EMDR Therapy

Evidence-Based Trauma Treatment

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an extensively researched psychotherapy approach that helps individuals process and heal from traumatic experiences, PTSD, and complex trauma. Recognized by the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association as a first-line treatment for trauma, EMDR offers a powerful alternative to traditional talk therapy—often producing significant results in fewer sessions.

Janice LaFountaine, LMFT, provides EMDR therapy via telehealth to clients throughout Washington and Idaho, specializing in complex PTSD, religious trauma, and recovery from coercive control.newbrain

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy that facilitates the brain's natural healing process to resolve distressing memories and traumatic experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn't require extensive verbal processing of traumatic events, making it particularly effective for clients who find it difficult or retraumatizing to discuss trauma in detail.

The therapy works by accessing the brain's adaptive information processing system through bilateral stimulation—typically guided eye movements, tactile sensations, or auditory tones. This process helps "unstick" traumatic memories that have become frozen in the nervous system, allowing them to be reprocessed and integrated adaptively.

Research demonstrates EMDR's effectiveness: Meta-analyses show 77-90% of single-trauma PTSD clients no longer meet diagnostic criteria after just 3-6 sessions. For complex trauma, treatment typically requires longer duration but produces comparable outcomes to other evidence-based approaches while often working faster.

How Does EMDR Work?

EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which proposes that traumatic experiences can become improperly stored in the brain, causing ongoing distress. These "stuck" memories continue to trigger emotional and physiological reactions long after the original event has passed.

The EMDR Process:

Phase 1-2: History Taking & Preparation
We identify target memories and build coping resources to ensure you feel stable and safe before processing begins. This preparation phase is especially important for complex trauma.

Phase 3-6: Assessment, Desensitization, Installation & Body Scan
Using bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones), we activate the targeted memory while your brain reprocesses it adaptively. You remain fully present and in control throughout—this is not hypnosis or reliving the trauma.

Phase 7-8: Closure & Reevaluation
We ensure you're grounded after each session and assess progress over time, targeting additional memories as needed.

What Bilateral Stimulation Does:

The bilateral stimulation (left-right-left-right pattern) activates both hemispheres of the brain, mimicking the natural processing that occurs during REM sleep. This allows the brain to "digest" traumatic material, reducing emotional charge and creating new, adaptive associations.

After successful EMDR processing, clients typically report that traumatic memories lose their emotional intensity—they can remember what happened without being flooded by distress, shame, or hypervigilance.

Does EMDR Work for Complex Trauma and C-PTSD?

Yes. The protocol has been extensively adapted for complex PTSD—the layered, developmental trauma that results from ongoing abuse, neglect, or exposure to coercive control systems.

Complex trauma requires modified treatment:

  • Longer preparation phase: Building emotional regulation skills and internal resources before memory processing
  • Phased approach: Addressing current stabilization needs before targeting past trauma
  • Attention to attachment wounds: Processing relational trauma that affects trust, safety, and connection
  • Integration of parts work: Addressing dissociation and fragmented self-states when present

Research shows EMDR for complex trauma produces significant symptom reduction. A 2014 meta-analysis found EMDR equally effective to trauma-focused CBT for complex presentations.

What Conditions Does EMDR Treat?

EMDR has been extensively researched and proven effective for:

  • PTSD and Complex PTSD from various trauma sources
  • Anxiety disorders rooted in traumatic experiences
  • Depression linked to unresolved trauma
  • Panic attacks and phobias with traumatic origins
  • Religious trauma and spiritual abuse
  • Recovery from coercive control (cults, high-control groups, manipulative relationships)
  • Childhood trauma and developmental wounds
  • Grief and loss (particularly complicated grief)
  • Performance anxiety and limiting beliefs
  • Chronic pain with psychological components

What Does EMDR Feel Like?

Most clients report:

  • During bilateral stimulation: Feeling focused but relaxed
  • During processing: Emotionally activated but safe, with distress typically decreasing as the session progresses
  • After sessions: Tired but relieved
  • Between sessions: Some processing continues—dreams, insights, or shifts in how you relate to memories are common

This is not hypnosis. You remain fully conscious and in control. You can pause, adjust intensity, or stop at any time. You can process trauma without narrating what happened if that feels safer.

"I was skeptical of EMDR therapy initially, but I had formed trust in Janice's professional abilities, so I followed her suggestions, and have made tremendous positive gains because of her. She basically worked herself out of a job, which is the best sign of a therapist, in my opinion."

— Client G.

"Janice practices EMDR therapy which I feel has been the key to several breakthroughs in our journey together. She helped me process profound grief, breakups, domestic violence, loss... I have the utmost respect and trust in her."

— Client S.T.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

It depends on trauma complexity and your goals:

Single-incident trauma: 3-12 sessions
Complex PTSD: 6-18+ months of weekly or biweekly sessions
Religious trauma/cult recovery: 12-24+ months

Research shows EMDR often works faster than traditional talk therapy for trauma-specific symptoms, though lasting healing from complex trauma requires adequate time for nervous system regulation, identity work, and integration.

Common Questions About EMDR

Will EMDR erase my memories?
No. EMDR changes how memories are stored and how you relate to them, but it doesn't erase them.

What if I can't remember specific traumatic events?
EMDR can still work. We can target present symptoms, troubling emotions, or body sensations and work backward to access implicit memories.

Is EMDR safe for religious trauma?
Yes. EMDR is highly effective for processing traumatic experiences within religious systems. I pair EMDR with Soul Unity Therapy principles to support both trauma resolution and spiritual integration on your own terms, with zero religious prescription.

Do I have to believe in anything specific for this to work?
No. EMDR is a neurobiological intervention that works regardless of your beliefs about spirituality, meaning, or healing.

How is EMDR different from regular talk therapy?
Talk therapy relies on verbal processing and cognitive insight. EMDR works directly with how memories are stored in the brain, often bypassing the need for extensive discussion of traumatic details.

Ready to Begin?

If you've tried traditional talk therapy and found yourself retelling the story without feeling significantly better, or if discussing trauma in detail feels retraumatizing, EMDR offers a different pathway.

I use EMDR extensively in my practice, particularly for complex trauma, religious trauma, and recovery from coercive control. This approach integrates beautifully with Soul Unity Therapy principles, supporting both neurobiological healing and reconnection with your inner wisdom.