EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
What Is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured, evidence-based therapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. Originally developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), EMDR is now recognized as an effective treatment for a wide range of conditions including trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, phobias, and the residual effects of childhood adversity.
EMDR works by helping the brain reprocess distressing memories that have become ‘stuck’ in the nervous system — stored in a fragmented, emotionally charged form that continues to affect how a person thinks, feels, and responds in the present. Using bilateral stimulation (typically guided eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones), EMDR activates the brain’s natural information processing system and allows traumatic memories to be integrated in a way that reduces their emotional intensity.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require a client to describe their trauma in extensive detail. Many clients find it a more tolerable and efficient pathway to healing — particularly for experiences that feel too painful or too fragmented to put into words.
How Victoria Uses EMDR
At Resiliency Counseling, Victoria uses EMDR as part of an integrated trauma treatment approach — combining it with somatic experiencing, attachment-informed therapy, and clinical insight to address trauma at multiple levels simultaneously. This means EMDR work here is not limited to a single protocol. It is woven thoughtfully into each client’s unique healing process.
Victoria is trained through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) and offers EMDR as part of both standard sessions and extended intensive formats for clients who want to accelerate the depth of their healing work. Intensives are particularly well-suited for clients with complex trauma who want to move further than a standard 50-minute session allows.
EMDR at Resiliency Counseling is used with high-achieving clients navigating performance anxiety, childhood wounds that show up in adult relationships, grief, sexual trauma, and the specific kind of relational trauma that comes from years of emotional unavailability in primary relationships.
Who EMDR Tends to Help
— Survivors of childhood trauma, abuse, or neglect
— Individuals experiencing PTSD or complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
— Clients navigating grief, loss, or traumatic bereavement
— High-achievers whose past experiences are affecting their present relationships or performance
— Anyone who has tried traditional talk therapy but feels stuck or unable to fully process a traumatic experience
— Clients who want an accelerated, body-informed approach to deep healing
“EMDR has shown me that the body holds what the mind cannot always articulate. When we work at that level — helping the nervous system complete what it started — healing happens in ways that language alone cannot reach.” — Victoria Griffin, LPC
Learn More
The following resources are provided for those who want to explore EMDR in greater depth. These links open external websites and are not affiliated with Resiliency Counseling.
EMDRIA — EMDR International Association — The leading professional organization for EMDR — research, therapist directory, and client resources
EMDR Institute — Founded by Dr. Francine Shapiro — history, training, and research
SAMHSA — EMDR Evidence Summary — Federal recognition of EMDR as an evidence-based trauma treatment