whether EMDR—or another approach—might be a good fit.