How EMDR Therapy Can Help with Anxiety
Supporting your nervous system to find calm and relief
Anxiety can show up in many forms — racing thoughts, tightness in the chest, difficulty sleeping, overthinking, or a constant sense that something is about to go wrong. For some people, it feels like a low hum in the background; for others, it can be overwhelming and disruptive.
While talk therapy can offer insight and coping strategies, many people find that their anxiety persists on a deeper, body-based level. This is where EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can make a meaningful difference.
Why Anxiety Often Has Roots in the Past
Anxiety isn’t always “just in your head.” Often, it’s the body and nervous system remembering moments when we felt unsafe, helpless, or overwhelmed — even if our minds have moved on.
For example, a panic response that seems “out of the blue” might be linked to earlier experiences your brain never fully processed. These stored memories can continue to trigger anxiety in the present, even when there’s no actual threat.
How EMDR Works with Anxiety
EMDR helps your brain reprocess unresolved memories and experiences, so they lose their emotional intensity and stop triggering anxiety in the present.
Through bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds), EMDR activates the brain’s natural healing process — helping the nervous system file away old experiences that were stuck. Over time, triggers lose their charge, and your body can settle more easily.
For anxiety, EMDR might focus on:
Early experiences of fear, helplessness, or shame
The first time panic or anxiety showed up
Situations that still feel “unresolved” or charged
Core beliefs like “I’m not safe,” “Something bad will happen,” or “I can’t handle it”
Future-oriented anxiety (e.g., imagining worst-case scenarios)
What Makes EMDR Different
Unlike some approaches that focus only on managing symptoms, EMDR works at the root level — reprocessing the memories and internal templates that fuel anxiety.
Many people notice:
A reduction in physical symptoms (racing heart, tension, restlessness)
Less reactivity to triggering situations
A greater sense of calm and internal safety
A shift in core beliefs (“I am safe now,” “I can trust myself”)
Relief that feels more lasting, rather than temporary
My Approach
I integrate EMDR into therapy in a way that’s gentle, paced, and attuned to you. Before beginning EMDR, we build safety and grounding skills so you feel equipped to navigate the process. We work collaboratively to identify what’s fueling the anxiety, and then use EMDR to support your system in reprocessing those roots.
The result isn’t just fewer anxious thoughts — it’s often a deeper sense of steadiness, clarity, and ease.
You Don’t Have to Live with Constant Anxiety
If anxiety has been running the show, EMDR offers a way to work with your nervous system, not against it. By addressing the underlying experiences driving anxious responses, it’s possible to create meaningful, lasting relief.
👉 Book a consultation to explore whether EMDR might be a fit for your needs.
