Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing:
When Talking About Trauma It Isn't Enough
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing:
When Talking About Trauma Isn't Enough
Online EMDR Counseling in Indiana
ANTHEM | BCBS | AENTA | CIGNA
CARELON | ASCENSION | PRIVATE PAY
Online EMDR Counseling in Indiana
Trauma does not always fade with time. Some memories keep their grip for years, showing up in your sleep, your relationships, or your reactions to things that “should “feel ordinary. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was designed to help you heal from memories that stay painful no matter how much time has passed or how many times you have talked them through. At Lotus Counseling Services, we provide online EMDR to individuals across Indiana, so healing does not depend on how close you live to a trauma specialist.
ANTHEM | BCBS | AETNA | CIGNA | CARELON |ASCENSION | PRIVATE PAY
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a structured, evidence based therapy originally developed to treat trauma. It is built on the observation that when something overwhelming happens, the brain sometimes stores the memory in a raw, unprocessed form. That is why a certain sound, smell, or situation can trigger a reaction that feels as intense as the original event.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (typically guided eye movements, tapping, or tones) while you briefly hold a distressing memory in mind. This process appears to help the brain reprocess the memory so it can be stored as something you remember, not something you relive over and over again.
One thing many individuals appreciate about EMDR is that it does not require narrating your trauma in detail. Your therapist needs to know enough to guide the work, but the healing happens through the reprocessing itself, not through retelling the story.
What EMDR Can Help With
EMDR is best known as a trauma therapy, and it carries strong research support for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). But its reach extends further. Our therapists use EMDR to help individuals working through:
Trauma and PTSD, including single incident trauma and complex, repeated experiences
Childhood experiences that still shape adult reactions and relationships
Anxiety and panic, especially when rooted in specific memories or experiences
Phobias and fears with an identifiable origin
Grief and loss that feels frozen or unresolved
Distressing memories connected to accidents, medical events, or loss
Low self worth tied to painful past messages or experiences
What EMDR Sessions Look Like
EMDR follows an eight phase protocol, though in practice it feels less clinical than that sounds. Here is the general arc:
History and planning. Your therapist gets to know you, your history, and what you want to work on. Together you identify the memories or experiences to target.
Preparation. Before any reprocessing begins, your therapist teaches you grounding and calming skills so you always have a way to steady yourself. You will not be asked to dive into difficult material before you feel ready.
Reprocessing. You hold a target memory in mind while following bilateral stimulation. Your therapist checks in frequently, and you share whatever comes up: images, thoughts, feelings, body sensations. Over sets of stimulation, the distress attached to the memory typically decreases.
Installation and closure. As the old distress fades, your therapist helps you strengthen a healthier belief in its place (for example, moving from "I am powerless" toward "I survived, and I have choices now"). Every session ends with time to ground and return to the present.
Some individuals notice meaningful shifts within a few sessions on a single incident. Others, especially those working through complex or long term experiences, benefit from a longer course of care. Your therapist will move at your pace.
EMDR’s Effectiveness
EMDR is well researched and is recognized as an effective treatment for PTSD by organizations including the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Dozens of randomized controlled trials support its use, and for many individuals it produces results in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy approaches to trauma.
Research also supports EMDR delivered through telehealth. Studies conducted during and after the pandemic found that online EMDR produces outcomes comparable to in person treatment, with the added benefit of processing difficult material from a space where you already feel safe.
Online EMDR Therapy in Indiana
You may question if EMDR can really work over video. The answer is yes. Bilateral stimulation adapts naturally to a virtual setting. Your therapist may guide your eye movements on screen, use visual tools designed for telehealth EMDR, or teach you self administered tapping (often called the butterfly hug). The protocol is the same, and so is the research supported benefit.
For many individuals, online EMDR is actually easier. There is no commute after an emotionally significant session, no waiting room, and no need to compose yourself before driving home. You do the work from your own space and land softly afterward.
Lotus Counseling Services provides online EMDR to individuals throughout Indiana. Whether you are in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, or a rural community hours from the nearest trauma therapist, care is as close as your laptop.
Meet Our EMDR Therapists
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Frequently Asked Questions
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No, and this is one of the reasons many individuals choose EMDR. Your therapist needs a general sense of what you want to work on, but reprocessing does not require narrating the full story. Some individuals process significant memories while sharing very little out loud.
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Yes. Research on EMDR conducted via telehealth shows outcomes comparable to in person treatment. Your therapist adapts bilateral stimulation for video using on screen visual guidance or self administered tapping, and many individuals find it easier to process difficult material from the comfort of home.
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It varies. A single incident, such as an accident, may resolve in as few as three to six reprocessing sessions. Complex or long term trauma generally takes longer. Your therapist will build a plan with you and adjust as you go.
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Trauma is where EMDR has the strongest research base, but therapists also use it for anxiety, panic, phobias, grief, and negative self beliefs rooted in past experiences.
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Lotus Counseling Services accepts Anthem, BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, Carelon, Ascension, and many EAP plans. Private pay is $150 per session. EMDR is billed as psychotherapy, so if your plan covers therapy with us, it covers EMDR.
Ready to Take the First Step?
You've already done something brave by looking for support. Our experienced therapists are here to help you move forward, at a pace that works for you. Reach out today to get matched with a therapist and schedule your first session.
