EMDR Therapy in Minnesota
EMDR: The Therapy That Transforms Perfectionism Into Possibility
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a body-based (somatic) therapy that uses the brain’s natural healing mechanisms to help neutralize triggering memories and let go of outdated thinking patterns. It’s often used for clients who feel they have “maxed out” on what traditional talk therapy can offer them and want to go deeper.
While many talk therapy approaches are helpful for gaining initial skills and insights in counseling, EMDR targets symptoms at the nervous-system level. Not only does this allow for long-term healing—EMDR is also an often quicker, more immediately effective therapy by comparison.
What Does EMDR Treat?
Though it was originally developed as a treatment for post-traumatic stress in the 1980s, EMDR has since developed into one of the foremost somatic therapy approaches for a variety of issues. Today, EMDR has been found to effectively treat:
- Anxiety
- Perfectionism
- Phobias
- Childhood wounds and other relational traumas
- Single-incident PTSD
- Depression
- Negative self-talk and low self-esteem
Mental health organizations and trauma experts across the globe agree that EMDR is one of the most effective trauma interventions out there.
Have a question or want to schedule a session? Reach out
How Does EMDR Work?
Our memory operates like a filing cabinet—some memories are fully processed, while other, more complicated memories are flagged for later review. Traumatic memories, which can involve any experience in which we felt abandoned or unsafe, are often complicated and thus don’t get stowed away properly. As a result, we may experience ongoing anxiety, hypervigilance, and negative self-talk as trauma is left unprocessed.
In an EMDR session, a therapist works with you to understand what your presenting concerns are and how they might be related to these “flagged files.” Working together, you will uncover the core experiences that have led to dysregulation and unhelpful thought patterns.
Then, using side-to-side eye movements or tapping, which initiates a process called bilateral stimulation, an EMDR therapist engages both sides of the brain as you tune into what bodily sensations, emotions, or memories are coming up for you. With each phase of bilateral stimulation, you are likely to notice a reduction in anxiety and emotional flooding. The idea of EMDR therapy is to get you to a place where memories that once triggered you feel, at the very least, neutralized, if not transformed into positive self-affirmations.
This process sounds a bit unorthodox, and it can be hard to fully explain EMDR’s effect to clients who’ve never tried it before. But I’ve used EMDR in my own life, and I know from both personal and professional experience that this therapy works.
EMDR Is Available At Maddy Trenholm Counseling
As a therapist specializing in perfectionism as it relates to trauma and anxiety, I provide EMDR therapy in Minnesota online or in person. It is one of the most effective tools in my toolbox. Because it targets negative self-beliefs and the core experiences that underlie those beliefs, I knew it would be helpful to the students, professionals, and athletes that I work with. I became trained in 2021, and later became certified, I have been using it ever since.
EMDR therapy has shown me that long-term healing is possible. Even among my most traumatized and dysregulated clients, I’ve observed a new sense of peace, possibility, and self-compassion.
Trauma has a way of making us feel like hope is out of reach—or like we’ll never be okay—but EMDR is one of the most effective trauma treatments out there. While it can be intimidating to confront the past and the core memories driving our discomfort, processing these emotions is the only way to meaningfully heal. EMDR can help you get through the painful past and into a brighter future, and I will be there with you every step of the way.
Let Go Of The Overthinking, Anxiety, And Shame Spiral
As a therapist specializing in perfectionism, performance anxiety, and low self-esteem, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly effective approach I use in counseling to neutralize triggers and install healthier, more positive self-beliefs. To find out more about how EMDR therapy can help you, contact me or schedule a free consultation.
