EMDR Therapy
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a specialist psychotherapy designed to help you process difficult memories, experiences, or beliefs that might feel “stuck” and continue to affect your daily life.
When you’ve been through trauma or high-stress situations, your brain sometimes struggles to file those experiences away in a helpful way, leaving you feeling triggered, anxious, or overwhelmed long after the event. EMDR helps your brain reprocess these memories safely, so they no longer have the same emotional charge.
Through gentle guidance, we use eye movements, tapping, or other forms of rhythmic stimulation to support this natural healing process, allowing you to feel less trapped by the past and more able to live fully in the present.
For more details, you can refer to EMDR Association UK https://emdrassociation.org.uk/
How Can EMDR Therapy Help You?
EMDR can be especially helpful if you are:
- Feeling stuck with painful memories, flashbacks, or nightmares.
- Experiencing anxiety, low self-esteem, or fears linked to past events.
- Struggling with grief, loss, or difficult life transitions.
Feeling “on edge” or hyper-vigilant, even when you know you’re safe. - Wanting to shift unhelpful patterns or beliefs that seem rooted in earlier experiences.
Many people find that EMDR not only reduces distress but also creates lasting change in how they think and feel about what has happened to them. It can help you reclaim your sense of safety, confidence, and wellbeing.
How Art Therapy and EMDR Can Work Together
At The Walnut Barn, Art Therapy and EMDR can be combined to offer you a deeply personalised and supportive approach to healing. While EMDR helps you safely process difficult memories and reduce the emotional charge of past experiences, Art Therapy allows you to explore these feelings creatively, giving form to emotions that can be hard to express in words. Together, these therapies can help you gently untangle what feels stuck, build resilience, and create lasting emotional balance — all within a calm, grounded environment where your safety and wellbeing come first.
Testimonials
What to Expect in an EMDR Session
If you’re considering EMDR, here’s an idea of what working together might look like:
Preparation
We begin by getting to know you and understanding your goals, history, and what feels manageable right now. You’ll never be asked to go straight into painful memories before you feel ready.
Resourcing
Before starting any processing work, we’ll build up strategies together that help you feel grounded and calm, so you have tools to lean on both in and outside of sessions.
Processing
When you’re ready, I will guide you to focus on specific memories, thoughts, or feelings while using eye movements, tapping, or sounds. These bilateral stimulations help your brain to “digest” and reprocess what feels stuck, often reducing distress as we go.
Integration
After processing, we take time to reflect on any shifts you’ve noticed, how you’re feeling, and how the changes fit into your wider life. We move at your pace, with care and support.
EMDR can be used as a stand-alone therapy or combined with other approaches, such as art therapy, to offer you a truly personalised path to healing.
FAQs
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a therapy that helps you process and heal from difficult or traumatic experiences by using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) to support the brain’s natural healing processes.
What happens in an EMDR session?
Sessions involve identifying difficult memories or feelings, working through them using structured techniques, and using bilateral stimulation to reduce their emotional intensity. Sessions always move at your pace and are carefully managed to keep you feeling safe and supported.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?
No. One of the benefits of EMDR is that you don’t have to go into full detail about your experiences if you don’t want to. We focus on the feelings and body sensations linked to memories without needing to retell everything.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
We’ll discuss your history, needs, and goals in an initial consultation. EMDR can help with trauma, anxiety, grief, and other difficulties, but we’ll decide together if it’s the right fit.
Is EMDR safe?
Yes, when delivered by a qualified therapist in a supportive environment. We’ll always ensure you’re feeling stable and grounded before, during, and after each session.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
It depends on the complexity of what you’re working through. Some people notice changes after just a few sessions, while others may benefit from a longer process.
How much do sessions cost?
- FREE 15-minute introductory phone call or meeting to discuss hopes and expectations
- Individual EMDR/ Art Therapy (With adults only at present). Sessions at The Walnut Barn Therapy Studio – £80 per hour session
- For a limited number of EMDR Therapy processing sessions extended sessions of 1.5 hours may be required. This would be discussed in advance and there would be a cost of £120 for these sessions.
Can EMDR be combined with Art Therapy?
Yes! At The Walnut Barn, we can combine EMDR with creative approaches, helping you explore feelings through art alongside processing memories. This can be a particularly gentle and effective way to work.
Your Journey Starts Here
I am dedicated to providing you with a compassionate and trustworthy therapeutic experience, and I look forward to connecting with you. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or to learn more about how The Walnut Barn can support you or your loved ones.