Online EMDR Therapy for Adults in Maine & New Hampshire
If something that happened a long time ago still shapes how you feel, react, or relate to people, EMDR may be worth exploring. You can know something is in the past and still feel it in your body as if it’s happening now. EMDR works on that gap.
I provide online EMDR therapy for adults located in Maine or New Hampshire. I’m a licensed counselor with advanced EMDR training, and I use EMDR within a larger plan that includes skills-building, CBT, DBT, and mindfulness and body-based practices. New to EMDR? My blog post to what EMDR therapy is covers the basics.
EMDR in brief
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy that helps your brain reprocess distressing experiences so they carry less emotional charge. It uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping, or alternating tones, while you focus on a specific memory or trigger. It’s best known for treating trauma, and it’s recommended by major health organizations for PTSD.
Who EMDR can help
I use EMDR with adults who are dealing with:
- Trauma, including single events and longer-term experiences
- Childhood and relational trauma, including painful or unpredictable early relationships
- Anxiety that has roots in past experiences
- Anxious attachment and relationship patterns that keep repeating
- Birth trauma and perinatal-related distress
- Grief and loss
- Distressing memories that keep intruding on daily life
EMDR isn’t the right tool for everything. I don’t treat specific phobias or OCD, and I’m upfront with clients about what EMDR can and can’t do. If another approach fits better, or should come first, I’ll tell you.
How I use EMDR
I don’t start with processing. Here’s what working with me looks like:
1. Getting to know you. We talk through your history, what’s bringing you in, and what you want to change.
2. Preparation. We build grounding and coping skills first, so you have tools if something stirs up strong feelings. This can take as little as 1 to 2 sessions or as many as 4 to 6 or longer, depending on how easily you can calm and ground yourself. If you have a history of dissociation, it may take more time, and that’s not a setback. We go at the pace you need.
3. Processing. We choose a target, such as a memory or a trigger, and work through it in short sets, with brief check-ins between sets so you can stay with the experience. My focus is keeping you inside your window of tolerance, the zone where you can feel difficult things without being overwhelmed or shutting down.
4. Closing and review. Every session ends with grounding, and we review progress as we go.
I often combine EMDR with CBT and DBT skills. Some clients start with skills to feel more stable day to day, then add EMDR. Others begin EMDR sooner. We decide together.
What online EMDR looks like with me
Sessions happen over secure video from a place that feels safe to you. In place of a light bar, we use options like following a moving dot on your screen, tapping on your own knees or shoulders, or audio tones through headphones. We spend extra time on grounding and safety before, during, and after processing.
What I’ll ask of you:
- A private space where you won’t be interrupted
- A device with a stable connection and, if possible, headphones
- A plan for something calming to do right after a session
Is EMDR right for me?
EMDR can be a good fit if you:
- Feel stuck in patterns that trace back to earlier experiences
- Want a structured approach that doesn’t require telling every detail
- Are ready to build coping skills first and then work on deeper material
It may not be the right first step if you’re in an active crisis, if you don’t yet have ways to manage overwhelming emotions, or if you’re dealing with active substance use that needs to be addressed first. In those cases, we can start with stabilization and revisit EMDR when the timing is right.
frequently asked Questions
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
We’ll talk it through in your free consultation and early sessions. I’ll ask about your history and goals, and recommend EMDR only if it fits.
Do I have to do EMDR, or can I do talk therapy instead?
It’s your choice. Many clients use a mix of approaches, and EMDR doesn’t have to be part of your work.
How long are sessions, and how often?
I typically meet with clients weekly for one hour. The duration of treatment depends on each individual and their unique needs.
How many sessions will I need?
It varies a lot. A single, recent event may take fewer sessions, and longer-standing or relational trauma usually takes more time.
Can I do EMDR if I’m also working on substance use?
Sometimes. As an MLADC, I treat substance use and can talk through whether and when EMDR makes sense for you. Stability and coping skills come first.
Can I do EMDR if I’m pregnant or postpartum?
Often, yes. I have specialized training in perinatal mental health and can talk through timing and safety with you.
Do you offer EMDR intensives or longer sessions?
At this time I do not.
Do you take insurance?
I take some insurances. Learn more here.
Which states do you serve?
Adults located in New Hampshire or Maine at the time of the session. In Maine, I’m licensed as an LCPC. In New Hampshire, I’m licensed as an LCMHC and MLADC.
What’s the difference between EMDR and regular talk therapy?
Talk therapy focuses on understanding and changing thoughts and behaviors through conversation. EMDR helps your brain reprocess distressing memories with less need to talk through details. They can work well together.
For answers to questions like whether EMDR is hypnosis or whether it erases memories, see my blog to what EMDR therapy is here.
Ready to start?
If you’re curious about EMDR, you don’t have to commit to anything. I offer a free 15-minute consultation where we can talk about what’s going on, whether EMDR might help, and what working together would look like.
If you’re in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988. This page is for education and isn’t a substitute for professional mental health care.