Therapy Methods

EMDR Therapy in Newmarket

EMDR is one of the most rigorously researched trauma treatments available — recognised by the World Health Organization and others as a first-line treatment for PTSD. It helps the brain complete the natural processing that was interrupted at the time of the original experience. In person in Newmarket and online across Ontario.

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EMDR therapy in Newmarket at Newmarket Therapy Centre — in person and online across Ontario
Understanding EMDR

What is EMDR therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed by Dr Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It is built on a core insight: the brain has a natural processing system that integrates difficult experience into long-term memory — but when an experience is overwhelming, that system can stall, leaving the memory stuck in its original raw, charged form.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements, but also taps or tones — to help that processing complete. The memory does not go away; you do not forget what happened. But the body sensations, intense emotions, and negative beliefs attached to the memory lose their grip. You can remember without reliving.

At Newmarket Therapy Centre, EMDR is offered by therapists who have completed formal EMDR training. It is used as a standalone trauma treatment and in integrative work with somatic therapy, IFS, and EFT.

The Process

The eight phases of EMDR

EMDR is a structured eight-phase protocol. Not every phase is a single session — some unfold across multiple sessions, others within one. The structure ensures safety, thoroughness, and durable change.

PHASE 01

History & Treatment Planning

Your therapist takes a careful history of the experiences that may be contributing to your current difficulties, and identifies specific targets for EMDR processing.

PHASE 02

Preparation

Before any processing begins, you build internal resources — grounding skills, calm-place imagery, and the capacity to regulate your nervous system. This phase is foundational and is never rushed.

PHASE 03

Assessment

For each memory targeted, you and your therapist identify the most disturbing image, the negative belief attached, the desired positive belief, the emotion, and the body sensations.

PHASE 04

Desensitization

Using bilateral stimulation, you process the targeted memory in short sets, with your therapist guiding the pace. The intensity of the memory progressively reduces.

PHASE 05

Installation

Once the disturbance has reduced, the positive belief identified earlier is strengthened and linked to the memory — completing the cognitive shift.

PHASE 06

Body Scan

A scan of body sensations confirms whether any residual physical tension remains. EMDR is complete when the memory is processed across cognitive, emotional, and somatic levels.

PHASE 07

Closure

Each session ends with stabilisation — ensuring you leave grounded, regulated, and connected to your resources. No session ends in the middle of activation.

PHASE 08

Reevaluation

Subsequent sessions begin with a check on previous targets — ensuring the work has held and identifying any further targets that need attention.

Our Approach

How EMDR works at Newmarket Therapy Centre

EMDR at Newmarket Therapy Centre is paced carefully and never rushed. The early phases — history-taking and preparation — often take several sessions before any processing begins. Safety and stabilisation always come first.

  • 1

    A free intake call with Susan

    Our Client Care Manager will listen to what is bringing you in and match you with an EMDR-trained therapist whose training and relational fit are right for your work.

  • 2

    History-taking and preparation

    Early sessions are about understanding your history, identifying targets for processing, and building the internal resources you will draw on during EMDR work. This phase is foundational.

  • 3

    Processing with bilateral stimulation

    When you and your therapist are both ready, processing sessions begin — using eye movements, taps, or tones to help the brain complete what was interrupted.

  • 4

    Integration and ongoing reevaluation

    As targets are processed, the changes integrate into daily life. Your therapist regularly checks in on previously processed material and identifies what comes next.

EMDR does not erase what happened. It changes how it is stored — so the memory becomes something you remember rather than something you continue to relive.

Newmarket Therapy Centre

What EMDR helps with

EMDR is used for a wide range of presentations with roots in unprocessed experience — from acute trauma to long-standing patterns shaped by early life.

PTSD
Single-Incident Trauma
Complex Trauma
Childhood Abuse
Phobias
Panic Disorder
Performance Anxiety
Grief & Loss
Medical Trauma

The benefits of EMDR

  • Internationally recognised first-line treatment for PTSD
  • Reduced intensity of traumatic memories and flashbacks
  • Lasting change at cognitive, emotional, and somatic levels
  • No requirement to narrate traumatic events in detail
  • Healing of single-incident and complex trauma
  • Available in person and online with adapted protocols

Not sure whether EMDR is right for you? You do not have to know. Meet our team, or let Susan match you with an EMDR-trained therapist (see below).

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to talk about the trauma in detail?
No. One of the things that sets EMDR apart is that it does not require you to narrate traumatic events in detail. You hold the memory in mind while the processing does its work. For many people this makes EMDR more approachable than talk-based trauma therapy.
How many sessions does EMDR take?
It depends on what you are working with. The early phases — history-taking and preparation — come first and may take several sessions. For single-incident trauma, many people notice meaningful change within six to twelve sessions. Complex or long-standing trauma takes longer and tends to be more thorough. Your therapist reviews progress with you regularly.
Is EMDR safe, and what if I feel overwhelmed?
Safety is built into the protocol. Before any processing begins, the preparation phase helps you build grounding and regulation skills. Processing is done in short sets at a pace you can manage, and every session ends with stabilisation — no session ends in the middle of activation. Your therapist stays with you throughout.
Can I do EMDR online?
Yes. EMDR is available online across Ontario using protocols adapted for virtual delivery, as well as in person at our Newmarket location. Your therapist will help you decide which format suits your work.
Is EMDR covered by insurance?
In most cases, yes. Our team includes Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Social Workers, both of which are covered by most extended health plans in Ontario — Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield, Blue Cross, Desjardins, and others. Check your specific plan for coverage limits.
How do I book EMDR specifically?
Start with a free 20-minute call with Susan, our Client Care Manager. Please mention that you are seeking EMDR, so she can match you with an EMDR-trained therapist on our team. EMDR is available for individuals and adolescents.
Take the First Step

Ready to remember without reliving?

Start with a free 20-minute call with Susan, our Client Care Manager. She will listen to what is bringing you in and personally match you with an EMDR-trained therapist best suited to you.

  • 1 Book a free call
  • 2 Talk with Susan
  • 3 Meet an EMDR-trained therapist
Book Your Free Call with Susan

Prefer to call? (289) 500-8039 · [email protected]