Helping your mind & body find calm and peace. 

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At Kayda Health, several of our therapists offer Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) -- a highly effective, evidence-based that helps your brain and body rework or heal from disturbing situations, distressing experiences and emotional blocks by reprocessing at a neural level -- not just through talk.

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What is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?

EMDR is a structured, experiential, and imaginal therapy process that helps reprocess difficult memories, sensations, beliefs, and emotions -- so they no longer feel as intense, overwhelming, or defining.

 

Rather than simply talking about your concern, EMDR helps the brain complete its natural healing process using relaxation techniques, imagery, Dual Attention Bi-Lateral Stimulation (DABLS) (ie. eye movements, tapping, sound tones, or other specific body movements) which activate the brain to shift perspective, regulate the nervous system, and integrate information more helpfully and adaptively.

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EMDR works at the level of the brain & nervous system helping you get "unstuck" from overwhelm, exhaustion, triggers, and trauma.  

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EMDR is recognized by the World Health Organization, American Psychological Association, Veteran Affairs Canada, and International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies as a highly effective and evidence based therapy, and has been used to treat millions of people worldwide. 

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Clients often describe EMDR as, "feeling like magic." Through EMDR, disturbing situations, sensations, thoughts, beliefs, and images often fade into the background, replaced by a sense of calm, freedom, and lightness. You can read more about EMDR on the EMDR International Association website here or the EMDR Canada site here.

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​What Problems Can EMDR Help With? 

• Anxiety & Panic Attacks

• Burnout & Emotional Exhaustion

• Low Self-worth & Perfectionism

• Grief & Loss

• Trauma

• Stress-related physical symptoms

• Phobias & fears

• Performance Anxiety (public speaking, exams, work presentations, sports)

• Chronic pain

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At Kayda Health, we often integrate EMDR with other approaches, such as mindfulness, parts work, FLASH Therapy, coping and regulation skills from other therapy modalities.

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You don't have to be stuck.

Healing can happen, even if you have been carrying a heavy weight for years.

 

​How is EMDR Different from Talk Therapy?

Many people come to EMDR after finding talking only goes so far. People understand on an intellectual level, but continue to feel stuck emotionally/ physically. This is because traditional, "top-down," therapy focusses on thoughts and insights. EMDR, however, works bottom-up -- helping the body and brain to release the emotions and sensations that words alone cannot always reach.

In other words: 

• EMDR doesn't require reliving every detail of your story.

• It works directly with your natural ability and capacity to heal. 

• It often least to faster and longer lasting relief. 

• If helps your body feel safe (not leaving you rationalizing that you should feel safe).

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What can I expect in an EMDR session?

EMDR begins by building a strong foundation of safety, trust, and regulation to land on as well as testing different DABLS options. Together with your therapist, you will create personalized resources that help you feel steady -- in therapy AND daily life -- and find DABLS that works well for you.

 

When you are well resourced and ready, will your clinician move with you into desensitizing and reprocessing the issues/ situations that are disturbing you or that you wish to treat - focusing on past, present, and future challenges. In every stage of EMDR, your job is quite simply to become an excellent observer of your inner experience - like a scientist noting whatever thoughts, emotions, sensations, images, situations, etc. come up for you as you engage in DABLS and let your brain free associate. Observing without judgement, without trying to make sense of whatever does come up, and trusting that whatever arises has some meaning and purpose towards your healing is all you need to do. The clinician is with you all the way through - prompting you with questions, asking what you are noticing, and staying with the DABLS with you throughout. The process itself is predictable and even repetitive, making it easy to simply go with it.

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Outside of sessions, the benefits of EMDR are understood to continue, and as the neural pathways shift from the work, you are encouraged to take extra care of yourself - drinking water, resting as needed, nurturing your body and soul in every way. At the same time, you will benefit from paying attention to any new insights, changes in behaviour, new memories or triggers, and even any dreams - you will write these down and bring them back to therapy. Each session, any changes can be reviewed before returning the the target treatment plan your clinician and you prepare early on. EMDR is considered complete when you no longer feel disturbance in your heart, mind, or body, when thinking about whatever bothered you to start. 
 

FAQs

Is EMDR only for Trauma? 

No -- EMDR has been found to help with anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences. 

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How fast does EMDR work?

Many clients notice relief in 4-6 sessions, though everyone's process is unique. EMDR Intensives can accelerate results for more challenging issues. 

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Can EMDR be done online?

Yes -- EMDR Therapy can be done virtually or in person. 

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​EMDR at Kayda Health

Our EMDR-trained clinicians each bring their own style and expertise to providing EMDR in Coquitlam, Port Moody, and virtually across British Columbia. We are deeply committed to working helping you find what works best for your nervous system, your story, and your pace. ​​

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Meet Our EMDR-Trained Registered Clinical Counsellors​

• Sarah Susswein - Clinical and focused, Sarah integrates EMDR with Clinical Hypnosis and REWIND Trauma Therapy. Sarah offers a free consult to help explore fit and readiness.

• Maryam Haghshenas - Warm and grounding, Maryam is an expert at slowing the pace and steadying the nervous system. Maryam offers a free consult to start.

• Thea Megas - Welcoming and creative. Thea brings an expressive and integrative approach to EMDR; she is currently shifting her practice to offering EMDR Intensives, and is not accepting clients for regular EMDR at this time.​​​​​​

 

EMDR Therapy at Kayda Health helps every part of you heal from what is holding you back. You can feel calm, grounded, and free, and we would be honoured to help you with this.