If you’re dealing with the effects of trauma (memories that won’t fade, a nervous system that won’t settle, patterns you can’t seem to think your way out of), you’ve probably heard that EMDR therapy can help. You may also be wondering whether it can really work over a screen. The short answer is yes: EMDR delivered via telehealth is well supported, and for many people it’s just as effective as working with a therapist in person.In this post, I’ll explain what EMDR is, who it tends to help, and what working with me online actually looks like.
What EMDR Is
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a structured therapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, originally designed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Since then, it’s been researched extensively and is recognized as a recommended treatment for PTSD by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The core idea is straightforward, even if the mechanism is still being studied: traumatic memories can get “stuck” in the brain in a raw, unprocessed form. That’s why a memory from years ago can still trigger the same alarm response (racing heart, tension, shame, the sense that it’s happening again) as if it were fresh. During EMDR, you bring a targeted memory to mind while following a pattern of bilateral stimulation (eye movements, alternating tones, or gentle tapping). That dual attention seems to help the brain reprocess the memory, moving it from “threat that’s still happening” to “difficult thing that happened in the past.” You remain fully present and in control throughout. People typically describe the shift as the memory losing its charge: the facts are still there, but the body’s emergency response to them quiets down.
Who EMDR Tends to Help
EMDR is best known for treating PTSD, and the research there is the strongest. But in practice, I use it with people dealing with a wider range of concerns, including:
Single-event trauma: car accidents, assaults, medical trauma, natural disasters
Complex or developmental trauma: growing up in an unsafe or unpredictable home, chronic emotional neglect, relational wounds that accumulated over time
Anxiety and panic: especially when the anxiety is tied to specific memories or experiences
Grief that won’t move: loss that continues to feel as raw as the day it happened
Negative self-beliefs with roots in experience: the persistent “I’m not safe,” “I’m not good enough,” or “I can’t trust people” that traces back to something real
EMDR isn’t for everyone, and I won’t pretend it is. It requires a baseline of stability, meaning enough coping resources to handle strong feelings between sessions, so part of my job is assessing readiness and building those resources first. If you’re in active crisis or struggling with severe substance use, we may need to focus on stabilization before beginning reprocessing work.
How Online EMDR Works
One of the most common questions I get is whether EMDR can actually be done over telehealth. It can. The bilateral stimulation that drives EMDR can be delivered remotely: through guided eye movements following a light or dot on your screen, alternating audio tones through headphones, or self-administered tapping. Many online EMDR platforms are designed specifically for this. Research supports it. Multiple studies and clinical reviews have found that EMDR delivered via video is effective for PTSD and trauma symptoms, with outcomes comparable to in-person treatment. What matters most is the therapeutic relationship, the structure of the protocol, and your ability to feel safe and focused during sessions.
That said, telehealth EMDR has its own practical requirements, and I take them seriously:
A private, uninterrupted space where you can speak freely and feel your emotions
A reliable internet connection and a device with a camera: we need to see each other clearly
A safety plan: we’ll establish grounding tools and identify a support person nearby, so you have resources if a session brings up something intense
There’s also a real upside to doing this work from your own space. Many clients tell me they feel more at ease at home than they would in an office, and that comfort can actually make the work go deeper. You can settle back into your own environment the moment we hang up, rather than driving across town after processing something heavy.
What to Expect Working With Me
My approach to EMDR is integrative. I’m trained in Somatic Experiencing and IFS-informed parts work alongside EMDR, so I tailor the protocol to you. Here’s what the process generally looks like:
– History and preparation. We start by understanding your story and your goals. Just as importantly, we build your internal resources: grounding skills, calming imagery, ways to contain distress between sessions. This phase is the foundation; we don’t rush it.
– Targeting. Together we identify the memories or themes to work on, and the negative beliefs attached to them. With complex trauma, we often work in a planned sequence rather than jumping to the hardest memory first.
– Reprocessing. This is the core of EMDR: you’ll focus on the target memory while following bilateral stimulation. I’ll check in with you throughout, and we’ll track how the distress level shifts. Sessions are structured, but I’m always listening to what your body is telling us and adjusting accordingly.
– Integration and closure. Every session ends with you feeling stable and grounded. In later sessions, we review how the changes are holding up in your daily life and install the positive beliefs you want to carry forward.
Because I also bring a somatic and parts-work lens, I pay close attention to what’s happening in your body (tension, numbness, the urge to shut down), and we work with protective parts of you that may resist the process. This tends to make EMDR more tolerable and more effective, particularly for complex trauma. Sessions are 50 minutes, and most people attend weekly. The number of sessions varies: single-event trauma sometimes resolves in a focused set of sessions, while complex trauma is a longer journey. We’ll talk honestly about what that might look like for you.
Is Online EMDR Right for You?
If you’re a California or Arizona resident, you can work with me from anywhere in either state. You don’t need to live near a major city to access specialized trauma care.
Online EMDR is a strong fit if you:
Carry trauma symptoms that haven’t shifted with talk therapy alone
Want a structured, evidence-based approach that processes trauma at its root
Need the flexibility and privacy of telehealth
Are ready to do deep work and can commit to weekly sessions
If you’re curious whether EMDR could help you, I offer a free 15-minute consultations. We’ll talk about what you’re dealing with, whether EMDR is a good fit, and what working together would look like. Reach out through the contact form on this site to schedule.