EDMR-Trained Therapists
Kane Counseling Services has EMDR-trained therapists who can help you explore whether EMDR fits your needs. Our specialists have received specialized training in EMDR based on the manuals and research of Dr. Francine Shapiro—the developer of EMDR Therapy.
When you contact us, let us know you're interested in EMDR so we can help you explore therapist options. You are welcome to ask about a therapist's training and approach before getting started.
EMDR-Trained Therapists
Christy Kane
Brandi Worle
Yessica Sargent
Donovan Bunker
Currently in EMDR Training
Nicole Hooley
Emily Boberg
Danielle Bridenstine
Natalee Pykles
Mark Kelly
Kristin Allen
Amanda Reynolds
Jessie Whittaker
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is an evidence-based therapy for treating trauma. It often helps people who experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to process distressing experiences.
During treatment, you focus briefly on the memory while following guided eye movements or another form of alternating stimulation, such as taps or sounds. This is called bilateral stimulation.
The goal is to provide a supported environment and to reduce distress connected to the memory.
EMDR does not erase what has happened; but it can help change how the experience affects you now.
Why consider EMDR?
You may want to explore EMDR if a past experience continues to affect your daily life.
For example:
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Unwanted memories or nightmares
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Strong emotional or physical reactions to reminders
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Avoiding people or places where situations feel connected to what happened
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Feeling on guard or having difficult feeling safe
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Persistent beliefs such as "it was my fault" or "I can't trust anyone"
What to expect with EMDR Therapy
EMDR involves more than eye movements. It follows an 8 phase process that includes understanding your history, preparing for treatment, processing memories, and reviewing progress.
Starting with your needs, your therapist will learn about your goals for therapy and concerns. They will discuss whether EMDR is a suitable option. You will work with your therapist to learn ways to stay connected to the present, manage distress, and develop coping skills.
Before you begin processing, you and your therapist can assess your readiness before you begin trying. When appropriate, your therapist will then guide you through specific memories, which may include related thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations.
You can ask to pause at any time.
After a processing session, you can check in to see how you are responding to EMDR therapy, address remaining concerns, and plan next steps. Each person responds and progresses through EMDR therapy differently.
Pacing will be determined by you and your therapist as you work together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have a PTSD diagnosis to ask about EMDR?
No. You can ask about EMDR without already having a diagnosis. A therapist can help assess your concerns with you and discuss whether EMDR or another approach might be appropriate.
Will I have to describe everything that happened?
EMDR does not usually require a detailed, out-loud account of the experience. You will need to bring aspects of the memory to your mind, and your therapist will ask you what you notice during processing.
Will we start processing memories in my first appointment?
Not necessarily. EMDR begins with understanding your history, planning treatment, and preparing. Time spent on these steps will determine your needs and readiness timeline.
Can EMDR feel uncomfortable?
Focusing on distressing memories can bring up difficult emotions or sensations. Your therapist will discuss what to expect, help you prepare, and check how you are responding. Tell them if you feel overwhelmed or need to pause.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no standard timeline. The experiences you want to address, the time needed for preparation, and your response to treatment all matter. You and your therapist can discuss your initial plan and review it as treatment progresses.
Is EMDR-trained the same as EMDR certified?
No. A therapist who has completed EMDR training can provide effective therapy without additional certification. EMDR basic training includes instruction, supervised practice, and consultation to prepare therapists to use this approach. Certification is an optional, advanced credential that recognizes additional experience and education. It has value, but its absence does not mean a therapist is unqualified or that treatment will be less effective. Look for a therapist with completed EMDR training, experience addressing your concerns, and an approach you feel comfortable with.
Does insurance cover EMDR?
EMDR can be a regular addition to your therapy services at KCS. If your therapist accepts your insurance and you plan covers the services of a typical therapeutic session, your usual copay, deductible, and coinsurance applies. List our rates and insurance page for a list of current accepted plans.
What if I'm not sure if EMDR is right for me?
You don't need to know which therapy approach is right for you before reaching out. Tell us what you're looking for and that you're interested in EMDR. We can help you explore the next step.
Want to learn more?
How EMDR Works: Research & Resources
Understand the approach behind the treatment
It’s reasonable to want to understand a therapy before trying it.
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Why would eye movements help with a painful memory?
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What does the research show?
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And how do you know whether EMDR is right for you?
This page explains the leading ideas behind EMDR and offers resources for a closer look at the evidence.
What does EMDR help change?
A reminder of a traumatic experience can bring back strong emotions, physical sensations, or beliefs about yourself, even when the immediate danger has passed.
EMDR therapy helps you work with those memories and responses through a structured treatment process. The goal is for the experience to become less distressing and less disruptive to your present life.
Treatment includes understanding your history, preparing to manage distress, processing selected memories, and reviewing progress. Guided eye movements, taps, or sounds are one part of that process.
Why might EMDR work?
Researchers are examining several explanations. These ideas help explain the treatment, but no single theory fully accounts for its effects.
Sharing attention may reduce a memory’s intensity
Working memory is the mental capacity we use to hold information in mind briefly.
One leading explanation is that recalling a distressing memory while following eye movements places demands on this limited capacity. This may make the memory feel less vivid and emotionally intense.
Research supports this explanation, but it does not establish that working memory is the only mechanism involved—or that eye movements alone are equivalent to a full course of EMDR therapy.
Processing may help connect memories with new understanding
EMDR’s guiding theory is called the Adaptive Information Processing model.
This model proposes that some distressing experiences remain connected to the emotions, sensations, and beliefs present when they happened. Treatment aims to help people connect these memories with more useful information and perspectives.
For example, someone may logically know an experience was not their fault while still feeling responsible. Therapy may help that understanding feel more believable.
This is a framework therapists use to guide treatment, rather than a complete, proven explanation of what happens in the brain.
Several processes may contribute
Researchers are also studying changes in physical arousal, attention, and memory. The benefits of EMDR may involve several interacting processes.
Claims that EMDR simply “resets the brain” or works by “connecting the two brain hemispheres” go beyond what research has established. The evidence for treatment outcomes is clearer than the explanation of every underlying mechanism.
What does the research say?
EMDR is a recommended treatment for PTSD
The 2023 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense guideline recommends EMDR alongside Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure as leading trauma-focused treatments for PTSD. These recommendations draw on research across multiple studies, rather than individual success stories.
A 2020 systematic review of psychological treatments for adult PTSD found strong evidence that EMDR and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapies can produce clinically important reductions in symptoms.
A systematic review brings together findings from multiple studies to assess the overall evidence. It offers a broader view than any single study, though its conclusions still depend on the quality of the research included.
Research findings describe patterns across groups. They cannot predict exactly how one person will respond or how many sessions they will need.
EMDR is also not established as universally better than other recommended trauma-focused therapies. Your concerns, preferences, readiness, and response to treatment all help guide the choice.
Where should I start reading?
An approachable overview of what happens during treatment, possible discomfort, and common questions. Includes explanatory videos.
An introduction from the professional association focused on EMDR. Useful for learning terminology and understanding the treatment approach.
A more detailed explanation of the treatment, effectiveness research, guideline recommendations, and questions about bilateral stimulation. Includes references to published studies.
Clinical guidance from the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Sections 1.6.18–1.6.20 explain when EMDR is recommended for adults and what treatment should include.
A research article examining evidence for several psychological treatments, including EMDR. Best for readers comfortable with scientific language.
For the science behind how it may work
An accessible explanation of the theory that guides EMDR treatment planning.
A detailed examination of proposed explanations, including working memory and physiological changes. Helpful for understanding both the findings and the unanswered questions.
Questions to bring to your therapist
You don’t need to become an EMDR expert before starting therapy.
These questions can help you make an informed decision:
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Why might EMDR be appropriate for my concerns?
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What preparation would we do before processing memories?
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What experience do you have treating concerns like mine?
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How will we track whether treatment is helping?
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What other approaches could we consider?
These resources provide general education. Your therapist can help you understand how the information applies to your care.