EMDR Therapy · Newington, CT
EMDR therapy that helps your brain finally file away what happened.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the most researched treatments for trauma and PTSD in the world. As an EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist based in Newington, Sarah uses it to help adolescents and adults stop re-living the past and start feeling like themselves again.
Does this resonate?
This may be right for you if…
- You keep replaying something that happened, even though you "know" it is over.
- Certain places, people, sounds or dates send your body into alarm mode.
- Talk therapy helped you understand your story, but it did not change how you feel.
- You are a teen or young adult struggling with anxiety, school, or behavior after something hard.
- You want an evidence-based approach, not just coping skills.
What is EMDR therapy?
When something overwhelming happens, the brain sometimes cannot fully process it. Instead of becoming an ordinary memory, the experience gets stored with all of its original images, sensations, and beliefs still attached, which is why a smell, a tone of voice, or a quiet moment can pull you right back into it.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (guided eye movements, alternating taps, or tones) while you briefly hold a target memory in mind. This appears to activate the brain's natural information-processing system so the memory can be "re-filed" as something that happened in the past, rather than something that is still happening now. Clients typically report that the memory becomes less vivid, the body feels calmer, and the negative belief attached to it ("it was my fault," "I'm not safe") stops feeling true.
EMDR is recognized as an effective treatment for PTSD by the World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and it is used for far more than "big-T" trauma. In Sarah's Newington practice, EMDR is used for anxiety, panic, grief, medical trauma, bullying, childhood adversity, and the lingering effects of painful relationships.
Why work with a Certified EMDR Therapist?
Many therapists list EMDR after completing a basic training. EMDRIA Certification is a higher bar: it requires extensive supervised clinical hours using EMDR, consultation with an approved consultant, and ongoing continuing education. Sarah is a Certified EMDR Therapist through the EMDR International Association, and EMDR is one of the three brain-based modalities (alongside Brainspotting and ART) that she uses every day.
That depth matters most when things are complicated: complex or developmental trauma, dissociation, teens who are still living in a stressful environment, or clients who have "tried EMDR before and it didn't work." Sarah's 15+ years in Connecticut schools and therapeutic day programs also give her a rare understanding of how trauma shows up as behavior, attention problems, and school refusal in young people.
What EMDR can help with
EMDR is a good fit for a wide range of concerns, including PTSD and complex PTSD, single-incident trauma (accidents, assault, medical events, loss), childhood trauma and neglect, anxiety and panic attacks, phobias, grief, performance anxiety, low self-worth rooted in early experiences, and the aftermath of critical incidents for first responders and healthcare workers.
If you are not sure whether what you went through "counts" as trauma, that is a common question, and a good one to bring to a consultation. If a memory still has a grip on your body, your sleep, or the way you see yourself, EMDR can help.
EMDR in weekly sessions or as an intensive
EMDR can be delivered in standard 45-60 minute sessions covered by insurance, or condensed into a therapy intensive of one, two, or three days for people who want to move faster. Both formats follow the same eight-phase protocol; the intensive simply removes the weeks of waiting between reprocessing sessions.
Sarah offers EMDR in person at her Newington office (minutes from West Hartford, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, New Britain and Berlin) and through secure video for clients anywhere in Connecticut. Research and clinical experience both show that online EMDR is effective when it is done with a trained clinician.
The process
What to expect
- 01
History & planning
We map out what you want to change, identify the memories and beliefs that feed it, and decide together whether EMDR, Brainspotting, ART, or a blend is the best fit.
- 02
Preparation
Before any reprocessing, you learn grounding and resourcing skills so you always have a way to feel steady. Nothing moves faster than you are ready for.
- 03
Reprocessing
With bilateral stimulation, we work through targeted memories in sets. You stay fully awake and in control, and you can pause at any time.
- 04
Integration
We strengthen the new, adaptive belief ("I did the best I could," "I am safe now"), check the body for leftover tension, and plan for the future.
Common questions
EMDR Therapy FAQ
Still wondering about something? See all FAQs or reach out directly.
Do I have to talk about the trauma in detail?
No. EMDR requires far less detailed talking than traditional therapy. You need to hold the memory in mind, but you do not have to narrate it, and many clients share very little out loud.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
Single-incident trauma can resolve in as few as 3-6 reprocessing sessions. Complex or childhood trauma takes longer because there are more targets. An intensive format can significantly shorten the overall timeline.
Is EMDR covered by insurance in Connecticut?
Yes. Standard EMDR sessions are billed as psychotherapy and are covered by the plans Sarah accepts, including Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, ConnectiCare, HUSKY, Oxford and United Healthcare. Intensives are private-pay.
Does EMDR work for teenagers?
Very well. EMDR is adapted for adolescents and is often faster with young people because memories have had less time to become entrenched. Sarah has specialized in adolescents and young adults for her entire career.
Can EMDR be done online?
Yes. Sarah offers EMDR through secure telehealth to clients throughout Connecticut using on-screen bilateral stimulation or self-tapping. Many clients prefer processing from the comfort of home.
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Ready when you are
Take the first step on your journey of healing.
Reach out for a free consultation. Sarah will listen, answer your questions, and help you decide whether working together is the right fit.