EMDR therapy in Chicago, Illinois
EMDR Therapy
Some memories don't stay in the past. They replay without warning, keep you on edge, and pull you back into fear long after the danger is gone. EMDR therapy helps your brain reprocess these experiences so they lose their grip, easing anxiety, depression, and the negative beliefs that come with them.
EMDR therapy at Centered Healing Therapy is available in-person at our Chicago office and via secure telehealth for clients throughout Illinois. You can work with one of our EMDR trained clinicians in whichever setting feels safest for you, and both options are effective.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a form of psychotherapy designed to help people process and heal from traumatic or distressing experiences. Trauma can cause traumatic memories to become “stuck” in the brain instead of being processed and stored in their correct place in the brain. When this happens, the memory—and its associated emotions, body sensations, and beliefs—can repeatedly resurface, causing ongoing distress.
EMDR helps the brain reprocess these memories so they are stored in a more adaptive, less emotionally charged way.
The 8 phases of EMDR therapy
EMDR follows a structured, eight-phase process so that difficult work happens at a pace that feels safe. The phases are:
History-taking: your therapist learns your history and identifies the memories to target.
Preparation: you build coping and grounding skills and establish trust in the therapeutic relationship.
Assessment: you and your therapist pinpoint a specific memory, along with the images, beliefs, emotions, and body sensations tied to it.
Desensitization: guided bilateral stimulation helps reduce the memory's emotional charge.
Installation: you strengthen a more adaptive, positive belief about yourself.
Body scan: you notice and release any lingering physical tension connected to the memory.
Closure: each session ends with grounding so you leave feeling calm and settled.
Reevaluation: at the start of the next session, you and your therapist review progress and decide what to work on next.
Why EMDR Therapy for trauma?
EMDR can be beneficial for many people. It is a therapeutic modality that was developed for trauma and can be helpful in treating:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Combat trauma, sexual assault, accidents, natural disasters, medical trauma, etc.
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD): Chronic trauma from childhood abuse, neglect, or repeated interpersonal harm.
EMDR is a structured psychotherapy that helps people process distressing memories and traumatic experiences. It combines recalling difficult memories with guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation (like tapping or sounds).
The goal is to help your brain “reprocess” painful experiences so they no longer feel as intense or intrusive.
EMDR beyond trauma.
EMDR has been found to be helpful in healing a variety of issues, not just trauma based responses.
Anxiety-Related Conditions
Panic disorder and panic attacks
Phobias (e.g., flying, public speaking, animals)
Performance anxiety (work, sports, exams, etc.)
Depression and Grief
EMDR therapy for depression works by targeting the root memories and core beliefs that sustain depressive patterns, rather than managing symptoms alone. It can reach the underlying memories or beliefs fueling depression (“I’m not good enough,” “It’s my fault,” etc.)
Can support complicated grief or loss-related trauma.
Relationship and Attachment Issues
Childhood emotional neglect or abuse
Attachment wounds (feeling unsafe or rejected in relationships)
Betrayal trauma or infidelity recovery
Other issues
Frequently asked questions about EMDR Therapy
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A typical EMDR session starts with a check-in, where your therapist asks how you're doing and what's come up since your last visit. Together you identify a target memory to work on, along with the emotions, body sensations, and beliefs connected to it. Your therapist then guides you through sets of bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds, while you notice what surfaces. Sessions close with grounding, so you leave feeling calm and settled before you go. You stay in control the whole time, and your therapist moves at a pace that feels safe for you.
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EMDR helps to both process and desensitize a memory to reduce feelings of being on edge, hypervigilance, and flashbacks that may be experienced by someone who has experienced a trauma.
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EMDR sessions can be completed in person or virtually and have been found to be effective in both settings.
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Yes! EMDR has been found to be a helpful tool in treating a variety of issues including, anxiety, phobias, depression, OCD, and eating disorders.
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You don’t need any special equipment to engage in EMDR. EMDR utilizes bilateral movements as part of processing. This can be something like tapping your shoulders or feet or following something with your eyes. Your therapist may provide other equipment like “tappers” (small objects you hold in your hand that gently vibrate) or headphones for bilateral with sound. It can be helpful to have your own headphones if engaging in EMDR virtually.
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Feel free to send us a message or give us a call and we will connect you with one of our EMDR trained practitioners.
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EMDR at Centered Healing Therapy is provided by Sarah Razo, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker with specialized training in EMDR. You can learn more about her background and approach on our team page.