You can understand exactly why something still affects you and still feel your chest tighten when a certain song plays, a hallway goes quiet, or someone raises their voice. Talking it through helps many people, but sometimes the body keeps reacting as though the event is still happening. EMDR therapy was developed for that gap.
At Théla Psychotherapy Clinic in Markham, our therapists use EMDR therapy to help people process trauma with careful preparation and at a pace they can manage. Here is how a session works, what the research says, and how to tell whether it fits you.
What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured, trauma-focused psychotherapy developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. The leading explanation is the adaptive information processing model, which proposes that overwhelming experiences can be stored without being fully processed. The memory stays linked to the original emotions, body sensations, and beliefs, so a present-day trigger can pull all of it forward at once.
During reprocessing, you hold a piece of the memory in mind while your therapist guides bilateral stimulation, most often side-to-side eye movements, though taps or tones are also used. This dual focus appears to help the brain connect the memory with new, more accurate information. Many people find the memory becomes less vivid and less charged, and the belief attached to it, such as “I’m not safe” or “It was my fault,” starts to loosen. You stay awake and in control throughout, so EMDR is not hypnosis, and you can pause whenever you need to.
The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy
Treatment follows eight phases: history taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation. In EMDR therapy, reprocessing does not begin until preparation is complete. In that phase, you and your therapist build grounding and regulation skills and agree on what to do if something becomes too intense. For people with long or complicated histories, preparation can take several sessions, and that time is part of the treatment.
What Can EMDR Therapy Help With?
EMDR therapy is best known as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and clinicians also use it for anxiety, grief, and deeply held negative beliefs about yourself. How the work unfolds depends on the kind of trauma involved.
PTSD and Single-Event Trauma
After a car accident, an assault, a medical emergency, or a sudden loss, symptoms often include intrusive memories, a heightened startle response, avoidance, and disrupted sleep. When one clearly defined event drives the symptoms, reprocessing can stay focused on that event, and many people notice the memory settling over a series of sessions.
Complex and Developmental Trauma
Trauma that happened repeatedly, in childhood, or inside close relationships tends to shape how you see yourself, not only what you remember. The early work usually involves more stabilization, and there is more to work through. Clinicians often pair EMDR therapy with parts-informed, attachment-informed, and somatic approaches so the process stays within what your nervous system can tolerate.
How long EMDR therapy takes varies with the history behind the symptoms. A single recent event may need only a handful of reprocessing sessions after preparation, while longer histories often take several months. Your therapist reassesses at the start of each session, so the plan adjusts to how you are responding. Some clients also continue individual or couples work alongside EMDR.
Is EMDR Therapy Evidence-Based?
Yes. The World Health Organization’s guidelines for stress-related conditions recommend EMDR therapy, alongside trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy, for PTSD in adults, adolescents, and children. The EMDR International Association also sets training and practice standards for clinicians who offer it.
You may have read that EMDR is controversial. Researchers still debate which component does the work, including how much the eye movements add beyond focusing on the memory. That debate concerns mechanism, and it sits alongside solid evidence that the treatment reduces PTSD symptoms.
What to Expect in an EMDR Therapy Session
What Happens During Reprocessing
In an EMDR therapy session, you and your therapist begin by choosing a target memory. You name the image that stands out, the negative belief you hold about yourself because of it, the emotion that comes up, and where you feel that emotion in your body. Then comes a short set of bilateral stimulation, after which you pause and report what you notice, whether a thought, a feeling, an image, or a sensation. You do not need to narrate in detail. Sets repeat until the memory feels less distressing, and the session closes with grounding so you leave steady.
Signs EMDR Therapy May Be a Good Fit
EMDR tends to suit people with intrusive memories, nightmares, or triggers that feel out of proportion, and people who have talked through a painful experience many times and still react to it physically. It also helps to have some stability in daily life and at least one trusted source of support, since reprocessing asks for real energy between sessions.
Can You Do EMDR on Yourself?
Grounding exercises, the butterfly hug, and slow self-tapping can help you settle when you feel activated. Reprocessing a traumatic memory on your own is a different matter. Without a trained therapist to pace the work and help you return to the present, it can leave you more overwhelmed, so anything beyond everyday stress is best done with a registered clinician.
EMDR Therapy at Théla: Virtual Across Ontario and In Person in Markham
Charlie, a Registered Psychotherapist at Théla, offers virtual therapy to adults across Ontario and specializes in trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy, ADHD and neurodivergence, and nervous system regulation. She brings EMDR together with parts work, attachment-informed therapy, and somatic strategies, and her care is neurodivergent-affirming. That matters because trauma treatment built around a “typical” brain can miss how ADHD or autism shape regulation, sensory experience, and the way trauma shows up.
Clinical director Bonny Kaman Li, MA, RP(Q), also offers EMDR, with EMDRIA-approved training and a Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Research Foundation. She also leads Théla’s half-day virtual EMDR Intensives, for people who want concentrated work.
Can You Do EMDR Virtually?
Yes. In online sessions, bilateral stimulation is delivered through on-screen movement or guided self-tapping, and you choose a private space where you feel settled. Virtual sessions can be easier to fit around work and family, and they follow the same eight phases as in-person care. If you are looking for EMDR therapy in Toronto, Markham, or elsewhere in Ontario, you can choose virtual care or meet in person at our Markham office at 3 Centre Street.
How Much Does EMDR Therapy Cost in Ontario?
Your cost depends on the therapist and the session format, so ask about current rates during your consultation. Théla offers direct billing to major insurance providers, along with sliding scale rates through our Affordable Therapy Program. Coverage varies by plan, so check your benefits for registered psychotherapy.
How to Start EMDR Therapy in Markham and Across Ontario
A consultation with Charlie or Bonny is the easiest first step. You and your therapist will talk about what you hope to change, what support you already have, and whether EMDR fits right now. You do not need to share the details of what happened, since history taking stays brief and focuses on what your therapist needs to plan safely.
If the timing is not right for EMDR, a good therapist will say so and suggest a starting point, such as stabilization work, nervous system regulation, or individual therapy for adults.
To start EMDR therapy, book a free consultation with Charlie online, or call Théla at (905) 393-2968 to book with Bonny. We are glad to answer questions about EMDR therapy in Markham or virtually across Ontario.
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