Let’s Talk: EMDR Benefits

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.

EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) offers a unique and evidence-based approach to treating trauma and other psychological distress. Here are the KEY BENEFITS, based on clinical research and widespread practice:

1. Rapid relief from trauma symptoms

• EMDR often leads to significant symptom reduction in fewer sessions compared to traditional talk therapy.

• Many people report a dramatic decrease in nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, and emotional reactivity.

• Especially effective for single-incident traumas like car accidents, assaults, or medical traumas.

2. Minimal verbal disclosure required

• Clients don’t have to talk in detail about their trauma.

• This makes EMDR particularly helpful for people who:

  • Feel shame, guilt, or fear about disclosing events

  • Struggle with emotional regulation

  • Are overwhelmed by traditional exposure-based therapies

3. Targets the root of the problem

• EMDR focuses on reprocessing the original memory where trauma is "stuck" neurologically.

• Once reprocessed, clients often report the memory no longer feels threatening or emotionally charged.

• Helps eliminate the “emotional reactivation” that happens when reminders of trauma arise.

4. Often faster than traditional therapy

• Studies show EMDR can lead to significant improvement in 6–12 sessions, even for PTSD.

• Especially for single-incident trauma, EMDR is often more time-efficient than CBT or psychodynamic therapy.

5. Supports nervous system regulation

• EMDR helps calm the autonomic nervous system, reducing:

  • Fight/flight responses

  • Somatic symptoms (e.g., body tension, stomach upset)

  • Emotional reactivity

• May lead to better sleep, reduced anxiety, and a sense of internal safety.

6. Long-term change, not just symptom management

• Once memories are reprocessed, the emotional charge is permanently reduced in many cases.

• Clients often experience lasting improvements in:

  • Self-worth

  • Cognitive beliefs ("I am safe," "It wasn’t my fault")

  • Behavioral patterns (less avoidance, more engagement)

7. Versatile and adaptable

EMDR is used to treat more than PTSD:

• Anxiety and panic attacks

• Phobias

• Complicated grief

• Chronic pain

• Addictions

• Low self-esteem and attachment wounds

• Developmental trauma / complex PTSD (with specialized protocols)