Introducing EMDR Therapy in Bergen County: A New Option for Healing from Trauma and Emotional Distress
Many people who come to my office already understand what happened to them. They can explain it clearly. They know it's over, or that it wasn't their fault, or that they're safe now. And yet something still reacts as if it isn't over. A tone of voice, a smell, a date on the calendar, and the old feeling comes rushing back.
Insight matters. But sometimes understanding a painful experience isn't enough to change how it feels.
That's one of the reasons I'm glad to share that my practice in Englewood, New Jersey now offers Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, a structured, evidence-based approach for working through trauma and distressing memories.
Wondering whether EMDR might be a fit for you? Contact me to schedule a consultation.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is a structured psychotherapy designed to help people process distressing memories. It is one of the most researched treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' National Center for PTSD identifies trauma-focused psychotherapies, including EMDR, as among the most effective treatments for PTSD.
EMDR does not erase memories. You will still remember what happened. What can change is how the memory feels: less charged, less intrusive, and more like something that belongs to the past than something still happening now.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR follows a clear, step-by-step structure. Together, we identify a specific memory to work with, along with the images, beliefs, emotions, and body sensations connected to it. While you briefly hold that memory in mind, I guide you through bilateral stimulation: side-to-side eye movements, alternating taps, or alternating sounds. After each short set, we pause and notice what has shifted.
One thing that surprises many people: you generally don't need to describe every detail of a traumatic experience out loud. You stay in control of how much you share.
You may read confident explanations online about what EMDR does in the brain. The honest answer is that researchers still disagree about exactly how it works, including how much the eye movements themselves contribute. What is better established is that EMDR, delivered as a complete treatment by a trained clinician, helps many people with PTSD.
Five Potential Benefits of EMDR
The strongest research supports EMDR for PTSD and trauma-related symptoms. It is also used for concerns such as anxiety and grief, but the evidence there is more limited and still developing. With that in mind, here is what EMDR may help with.
Processing trauma and painful experiences
Some memories feel stuck, as vivid and upsetting now as when they happened. EMDR offers a structured way to work with those memories so they can be held more like other memories from the past.
Reducing emotional distress and triggers
Many people find that reminders which once set off panic, dread, or shutdown begin to lose some of their intensity. The goal is not to stop feeling, but to respond to the present rather than the past.
Shifting negative beliefs about yourself
Difficult experiences often leave behind beliefs like "I'm not safe," "It was my fault," or "I'm not enough." EMDR works with these beliefs directly, with the aim of arriving at a view of yourself that is more balanced and more accurate.
Working through pain without retelling every detail
For people who feel worn down by telling their story again and again, or who have avoided therapy because they don't want to talk through everything, this can make the work feel more manageable.
Supporting emotional well-being and growth
When old experiences take up less space, there is often more room for relationships, work, parenting, and the present. Progress looks different for everyone, and no therapy can promise a particular result, but this is the direction we work toward.
Is EMDR Right for You?
You might consider exploring EMDR if you:
Experience flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive memories
Feel on edge, easily startled, or constantly on guard
Avoid people, places, or conversations that remind you of something painful
Carry persistent shame, guilt, or self-blame tied to past experiences
Understand your history well but still feel stuck in the same reactions
EMDR isn't the right fit for everyone, or for every point in someone's life. Current safety and stability, dissociation, substance use, and certain medical or mental health conditions can all affect whether and when it makes sense. That's why we begin with a careful assessment. If EMDR isn't the best approach for you right now, we'll talk about what is.
What Happens During EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is formally described in eight phases. In practice, the work generally unfolds like this:
History and treatment planning: We talk about what brings you in, your history, and your goals, and decide together which experiences to focus on.
Preparation and coping skills: Before any memory work, I make sure you have tools for calming and grounding yourself, both in session and between sessions.
Processing: We work through the memories we've chosen, using bilateral stimulation, at a pace that feels manageable.
Closing and reassessment: Each session ends with time to settle, and the next one begins by checking in on what has changed.
I want to be honest about one thing: working with painful memories can be uncomfortable at times, and some people notice feelings or memories surfacing between sessions. That's why preparation matters and why we never rush into memory processing. Treatment is collaborative. You set the pace, and we can pause at any point.
EMDR Therapy at Gali Goodman Psychotherapy
For me, EMDR isn't a stand-alone technique. It fits within the integrative way I already work, drawing on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and family systems and psychodynamic principles. My clinical work has long included helping adults and families with anxiety, depression, and trauma, and EMDR gives me another structured option for clients who are ready for it.
As with everything I do, treatment is tailored to you. No two people are the same, and neither are their struggles. EMDR can be one part of our work together rather than the whole of it.
I see clients in Englewood and work with people from across Bergen County, including Teaneck, Tenafly, Passaic, Fort Lee, and Paramus.
Taking the First Step
If something from your past is still shaping how you feel today, you don't have to keep managing it alone. A consultation is a chance to talk about what you're experiencing, ask your questions about EMDR, and decide together whether it makes sense for you.
Schedule a consultation: Reach out through my contact page, call 201-870-0331, or email gali@galigoodman.com. I aim to respond within 24 hours.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
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