FAQ

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a modern, powerful, and amazingly effective form of trauma therapy that utilizes the human mind's own natural, built-in abilities to desensitize an individual to distressing memories and events. With more than 30 years of continual refinement, peer-reviewed research, and real-world application behind it, EMDR has rapidly become the face of modern trauma therapy, worldwide. The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Defense, the World Health Organization among many other national and international organizations all recognize EMDR therapy as an effective treatment for PTSD, anxiety, and trauma.

Believe it or not, so was I, at first. Many years ago, when I initially learned about EMDR as a trauma therapist, I actually began learning about it in an effort to debunk it! Instead, what I learned was that EMDR offered not only real, lasting, and life-changing results for people, but that the number of potential uses for EMDR was growing by the day. More and more therapists were using this technique, and independently seeing results with their clients where other more traditional therapy approaches had failed. Wanting to learn more, I enrolled in a class to investigate it further, and began working with individuals in the armed forces with severe PTSD. Seeing the results first-hand, I became convinced.. So much so, that I decided to change my own private practice to one that specialized in EMDR, specifically. In the years since, I have continued to see amazing results with EMDR, compared to other therapies I've used in the past. As a clinically-trained professional with nearly 30 years experience in this field, I can personally attest to EMDR being, by every measure, a truly revolutionary and amazingly effective form of treatment for anxiety and trauma.

In practice, EMDR is a comprehensive therapy can be utilized across an incredibly wide spectrum of issues; Everything from simple, mild, recently-acquired anxieties to long-standing and deeply traumatic childhood experiences can be potentially resolved within relatively short periods of time, particularly when compared to other traditional therapy models. To learn more about the science behind EMDR, its protocol-based practice, and benefits over other traditional forms of trauma therapy, click here.

No. While cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and hypnotherapy can be effective in the treatment of trauma, the approaches, techniques, and protocols behind EMDR therapy are very different. For example, EMDR differs from hypnotherapy in that during an EMDR session, you are fully awake and aware of your surroundings, and participate actively in your treatment, with guidance provided from the therapist at all times. EMDR also differs from cognitive-behavioral therapy in that EMDR does not involve long spans of calendar time spent gradually re-framing beliefs and thought processes in order to change an individual's behavior. EMDR also tends to yield more rapid results, when compared to other therapies. Where other therapeutic approaches seek to externally change a person's reaction a traumatic event, EMDR leverages the brain's own existing internal, biological mechanisms for handling traumatic memories. In a sense, where cognitive-behavioral therapy and hypnotherapy can be thought of as external and synthetic in their approaches, EMDR can be thought of as internal, and natural, in its approach.

It really varies from person to person, and according to their particular needs. Depending upon the client's level of motivation or scheduling needs, a large amount of EMDR therapy can be effectively compressed into a shorter period of time. For these individuals, I often recommend the EMDR Intensives program that I offer. With this mode of delivery, several weeks or months of therapy can be delivered in a matter of several hours or days. Typically, for most of my clients, this amounts to about 6 hours a day, with breaks, over the course of 1-3 days.

Not at all. Generally speaking, in EMDR therapy, it's not necessary to know all the underlying details of a traumatic event, only to identify the memory associated with the event. While it's okay to share the details of your trauma with your therapist at any time if you're comfortable doing so, in EMDR, the details of the trauma itself are largely unimportant from treatment perspective. ​ It's also very normal to feel ashamed or embarrassed about things which have happened in your past. Thankfully, therapists, in general, are already well-acquainted with a wide variety of problems and burdens that people often carry. You can have confidence in knowing that for whatever issues or problems you may have, I have probably seen or dealt with it (or something very similar to it) before. I also have the skills to fit my approach specifically to your individual needs, rather than taking a "cookie-cutter approach" to your treatment. ​ Professionally, therapists abide by strict codes of conduct and professional ethics that are both well-established, and tied directly to their licensure. This includes a very strict focus on protecting patient confidentiality, and doing all we can to serve the health, emotional well-being, and dignity of our clients. I have no desire to judge my clients; As a therapist, my only a desire to help them address their issues, and provide a caring, supportive framework that helps them become be the best person they can be.

During your visit, you will probably spend your first few minutes in the waiting area, which will be similar to what you might see in a doctor's office, but far more quiet, comfortable and welcoming. Here's our waiting area, for example: https://www.columbiaemdr.com/client-accomodations When it's time for your session, your therapist will invite you to have a seat in a room similar in layout to a living room, with a sofa, a desk, a few tables, and chairs. One of our therapy offices is shown in the pictures below. Once there, you'll be invited to make yourself comfortable. The idea behind this is to allow you to be as relaxed as possible during your visit. Your therapist will be seated in a chair nearby, and will talk to you calmly about the issues you are facing. This discussion happens at the rate you are comfortable with, and is never rushed for time. As your therapist, part of my training involves knowing how to best navigate our conversation, to provide the greatest benefit to you as a client. During an EMDR session, your therapist may ask you to look at an item nearby called a "light bar". A light bar is a device that produces a dot of light that oscillates back and forth, from left to right, and back. The rate at which this dot of light moves is controlled by the EMDR therapist. Additionally, you may be asked to hold a set of small handheld devices in each hand, called "tappers". These devices are synchronized with the light, and vibrate lightly in an alternating left-right fashion. They feel similar to how a cell phone feels when it vibrates. Alternatively, you may also be asked to wear a set of headphones, which gently produce a similarly alternating left-right sound. For most people, however, the light bar and the tappers, alone, are usually sufficient.

While it may seem a little unusual at first, their usage and purpose will become very clear after a few moments. The light bar, the headphones, and the tappers are designed to bi-laterally stimulate your body's nervous system. The alternating left-right pattern is designed to gently activate the parts of your brain and nervous system responsible for processing memory during sleep, similar to how rapid eye movements (REM) spontaneously occur in people during deep sleep. However, rather than sleeping, you will remain fully awake, and will be asked a series of questions by your therapist. The therapist then gradually identifies the specific traumatic memory in need of reprocessing. This generally lasts for a few minutes at a time, with a short break in between, to allow the brain time to do its work. Amazingly, most people who undergo EMDR therapy are able to successfully observe a rapid reduction in their anxiety within a few sessions of this technique. At each step, the therapist ensures that the client is comfortable, awake, aware, at ease, and a willing participant in their progress. As needed, this process is repeated by the therapist and client until the desired results are achieved.

Rates will vary according to the needs of the individual, and the style(s) of therapy they wish to receive. Other factors include how many days their EMDR intensive will last, how long each individual session lasts, and popular extras such as whether or not one chooses to make use of the loft space during their stay. As a result, rates will vary from person to person, as each client has their own particular treatment needs and preferences. Rates may also vary according to demand. EMDR Intensives range in price from $750 (half day) -$2,000 full day. Individual Therapy sessions range from $150 - $200 for a 50 minutes session. 90 Minute sessions range from $225 - $300 For more information, please contact our offices.

To ensure the greatest possible outcome for my clients, I do not accept insurance. The reason for this is because I believe the client and therapist should determine the course of treatment, not the insurance company. Unfortunately, insurance companies often seek to cut corners, many of which have legitimate therapeutic benefit to clients. However, should the need arise, I can provide an insurance "superbill" upon request.

Yes. For those who prefer to receive therapy from home, or simply prefer an additional layer of privacy, I offer sessions via remotEMDR, a secure videoconferencing solution specifically tailor-made for clients and therapists for online EMDR therapy. Prior to each session, you will be sent a link via text or email. As my client, you are free to use either a desktop or mobile device to connect, at which point we will see and hear each other. In order to make the session as realistic as possible, I utilize a high-speed broadband internet connection, a very large 42" flat panel display, and high-definition webcam that allows me to see and interact with you in the most natural way possible. For best results, you'll want to use the fastest and most stable internet connection available to you. A slow or poor quality internet connection may work, but will not allow you to view the session in high-definition video and sound.

Yes. For those with an added need for privacy, our offices are located in a locked building with both a curbside front entrance, and an unmarked, single-lane, vehicle-accessible rear entrance. Additionally, background white noise machines are placed throughout our offices to for an added layer of privacy, regardless of whether a session is conducted in-person, or online/virtually. The location of our offices was chosen very specifically with security and privacy in mind.

Yes. Every virtual session is HIPAA-compliant for the sake of your privacy, and is digitally encrypted end-to-end for maximum security. The links I send to my clients prior to each session are for a meeting room specific to them, which no other client has access to. My office is also located in a secured building, where ambient white-noise machines are used to prevent accidental or intentional eavesdropping, even during videoconferencing sessions.

A good question! Our computer workstations, the network, and the Internet connection they each rely upon are all power-redundant, and connected to dedicated battery backup units. In the event of a power outage in our Columbia offices, the battery backup units allow enough time for any EMDR sessions that might be in progress to be concluded seamlessly.

Absolutely. The lighting in each of our offices is selectable, and can be made very brightly lit, or dimly lit by request. The level of ambient sound cancelling in our offices can also be adjusted to match your particular level of comfort. Simply let us know what your needs are in advance, and we'll be happy to accommodate them.

Yes, we do! His name is Biscuit, and he's currently in training to be a full-time therapy dog. If you like, you may request him to be present during your session, at no additional charge. Biscuit is also a hypoallergenic breed of dog, making him safe for those with pet allergies.

The Columbia Center for EMDR Therapy is located at the red brick building at 809 S. Main St. Suite 300, in beautiful historic downtown Columbia, Tennessee, just off the courthouse square. We are located on the third floor in a beautiful historic building.

Adjunct Therapy is the practice of getting additional specialized therapy from a different therapist while still seeing your existing therapist. I'm happy to work with you, and your existing therapist if additional support is needed. For more information, please visit my Adjunct Therapy Services page.

Whether you're a professional therapist interested in receiving consultation on an as-needed basis, or you're interested in receiving consultation towards EMDR certification, I am pleased to provide both. For more information, please visit my Consultation Services page.