What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma-informed therapy that helps you process and release painful memories so they no longer control your present.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a research-backed therapy that helps people heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. It works by helping the brain reprocess stuck or unprocessed memories so they no longer carry the same emotional charge.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (like guided eye movements or tapping) to support this natural healing process — helping you feel less triggered and more grounded in the present.
Watch this video from EMDRia on what EMDR is and how it’s used for therapy.
Ways EMDR Can Help in Therapy
Learn more about EMDR and how it can support you in your healing.
When something painful happens — whether recent or long ago — the impact can linger. You might feel stuck, reactive, or disconnected from yourself. EMDR offers a way to gently process these experiences and move toward healing.
What to Expect in EMDR Therapy
We’ll always start by building safety and trust before beginning any EMDR processing.
The process is paced collaboratively — we’ll go only as fast as your system can tolerate, and you are always in control.
Some sessions may focus on preparation and resourcing (like calming strategies); others may gently explore and reprocess difficult memories.
EMDR can be deeply effective and empowering, especially when combined with relational and somatic support.
EMDR can help you:
- Heal from traumatic events (past or recent)
- Reduce anxiety, panic, or emotional overwhelm
- Process religious trauma or childhood wounding
- Decrease shame or self-blame tied to past experiences
- Release the emotional charge of painful memories
- Build resilience and nervous system regulation
Is EMDR Right for Me?
- If you’ve tried talk therapy and still feel stuck…
- If your body reacts even when your mind knows you’re safe…
- If something from the past feels unresolved but hard to name …
…then EMDR may be a helpful next step. I’d be happy to talk through whether this approach is a good fit for you.
How EMDR Feels for Clients
Many people say EMDR helps them feel lighter, clearer, and more grounded — without needing to talk through every detail of what happened. It’s not about reliving trauma, but about creating enough safety for your system to gently let go of what it’s been holding for too long.
What Kinds of Experiences Can EMDR Help With?
- Childhood emotional neglect
- Car accidents, medical trauma, or sudden loss
- Religious or purity culture trauma
- Sexual assault or boundary violations
- Anxiety and panic
- PTSD or complex trauma
The Flow of EMDR Work
Wherever you are in your journey, you’re welcome here. Learn more about how we can work together.
Preparation & Resourcing
Before we begin any memory processing, we’ll spend time creating a foundation of trust and safety. This includes getting to know each other, learning how your nervous system responds to stress, and building calming tools that help you stay grounded. You’ll be an active participant in shaping the pace and direction of our work. There’s no rush — we move at the speed of your system, not the protocol.
Reprocessing
When you feel ready, we’ll identify a memory or experience that still holds emotional charge, something that may be shaping how you feel, react, or relate in the present. Using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements, tapping, or sound), we’ll gently support your brain in processing the memory in a new way. This doesn’t mean reliving trauma — instead, you’ll remain present, supported, and in control as the emotional weight of the memory begins to shift.
Integration
After reprocessing, we’ll take time to reflect, notice what’s changed, and connect the shifts to your everyday life. This may include moments of clarity, emotional release, or increased self-trust. Integration is about allowing the healing to settle — and exploring what it means to move forward with more freedom, insight, and resilience.
Support That Meets You Where You Are
Sex therapy is never about assigning blame or fixing one partner. It’s about honoring what’s happening between you and co-creating a new way forward. Our sessions are grounded in consent, mutual respect, and attunement to your unique story, both as individuals and as a couple or partnership.
In sex therapy, you and your partner(s) can:
- Rebuild intimacy after a rupture or dry spell
- Understand and honor differences in desire
- Navigate vulnerability, shame, or body image with compassion
- Develop language to talk about needs and boundaries
- Deepen physical connection in ways that feel good for both of you
- Explore sexual values, goals, and expression with curiosity
An Inclusive Approach to Sexuality & Relationships
Miri works with couples and relationship systems of all kinds, including monogamous, polyamorous, open, queer, and non-traditional structures. Your relationship, your identities, and your boundaries will be honored and never pathologized. This is a space for authentic connection, however you define it.
Ready to reconnect?
If you and your partner(s) are feeling stuck, shut down, or unsure how to talk about sex — you’re not alone. Therapy can help you rediscover intimacy, explore what’s possible, and reconnect in a way that feels safe and true to you.
Work with Miri Sampson
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, LMFTA
Welcome. I’m so glad you’re here.
I’m a person-centered therapist who offers a warm, nonjudgmental space for self-discovery, healing, and growth. I work with teens, adults, couples, and families, with a special focus on sex therapy, religious harm, ADHD, and EMDR for trauma recovery.
My approach is relational, compassionate, and tailored to your unique needs. I believe in your inherent worth and will hold your story with care. Whoever you are, and wherever you are in your journey, you are welcome here.
