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EMDR Therapy in Kitchener - Waterloo
Work through painful past experiences and take steps toward healing - in person in Waterloo and online across Ontario
EMDR therapy helps your brain reprocess distressing memories so they feel less intense over time. At Trillium Counselling, we offer EMDR in person in Kitchener-Waterloo and online across Ontario, with several experienced EMDR-trained therapists supporting people through trauma, PTSD, and complex-trauma symptoms — at a pace that feels right for you.
What is EMDR Therapy?
Transform painful memories & feelings
Reprocess difficult experiences so they feel less overwhelming
Reduce vividness of past traumas
Lessen the intensity of distressing memories
Relieve psychological stress
Build healthier coping responses to feel calmer and more grounded
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based, trauma-focused therapy. At Trillium Counselling, our EMDR-trained therapists offer it in person in Kitchener-Waterloo and online across Ontario, to help you reprocess distressing memories so they gradually feel less overwhelming. For a full explanation of what EMDR is and how it works, read our guide: What is EMDR therapy and how does it work?
In a nutshell, over a series of sessions, the distressing memory tends to become less vivid and less distressing, and the beliefs attached to it — such as "I'm not safe" or "it was my fault" — can begin to shift toward something kinder and more grounded.
EMDR at a glance
| What it is | EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) — a structured therapy that helps your brain reprocess distressing memories so they feel less intense. |
|---|---|
| Who you'd work with | A Registered Social Worker (MSW) or Psychotherapist (RP) who provides psychotherapy and has EMDR training. |
| Ways to attend | In person in Kitchener-Waterloo, or online across Ontario. |
| What it can help with | Trauma and PTSD, distressing or “stuck” memories, anxiety, and grief. |
| Recognized by | WHO, APA, VA/DoD, NICE (UK), and ISTSS. |
| How long it takes | Varies by person and goals — some work through a single memory in a few sessions, while complex trauma takes longer. |
| Where we serve | The Kitchener-Waterloo region, with online sessions across Ontario. |
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
In an EMDR session, your therapist guides gentle bilateral stimulation — such as side-to-side eye movements, alternating taps, or tones through headphones — while you briefly bring a distressing memory to mind.
This is intended to help the brain reprocess the memory, so that over time many people find it feels less vivid and less upsetting.
You stay awake, aware, and in control throughout, and your therapist works at a pace that feels manageable for you. We explain the leading theory and the research in depth in our guide to how EMDR therapy works
What is Bilateral Stimulation?
Bilateral stimulation is gentle, alternating left-right input — guided eye movements, soft taps on your hands or knees, hand-held pulsers, or alternating tones through headphones. Your therapist will explain each step, choose an approach that feels comfortable to you, and adjust it along the way, and you can pause at any time.
For the theory and research behind why this may help the brain process memories, see how bilateral stimulation works in EMDR
What EMDR Therapy Can Help With
Traumatic events can take many forms, and they can quietly change the way you experience daily life. A traumatic experience is anything that has left a lasting impression and has been very difficult to move past — and over time, it may contribute to PTSD.
Childhood Trauma
Emotional Abuse
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Death of Loved One
Serious Injury
Auto Accident
Natural Disaster
EMDR is also showing promise as a support for related struggles such as anxiety, depression, and grief.
Common Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma can show up in many ways. You might notice some of these in yourself or someone you care about:
- Anxiety and fear
- Guilt and shame
- Withdrawing from others
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Lack of joy in things that used to bring happiness
- Sadness
- Anger, irritability or mood swings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling disconnected from everyday life
Trauma can be hard to work through on your own, because the brain tends to re-live and "loop" through the most distressing part of an experience. That can make it difficult to feel safe enough to process those memories and symptoms without support — and that's exactly where therapy can help.
Is EMDR Effective? What the Research Shows
EMDR is one of the most extensively studied therapies for trauma and PTSD. EMDR is recognized as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Many people notice a meaningful reduction in distress within a relatively short course of therapy — though everyone's timeline is different, and complex trauma usually takes longer. See the evidence in detail in our guide to EMDR therapy.
Comparable—or even greater—positive change compared to other therapeutic approaches
.png?width=250&height=250&name=Untitled%20design%20(26).png "Untitled design (26)")
.png?width=300&height=300&name=Untitled%20design%20(27).png "Bar chart showing data from a clinical study showing the EMDR can be as effective in 6 sessions vs 56 hours combined session work and homework.")
EMDR for Complex PTSD & Childhood Trauma
EMDR can be adapted for complex trauma — the kind of distress that builds from repeated or prolonged experiences, such as childhood neglect, abuse, or unstable early relationships, rather than from a single event.
Repeated traumatic childhood experiences often carry an emotional heaviness that follows us as we grow. Children need to feel loved, and they're sensitive to how their parents see them — so overly critical or unpredictable caregiving can leave a child quietly questioning whether they're lovable. It's possible to love your parents and still look back feeling that some of your needs went unmet. It's also common to manage those feelings by minimizing them — telling yourself you should "just get over it," that it "wasn't that bad," or that your parents are "different now." These are understandable responses, but they can overlook the real and lasting impact that adverse childhood experiences can have.
Because of this, complex trauma usually calls for a slower, more carefully paced approach, with extra time spent on safety and stabilization before any reprocessing begins. At Trillium Counselling, EMDR for complex trauma and complex-PTSD symptoms is offered by several EMDR-trained therapists, with our EMDR content and clinical quality reviewed by Devon Jorge, MSW, RSW — co-founder and senior clinician with advanced EMDR training in complex trauma. Whether you're hoping to address complex trauma in general or trauma rooted in childhood, you don't have to figure out where to begin on your own.
Our EMDR Therapy Team in Kitchener-Waterloo
At Trillium Counselling, EMDR is a core part of how several of our experienced therapists support clients working through trauma, both in Kitchener-Waterloo and online across Ontario. Because EMDR is practised by multiple members of our team — not a single clinician — we can match you with an EMDR-trained therapist whose approach, experience, and current availability genuinely fit your needs.
Our EMDR therapists work with a wide range of concerns, from single-incident trauma and PTSD to complex and childhood trauma, and several hold additional training in approaches such as the Flash Technique.
Whenever you reach out, we work carefully to match you with the EMDR therapist who is the best fit — in clinical approach, relevant experience, and current availability. If you'd like a more detailed conversation first, you can request a free 20-minute matching consult to talk through your goals and find the right fit.
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MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
RP · EMDR-trained
MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
RP · EMDR-trained
MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
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MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
MSW, RSW · EMDR-trained
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MSW, RSW · Advanced EMDR training
What to Expect in an EMDR Session
EMDR therapy unfolds gradually, at a pace you set. A typical session runs about 50 minutes. Throughout, you stay awake, aware, and in control, and you're welcome to pause whenever you need to. Reprocessing — the part that uses bilateral stimulation — begins only once you and your therapist feel you're ready.
What are the stages of EMDR therapy?
EMDR therapy follows a structured eight-phase protocol — history and treatment planning, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and re-evaluation. In practice, you'll usually experience this in three parts: preparation and history, reprocessing with bilateral stimulation, and closing. We walk through all eight phases in our EMDR therapy guide.
What does an EMDR session feel like?
Many people describe EMDR as focused but manageable. You might notice emotions, images, or body sensations come and go as you process — that's a normal part of the work, and your therapist helps you stay within a comfortable range- or what we call 'your window of affect tolerance'.
What happens in your first EMDR session?
A first EMDR session is usually about getting oriented — your history, goals, questions, and grounding tools — rather than reprocessing. Reprocessing begins only when you feel ready.
EMDR Therapy FAQ
+What is EMDR therapy and how does it work?
What is EMDR therapy and how does it work?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a trauma-focused therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories using guided eye movements or other bilateral stimulation, so the memories feel less intense over time. Learn more in our full guide to how EMDR therapy works
+Is EMDR therapy effective?
Is EMDR therapy effective?
Yes. EMDR is an established, evidence-supported treatment for PTSD, recommended by bodies including the WHO and APA. Everyone's timeline is different, and complex trauma typically takes longer. We cover the research in depth in our guide to EMDR therapy
+What can EMDR help with?
What can EMDR help with?
EMDR is used for PTSD and trauma — including childhood trauma, abuse, accidents, and loss — and may also help with anxiety, depression, and grief. While EMDR can't take away the natural process of grieving, it can soften the emotional weight of difficult memories, making it easier to manage intense feelings and find meaning after a loss.
+Can EMDR help with complex PTSD and childhood trauma?
Can EMDR help with complex PTSD and childhood trauma?
Yes. EMDR can be paced for complex trauma from repeated or early-life experiences, with extra focus on safety and stabilization before reprocessing begins. This careful pacing helps make long-standing childhood and relational trauma feel more approachable, one step at a time.
+How is EMDR different from talk therapy?
How is EMDR different from talk therapy?
EMDR usually doesn't require describing the event in detail, and many clients don't have between-session homework. It helps the brain reprocess the memory through bilateral stimulation and is often used alongside talk therapy. It can allow your brain to go a little deeper and become “unstuck,” while still keeping the supportive relationship with your therapist at the centre. Learn how EMDR compares to other approaches
+What is bilateral stimulation?
What is bilateral stimulation?
Bilateral stimulation is alternating left-right input — such as eye movements, gentle taps, or alternating tones through headphones — believed to support how the brain processes memory. Your therapist might guide your eyes, tap lightly on your knees or hands (if that's comfortable), use hand-held pulsers, or play alternating beeps through headphones.
+How many EMDR sessions will I need?
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
It varies. A single-incident trauma may resolve in a handful of sessions, while complex or multiple traumas usually take longer; your therapist will tailor the plan with you. Everyone's healing journey is unique, and your pace is always honoured.
+Is EMDR therapy covered by insurance in Ontario?
Is EMDR therapy covered by insurance in Ontario?
When it's provided by a Registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW) or a Registered Psychotherapist (RP), it's typically covered by Ontario workplace health-benefit and private insurance plans — many plans include one or both of these designations. Coverage varies by plan, so it's a good idea to check whether yours covers social work, psychotherapy, or both. EMDR therapy is not covered directly by OHIP.
+Do you offer EMDR therapy in Kitchener-Waterloo and online in Ontario?
Do you offer EMDR therapy in Kitchener-Waterloo and online in Ontario?
Yes. Trillium Counselling offers EMDR in person in Waterloo and online across Ontario. You're welcome to choose whichever option feels most comfortable and convenient for you.
+Who provides EMDR therapy at Trillium Counselling?
Who provides EMDR therapy at Trillium Counselling?
EMDR at Trillium Counselling is provided by 12 EMDR-trained therapists across Kitchener-Waterloo and online in Ontario, with EMDR content reviewed by Devon Jorge, MSW, RSW, a senior clinician with advanced EMDR training. Because EMDR is offered by a team rather than a single clinician, we can match you with the therapist whose approach and availability fit your needs.
+Does Trillium Counselling have multiple EMDR therapists?
Does Trillium Counselling have multiple EMDR therapists?
Yes. EMDR is offered by multiple therapists on our team, so we can match you with an EMDR-trained clinician whose approach, experience, and current availability fit your needs. Because EMDR isn't limited to one clinician, it's easier to find a good fit and get started.
About the reviewer
Devon Jorge, MSW, RSW, is a Registered Social Worker and Clinical Director at Trillium Counselling with advanced EMDR training. This page was reviewed by Devon for accuracy. Last reviewed June 2026.
Not sure yet? Let’s talk it through.
If you’d like to ask questions or explore your options first, book a free 20-minute matching consult or give us a call (226-752-8857) . One of our team members will help you find the right therapist and next steps that feel comfortable for you.
Related Resources on EMDR & Trauma
Helpful guides to understand EMDR, trauma, and how therapy can support your healing.
What Is EMDR Therapy and How Does It Work?
A clear, evidence-based look at the eight phases of EMDR, bilateral stimulation, and what the research shows.
Trauma & PTSDHow Do I Know If I Have Trauma or PTSD?
Common signs of trauma and PTSD, and how to tell when it may be time to reach out for support.
Our ServicesTrauma Therapy in Kitchener-Waterloo
Explore how our trauma-focused therapists support healing from single-incident and complex trauma.