EMDR for memories that still hold their charge.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based therapy that can be remarkably effective at helping you finally let go of old memories and incidents that still leave you feeling distressed or upset whenever they come to mind. Something worth sharing: everyone experiences trauma. We tend to picture trauma as the 'big-T' events, an accident, an assault, a sudden loss, but so much of what weighs on us is 'small-t' trauma: the quieter, accumulated hurts, the times we felt unsafe, unseen, or not quite enough. Both kinds can leave a real imprint on the nervous system. Using gentle side-to-side stimulation while you briefly hold a memory in mind, EMDR helps your brain reprocess what it's been holding so it loses its charge; the memory stays, but the distress around it softens. We always move at a pace that feels safe, building steadiness before we ever touch anything painful.

We build safety and resourcing first, so you have grounding tools and a felt sense of safety before any reprocessing. Then we identify a specific memory, the belief it left you with, and how it shows up in your body today. Using brief bilateral stimulation while you hold the memory in mind, the brain processes it and the distress softens. We finish by strengthening a more accurate, kinder belief about yourself in its place. We always stay within your window of tolerance and move at your speed.

EMDR can be especially helpful when a past event still intrudes or feels present, when reactions seem bigger than the trigger, when you feel on guard, easily startled, or numb, or when a belief about yourself is rooted in something that happened. It can help old memories settle into the past, reduce flashbacks, triggers, and reactivity, help you feel calmer in your body and present life, and let you carry a kinder, truer story about yourself. No single method fits everyone; most of our work blends a few, always at your pace.

Individual sessions are $170 (50 minutes); couples and family sessions are $200. We offer direct billing to many extended health insurers, so you may have little or nothing to pay up front, and for any plan we cannot bill directly, we provide receipts you can submit for reimbursement. A limited number of sliding-scale spaces ($120 to $150) are also available based on financial need; if cost is a barrier, please just ask.

Both. We see clients in person in North York at 1100 Sheppard Ave East, Unit 407 (near Leslie and Sheppard), and virtually anywhere in Ontario. Many people mix the two depending on their week.