Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy for Kids in New York
Help your children move on from the past and develop positive thinking skills with EMDR therapy at Courageous Kids Counseling.
What Is EMDR?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly effective and evidence-based approach to help with healing from trauma. It helps you disconnect from painful memories and orient toward positive ways of thinking through specific strategies, like tapping, eye movements and listening to music or sounds, known as bilateral stimulation. A therapist works with the participant to discuss trauma, negative feelings and more during this process to lessen the impact of the thoughts and reduce symptoms associated with it.
EMDR therapy can help your child or teen recognize thoughts and feelings that are making them feel sad, trapped and alone. Once they are aware of these thoughts, they can identify how to get rid of them to make space for positive feelings. At Courageous Kids Counseling, we believe that the past does not have to define the future. With EMDR therapy sessions, your child can disconnect from painful events, learn how to be happier and even avoid developing conditions like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
EMDR therapy for kids can address:
- Recent or past trauma
- Generational trauma
- Grief and loss
- Poor relationships
- School and work challenges
- Depression, anxiety and other psychological concerns
- “Bad” or “negative” thoughts
How Our EMDR Therapy for Kids Works
EMDR therapy sessions are designed to help participants learn how to leave unpleasant memories behind and feel free again. They can help your child expel negative thoughts so they can have happier and better experiences in the future. Our EMDR therapists have extensive experience using this treatment method with children, adolescents, adults and families, and they will bring what they’ve learned into every session with you and your loved ones.
Because every child’s experiences are different, so are our treatment plans. It all starts with your family’s initial evaluation. Our therapists get to know your child and their history, along with your concerns and goals, so we can curate the best treatment plan to address their triggers, redirect their thinking and be more successful at school and home.
EMDR is best used in the individual setting, as it allows the child to focus on the technique’s stimuli and the therapist to address new thoughts and feelings as they occur. Our skilled EMDR therapists will explain everything about how it works to you and your child so you can be prepared for how it may affect them. We have specialists in both child and teen therapy so patients can receive care as specific to their circumstances as possible.
Your child depends on your support, and you want to know your child is getting the help they need. Our family therapy services help achieve both objectives. Together, you’ll work with our therapists to strengthen your relationships and understand how a trauma or your child’s diagnosis may affect more than just them. Ultimately, we aim to provide a safe space to unpack familial relationships and how to maintain love, vulnerability and support within them.
Your child can also have the chance to interact with other children in similar situations. Group therapy can be immensely helpful in letting kids know they are not alone and building empathetic relationships. As they learn to look forward and detach from their past, group therapy can help set the foundation for a healthier future.
Why We Believe in EMDR
At Courageous Kids Counseling, we’ve seen the benefits of EMDR for children time and time again. Together with your family, we will help your child remember how to experience and process positive emotions while they:
- Express themselves better: We help your child identify what they’re feeling so we can discuss it and let it go when they’re ready to move on.
- Engage in healthy activities: EMDR can help a child recognize and redirect harmful impulses and feel more confident in seeking out support when they are struggling.
- Improve personal relationships: Vulnerability is a learned trait, especially after someone goes through something traumatic. As your child becomes more comfortable opening up, they will do so more often, opening the door for them to strengthen every relationship.
- Enhance professional success: EMDR can improve a child’s ability to focus, allowing them to do better in school, work and even household chores.
Discover EMDR for Children in New York Today
Children are incredibly resilient, but when they experience something traumatic, they may need help processing and moving forward from it. EMDR therapists at Courageous Kids Counseling can help address them with compassion and understanding.
Help your child find more happiness and success for the rest of their life — request a free consultation from our professionals to learn more about our programs.
Meet Our Team
Erica Smuckler
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Owner & Clinical Director
Specializing In
TraumaDepressionAnxiety
