A Gentle Snap Shot, What is EMDR actually like?
Whether you’re navigating anxiety, depression, or overcoming past traumas, we’re here to provide a safe space for growth and healing. Our evidence based approaches blend therapy, mindfulness, and holistic practices to nurture your well-being. We can help you take the next step.
Janay Langford is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and is the owner of Desert Sage Counseling in St. George, Utah. She specializes in Trauma using an Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapeutic approach. She also assists clients in navigating life transitions, grief and loss, stress management, relationships, anger management, faith crisis and addiction.
What to Expect in EMDR: A Gentle Snapshot
Starting EMDR can feel intimidating, especially if you’re unsure what “processing a memory” actually involves. To help you picture the experience, here’s a snapshot of Maya, a client who began EMDR to work through a distressing event from her past.
This story offers a step-by-step look at what EMDR can feel like—organized, supported, and surprisingly empowering.
Meet Maya
Maya came to therapy feeling “stuck.” She noticed:
sudden anxiety during everyday situations
a tightness in her chest she couldn’t explain
a tendency to shut down emotionally when she felt criticized
She knew these reactions came from an old experience, but she didn’t fully understand it or remember every detail. Still, she wanted relief.
Her therapist suggested EMDR.
Phase 1: Preparing the Ground
Before even touching the memory, Maya and her therapist spent time building:
coping skills
grounding techniques
a sense of safety and trust
They practiced breathing, imagery, and ways for Maya to pause or slow things down whenever she needed.
This preparation gave her confidence: “I don’t have to go through this alone.”
Phase 2: Choosing the Memory
Maya didn’t need every detail. She simply chose:
an image
a feeling in her body
and a belief about herself (“I’m not safe”)
These were enough for EMDR to begin.
Phase 3: Bilateral Stimulation and Processing
The therapist guided Maya through bilateral stimulation—gentle eye movements or tapping—to activate the brain’s natural healing system.
Here’s what this phase looked like:
1. A starting point
The therapist asked Maya to notice the image, emotion, and body sensation connected to her memory.
2. Allowing the mind to move
As the bilateral stimulation began, Maya found that:
memories surfaced in small, manageable pieces
emotions rose and fell like waves
sometimes a completely different moment popped into her mind—one that “felt similar”
Her therapist reminded her this was normal: EMDR helps the brain connect the dots.
3. Natural shifts
Over several sets of eye movements, Maya noticed the memory felt less sharp.
Her body started relaxing.
Her thoughts shifted from “I’m not safe” to “I survived” and eventually to “I’m safe now.”
These shifts often happen organically—the brain does the work once processing begins.
Phase 4: Installing a New Belief
With the emotional charge decreasing, Maya and her therapist strengthened a healthier belief:
“I am safe now.”
As she repeated this belief during bilateral stimulation, it felt more real and more embodied.
Phase 5: Checking the Body
The therapist asked Maya to scan her body for any leftover tension.
Where she once felt a heavy ache, she now felt neutral.
Sometimes clients still feel something, and the therapist helps them process it.
Maya felt clear.
Phase 6: Closing the Session
Before leaving, Maya grounded herself again and reviewed the skills she could use throughout the week.
Her therapist reminded her that continued shifts—dreams, emotions, insights—are part of healing.
Phase 7: Follow-Up
At the next session, Maya reported:
feeling calmer in situations that used to trigger her
fewer physical symptoms
a sense of distance from the old memory
She described it as:
“It’s like the volume on that memory has been turned way down.”
What This Snap Shot Teaches
EMDR processing is:
safe — you stay in control
structured — each step has a purpose
gentle — you don’t have to relive anything
effective — your brain naturally reprocesses what once felt stuck
If you’re considering EMDR, know that the process unfolds at your pace, with your therapist guiding you every step of the way.
Experience the relief Maya found through EMDR Therapy at Desert Sage Counseling. If you feel stuck in old patterns, overwhelmed by emotions, or held back by memories you can’t fully make sense of, EMDR offers a gentle, structured path forward. Just like in Maya’s journey, EMDR helps your brain naturally process what once felt overwhelming—reducing emotional intensity, easing physical tension, and replacing old beliefs with ones that empower you. You don’t have to relive the past to heal from it. EMDR can help you move forward with clarity, calm, and confidence.
