Private Practice EMDR Therapy in NYC
NOW ACCEPTING NEW REFERRALS
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a form of therapy that helps you process past trauma in a safe and controlled environment, empowering you to move forward with a new sense of understanding and peace.
We all face adversity in our lives. In most circumstances our innate ability to process and heal from pain gets us through, and we are able to move past distressing events and experiences on our own. However, there are other times when our systems get overwhelmed and these processes get interrupted. This results in a sense of stuckness in our minds and bodies that changes the way we think and feel about ourselves and the world around us. You may find yourself re-experiencing upsetting and unwanted images, thoughts, and emotions from a difficult time or times. You may be suffering from nightmares, flashbacks, and other disturbing memories that disrupt your ability to live a fulfilling life.
When trauma causes recurring problems and obstacles in your life, EMDR therapy can help you find a new pathway for your mind and body to process and heal; to relieve you of the sense of dread and stuckness; and to allow you to feel more grounded and alive.
I offer both in-person and virtual EMDR therapy from my NYC office located in the Flatiron District.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy is an effective and widely used psychotherapy method that helps people overcome trauma and other distressing life experiences. It is considered one of the best treatments for PTSD and is used to relieve psychological stress for a wide range of challenges, including:
Anxiety & panic attacks
Phobias
Substance misuse
Chronic Illness & pain
Eating disorders
Depression and bipolar disorders
Performance anxiety
Grief & loss
Personality disorders
Dissociative disorders
Violence & abuse
Trauma
Sexual assault
Sleep disturbances
EMDR therapy is recognized as an effective treatment by The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs/Dept. of Defense, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the World Health Organization, and many other national and international organizations.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
Our brains have an instinctive way to recover from traumatic experiences. When distress from a disturbing event remains in your brain, it interferes with your ability to process information. Your mind convinces you that you are still living those experiences, and your nervous system responds to protect you. These memories can impact your ability to engage in the present moment, build and maintain healthy relationships, identify and work towards goals, and care for your daily needs.
EMDR therapy helps the brain process those memories and re-activates your mind’s natural healing process through bilateral stimulation, allowing you to recall and process your experiences in a kinder and gentler way. Bilateral stimulation (left to right movement) can include finger movements, tapping, eye movements, and listening to auditory tones while focusing internally on a distressing event or experience. This bilateral stimulation triggers Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and a deeper level of processing in your brain. After EMDR therapy, you’ll be able to remember the experience but no longer feel the intense distress that it used to create.
What To Expect in EMDR Therapy
As an EMDR therapist, my role is to support you through past experiences and help you move towards newer, more positive beliefs. While every person’s experience with EMDR is unique, people often report feeling lighter, more peaceful, understood, and cared for after therapy.
During our EMDR therapy sessions in my NYC office, we’ll discuss your history, identify the memory that is causing you distress, and talk about the negative beliefs related to it. During some sessions, you may be asked to visualize the experience and explore the beliefs, feelings, and physical sensations associated with it. During other sessions, you may be asked to focus on a positive belief related to the memory while bilateral stimulation is used.
At the end of EMDR therapy, memories that once presented as painful should no longer be an issue for you, and new healthy responses to trauma will be the norm. The memory or situation will not be erased, but you’ll feel empowered to recognize its impact without re-experiencing it.
EMDR Therapy In NYC to Help You Heal
NYC has experienced its fair share of distressing events. The effects of 9/11 are still being felt decades later, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic has left thousands of New Yorkers feeling isolated, afraid, and anxious. Trauma can result from a large and specific event, but it can also stem from ongoing abuse, neglect, exposure to violence, social conflict, bullying, and more.
No matter what happened in the past, EMDR therapy can help you find relief from unwanted thoughts and feelings in the present.
About Stephanie Vanden Bos, LCSW
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and EMDR therapy counselor in NYC with 20+ years’ experience providing personalized, solution focused counseling services to individuals and couples wanting short or long term support. Learn more.
AN ATMOSPHERE OF EMPATHY & COMPASSION
Whether this is your first time seeking EMDR therapy or you’re hoping to find a new EMDR therapist in NYC, it's common to feel nervous when asking for help. No matter what concerns and challenges you may be up against, my role is to create a non-judgmental environment that facilitates healthy introspection and growth.
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Please reach out to me by using the form below or online booking button.