EMDR Therapy in Victoria & Langford BC

With Priscilla Dudas, Registered Counsellor

​

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based, well-researched, structured form of psychotherapeutic method that helps reduce the emotional impact of traumatic or distressing experiences and heal from the emotional distress caused by disturbing memories. Developed in the late 1980s by Francine Shapiro, it is widely recognized as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has been endorsed by major organizations like the American Psychological Association (APA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and many others.

What makes EMDR stand out is that it doesn't require you to talk in detail about the trauma or do extensive homework between sessions. Instead, it taps into your brain's natural ability to process and heal from difficult experiences, similar to how the brain sorts through information during REM sleep. The core idea is that traumatic memories can get "stuck" in the brain, keeping the associated emotions, thoughts, physical sensations, and beliefs frozen in time. When these memories get triggered in everyday life, they can cause intense distress, flashbacks, anxiety, or other symptoms.

EMDR helps "unstick" and reprocess these memories so they become stored in a healthier, less disturbing way. As a result, the memory is still remembered, but it no longer feels overwhelming or triggers the same strong reactions.

​

The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model is the main theory behind EMDR therapy. It explains how our brain naturally processes and stores memories, and why some memories cause ongoing problems.

According to the AIP model, both positive and negative experiences from our past shape how we see, feel, think, and behave in the present. In other words, “the past is always present.” Past experiences act like a pair of glasses we wear when looking at today’s world. When something disturbing or traumatic happens and isn’t fully processed, that memory gets “stuck” in the brain. It stays linked to other upsetting memories and keeps triggering old emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations, even when they no longer fit the current situation.

EMDR therapy helps by gently reactivating the brain’s natural ability to process and heal. It “unsticks” those frozen memories, allowing the brain to reprocess them properly and create healthier connections. As a result, those old feelings, beliefs, and body reactions stop interfering with daily life.

Many of the issues people bring to therapy, such as anxiety, depression, or difficulties in relationships, often have roots in unprocessed memories of painful or overwhelming experiences. The main goal of EMDR is to identify these memories and help the brain reprocess them, so natural healing can take place and you can feel better for the long term.

 

How EMDR Works for Clients
In a typical EMDR session (usually 60–90 minutes, 1–2 times per week or in intensive one day session), your therapist guides you through a structured eight-phase process:

1. History Taking and Treatment Planning — Your therapist learns about your background, current concerns, and past experiences to identify specific memories or triggers to target. Together, you create a clear plan.

2. Preparation — This builds trust and equips you with coping tools (like relaxation techniques, a "safe place" visualization, or grounding exercises) so you feel secure and can handle any emotions that arise.

3. Assessment — You and your therapist pinpoint a specific disturbing memory. You identify key elements: a vivid image, a negative belief about yourself (e.g., "I'm powerless"), related emotions, body sensations, and how distressing it feels on a scale of 0–10.

4. Desensitization (the heart of the processing phase) — You briefly focus on the memory while experiencing **bilateral stimulation** (BLS). This is usually side-to-side eye movements following your therapist's fingers or a light bar, but it can also involve alternating taps on your hands/shoulders or listening to tones. Sets of BLS last 20–30 seconds at a time. As this happens, your brain naturally reprocesses the memory—disturbing images often fade, emotions lessen, and new, more adaptive insights emerge. You report whatever comes up (thoughts, feelings, images), and the process continues until the distress level drops close to zero.

5. Installation — Once the memory feels much less disturbing, your therapist helps strengthen a positive belief (e.g., "I'm safe now" or "I did the best I could") until it feels fully true and believable.

6. Body Scan — You check in with your body for any leftover tension or sensations tied to the memory. If anything remains, more BLS helps release it.

7. Closure — Every session ends with techniques to help you feel calm and grounded, even if processing isn't fully complete yet. Your therapist ensures you're stable before you leave.

8. Reevaluation — At the start of the next session, your therapist checks progress, sees how the processed memory feels now, and decides if more work is needed or if new targets should be addressed.

Many clients notice significant relief after just a few sessions for a single event, though more complex or long-term trauma may take 8–12 sessions or longer. The bilateral stimulation is thought to mimic the brain's natural processing during sleep, accelerating healing without forcing you to relive the trauma in detail.

Research shows EMDR is highly effective not only for PTSD but also for issues like anxiety, depression, phobias, panic attacks, OCD, chronic pain, grief, addictions, and other stress-related problems. Clients often describe feeling "lighter," more in control, and able to move forward without the past weighing them down as heavily.  EMDR it is a collaborative, empowering process that puts your brain's healing power front and center.

 

​

Priscilla Dudas provides EMDR therapy for clients in Victoria BC and Langford BC, helping you process experiences safely while building a sense of stability and control.

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting - it means no longer being held back.

​