EMDR Therapy at Black Lotus Mental WellnessWhat If the Thing Keeping You Stuck Isn't in Your Mind - but Stored in Your Body?
About EMDR
EMDR is one of the most effective evidence-based treatments for trauma - and it works differently than talk therapy.
If you've done the work of understanding your story but your body still carries the weight of it, this page will help you understand what EMDR is, how I use it in my practice, and whether it might be the right next step for you.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - but I know that name doesn't make it any clearer, so let me explain how I describe it to my clients.
When we go through something painful - whether it's a single event or years of ongoing stress, trauma, or emotional neglect - those experiences don't always get processed or stored the way they should. They get stored in the body and the mind in a way that keeps showing up. The anxiety that won't ease. The tension you carry in your chest. The reaction that feels bigger than the moment calls for. That's not a character flaw. That's your nervous system holding onto something it hasn't had the chance to fully process.
EMDR helps us name those experiences, map them out, and reprocess them through bilateral stimulation, which simply means gentle side-to-side stimulation. In my practice, I typically use tapping rather than eye movements.
After we've worked through the reprocessing and you're equipped with tools and resources to manage distress differently, those memories don't disappear - but they stop running the show. They lose their charge. You can think about what happened without your body reacting as if it's still happening.
Understanding
EMDR
EMDR Is More Than What You've
Seen on Social Media
If you've come across EMDR on TikTok or Instagram, you've probably seen the eye movement part: someone following a finger or a light bar back and forth. That's real, but it's only one piece of a much larger process.
EMDR is actually a structured 8-phase protocol, and the reprocessing that gets all the attention online is only phase four. What most people don't see is the work that happens before and after. The phases that make the reprocessing safe, effective, and lasting.
The 8 Phases of EMDR
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History Treatment & Planning
This is where we start. I want to understand your story — not just what happened, but how it's showing up in your life now. Together, we identify what we'll work on and in what order.
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Preparation & Resourcing
Before we process anything, I make sure you feel grounded and supported. We build tools together — breathing techniques, body-based grounding, mindfulness practices — so you have a way to steady yourself during and between sessions. This phase is not a formality. It's essential.
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Assessment & Targeting
We identify the specific memory we'll work with, along with the beliefs, emotions, and body sensations connected to it. This gives us a clear map before we begin reprocessing.
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Desensitization
This is the phase most people associate with EMDR. Using bilateral stimulation — in my practice, typically tapping — we work through the targeted memory to reduce its emotional intensity. This is where the shift begins to happen.
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Installation
Once the distress has decreased, we strengthen a more adaptive, positive belief to replace the old one. Where you once felt "I'm not safe" or "I'm not enough," we anchor something that feels truer to who you are now.
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Body Scan
After reprocessing, we check in with your body. If there's any remaining tension, tightness, or discomfort connected to the memory, we process that too. Your body gets a say in when we're done — not just your mind.
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Closure
Every session ends with grounding. I never send you out the door mid-process. We make sure you feel settled, stable, and back in your body before you leave.
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Reevaluation
At the start of the next session, we check in. How did the week go? What came up? What shifted? This helps us determine next steps and make sure the processing is holding.
Is EMDR Right for You?
EMDR at Black Lotus might be a good fit if:
You've tried talk therapy and gained insight but something still feels stuck, like it lives in your body rather than just your thoughts.
You're navigating trauma, anxiety, burnout, grief, or relational patterns that keep showing up no matter how much you understand them.
You're curious about a body-based approach. Even if it feels unfamiliar or a little outside your comfort zone.
You're a Black or racialized woman looking for care that honours your cultural context and lived experience.
EMDR may not be the right starting point if you're currently in an active mental health crisis. That doesn't mean it's not for you — it just means we'd focus first on stabilization, grounding, and building the resources you need before moving into reprocessing. Safety comes first, always.
Want to Learn More Before We Talk?
This short video is a helpful introduction to what EMDR therapy looks like in practice. I share it with many of my clients before we begin
Ways to work togetherWays to Do EMDR With Me
EMDR Therapy Package
A structured series that takes you through all 8 phases at a steady pace. Best if you want consistency and a clear commitment to the process.
$175 / session × 6 weekly sessions
Extended EMDR Sessions
For clients who find that 60 minutes isn't enough space to settle in, process, and close properly. Best if you're already in the work and want to go deeper.
$280/ 90 minutes
EMDR Half-Day Intensive
A 90-minute pre-planning session, 4 consecutive hours of intensive therapy (including Yoga Nidra, meditation, and the full EMDR protocol), a post-intensive follow-up, and access to the monthly Sit With It meditation group.
$1200 payment plans available
EMDR Full-Day Intensive
Everything in the half-day, extended to 6 hours of therapy with a lunch break and a 30-minute Restorative and Yin Yoga closing session.
$1800 Payment Plans Available
Not sure which format is right for you?
That's exactly what the consultation is for.
Ways to work togetherYou Don't Have to Carry
that Discomfort Forever
You've been strong for a long time. EMDR isn't about proving that or questioning it — it's about giving your body the chance to finally let go of what it's been holding. If something in you has been whispering that there's more to healing than talking it through, trust that. That whisper brought you here.
*Consultations are 30 minutes for $30 — a real conversation to explore what you're looking for and whether we're a good fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy designed to help process traumatic or distressing experiences.
It works by helping the brain reprocess memories so they no longer carry the same emotional intensity or disruption in daily life.
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EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (such as side-to-side tapping) while you focus on specific memories.
This process helps the brain reprocess experiences in a way that reduces distress and allows for more adaptive beliefs and responses over time.
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EMDR is a strong fit for clients who:
Have experienced trauma or distressing life events
Feel stuck despite previous therapy
Are open to body-based approaches
Are ready to engage in a structured therapeutic process
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EMDR follows an 8-phase process:
History taking and treatment planning
Preparation and resourcing
Assessment
Desensitization
Installation
Body scan
Closure
Reevaluation
Not all sessions involve reprocessing right away. Preparation is an essential part of the process.
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EMDR Intensives are longer, focused sessions (half-day or full-day) designed to support deeper processing in a shorter period of time.
They allow for:
Greater continuity
More in-depth emotional processing
Faster progress
Integrated body-based support
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If you are in an active mental health crisis, EMDR reprocessing may not begin immediately.
Sessions will first focus on stabilization, grounding, and building emotional resources to ensure safety.
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EMDR includes preparation phases to build safety, trust, and emotional regulation skills.
This ensures that when deeper processing begins, it can be done in a way that feels manageable and supportive.
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Before starting reprocessing, sessions focus on:
Grounding techniques
Emotional regulation tools
Building internal resources
The process is gradual and paced based on your readiness.
