EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a compassionate, evidence-based approach that supports your brain’s natural ability to process and work through difficult experiences.
Sometimes overwhelming or painful experiences can remain “stuck,” continuing to show up as strong emotions, body sensations, or beliefs about yourself that may feel hard to shift. EMDR helps gently revisit and process these experiences in a safe and supportive way, using bilateral stimulation such as guided eye movements, tapping, or alternating tones.
As memories are processed, many people notice that the emotional intensity begins to soften. What once felt overwhelming can begin to feel more manageable, creating space for new perspectives, greater self-understanding, and a deeper sense of ease in the present.
While EMDR is widely known for supporting healing from trauma, PTSD, and anxiety, it can also be helpful for stress, burnout, perfectionism, low self-esteem, and patterns that feel difficult to change.
This work is always collaborative and paced with care. Your therapist will move at a speed that feels supportive for you, prioritizing safety, trust, and stabilization throughout the process. By working with both the mind and body, EMDR can support meaningful, lasting change—helping you feel more grounded, more present, and more connected to yourself.
Meet Our emdr Therapist
Hallie Johnson, LCPC
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Hallie Johnson, LCPC, is one of our lead therapists with extensive experience in EMDR therapy and trauma-informed approaches. She brings a compassionate, client-centered perspective and a deep understanding of the mind-body connection, guiding each session to feel safe, supportive, and responsive to your needs.
Approaching therapy from a relational and attachment-focused lens, Hallie creates a space where sessions are paced according to your comfort and focused on your goals. She supports clients in exploring past experiences, noticing and regulating emotions, and gently shifting patterns that may no longer serve them—all in a grounded and manageable way.
Hallie is LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent-affirming, striving to create a space where all aspects of your identity are respected and valued. Her collaborative approach ensures that each session meets you where you are, supporting your growth, well-being, and sense of balance at a pace that feels safe and empowering.
Getting Started
EMDR sessions are available in-person in Baltimore and virtually across Maryland. You’ll be welcomed into a supportive space where you can explore experiences at your own pace, with gentle guidance and care every step of the way.
To get started, please fill out this form to schedule a session or consultation. We look forward to supporting you on your journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
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EMDR works by activating the brain’s natural information-processing system. When difficult or overwhelming experiences occur, the brain may not fully process the memory, leaving it stored with the original emotions, sensations, and beliefs. During EMDR, bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds) engages both hemispheres of the brain while you briefly focus on aspects of the memory. Research suggests this process helps the brain reprocess the experience so it can be integrated more adaptively, reducing emotional distress and allowing new, more balanced beliefs to form.
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You are never required to share more than feels comfortable. In Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, the focus is not on retelling every detail of what happened, but on supporting the brain and body process how the experience is still being held. Your therapist will move at a pace that feels manageable and work with you to ensure you feel supported and grounded throughout the process.
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Yes. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing can be helpful even if you don’t identify your experiences as trauma. Many people use EMDR to work through anxiety, stress, difficult life experiences, or patterns such as self-doubt, perfectionism, or feeling “stuck.”
Sometimes everyday experiences—like criticism, relationship struggles, or stressful transitions—can shape how we feel about ourselves or respond to challenges. During EMDR, bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds) helps activate the brain’s natural information-processing system, allowing these experiences to be processed and integrated so they feel less overwhelming and have less influence on the present.
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Bilateral stimulation refers to gentle, alternating stimulation on the left and right sides of the body or visual field. In Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing sessions, this may include following a moving light with your eyes, tapping, or listening to alternating tones. This back-and-forth stimulation helps the brain gradually desensitize to distress linked to memories, allowing them to be processed and integrated in a more adaptive way.
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Yes. In Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, sessions always begin with rapport-building, grounding, and safety-focused exercises. Your therapist will work with you to establish trust and ensure you feel seen, supported, and in control. Together, you’ll practice strategies to manage distress, regulate emotions, and strengthen your sense of safety, so that any memory processing happens at a pace that feels manageable and empowering.
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Yes. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing can be part of an individualized, person-centered approach to mental health. It is often used alongside talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, somatic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), art therapy, or medication management if recommended by your healthcare provider. This individualized, person-centered approach allows your therapist to tailor support to your unique needs, addressing thoughts, emotions, and body responses in a way that works best for you.