Trauma and EMDR
If you are thinking about EMDR therapy, you probably have practical questions before you have clinical ones. What actually happens in a session? Will I have to talk through the worst thing that happened to me? How many sessions will it take, what does it cost, and will my insurance cover it? This post answers those questions plainly, and explains how EMDR works at our North York practice and online across Ontario.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured therapy for memories that still feel raw, even years later. Some experiences are too overwhelming for the brain to process at the time, so they stay stored with the same images, body sensations and beliefs they had in the moment. A smell, a sound or a tone of voice can bring them straight back.
EMDR uses short sets of bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, alternating taps or tones, while you briefly bring a memory to mind. The aim is to help the brain finish processing the memory so it feels more like something that happened in the past, and less like something that is still happening.
EMDR does not start with your hardest memory. The first sessions are about getting to know you: what brings you in, what is happening in your life now, and what has helped you cope so far. Your therapist will ask about your history at a pace that feels manageable, and you decide how much detail to share.
Before any reprocessing, you build grounding and calming tools together, so you have ways to settle your body if strong feelings come up. For some people this preparation takes one or two sessions. For people with long-standing or childhood trauma it can take longer, and that is a normal part of the work.
When you are ready, you and your therapist choose a specific memory to work on. You name the image that stands out, the belief it left you with (for example "I am not safe" or "it was my fault"), and where you feel it in your body. Then you hold the memory in mind for short sets of eye movements, taps or tones, usually less than a minute at a time.
Between sets, your therapist checks in and asks what you noticed. You do not have to describe the memory in detail, and you stay aware of the room the whole time. You can pause or stop whenever you need to. Each session ends with time to settle, so you leave feeling steady enough to get on with your day.
Melissa is also trained in the Flash Technique, an EMDRIA-approved step inside the EMDR protocol. Where it fits, it lowers the intensity of a painful memory before it is reprocessed, without you having to describe the memory out loud.
It depends on what you are working on. A single upsetting event, such as a car accident, often needs fewer sessions than trauma that happened many times or over years, such as childhood abuse or an abusive relationship. Some people notice a change within a handful of reprocessing sessions; others work for several months. Your therapist will talk with you about what seems realistic once they understand your history, and you can review progress together as you go. No therapy can promise a set number of sessions or a particular result.
EMDR is best known for PTSD and complex PTSD. At our practice it is also used for:
EMDR is not the right fit for everyone, or for every point in someone's life. If daily life feels very unstable right now, your therapist may suggest building more support first. Our post on EMDR for complex PTSD goes into this in more depth.
EMDR sessions in Ontario are usually priced the same as other psychotherapy sessions. At Mindful Connections Therapy, sessions are 50 minutes:
The first step, a 15-minute consultation, is free.
Many extended health plans in Ontario cover psychotherapy, and EMDR is billed as psychotherapy. Coverage depends on your plan, so it is worth checking your yearly amount and which kinds of practitioners it includes.
All of our therapists bill Sun Life and Green Shield Canada directly. Kate, a Registered Psychotherapist, also direct bills many other insurers, including Manulife, Canada Life and Desjardins. If we cannot bill your plan directly, you receive a detailed receipt to submit for reimbursement. You can find more on our fees and insurance page and in our post on whether insurance covers therapy in Ontario.
If your therapy is connected to a car accident, it may be funded through your auto insurance accident benefits. We are registered with FSRA and can bill auto insurers directly through HCAI. Approval is decided by your insurer, and we can explain the process at your consultation. Our post on whether auto insurance covers therapy after a car accident walks through it.
You can do EMDR at our office near Leslie and Sheppard in North York, with free parking, or by secure video anywhere in Ontario. Bilateral stimulation can be done online too, for example by following movement on the screen or by tapping. Our post on virtual EMDR in Ontario explains how online sessions work.
If you are not sure who would suit you best, you can request a call back and we will help you choose.
A good fit matters as much as the method. You should feel that you can say "slow down" or "not today" and be heard.
You do not need to know whether EMDR is right for you before you reach out. A free 15-minute consultation is a chance to ask your questions, hear how we work and decide whether to go ahead. You can also read more on our EMDR therapy page.
Mindful Connections Therapy
A free 15-minute consultation is a low-key way to see if we are the right fit, no commitment needed.