Moss & Moon Counseling
Letting the past become the past
EMDR Therapy in Columbus, Ohio
What is EMDR and How Does it Work?
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based therapy that helps the brain process distressing memories and experiences that may still feel unfinished, emotionally charged, or present in the body. Trauma can leave parts of an experience stored in a way that makes the past feel as though it is still happening now—showing up through anxiety, shame, intrusive memories, physical reactions, relationship patterns, or a persistent sense of danger.
During EMDR, we use gentle, rhythmic left-right stimulation—such as eye movements, handheld tappers, or alternating sounds—while you briefly notice aspects of a memory, belief, emotion, or body sensation. This bilateral stimulation can support the brain’s natural capacity to make new connections, allowing the experience to become less overwhelming and more fully integrated.
EMDR does not erase what happened or ask you to convince yourself that it was acceptable. Instead, it can help the memory settle into the past, where it belongs. You may still remember the experience, but it may no longer carry the same intensity, shape how you see yourself, or activate your nervous system in the same way.
You do not have to relive every detail or explain everything out loud for the work to be meaningful. We move gradually, with attention to preparation, consent, and your window of tolerance. Before approaching painful material, we build resources for grounding and regulation so that you have ways to remain connected to the present.
EMDR can also be used for more than a single traumatic event. It may support healing from complex trauma, attachment wounds, grief, medical experiences, painful relationship patterns, phobias, anxiety, and deeply held beliefs such as I am not safe, I am powerless, or I am not enough. The goal is not to force a breakthrough, but to help your mind and body recognize that the experience is over—and that you have more choice, safety, and possibility now.
The event doesn’t disappear. It just stops living in your body as if it were still happening.
EMDR Intensives: Dedicated Time for Deeper Work
For people who feel ready to engage more deeply, I offer EMDR intensives—extended sessions that create more uninterrupted space for focused healing. Each intensive lasts approximately three to four hours, allowing us time to settle in, prepare carefully, engage in meaningful reprocessing, take breaks when needed, and close the work thoughtfully.
On the day of your intensive, you are my only client. This allows the session to unfold without the pressure of a traditional therapy hour or the feeling that we need to rush toward an ending. There is more room to follow what emerges, while still moving at a pace that respects your nervous system. We can pause, rest, ground, or shift direction whenever needed. The goal is not to process as much material as possible, but to give the work the time, attention, and spaciousness it deserves.
An intensive may be especially helpful when you:
- Have already developed stability and coping resources and feel ready to address a specific experience or theme
- Want focused support around a traumatic event, loss, medical experience, relationship wound, or deeply held belief
- Feel that traditional weekly sessions end just as you are beginning to reach meaningful material
- Are preparing for a transition, ceremony, medical procedure, or other emotionally significant event
- Want to devote a concentrated period of time to healing rather than spreading the work across many shorter sessions
Each intensive is individualized and includes preparation beforehand, collaborative planning, extended EMDR work, breaks as needed, and time for grounding and integration before you leave. Readiness is something we assess together. Intensives are not a shortcut, and they are not appropriate for every person or every season of healing. They are a way of creating a protected container for those who are prepared to step more fully into the work.
The rate for an EMDR intensive is $725 for up to four hours. Limited sliding-scale availability may be available for intensive sessions; please reach out for additional information.
You do not have to move quickly—but when you are ready, you may benefit from having more room to move deeply.
The arc of the work
What to expect
Structured, but never rushed. We build the ground before we touch the wound.
History and preparation
We start by understanding your story and building resources: grounding, calm, a felt sense of safety, so you have solid footing before any reprocessing begins.
Reprocessing
Holding a target memory briefly in mind, we use gentle bilateral stimulation while your brain does the work. You stay present and in control the whole time.
Integration and closure
We close each session with steadiness, notice what’s shifted, and strengthen the new, calmer associations. Over time, the memory loses its grip.
Who EMDR can help
EMDR is one of the most researched treatments for trauma, but its reach is wider than single-incident events. It can help with developmental and relational wounds, anxiety and phobias, grief, and the negative beliefs about ourselves that trauma leaves behind.
PTSD & C-PTSD
Developmental trauma
Anxiety & phobias
Grief
Medical trauma
Negative self-beliefs
How I hold EMDR
I’m trained in EMDR (Parts 1 and 2) and in advanced approaches including Four Blinks trauma processing. I weave EMDR together with somatic and parts-based work rather than treating it as a standalone technique, so we stay attuned to your body and your inner world throughout. Pax is a comforting and grounding presence for those who want him near by.
Trauma-informed means we go at the pace of your safety, not the pace of the protocol.
Questions people ask about EMDR
Does EMDR really work?
EMDR is recognized as an effective, evidence-based trauma treatment by the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association. Many people experience meaningful relief, sometimes faster than with talk therapy alone.
Do I have to talk about the trauma in detail?
No. You don’t need to describe every detail out loud. You hold the memory internally while the reprocessing does its work. This makes EMDR gentler for people who find retelling retraumatizing.
What does EMDR feel like?
Most people notice the memory gradually feeling more distant, less charged, or simply further away. You stay awake, present, and in control throughout, and you can pause at any time.
How long does EMDR take?
It depends on the complexity of what you’re working through. Some people notice shifts in a few sessions; others need longer. We’ll know more once we start.
Can EMDR be done online?
Yes. I offer EMDR via secure video for Ohio residents, using visual or auditory bilateral stimulation. Many clients find it just as effective as in-person work.
How much does EMDR cost?
Standard sessions are $275 for 75 minutes or $180 for 50 minutes. Intensive EMDR sessions of three to four hours are $725. I provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement.
Ready when you are
You don’t have to have the words for what happened. You just need to know you’re ready for it to feel different.