EMDR Therapy for PTSD & Trauma in NJ
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a breakthrough trauma therapy with over 30 years of research supporting its effectiveness. Speranza Behavioral Health's trauma-trained clinicians use EMDR to help clients process and heal from traumatic experiences driving addiction and mental health challenges.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987. It is currently recognized by the American Psychiatric Association, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the World Health Organization as an effective treatment for PTSD and trauma.
From Our Clinical Director
EMDR changed how I think about trauma treatment. For years the field asked clients to retell their worst experiences in excruciating detail — and many got worse before they got better. EMDR lets the brain do what it naturally tries to do: process the memory. The relief clients describe — that the memory finally feels like it belongs in the past — is remarkable.
Who Is This Therapy For?
A client is haunted by a single traumatic event from years ago — an accident, an assault, a loss. They avoid anything that reminds them of it, sleep is shattered by nightmares, and they feel constantly on edge as though the danger is still present.
We don't ask them to narrate the trauma in detail. Instead, we identify the specific image, negative belief, and body sensation tied to the memory, then use bilateral stimulation to let the brain reprocess it. Over sessions, the memory loses its charge — it becomes a fact from the past rather than a live threat in the present.
How EMDR Therapy Works
EMDR operates on the premise that trauma memories become 'frozen' in the brain in a disturbing, unprocessed state, causing ongoing emotional distress, intrusive memories, flashbacks, and avoidance. EMDR facilitates the natural processing of these stuck memories through bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements.
EMDR therapy follows an 8-phase protocol: History-taking and treatment planning; Preparation (building coping skills and a therapeutic relationship); Assessment (identifying target memories, negative cognitions, and physical sensations); Desensitization (bilateral stimulation while focusing on the traumatic memory); Installation (strengthening positive beliefs); Body Scan (releasing physical tension); Closure (stabilization after each session); and Re-evaluation (reviewing progress over time).
During the desensitization phase, clients focus on a traumatic memory while tracking the therapist's finger movements (or other bilateral stimulation like tapping or audio tones). This bilateral stimulation appears to activate the brain's natural information processing system, similar to what occurs during REM sleep.
As processing continues, the distressing memory becomes less emotionally charged. Clients report that the memory feels more distant, less vivid, and no longer triggers the same level of distress. Positive beliefs ('I am safe now') become more deeply integrated.
Key Benefits of EMDR Therapy
Conditions Treated with EMDR Therapy
EMDR Therapy — Frequently Asked Questions
Related Therapies & Programs at Speranza
Explore related treatment programs and therapies offered at Speranza Behavioral Health.
Treatment Near You in South Jersey
Speranza Behavioral Health is located in Woodbury, NJ and serves communities across all of South Jersey.
Evidence Base & Research for EMDR Therapy
The following organizations provide additional evidence-based information on this topic.
- EMDRIA — EMDR International Association↗ emdria.org
- APA — EMDR for PTSD (Clinical Practice Guideline)↗ apa.org
- VA — PTSD Treatment: EMDR↗ ptsd.va.gov
Speranza Behavioral Health is not affiliated with these organizations. Links are provided for informational purposes only.
EMDR Therapy at Speranza Behavioral Health, Woodbury NJ
Our EMDR-trained clinicians integrate trauma processing into Speranza's PHP and IOP programs for clients who identify trauma as a contributing factor to their addiction or mental health challenges. EMDR is offered in individual therapy sessions with careful preparation and stabilization to ensure client safety and readiness.
Serving Gloucester County, Camden County, Burlington County, Atlantic County & all of South Jersey.