Online Client-Centered Therapy

Do past experiences still feel raw, like they just happened yesterday? Do upsetting memories or worries about the future pop up out of nowhere? If certain memories, fears, or emotions continue to affect your well-being, you’re not alone.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is a powerful, research-backed approach designed to help you process unresolved trauma, anxiety, and distressing experiences. EMDR works by targeting your brain’s natural healing abilities to resolve emotional wounds.

If you would like to experience less emotional reactivity, a more balanced nervous system, increased self confidence, freedom from intrusive thoughts, better relationships, and no more sudden waves of anxiety, dread, or panic when something reminds you of the past, EMDR therapy might be a great therapy option for you. EMDR is effective in helping folks feel calmer and more in control of their emotions, quiet negative self-talk, help them feel more at peace within themselves and develop a stronger sense of self-worth, leading to healthier relationships with yourself and others.

At Deep Sea Psychology, we provide virtual EMDR therapy for individuals across Alberta, B.C., and Ontario. Whether you’re struggling with PTSD, anxiety, or painful memories, our therapists are here to help you reprocess your past and regain emotional freedom.

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Who Can Benefit from EMDR Therapy?

This therapy is particularly effective for individuals who:

✅ Experience flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, or nightmares from past trauma
✅ Feel anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally reactive without clear reasons
✅ Have difficulty trusting others or feel emotionally disconnected
✅ Struggle with phobias, panic attacks, or chronic stress
✅ Want to heal from childhood wounds or relational trauma
✅ Have tried talk therapy but still feel stuck in negative patterns
✅ Seek a structured, science-based approach to healing that works with the mind-body connection
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Unlike traditional therapy, EMDR allows your brain to process past experiences without needing to relive them in detail.

How Does EMDR Therapy Work?

EMDR is based on bilateral stimulation, which helps your brain reprocess distressing memories and integrate them in a healthier way.

EMDR was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s and has since become a leading trauma therapy supported by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychological Association (APA). Research shows that trauma is stored in the brain’s memory networks, leading to emotional distress and automatic reactions. EMDR helps the brain rewire and integrate these memories, allowing for a natural healing process. Sessions follow a structured approach including:

👁 History & Assessment – Understanding your emotional challenges and identifying target memories.
  • Maybe it’s an old memory from childhood, a breakup that left you feeling unworthy, or a traumatic experience you never fully processed or recovered from.
  • We pinpoint the maladaptive core beliefs attached to these memories (like "I’m not good enough" or "I’m not safe") that contribute to current distressing experiences.

💬 Preparation – Teaching effective coping strategies for emotional regulation and a sense of inner stability, ensuring you feel safe, supported and emotionally equipped before processing distressing memories. 
  • Develop inner resources that you can mentally access inside or outside of sessions when you feel overwhelmed to help you stay present and reduce distress
  • Strengthen your ability to manage emotions without feeling too numb or too overwhelmed.

🔄 Processing with Bilateral Stimulation – Using guided eye movements, tapping, or sound to activate the brain's healing process and desensitize distressing memories
  • With bilateral stimulation, we guide your brain to reprocess the memory—kind of like hitting "save" on a healed version of it.
  • You don’t have to talk about every painful detail; your brain does the work for you.

💡 Reprocessing & Integration – Harnessing the brains healing power to transform self-limiting and maladaptive beliefs skewed by past trauma, into renewed, realistic, and adaptive perspectives that help you thrive
  • As your brain and nervous system heals old wounds, old belief systems that grew from those wounds start to change too. traumatic or distressing memories start to get reprocessed and integrated into adaptive memories and self-beliefs.
  • Self-limiting beliefs like "I’m not good enough," or "I’ll never be safe," can transform into self-accepting and realistic beliefs like "I am capable and worthy of love" or "I can trust myself to navigate challenges."

 EMDR is a structured yet flexible therapy, meaning you are always in control. Your therapist will ensure the pace feels safe and will pause processing if you need grounding. EMDR minimizes the risk of re-traumatization by focusing on the brain’s natural ability to heal, without requiring extensive discussion of the traumatic or distressing events.

Healing takes place when we integrate our experiences, rather than being defined by them
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​– Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

What to Expect During an Online EMDR Therapy Session

Your EMDR sessions will be structured yet adaptable to your needs. Here’s what you can expect:

🟢 A safe, structured environment that reduces the risk of being overwhelmed by past trauma
🟢 Resource building strategies that help you develop a sense of mastery in emotional regulation and grounding skills
🟢 Bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sound cues) to facilitate traumatic or distressing memory reprocessing
🟢 Reduction of emotional distress as traumatic or distressing memories become less triggering or emotionally charged
🟢 A focus on building emotional resilience and adaptive beliefs about yourself

​Sessions are tailored to your pace, ensuring that healing happens in a way that feels manageable and empowering.

EMDR Therapy for Different Needs

🔹 Trauma & PTSD – EMDR is widely recognized as one of the most effective treatments for PTSD, helping individuals break free from traumatic memories.

🔹 Anxiety & Panic Disorders – By reducing emotional triggers, EMDR decreases anxiety symptoms and improves emotional resilience.

🔹 Depression & Self-Esteem Issues – Reprocessing painful memories helps shift self-perceptions, fostering self-worth and confidence.

🔹 Phobias & Stress Management – EMDR is useful for overcoming fears and regulating the nervous system’s stress response.
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🔹 Personal Growth & Empowerment – EMDR not only heals past wounds but also helps clients step into a more empowered, resilient self.

Book an Online EMDR Therapy Session Today

You don’t have to be trapped by past experiences. EMDR therapy offers a way forward—helping you process unresolved pain, reduce emotional distress, and build a stronger, more resilient self. If you feel stuck in past experiences, have intrusive memories, or struggle with emotional triggers, EMDR may be a powerful option for you. A consultation with an EMDR-trained therapist can help determine if it’s the right fit. At Deep Sea Psychology, our compassionate therapists are here to guide you through this transformative process.
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📅 Book an appointment online today and take the first step toward healing.

Related Online Therapy Services

"The past affects the present even without our being aware of it.”

 – Dr. Francine Shapiro

EMDR Therapy FAQs

Is EMDR effective when done online?
Yes! Research and clinical experience show that virtual EMDR therapy is just as effective as in-person sessions. The key components—bilateral stimulation, memory reprocessing, and therapeutic support—work seamlessly through video sessions. Your therapist will guide you through the process using eye movements, tapping, or auditory cues to facilitate healing.
what issues can emdr therapy help with?
EMDR is commonly used for PTSD, trauma, anxiety, depression, phobias, and self-esteem issues. It can also help with performance anxiety, relationship struggles, and overcoming limiting beliefs.
do i have to relive my trauma in emdr?
No. EMDR does not require detailed retelling of traumatic experiences. The focus is on reprocessing distressing memories at a brain and nervous system level, so you can transform their emotional charge without getting stuck in painful details.
what happens if i get overwhelmed in an emdr session?
Your therapist will teach grounding techniques and coping strategies before you begin trauma processing. If distress arises, your therapist will pause the session and help you regulate your emotions so you always feel safe and in control.
how long does an emdr session last?
EMDR therapy sessions typically last 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the therapist’s approach and your individual needs. A 60-minute session is great for steady progress, while a 90-minute session allows for deeper processing in one sitting. Many clients find that longer sessions help them move through reprocessing more efficiently, especially for significant traumatic memories. Your therapist will help determine the best session length based on your comfort and goals.
can emdr help even if i don't remember parts of the trauma?
Yes! EMDR does not require full memory recall. It works with body sensations, emotions, and fragmented images, allowing your brain to heal even if the details are unclear.