EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, eight-phase treatment approach, and beginning EMDR is always a process. Your therapist will first complete a thorough assessment to determine if EMDR is the right approach for you at this time. If it is, you’ll begin working through the phases step by step.

It’s important to know that EMDR does not begin in your very first session. Even once you start EMDR, the main part of the work—what most people picture when they think of EMDR—does not happen immediately. Instead, the early phases focus on history-taking, preparation, and building the tools you’ll need to safely process trauma.

Because EMDR is individualized, treatment length varies for each person. Everyone has different “targets” (memories or issues being worked on), and the pace at which you move through the phases depends on your unique needs, history, and readiness. Going through the process properly is essential, and your therapist will guide you at the right pace for you.

We often get calls from new clients requesting EMDR specifically. While we’re always happy to place you with a provider who offers it, it’s important to understand that EMDR is simply one treatment modality—and it may not even be what you need.

Requesting EMDR before an evaluation is like calling your primary care doctor and asking for a specific medication before having any labs done or even understanding what’s wrong. While EMDR can be incredibly effective when used appropriately, it’s not the right fit for everyone. At Tampa Therapy, our specialized team takes the time to evaluate each client and develop a personalized treatment plan based on what will be most effective—not just what’s popular.

We also sometimes hear from potential clients who were told by a previous therapist that they “need EMDR.” Unfortunately, these recommendations are often coming from providers who do not specialize in trauma and who may not fully understand what EMDR entails or when it’s appropriate. A referral from someone unfamiliar with the treatment doesn’t mean EMDR is necessarily what you need—or that it’s even clinically indicated. That’s where our trauma expertise matters. Our job is to determine what will help you, based on a deep understanding of trauma and years of focused experience.

Our Tampa EMDR approach helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories, reducing their emotional charge so you can heal without getting stuck in the past.

Trust us – it is not scary! Think of it this way – therapists, by nature and through experience, have a way of calming us. They tend to be down-to-earth, pragmatic, and soothing. At Tampa Therapy, we can genuinely say we have never had a client tell us their first appointment was anything other than “easier than I thought” or “relaxing.” 

Your therapist will start the first session by going over key points from the informed consent – while this may seem unnecessary to some, it is an essential part of the therapy process that you can really consider part of the therapist’s due diligence. This allows you to have an understanding of what therapy is, and what it is not, as well as the limitations of therapy, your rights, etc. Not only does this part answer common questions about the process, it can also be a great opportunity to simply sit, listen (and possibly ask questions) while you get acquainted with the therapist, the therapy room, and can begin to feel comfortable. 

After reviewing the informed consent, the general goal of the next phase is for the therapist to get an understanding of what brings you in for therapy. This looks different in practice based on the therapist, and (no surprise here), based on you! The therapist wants to understand your challenges, struggles, history, past therapy (if any), and develop a plan with you on how to treat the problem areas you are presenting for. 

Sometimes the assessment/intake process takes more than one session, and this is completely normal and realistic. After all, your difficulties didn’t start overnight, so it can take some time for the therapist to get an understanding of what you are experiencing, how you got here, what you have or have not tried, and what will likely work best to help you. Remember: Therapy takes time; it is a process, after all. 

Therapy that is rushed is likely to not be as effective. This is because things may be missed, skipped over, or not adequately addressed.

Treatment at Tampa Therapy is highly personalized – we don’t believe in a one-size fits all approach, and that is because how you got where you are today is different from the person coming in for an appointment after you. The actual approach your therapist will take varies greatly based on YOU and their therapy style, but the therapist will provide you with recommendations based on what they assess will benefit you the most.

Healing is a process, and the timeline looks different for every person. Some clients notice positive changes early on, such as feeling more hopeful, gaining insight, or developing new coping strategies. For others, it can take longer before they feel noticeable relief, especially when addressing deeper or long-standing concerns.

It’s also important to understand that therapy, and EMDR in particular, involves moving through multiple phases. At times, you may feel some discomfort as you process difficult experiences, but this is a normal and expected part of the healing journey. The pace depends on your individual history, the specific targets you’re working on, and how quickly you’re able to move through the process.

Your therapist will guide you at a pace that balances safety and progress, and over time, you can expect meaningful improvements in how you feel and function.

At Tampa Therapy, EMDR sessions are scheduled no less than once per week. This is because consistency is essential for you to see real results. Attending less frequently disrupts the process and greatly reduces effectiveness, which is why we do not schedule EMDR on an every-other-week or “as needed” basis.

Best practices—and the reason Tampa Therapy has built its reputation as a highly effective, specialized trauma practice—are grounded in doing the work in the way research shows it works best. Weekly sessions allow you to build momentum, move through the phases of EMDR as intended, and achieve meaningful, lasting change.

Our standard is to provide the highest quality, evidence-based care. Scheduling weekly ensures we are delivering EMDR in the way it was designed, and in the way that truly benefits you.