DANIELLE MADONNA 
PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES PLLC

EMDR activates the brain’s natural healing processes. During sessions, you focus briefly on a memory while receiving bilateral stimulation (like side-to-side eye movements), which helps your brain reprocess the memory so it feels less distressing.

No — you don’t need to describe your trauma in vivid detail or relive it repeatedly. EMDR focuses on how the memory feels now and helps your brain process it in a healthier way.

The number of sessions varies depending on your history and treatment goals. Some people see significant improvement in a few sessions; others may need a longer course of therapy tailored to their needs.

In a typical session, you and your therapist identify a target memory, then use bilateral stimulation while you focus on that memory. You may notice thoughts, emotions, or body sensations during the process — all of which provide useful information for healing

No, you do not need to have detailed, vivid, or fully recalled memories of your trauma. Therapists can work with fragmented, blurred, or absent memories by focusing on current physical sensations, emotions, or triggers.

Yes, can recover or clarify previously fragmented, repressed, or "stuck" memories of trauma. It works by using bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess these memories, making them less emotionally charged and more accessible, often bringing forgotten details to light in a safe, controlled manner.