EMDR Therapy in Miami & Online
When understanding it hasn’t been enough to change how it feels.
You know it happened in the past. But your body may still respond as if it’s happening now.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy that uses bilateral stimulation—often guided eye movements—to help the brain process distressing experiences so they feel like memories, not moments you are still living through.
Secure virtual sessions available
Care matched to your needs
You may understand the pattern—and still feel caught inside it.
Sometimes insight is only part of healing. EMDR may be worth exploring when your thoughts know you are safe, but your emotions or body have not caught up yet.
The goal isn’t to erase what happened. It’s to help you remember it without having to relive it.
A structured therapy that helps the brain finish processing what still feels unfinished.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing uses bilateral stimulation—most commonly guided eye movements—within a carefully paced therapeutic process. The work focuses on a distressing memory and the emotions, body sensations, and beliefs connected to it.
Prepare
You and your clinician build trust, understand your history, and develop tools to help you feel grounded before reprocessing begins.
Target
Together, you identify the memory, emotion, belief, or body response you want to work through—without needing to recount every detail.
Reprocess
Your clinician guides bilateral stimulation while helping the memory become less emotionally charged and more clearly rooted in the past.
Respected, researched, and thoughtfully delivered.
EMDR is recognized in major clinical guidance for PTSD. Your clinician adapts the established protocol to your history, readiness, and goals.
Recognized for PTSD
EMDR appears in PTSD treatment guidance from the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, and the VA/DoD.
An 8-Phase Protocol
EMDR includes history-taking, preparation, assessment, reprocessing, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation. Memory work is only one part of the process.
Your Pace Matters
You remain awake, aware, and in control. Preparation and stabilization come first, and your clinician monitors your experience throughout each session.
Trauma is one reason people seek EMDR—but not the only one.
EMDR may be considered when past experiences continue to shape present emotions, beliefs, behaviors, or body responses.
Childhood & Developmental Trauma
Anxiety & Panic
Phobias
Traumatic Grief & Loss
Medical Trauma
Accidents & Single Events
Relationship Trauma
Performance Blocks
Distressing Memories
EMDR is not the right approach for every person or every concern. Your clinician will first learn about your needs, assess whether EMDR is an appropriate fit, and discuss other options when another approach may serve you better.
Sessions are built around your readiness—not a deadline.
EMDR begins with preparation. Your clinician helps you develop ways to stay grounded before any memory processing begins.
- You choose how much detail to share and can pause at any time.
- Your clinician helps keep the work within a manageable range.
- Sessions include closure so you can leave feeling grounded.
- Your progress and needs are reevaluated throughout treatment.
“Some people notice meaningful changes within several sessions. More complex or longstanding trauma may require more time. There is no one-size-fits-all timeline for healing.
Find the EMDR therapist who feels right for you.
Each clinician brings her own experience and therapeutic style. Our intake team can help you choose based on your needs, preferred format, and availability.
What people often want to know before reaching out.
Will I have to describe my trauma in detail?
Not necessarily. Your clinician needs enough information to understand what you want to work on and to support you safely, but EMDR does not require repeatedly narrating the entire event in detail. You remain in control of what you share.
Is EMDR hypnosis?
No. You remain awake, aware, and in control throughout EMDR. Bilateral stimulation is used while you notice thoughts, feelings, images, or body sensations connected to the target memory.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no universal timeline. Some people working on a single event notice meaningful changes within several sessions. Longstanding or complex trauma may take longer, particularly because preparation and stabilization are important parts of treatment.
Can EMDR be done virtually?
Yes, EMDR can be provided through secure video when telehealth is clinically appropriate and the clinician is authorized to practice where you are located. Dr. Peggy Rios currently offers virtual sessions only. Dr. Carly Girnun is authorized through PSYPACT to provide telepsychology to clients who are physically located in a participating PSYPACT state at the time of the session. View the current PSYPACT participating states.
Can EMDR help if I do not have PTSD?
EMDR was developed for trauma-related symptoms and is best established as a treatment for PTSD. Clinicians may also integrate EMDR when distressing experiences contribute to anxiety, panic, phobias, grief, relationship patterns, or performance blocks. Your clinician will assess whether it fits your particular needs.
Do you accept insurance?
South Miami Psychology Group is not in network with insurance. As a courtesy, the office can submit claims on your behalf for possible out-of-network reimbursement. We encourage you to confirm your benefits directly with your insurer.
You don’t have to know exactly what you need before you reach out.
Tell us you are interested in EMDR. Our intake team will help match you with the clinician and format that best fit your needs.
Or complete the secure contact form directly below and write “EMDR” in your message.↓
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room. This page is not monitored for emergencies.
