What is EMDR and how is it different from other forms of therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders (please visit  www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/  for more information on the most up to date research).

EMDR is different from other forms of psychotherapy in that it does not require you to talk in detail about the distressing or traumatic event, but rather focuses on facilitating the process in which your brain is allowed to resume the natural healing process.
EMDR is not just for someone who has experienced a traumatic event in their life; it can be effective for anyone who has experienced prolonged exposure, or multiple occurrences of stress responses throughout their life.

How does it work?

Sometimes traumatic, or highly stressful events can resolve on their own, but sometimes they cannot be processed without help. Once it has been determined that a client is a good fit for EMDR therapy, the client and therapist will begin working through the 8 phases of treatment to help the brain process the distressing time or event and allow normal healing to resume. EMDR does NOT erase or change memories, but it does help change our response and emotional reaction to distressing memories.
Contact us for more information or to get scheduled with one of our EMDR trained therapist.

Internal Family Systems/ IFS
Introduction to Internal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) is a form of psychotherapy that was developed by Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D., in the 1980s. Schwartz believed that every person is made up of multiple “sub-personalities” or parts, each with its own unique perspective and set of qualities. The objective of IFS is to help clients understand their various parts better, learn how to access their core “Self”, and let go of limiting beliefs about their parts.

There are many different kinds of parts within a person—some are positive and helpful, while others may feel more challenging or painful. The client’s “Self” is the parent to all parts. The Self can access wisdom to guide us in making choices that best serve our highest selves and those around us. In IFS therapy, therapists help people become aware of these various parts and learn how to relate to them in a more compassionate way.

The IFS model is based on three basic principles:

  • The Self is the part that is always true to our highest selves. It knows what’s best for us, and it has a natural intelligence to help us get there.

  • The Self is always connected to all parts of ourselves, whether we are aware of them or not (e.g., my angry part might be hiding because I don’t think anger is a “good” emotion).

  • The Self is always connected to the body and mind, which means that whatever happens in one affects the other two aspects as well (e.g., if I’m stressed out about work, this could be tied to the tension in my shoulders and back).


Many people who struggle with complex trauma find IFS therapy is a helpful way of navigating the complex emotions and parts that come up as a result of their trauma. IFS therapy is often used to treat the following symptoms and disorders:


IFS helps people:
  • Gain self-empowerment and leadership through finding balance with their various parts.
  • Promote self-compassion and self-understanding.
  • Take shame away from complex parts of themselves so they can learn about those parts vs. avoiding or “exiling” them. What we don’t talk about, is much more difficult to heal.


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