- Accidents
- Loss and grief
- Violence
- Medical trauma
- First responder trauma
- Birth trauma
EMDR
Heal from trauma with safety, compassion, and evidence-based care.
EMDR Therapy
At Insight and Empowerment, we provide Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to help clients heal from trauma, childhood trauma, and long-standing emotional wounds. EMDR helps reduce the intensity of painful memories, calm the nervous system, and restore a sense of safety within yourself.
Whether your trauma is a single event or a series of experiences over time, you don't have to carry it alone.
WHAT IS EMDR THERAPY?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an extensively researched, evidence-based psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.
Through bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, or sounds), EMDR supports your brain's natural ability to heal. Instead of reliving the pain, EMDR helps you experience the memory with less emotional charge—so you can move forward with clarity and empowerment.
Clients often experience:
- Reduced anxiety and hypervigilance
- Fewer trauma triggers
- Greater emotional stability
- Increased self-worth
- Improved relationships
HOW EMDR WORKS:
The Science behind EMDR:
Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. This process involves communication between three key areas:
- The Amygdala: The alarm signal for stressful events
- The Hippocampus: Assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger
- The Prefrontal Cortex: Analyzes and controls behavior and emotion
While many traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, others may not be processed without help. Stress responses—our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts—can become stuck. When distress from a disturbing event remains unprocessed, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create feelings of overwhelm, of being back in that moment, or of being "frozen in time."
EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.
HOW EMDR IS DIFFERENT:
How EMDR is Different from Talk Therapy:
EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or homework between sessions. EMDR supports the brain to resume its natural healing process—so clients are informed by their memories, but no longer controlled by them.
The therapy includes alternating bilateral stimulation: eye movements, sounds, or taps. EMDR can also be integrated with other modalities such as art therapy, play therapy, and other creative interventions.
For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than traditional psychotherapies.
EMDR therapy can be done in-person or via virtual platforms and must be done with a properly trained and licensed mental health clinician.
In-Person and Online EMDR Therapy in Idaho
We offer EMDR therapy both in-person and via secure telehealth for clients throughout Idaho.
Specialized EMDR for Trauma and Childhood Trauma
Who We Help
As trauma-informed therapists, our clinicians integrate EMDR with a deeply compassionate, safe, and grounding approach.
It can benefit anyone that has experienced any of the following:
- Emotional neglect
- Abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual)
- Attachment wounds
- Growing up in chaotic or unsafe environments
- Parentification or early caregiving roles
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Phobias
- People-pleasing
- Shame and self-blame
- Fear of conflict
- Difficulty trusting others
- Feeling "stuck" or disconnected
- Sleep disturbances
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- Eating concerns
- Substance use
Your experiences mattered—and your healing matters just as much.
What To Expect in EMDR Therapy
Your Healing: How EMDR Works
EMDR is Different from Talk Therapy
EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or homework between sessions. EMDR supports the brain to resume its natural healing process—so clients are informed by their memories, but no longer controlled by them.
The therapy includes alternating bilateral stimulation: eye movements, sounds, or taps. EMDR can also be integrated with other modalities such as art therapy, play therapy, and other creative interventions.
For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than traditional psychotherapies.
EMDR therapy can be done in-person or via virtual platforms and must be done with a properly trained and licensed mental health clinician.
Clients often describe EMDR sessions as:
- "Empowering and grounding"
- "Finally feeling lighter after years of carrying heaviness"
- "A new sense of calm in my body"
Every experience is unique, and the process is always trauma-informed and paced with care.
The Science Behind EMDR
Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. This process involves communication between three key areas:
- The Amygdala: The alarm signal for stressful events
- The Hippocampus: Assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger
- The Prefrontal Cortex: Analyzes and controls behavior and emotion
While many traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, others may not be processed without help. Stress responses—our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts—can become stuck. When distress from a disturbing event remains unprocessed, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create feelings of overwhelm, of being back in that moment, or of being "frozen in time."
EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.
The following organizations recognize EMDR therapy as an effective treatment:
Backed by Research, Recognized Worldwide
EMDR therapy standards and research supported by EMDRIA International Association
Contact our specialists to get started