EMDR Therapy for Anxiety & Stress Responses in Westchester County, New York

Virtual EMDR therapy serving New York, New Jersey, and Florida

Serene scene with lit candle and grey worry stones for EMDR therapy in Westchester, NY

You have the power to say, "This is NOT how my story will end."

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and is a type of therapy that enables you to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress associated with traumatic and negative life experiences. Even though many people assume that they can not recover after these experiences, EMDR has proven to be effective in helping people heal in just a few sessions!

 
 

Who EMDR is especially helpful for

You might consider EMDR if you:

  • Experience anxiety that doesn’t go away even with coping skills or talk therapy

  • Have panic attacks or sudden waves of fear

  • Notice your body reacts before your mind can make sense of a situation

  • Carry nervous system tension from a specific upsetting experience

  • Have physical anxiety symptoms like racing heart, chest tightness, or shallow breathing

  • Know logically you’re safe, but your body still feels on guard

This list isn’t a diagnosis. It’s a reflection of how anxiety and stress responses often show up — especially when they feel automatic rather than logical.

Looking up at clear, clouded lightbulbs hanging on long strands from the ceiling.  Light is one technique used in EMDR therapies. Your Westchester, NY EMDR therapist will determine the best treatment method.

How EMDR works — the basics

EMDR helps your brain and nervous system “reprocess” patterns that have been learned over time. Originally developed for trauma, it’s now widely used for anxiety, panic, stress responses, and nervous system activation.

In a session, we use gentle bilateral stimulation (like eye movement or tapping) while you focus on an experience or sensation. This doesn’t mean reliving the experience — it means helping your system reorganize how that experience is held in your body and nervous system.

What many people feel over time is:

  • Less reactivity

  • Less automatic fear

  • More ease in situations that once felt threatening

  • A calmer, regulated nervous system

Trauma creates changes you don’t choose.

Healing is about creating changes that you do choose.

EMDR vs. traditional talk therapy

Traditional therapy often focuses on insight or understanding. That’s helpful — but insight doesn’t always change how the body responds.

EMDR goes directly to the nervous system level, helping anxiety feel less automatic and more manageable.

So instead of:

  • Talking about anxiety for months

  • Trying to override symptoms with effort

  • Relying solely on coping skills

You get a therapy that supports real nervous system change, not just symptom management.

What to expect in EMDR therapy

EMDR is not a quick fix, but it is purposeful and structured.

Here’s how it typically unfolds:

  1. Exploration & preparation
    We talk through what’s happening now and how anxiety shows up in your body.

  2. Stabilization & grounding
    You learn tools to help your nervous system settle so EMDR can be effective.

  3. Reprocessing work
    We gently work with sensations, memories, or triggers that continue to activate your system.

  4. Integration & real-world practice
    You’ll leave sessions feeling more regulated and able to apply gains in daily life.

Every client’s journey is different, and we move at a pace that feels safe and supportive.

Why EMDR can be powerful for anxiety

EMDR isn’t just for trauma — it’s effective for:

  • Panic and sudden fear responses

  • Chronic stress and hypervigilance

  • Nervous system tension

  • Anxiety that feels stuck

  • Patterns that feel automatic and body-based

Many clients say their anxiety feels less automatic — not because they “think differently,” but because their bodies finally shift into a calmer mode.

Virtual EMDR therapy across NY, NJ & FL

I offer virtual EMDR therapy for clients in:

  • New York, including Westchester County (Scarsdale, Harrison, Mamaroneck)

  • New Jersey

  • Florida

Virtual sessions allow you to receive EMDR therapy from your own space, with the same depth and connection as in person.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • EMDR helps reduce anxiety, panic, and nervous system reactions by helping your brain and body process distressing patterns that feel automatic.

  • No — EMDR does not require reliving painful memories. The focus is on how your body responds now and helping the nervous system settle.

  • No. While EMDR is effective for trauma, it’s also widely used for anxiety, panic attacks, chronic stress responses, and nervous system regulation.

Are you in New York and Ready to start EMDR THERAPY with ME ?

Click here to schedule your consultation with me for EMDR therapy.

Please make sure to review my Insurance & Fees page before requesting a consultation or signing up for the waitlist to work with me so that I’m better able to answer your questions when we connect.

Other WESTCHESTER, NY THERAPY SERVICES

EMDR therapy can truly transform your life and bring you closer to the healing and peace you are looking for. I also provide therapy for adults, vicarious trauma treatment for first responders, and anxiety therapy from my Scarsdale office for in-person and virtual sessions. If you want to explore these options further, let’s connect!

Contact Me