Eye movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Relational EMDR Therapy® (R-EMDR)
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy used to help people heal from the lasting effects of trauma and distressing life experiences.
When we go through experiences that feel too overwhelming to process at the time (whether early in life or during periods of intense stress) the brain may not fully integrate what happened. Instead, these experiences can become “stuck,” showing up later as anxiety, depression, emotional reactivity, or negative beliefs about yourself. EMDR helps the brain reprocess these experiences so they can be stored in a more adaptive, less distressing way. As this happens, the emotional intensity decreases, and you’re able to relate to the memory with greater clarity, stability, and a stronger sense of self.
During EMDR, we use gentle bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) while you briefly focus on aspects of a memory. This allows your brain’s natural healing system to do what it was originally meant to do; integrate the experience and shift how you relate to it.
Over time, memories that once felt overwhelming begin to feel more distant, and negative beliefs (like “I’m not safe” or “I’m not enough”) can shift into more adaptive, grounded perspectives.
EMDR therapy is also a highly effective, approach for treating trauma, including single-incident events as well as PTSD. It helps the brain reprocess these experiences so they are no longer stored in a distressing way.
what is Relational EMDR Therapy® (R-EMDR)
R-EMDR was developed by Deany Laliotis through decades of clinical practice, teaching, facilitation, and consultation. Her work expands upon traditional EMDR by integrating deeper emotional attunement and emphasizing the central role of the therapeutic relationship in the healing process.
Relational EMDR (R-EMDR) places a greater emphasis on the therapeutic relationship and the role of attachment in healing. This approach is especially helpful for individuals navigating developmental trauma, relational wounds, and long-standing emotional patterns.
In R-EMDR, the work focuses not only on past experiences, but also on what unfolds in the present moment between therapist and client. Within a safe, attuned, and collaborative space, clients are supported in reprocessing trauma, strengthening emotional regulation, and developing a more secure and connected sense of self.
What your R-EMDR therapist is bringing to the table?
“Relational EMDR Therapy® integrates the power of trauma reprocessing with deep attunement to attachment, nervous system regulation, and the therapeutic relationship itself. Rather than relying solely on protocol, the work is tailored to the client’s emotional experience in real time. This can create a safer, more nuanced, and often more transformative healing process, particularly for complex or developmental trauma.”
A relational EMDR therapist brings more than the EMDR protocol itself. They pay close attention to the relationship, attachment patterns, nervous system cues, and the emotional experience happening between therapist and client in real time.
Relational EMDR does everything traditional EMDR aims to do: reprocess traumatic memories, reduce distress, and support healing. What it adds is a deeper focus on attachment, emotional attunement, and the relational experiences that shape how we see ourselves and others. The goal isn't only symptom relief, but lasting transformation at the root of the pain.
What makes R-EMDR powerful:
Great attention to safety, pacing, and attunement
Awareness of dissociation, protector parts, and nervous system overwhelm
Focus on attachment wounds and how trauma lives in relationships
The therapist tracks both the memory and what is happening emotionally/interpersonally in the room
Less “technique-driven,” more integrative and individualized
Can help clients feel deeply seen rather than simply “processed through” a protocol
A Relational EMDR therapist is often especially helpful for:
Complex PTSD
Childhood/developmental trauma
Self-esteem
Relational trauma
Emotional regulation
Shame and identity wounds
Clients who felt unseen, rushed, or destabilized in previous EMDR experiences
How This Work Helps
Both EMDR and R-EMDR aim to help you:
Reduce the emotional intensity of past experiences
Shift negative core beliefs
Feel more present and grounded in your daily life
Develop more adaptive ways of coping
Experience greater ease in relationships
Rather than just managing symptoms, this work supports deeper healing; so you can move through life with more clarity, resilience, and a stronger sense of self.
