Natasha Rykaszewski is a Certified EMDR Therapist and Registered Social Worker with specialized training in trauma and attachment-focused work. Virtual sessions available across Ontario.

 

About EMDR therapy

Heal from the past, find peace in your present.

 

We may not even be aware of it, but there could be experiences in our life that we haven’t been able to process properly. Stressful or traumatic events from our past can have the effect of keeping us stuck in time. 

When we’re in distress, our natural instinct is to fight, flee or freeze, and our brain can’t process what’s happening. Since the images, sensory information, thoughts and feelings that we remember from our experience haven’t changed, it can feel like we’re reliving the moment all over again, triggering the same stress responses in our present day. If we don’t work on processing these memories, they can impact how we relate to the world and move through life. 

A gentle and effective solution for healing? EMDR therapy

 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach used to help the brain process distressing memories so they’re no longer attached to negative beliefs and emotions. It’s been proven to be effective in treating trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, as well as a variety of other symptoms and disorders.

So how does it work? In EMDR therapy, we use bilateral stimulation—eye movements, tapping or sounds—to activate the natural healing process in the brain, similar to what happens during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. The difference is that during an EMDR session, you’re fully awake. 

Bilateral stimulation creates a safe rhythm for you to access and reprocess your past experiences while keeping you present and grounded in your body. Instead of feeling like you’re reliving the event, your brain learns to treat it as a memory, creating distance and a change in emotions.

You no longer feel triggered because you have a different relationship to the memory. Eventually, your old wounds heal. Symptoms and relationships improve. You’re able to rise above your limiting beliefs and enjoy life, looking forward to the future—instead of back.

Why EMDR

 

ONE

This method of therapy has been extensively researched and recognized by many organizations around the world, including the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association.

 

TWO

It’s a gentler way of treating trauma that avoids having to open old wounds. You revisit your trauma without reliving it—you explain how you feel but don’t have to share the specific details about what happened.

THREE

Compared to other therapies, EMDR is considered an efficient form of treatment. There’s no requirement to talk at great length about your issues or complete homework between sessions.

 

FOUR

You’re able to make sense of experiences or habits that may have been confusing before. Through EMDR, you learn to understand your memories and overcome negative self-beliefs so you can live up to your full AND incredible potential.

 

If this resonates — if you recognize yourself in what you have read here — we would welcome a conversation.  Book a complimentary consultation: a 15-minute call to discuss what you are navigating and see if we are a good fit.

Book a complimentary 15-minute consultation.

 

Commonly Asked Questions

  • First, we’ll discuss if EMDR is a good fit based on your goals and what you’d like to work on. We’ll identify the memory that needs reprocessing and the negative beliefs attached to it, then create a treatment plan that can move you towards more positive beliefs.

    During an EMDR session, your therapist will guide you in activating your memory, along with the images and different senses in your body. It’s important to know that reprocessing doesn’t involve going into detail about the traumatic event but rather allowing the distressing memories that are stuck in real-time to come up through intentional awareness. This could include negative images, beliefs, emotions and feelings in your body.

    While you focus on your past experience, you’ll be guided through a series of bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping or sounds). Your therapist will ask questions about what’s coming up for you, and you’ll be able to share feedback. It’s best to trust your brain throughout the process and allow for whatever is coming up to be—and not worry if things don’t come up sometimes or about doing it wrong. Just as our body would want to move towards healing and health, so does our brain!

    After reprocessing the traumatic event, you’ll still have memory of it, but it won’t hold the same negative emotional charge. Your brain will be able to recognize that the memory is in the past, and you’ll have new insights and a different, less distressing understanding of your experience. You may feel less anxious or upset. You might experience feeling relieved and lighter as if a huge weight has been lifted.

  • Absolutely! In EMDR, you’re fully conscious, in control and aware of the process. You’re not under any form of hypnosis, and you can stop at any time.

    Reprocessing can feel like a very natural and empowering therapy. Your therapist will support and guide you through your self-healing with very little intervention. For the most part, you’ll find that your new insights and connections arise spontaneously from within you.

  • Since everyone’s experience is different, the number of sessions recommended is based on the individual’s traumatic event. For example, we take into account if they’ve experienced distress over some time or during an isolated event.

    In some cases, individuals can benefit within 1-3 sessions, and for others, between 3-12. The therapeutic rapport, client engagement and practice of skills between sessions all play a role in the treatment’s success.

  • The fee for a 50-minute session is $160.