Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy

Helps process traumatic memories and distressing experiences.

Reduces the emotional charge of painful memories.

Offers extended sessions for deeper focus.

Discover the healing potential of EMDR therapy.

Discover the healing potential of EMDR therapy.

How does it work?

Your brain is incredibly adept at processing and storing information from daily life. Normally, new experiences are filed away in your memory, allowing you to move forward with ease. However, when you face events that trigger strong emotions like fear, shame, or anger, the brain can struggle to process them fully. These unprocessed experiences can become stuck, influencing your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in ways that may feel difficult to change.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy helps you gently uncover and address these memories, fears, physical sensations, and beliefs that keep you in cycles of distress or unhelpful patterns. Through guided sessions, EMDR taps into your body’s natural healing power, enabling your brain to reprocess and store these experiences in a healthier, more adaptive way. In other words you still remember what happened, but it no longer upsets you and you are no longer triggered in other situations that normally would be upsetting.

This isn’t about erasing trauma but about transforming how it’s held in your mind and body—empowering you to move forward with clarity, strength, and resilience.

EMDR can also be helpful in shifting irrational beliefs into more rational thoughts and feelings, which in turn, helps to shift behaviors into better ways of handling life’s difficulties. 

What is an irrational belief?

An irrational belief is a thought or idea that lacks logical or factual basis, is often overly rigid or extreme, and can lead to emotional distress and unproductive behavior. These beliefs usually stem from misconceptions, unrealistic expectations, or distorted thinking patterns. Meaning, we have these beliefs that we know are not rational yet we still can’t get past them and truly believe what we know makes more, rational sense.  

Examples of Irrational Beliefs:

  • Perfectionism Therapy in Branford CT

    Perfectionism

    "I must succeed at everything I try, or I’m worthless."

  • Catastrophizing and overflowing with emotion

    Catastrophizing

    "If something goes wrong, it will be a total disaster."

  • Feeling like you will always fail.

    Overgeneralizing

    "I failed once, so I’ll fail at everything."

  • Assuming people thing you will always fail

    Mind Reading

    "Everyone thinks I’m a failure."

Impact of irrational belief?

Irrational beliefs often fuel negative emotions like anxiety, guilt, or frustration and can perpetuate cycles of self-doubt or avoidance. Recognizing and challenging these beliefs is a key step in managing emotions and adopting healthier perspectives.