Grunstein
& Associates
EMDR Therapy
Distressing experiences can continue to affect your thoughts, emotions, and relationships long after they’ve occurred. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy offers a structured, evidence-based approach to processing difficult experiences and reducing their ongoing impact.
Grunstein & Associates provides specialized EMDR therapy for individuals navigating trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and other emotional challenges. Online EMDR therapy is available to clients throughout California, New York, and Florida.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach designed to help individuals process distressing memories and experiences that continue to affect their emotional well-being.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating tapping, while clients focus on specific memories, emotions, or beliefs. This structured process can help reduce the emotional intensity associated with difficult experiences and support healthier ways of responding to them.
EMDR is widely recognized as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may also be incorporated into therapy for anxiety, grief, and other concerns when clinically appropriate.
At Grunstein & Associates, EMDR treatment is tailored to each individual’s history, needs, and therapeutic goals, with an emphasis on safety, collaboration, and lasting emotional well-being.
What Can EMDR Therapy Help With?
Trauma & PTSD
EMDR helps individuals process traumatic memories and reduce symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, emotional triggers, and distress related to past experiences.
Anxiety & Panic
EMDR treatment may help address distressing experiences and underlying memories that contribute to anxiety, panic symptoms, and persistent feelings of fear.
Grief & Loss
EMDR may support individuals experiencing complicated grief, traumatic loss, or distressing memories associated with bereavement.
Depression
When unresolved distressing experiences contribute to depressive symptoms, EMDR may be incorporated into a broader treatment plan to address those experiences.
Childhood Trauma
EMDR can help individuals process adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that continue to influence emotional well-being, relationships, and self-perception in adulthood.
Addiction & Recovery
For individuals in recovery, unresolved trauma can contribute to emotional distress and substance use triggers. Attachment-Focused EMDR may help address these underlying experiences while supporting emotional regulation and ongoing recovery.
What to Expect During EMDR Sessions
EMDR therapy follows a structured, eight-phase treatment approach tailored to your individual needs, experiences, and therapeutic goals. Treatment begins with a comprehensive assessment, establishing a sense of safety, and developing coping strategies to support emotional stability throughout the process.
During EMDR sessions, your therapist may guide you through bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or alternating tapping, while you briefly focus on specific memories, emotions, or beliefs. This process is designed to help you reprocess distressing experiences and reduce their emotional impact over time.
At Grunstein & Associates, treatment incorporates Attachment-Focused EMDR (AF-EMDR), an approach that emphasizes emotional safety, attachment relationships, and individualized preparation. This approach may be particularly relevant for individuals navigating complex trauma, childhood attachment wounds, or difficulties with trust and relationships, including those who have previously found traditional EMDR challenging.
EMDR Therapy FAQs
Can EMDR therapy be done online?
Yes. Online EMDR therapy can be provided through secure telehealth sessions using adaptations of traditional EMDR techniques. Research supports the potential effectiveness of remotely delivered EMDR, particularly for trauma-related symptoms. Grunstein & Associates offers individualized online EMDR treatment to clients throughout California, New York, and Florida.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail during EMDR?
No. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require you to describe every detail of a traumatic experience. Instead, treatment focuses on helping you process distressing memories without repeatedly recounting what happened. This can be particularly helpful for individuals who find discussing trauma overwhelming or who feel they have reached a plateau in traditional therapy. Your therapist will work collaboratively with you to establish an appropriate pace and ensure that you feel supported throughout the process.
How long does EMDR treatment take?
The length of EMDR treatment varies depending on your history, symptoms, and therapeutic goals. However, one of the potential benefits of EMDR is its ability to facilitate meaningful trauma processing in a relatively short period, allowing individuals to work through distressing material more efficiently than they might through talk therapy alone.
While some clients experience significant progress within a limited number of sessions, individuals with complex trauma or longstanding emotional difficulties may benefit from additional preparation and ongoing support. Treatment is always tailored to your needs, with an emphasis on emotional safety and an appropriate pace.
Is EMDR only used for PTSD?
No. Although EMDR is an established, evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it may also be used to address anxiety, grief, childhood trauma, and other concerns involving distressing experiences. EMDR can also help individuals struggling with addiction and recovery process underlying traumatic experiences that may contribute to substance use patterns and emotional distress.
What is Attachment-Focused EMDR, and how is it different from traditional EMDR?
Attachment-Focused EMDR (AF-EMDR) is an adaptation of traditional EMDR therapy that places additional emphasis on attachment relationships, emotional safety, and therapeutic preparation. Developed by Dr. Laurel Parnell, this approach incorporates specialized resourcing techniques and individualized pacing to support individuals with complex trauma, childhood attachment wounds, and relational difficulties. Attachment-Focused EMDR is particularly well suited to individuals navigating addiction and recovery, as well as those who have previously found traditional trauma therapy difficult or overwhelming.
Michelle Grunstein completed specialized Attachment-Focused EMDR training and consultation through the Parnell Institute. Her approach integrates these principles to help clients engage in trauma processing within a supportive, collaborative therapeutic relationship.
Where can I receive EMDR therapy?
Grunstein & Associates provides online EMDR therapy throughout California, New York, and Florida. Services are available to clients in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Westwood, San Diego, New York City, Westchester, Long Island, Boca Raton, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and surrounding communities. As a therapist licensed in all three states, Michelle Grunstein offers specialized EMDR treatment through secure telehealth, allowing clients to access care regardless of their city of residence within those states.
EMDR in CA, NY & FL
Grunstein & Associates provides specialized online EMDR services throughout California, New York, and Florida. Whether you’re located in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, New York City, Boca Raton, Miami, or elsewhere in these states, you can access individualized treatment through secure telehealth sessions. Our approach emphasizes personalized care tailored to your experiences, needs, and therapeutic goals.
Begin Your Healing Journey
Take the first step toward lasting change and emotional resilience. Contact us today for a consultation.