EMDR Therapy Near Parker - Effective Trauma Treatment
Find healing from trauma, anxiety, and distress
What Is Eye Movement Desensitization (EMDR) Therapy?
EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based approach that helps people heal from trauma and distressing experiences. It uses gentle bilateral stimulation—such as eye movements, taps, or sounds—to “unstick” overwhelming memories and reprocess them in healthier ways. Developed by Francine Shapiro in 1987, EMDR is now a widely recognized treatment for trauma, anxiety, and related issues.
During sessions, clients briefly focus on a painful memory while noticing body sensations, thoughts, and emotions, paired with bilateral stimulation. This process mimics how the brain processes information during REM sleep, allowing traumatic memories to integrate and lose their emotional intensity. By reducing negative beliefs and reinforcing positive ones, EMDR often leads to lasting symptom relief, emotional healing, and a renewed sense of empowerment.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require you to recount every detail of a painful event. Unlike talk therapy, EMDR focuses on bilateral stimulation and the arising of internal associations, rather than relying solely on verbal discussion or interpretation. Instead, it helps your brain reshuffle how those memories are stored so they no longer carry the same emotional weight. Many clients report feeling lighter, more grounded, and less reactive after just a few EMDR sessions. It is also common for clients to feel tired, emotionally sensitive, or experience vivid dreams after a session as their brain continues to process the material.
EMDR is particularly effective for:
PTSD and other trauma (EMDR is widely used to treat trauma, PTSD, and other mental health conditions)
Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias
Difficult or painful childhood experiences
Grief and loss
Negative self-beliefs (low self-esteem, guilt, shame)
At South Denver Therapy, conveniently located near Parker, we ensure each EMDR session is personalized and paced for your comfort. Whether you’re grappling with a recent upsetting event or a long-standing painful memory, this trauma treatment in Parker offers a path forward — one step at a time.
How Effective Is EMDR Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
EMDR has gained recognition as one of the most effective treatments for trauma and post-traumatic stress. It’s backed by decades of research and is among the most studied approaches for PTSD recovery. Numerous clinical studies have shown that EMDR helps people successfully process traumatic memories and significantly reduce emotional distress. Studies have demonstrated EMDR's effectiveness for both single and multiple trauma victims, showing positive outcomes even in complex trauma cases. The first clinical trial investigating EMDR was conducted in 1989, marking the beginning of its evidence-based journey.
This therapy also has strong endorsements from leading health organizations. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense cite EMDR as a “best practice” treatment for PTSD, and the World Health Organization has officially recommended EMDR as a frontline therapy for trauma. Beyond PTSD, EMDR has been successfully used to treat anxiety disorders (including panic attacks and phobias), depression, grief, and other issues. More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have demonstrated its effectiveness for treating trauma-related disorders.
A key to EMDR’s effectiveness is the use of bilateral stimulation – guided eye movements or other alternating stimuli that engage both sides of the brain. In addition to eye movements, other bilateral stimulation methods such as auditory tones or tactile taps are used to facilitate processing. This process activates your brain’s natural healing mechanisms, allowing disturbing memories to be reprocessed in a way that drains away their intense emotional charge. EMDR therapy is an eight-phase treatment, with each phase designed to guide clients through a structured healing process. As a structured therapy, EMDR provides a formal, organized approach that helps clients focus on trauma processing with bilateral stimulation. Over time, traumatic memories start to feel more distant and less overwhelming. You won’t forget what happened, but it will no longer trigger the same fear or pain, and you can begin to feel more in control of your thoughts and feelings. During EMDR sessions, clients focus on a targeted memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation, which helps reduce the emotional intensity of trauma memories. The process also involves identifying and processing body sensation and physical sensations connected to the traumatic memory, as well as noticing disturbing feelings and intense suffering that may arise. EMDR targets disturbing experiences, trauma memories, past disturbing experiences, disturbing events, traumatic memories, and upsetting memories to facilitate healing. The therapy taps into the mind's natural healing processes, helping to resolve emotional wounds. Unlike other therapies that may use different approaches, EMDR relies less on clinician interpretation and more on the client's own emotional and cognitive processing. The underlying biological mechanisms of EMDR, such as brain activity similar to REM sleep, play a crucial role in facilitating healing. Severe emotional pain requires effective intervention, and EMDR can accelerate recovery from profound psychological trauma. If unresolved trauma is left unaddressed, repeated injury irritates and the emotional wound festers, much like a physical wound. EMDR therapy people often experience transformation and healing as they process and integrate their emotional wounds. The therapy accelerates emotional processes, allowing for natural resolution and empowerment.
At South Denver Therapy, we’ve seen firsthand how EMDR helps clients who felt stuck for years finally move forward. Many of our Parker-area clients experience breakthroughs with EMDR after trying other approaches without success. For many, EMDR isn’t just effective — it’s truly life-changing.
EMDR therapy is a powerful, evidence-backed method for addressing trauma and emotional distress. As a licensed therapist, I’m committed to guiding you through this transformative process with care and compassion. Together, we will work to resolve your past traumas, ease the burden of distressing emotions, and build healthier coping mechanisms. Let’s embark on this journey of healing and recovery, so you can live a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Hi, I’m Carissa! Let’s work together to heal, and transform through EMDR Therapy!
How EMDR Therapy and Bilateral Stimulation Can Help You
Trauma Healing
EMDR helps you process and let go of the emotional weight of traumatic events, allowing you to finally move forward with your life. Successful EMDR therapy often results in profound emotional healing, symptom reduction, and a sense of empowerment, with the typical EMDR therapy result being a transformation in how you perceive past trauma.
Symptom Relief
Many people see a reduction in symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. As those burdens lighten, overall mental health can improve.
Faster Progress
EMDR Therapy often leads to faster and more noticeable improvements compared to traditional talk therapy, making it a valuable choice for those seeking efficient solutions to their challenges.
Reprocessing Memories
This therapy guides you in safely revisiting distressing memories and “rewiring” how they’re stored. During EMDR, you identify and reinforce a positive belief to replace negative beliefs, supporting emotional healing. Gradually, those memories lose their grip, leading to genuine emotional healing. EMDR also helps process disturbing feelings and supports your natural emotional processes, allowing for deeper resolution of painful experiences.
Emotional Stability
EMDR equips you with tools to manage your emotions more effectively. You may find yourself less reactive to stress and better able to handle life’s challenges.
Better Self-Understanding
As you go through EMDR, you develop deeper self-awareness. Gaining insight into your reactions and beliefs fosters personal growth and a clearer understanding of yourself. The insights clients gain through EMDR come from their own processing, leading to transformative emotional growth.
The EMDR Treatment Process
The EMDR treatment process is a carefully structured approach designed to help you heal from traumatic memories and other distressing life experiences. At its core, EMDR uses eye movement desensitization and reprocessing techniques to reduce the emotional intensity and vividness of painful memories. During EMDR treatment, you’ll work with EMDR therapists who have completed EMDR basic training, ensuring you receive care from professionals skilled in movement desensitization and reprocessing.
Each EMDR session is tailored to your unique needs, focusing on the specific traumatic memories or distressing life experiences that continue to affect your well-being. Through a series of guided exercises, your therapist will help you safely revisit these memories, using eye movement and other forms of bilateral stimulation to support your brain’s natural healing process. This structured approach allows you to gradually process and release the emotional charge tied to past events, making space for new, healthier perspectives.
By working with a therapist who has completed EMDR basic training, you can trust that the movement desensitization and reprocessing techniques used are both safe and effective. Whether you’re seeking relief from a single traumatic event or a series of distressing experiences, the EMDR treatment process offers a proven path toward healing and emotional freedom.
What to Expect in Your Healing Journey
When you begin EMDR therapy, your healing journey will involve working closely with your therapist to identify and process traumatic memories and other distressing experiences. In each session, your therapist will guide you through a series of exercises that use bilateral stimulation—such as eye movements, gentle taps, or sounds—to help your brain reprocess these memories. This process is designed to reduce the emotional intensity and distress associated with traumatic memories, making them feel less overwhelming over time.
EMDR therapy demonstrates that even severe emotional pain can be alleviated through desensitization and reprocessing techniques. As you move through the sessions, you may notice a decrease in symptoms related to psychological trauma, and an improvement in your overall emotional health. The use of eye movements and other forms of bilateral stimulation helps your mind integrate these memories in a way that supports healing, allowing you to move forward with greater resilience and peace.
Throughout your EMDR journey, your therapist will ensure you feel safe and supported, helping you navigate the process at a pace that feels right for you. Many clients find that, as they process traumatic memories, they gain new insights and experience a renewed sense of hope and well-being.
Preparing for EMDR Sessions
Getting ready for EMDR therapy is an important step in your healing process. One of the most crucial aspects is finding a qualified EMDR therapist who has completed EMDR therapy training sessions and is experienced in using EMDR techniques. A well-trained therapist will guide you through each phase of the process, ensuring your safety and comfort as you work through challenging memories.
Before your first session, take some time to reflect on your goals for therapy and any specific issues or memories you’d like to address. This preparation can help you and your therapist create a focused and effective treatment plan. Remember, EMDR therapy is a collaborative process, and your active participation will support your progress and healing.
How to Get Ready for Your First Appointment
To make the most of your first EMDR appointment, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the EMDR therapeutic process and what happens during a typical EMDR therapy session. Don’t hesitate to ask your therapist about their experience with EMDR and their approach to treatment—knowing you’re in capable hands can ease any nerves you might have.
Consider keeping a journal or log of your symptoms, triggers, and distressing experiences. This can provide valuable insight for both you and your therapist, helping to identify the areas that need the most attention. The World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association both recognize EMDR as an effective treatment for post traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related conditions, so you can feel confident in your choice to pursue this therapy.
EMDR therapy shows that the mind can heal from psychological trauma in much the same way the body recovers from physical trauma. It’s an effective treatment not only for PTSD, but also for dissociative disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, and complex trauma. By preparing yourself for EMDR, you’re taking a powerful step toward healing from traumatic memories and improving your emotional well-being.
Why Choose Us For EMDR Therapy
Expertise and Experience
Our therapists bring over 6 years of specialized experience in trauma therapy, so you receive the highest level of care from a team you can trust.
Non-judgmental and Compassionate
We provide a safe, welcoming space where you can share anything without fear of judgment. You’ll be met with understanding and empathy at every step.
Cultural Sensitivity
We recognize that everyone’s background and experiences are unique. Our team is committed to being culturally sensitive and respectful, honoring your individuality.
Free Consultation
We offer a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your needs and expectations. This gives you a chance to ask questions and ensure we’re the right fit before you begin therapy.
Confidentiality & Privacy
Your privacy is extremely important to us. We maintain strict confidentiality, so all of your personal information and discussions remain secure. You can feel safe knowing that what you share stays between us.
LGBTQ-Friendly
Our practice is a haven for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive, LGBTQ+-friendly space that welcomes you with open arms.
What Our Clients Say
Your Local EMDR Therapists in Parker
Looking for an EMDR therapist in Parker? You’ve found the right place. At South Denver Therapy, we proudly serve the Parker community from our nearby office in Castle Rock, just a short drive away. Our space is warm, private, and designed to help you feel secure as you work through trauma, anxiety, or other emotional challenges.
We understand how important it is for therapy to be accessible and tailored to you. That’s why every EMDR session is customized to support your unique healing journey — at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
Whether you’re just beginning your journey or picking up where you left off, our compassionate therapists are here to walk alongside you every step of the way.
Convenient Location Near Parker
Our counseling office is located just off I-25 (near the Outlets at Castle Rock), only about a 20–25 minute drive south of Parker. That makes it easy to reach us from Parker and other nearby communities. You can find us at 753 Maleta Lane in Castle Rock, conveniently located behind Target in Castle Rock.
South Denver Therapy
753 Maleta Lane, Suite 101F
Castle Rock, CO 80108
Frequently Asked Questions
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The number of EMDR therapy sessions required for optimal results can vary from person to person. During your initial consultation, our experienced therapists work with you to assess your unique needs and develop a personalized treatment plan.
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We understand that flexibility is crucial for our clients, so we offer in-person and online EMDR therapy sessions. You can choose the option that best suits your preferences and needs.
Whether you prefer the convenience of virtual sessions or the comfort of face-to-face interactions, our therapists are here to accommodate your choice and provide the support you require.
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We are an out-of-network provider and do not bill insurance directly. This allows us to offer personalized, client-centered care without restrictions from insurance companies, such as requiring a diagnosis or limiting session types. However, we’ve partnered with Mentaya, a service that helps you check your out-of-network benefits and may even file claims for you. You can use the tool on our FAQ page to see if you’re eligible for reimbursement.
Our rate is $175/hr for EMDR.
Our Services
Trauma Therapy
Our trauma therapy offers a safe space to heal from past experiences. Together, we navigate recovery at your pace, fostering resilience and restoring hope.
Depression Therapy
Feeling weighed down? Our depression therapy supports you through the lows. We work on coping strategies and uncovering the light within step by step.
Anxiety Therapy
Don’t let anxiety rule your life. Our therapy equips you with practical techniques to manage stress, regain calmness, and live with renewed confidence.
