Unlock Your Potential with Slade Counselling

Some experiences are over, but the nervous system continues reacting as though they are still happening.

You may understand logically that you are safe, yet still feel anxious, tense, guarded, disconnected, or easily overwhelmed. Certain places, conversations, sensations, or memories may trigger reactions that seem stronger than the situation in front of you.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, commonly called EMDR, is a structured form of therapy designed to help the brain process distressing experiences that continue to affect your present life.

EMDR therapy is available through select clinicians at Slade Counselling.

Your mind keeps returning to the same experience.
You replay what happened, question what you should have done differently, or struggle to stop thinking about it.

Your body reacts before you have time to think.
You may feel tense, panicked, frozen, nauseated, detached, or suddenly on edge.

You avoid reminders.
Certain people, places, activities, conversations, or emotions may feel too uncomfortable to approach.

You know something intellectually, but do not feel it emotionally.
You may know that an experience was not your fault, while still carrying guilt, shame, fear, or self-blame.

Past experiences are affecting current relationships.
Trust, communication, emotional closeness, conflict, or boundaries may feel more difficult than you would like.

EMDR is not hypnosis, and you remain awake and in control throughout the session.

You do not have to forget what happened or erase the memory. The purpose is to help reduce the intensity attached to it so that the experience can feel more like something from the past rather than something that is still happening now.

EMDR is also not simply “moving your eyes back and forth.” It is a structured therapeutic process that includes preparation, identifying patterns and beliefs, carefully processing selected experiences, and building healthier emotional responses.

During EMDR, your therapist may ask you to briefly focus on a memory, emotion, belief, or physical sensation while engaging in bilateral stimulation.

Bilateral stimulation alternates attention between the left and right sides of the body. This may involve guided eye movements, tapping, or another method chosen with your therapist.

The process is intended to support the brain’s natural ability to organize and process information. Over time, the memory may become less emotionally intense, and the beliefs connected to it may begin to shift.

For example:

• “I am powerless” may begin to feel more like “I have choices now.” 
• “It was my fault” may shift toward “I did the best I could.” 
• “I am not safe” may become “That experience is over, and I am safe now.” 

These changes are not forced. They emerge through the processing work at a pace that feels manageable.

Many people hesitate to begin trauma therapy because they do not want to describe every part of what happened.

With EMDR, you will still communicate with your therapist, but you may not need to provide a detailed verbal account of every experience. The work can often focus on the thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs connected to the memory.

Your therapist will help determine what level of discussion is necessary while respecting your comfort, privacy, and readiness.

EMDR is commonly used to support people experiencing:

• Trauma and post-traumatic stress 
• Distressing or intrusive memories 
• Anxiety and panic 
• Grief and loss 
• Medical trauma 
• Childhood experiences that continue to affect adulthood 
• Relationship trauma and betrayal 
• Difficult family experiences 
• Low self-worth, guilt, or shame 
• Phobias and intense fears 
• Workplace or first responder trauma 
• Stress following accidents, injuries, or major life events 

You do not need to have a formal PTSD diagnosis to explore whether EMDR may be appropriate.

EMDR does not usually begin with immediate memory processing.

Your therapist will first spend time understanding your history, current concerns, coping strategies, and goals. Together, you will develop grounding skills and discuss how to manage difficult emotions if they arise.

Once there is enough stability and preparation, you and your therapist may identify specific experiences, beliefs, or triggers to work on.

The pace of therapy depends on several factors, including the nature of the concern, your history, your current level of support, and how your nervous system responds to the process.

Some people notice meaningful changes in a relatively focused period of treatment. More complex or long-standing concerns may require a slower and more gradual approach.

EMDR can be highly useful, but it is not automatically the best starting point for every person.

Before beginning, your therapist will consider factors such as emotional stability, current safety, dissociation, coping skills, support systems, and whether another form of therapy should be used first or alongside EMDR.

The goal is not to push you into trauma processing. The goal is to choose an approach that is safe, appropriate, and aligned with your needs.

Successful EMDR does not mean that a difficult experience suddenly becomes acceptable or unimportant.

It means the memory may no longer carry the same level of emotional control. You may still remember what happened, but feel less activated by it. You may notice that triggers become more manageable, self-blame decreases, and the experience feels more clearly located in the past.

Slade Counselling offers EMDR therapy through select clinicians for teens and adults, depending on the therapist and the client’s needs.

Appointments may be available in person in Calgary or virtually across Alberta. Select virtual services may also be available in Saskatchewan.

A consultation can help determine whether EMDR is appropriate for your concerns and whether the therapist’s approach feels like the right fit.