EMDR Therapy in Massachusetts
When a memory still feels like it's happening now, EMDR helps your brain file it away as the past. Our Sharon, MA clinicians use EMDR to treat PTSD, trauma, and the anxiety that grows from it.
- Trauma-focused therapy Processes the memory, not just the symptoms
- Evidence-based Recommended by the VA and WHO for PTSD
- Most insurance accepted We verify your benefits for you
- In-person Care Located in Sharon, MA
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured trauma therapy that helps your brain reprocess painful memories so they stop feeling like they’re happening now. You don’t have to describe every detail of what happened, and many people see meaningful change in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy.
Rockland Recovery Behavioral Health offers EMDR therapy in Massachusetts at our Sharon center, serving the South Shore and Greater Boston. Call 855.520.0531 or verify your insurance online to get started.
What is EMDR therapy?
Some memories never get fully processed. They stay stored with the same fear, images, and body sensations you had in the moment, which is why a smell or sound can send you right back.
EMDR works on that stuck memory directly. While you briefly hold the memory in mind, your therapist guides you through bilateral stimulation, usually side-to-side eye movements, though taps or tones work too. Over repeated sets, the memory loses its emotional charge. You still remember what happened, but it feels like the past.1
EMDR is recommended for PTSD by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the World Health Organization, among others.1,2
What EMDR helps with
EMDR was developed for trauma, and that’s where its evidence is strongest. In a 2025 review of clinical trials, 86% of civilians treated with EMDR no longer met the criteria for PTSD afterward.3 At Rockland Recovery, we use EMDR for:
- PTSD and complex PTSD, including trauma from accidents, assault, loss, or childhood experiences
- Distressing memories that keep resurfacing even without a PTSD diagnosis
- Anxiety and panic rooted in past experiences
- Depression tied to trauma or loss
If you’re not sure whether what you’re experiencing counts as trauma, our post on trauma responses is a good place to start.
The 8 phases of EMDR
EMDR follows a set structure, so you always know where you are in the process.
- History and planning. Your therapist learns your history and identifies which memories to target.
- Preparation. You learn calming and grounding skills and build a “safe place” you can return to. Nothing moves forward until you feel ready.
- Assessment. You pick a target memory and identify the image, the negative belief attached to it, and where you feel it in your body.
- Desensitization. You hold the memory in mind during sets of bilateral stimulation until the distress drops.
- Installation. A healthier belief, like “I survived” or “it wasn’t my fault,” gets strengthened in place of the old one.
- Body scan. You check for any leftover tension connected to the memory.
- Closure. Every session ends with you steady and grounded, even if the memory isn’t finished.
- Reevaluation. The next session starts by checking what changed and what still needs work.
What an EMDR session feels like
Sessions usually run 60 to 90 minutes.2 You stay awake and in control the whole time, and you can stop at any point.
During processing, thoughts, feelings, or new memories may surface. That’s expected. Between sets, your therapist checks in briefly and you keep going.
Many people describe it as watching the memory from a train window rather than standing in it.
It’s normal to feel tired afterward, and some people notice vivid dreams or new insights in the days between sessions. Your therapist will help you plan for that.
How EMDR fits into your care
EMDR is one part of a trauma-informed treatment plan here, not a standalone service. Depending on what you need, it can be combined with:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to address the beliefs and habits trauma leaves behind
- DBT skills to manage overwhelming emotions, especially helpful during the preparation phase
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) for parts of you that are still protecting against old danger
- Medication management when anxiety, sleep, or mood symptoms need extra support
EMDR can be part of our partial hospitalization program, our intensive outpatient program, or outpatient therapy. Sessions are available in person in Sharon or by telehealth anywhere in Massachusetts. Our trauma-focused care page explains how these pieces work together.
Start EMDR therapy in Massachusetts
If a memory keeps pulling you back no matter how much time passes, EMDR offers a way to process it instead of managing it forever. Call our admissions team at 855.520.0531, verify your insurance online, or reach us through our contact page.
Rockland Recovery Behavioral Health is located at 374 Old Post Road, Sharon, MA 02067, with telehealth available statewide.
Footnotes:
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
It depends on what you’re working on. A single traumatic event may take only a handful of processing sessions, while complex or childhood trauma usually takes longer, with more time spent on preparation first. Your therapist will give you a clearer picture after the first few sessions.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?
No. You’ll identify the memory and notice what comes up, but you don’t have to describe every detail out loud. For many people, that’s what makes EMDR feel more manageable than other trauma therapies.
Does EMDR have side effects?
Some people feel tired or emotionally raw after a session, and vivid dreams or new memories can surface in the days between sessions. These effects are usually temporary. Your therapist will teach you grounding skills before processing starts so you have tools to use if they come up.
Can EMDR be done through telehealth?
Yes. EMDR can be delivered by video using on-screen eye movements or self-administered taps, and we offer telehealth sessions anywhere in Massachusetts.
Does EMDR work for anxiety?
It can, especially when anxiety is connected to specific past experiences, such as a panic attack you keep bracing for or a frightening event that set it off. Your clinician will help decide whether EMDR, CBT, or a combination fits best.
Is EMDR right for everyone?
Not always, or not right away. People in crisis, or who are actively struggling with substance use or severe dissociation, may need to build stability first. An assessment will tell you whether to start EMDR now or after some preparation.
Does insurance cover EMDR?
Most insurance plans cover EMDR as part of mental health treatment. We accept many major plans and will verify your benefits before you start at no cost.
We accept most insurance plans
We work with most major insurers so you can focus on getting better, not on paperwork. Verify your benefits today. It only takes a minute and it's completely confidential.
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