EMDR Therapy in Denver, CO

EMDR therapy has become a widely-known trauma treatment, and for good reasons! Unlike many other fads that come and go, EMDR has maintained its footing since it debuted in the 1980s. Since its birth, it has been supported by decades of evidence-based trauma research and clinical trials. Many clients describe EMDR as a game changer, especially those who have felt stuck in standard talk therapy. So, what is this tool that has led to lasting transformation for so many?

EMDR Therapy allows us to heal through trauma, not just “understand” it.

We know that trauma impacts us on an emotional, mental, and bodily level. As such, healing through trauma requires involvement of our entire nervous system, not just our thoughts and insights. Many clients come to us after years of traditional talk therapy, reporting it has helped them understand the ins and outs of their trauma, but not feel a positive difference in their bodies, their relationship with their emotions and others, or their worldview. Our trauma therapists want to be beside you on this ride: a rich and comprehensive healing experience is the destination, and EMDR is the vehicle. 

we can’t do this work alone.

As you may have gathered by now, CZ therapy group believes in the value of healing through connection above all else. Not only do we view this as a basic human right, we also believe in the science that tells us that connection with a safe other is biologically necessary for trauma healing to take place. At all stages in the EMDR process, your CZTG trauma therapist promises to be a consistent, non-judgemental, regulated source of guidance, reflection, and groundedness. Your nervous system lets its guard down when it is in the presence of a trusted other, and it's when the walls have lowered that all the trauma that has kept us stuck is freed.

Are you someone who has tried therapy before and felt:

• Therapy helps me recognize patterns but not experience change

• My thoughts are shifting but not my emotions

• My body is still stressed even when nothing is “wrong”

• Therapy is addressing the symptoms but not the root cause

• I can now manage the present but the past is untouchable

Are you someone who tends to:

• Have difficulty identifying or putting words to emotions

• Experience emotions through sensations 

• Feel uncomfortable being vulnerable in front of others

• Prefer structure, repetition, and ritual

• Conceptualize intensity or impact with numbersSomatic anxiety therapy addresses anxiety at the root - those things that live inside our “don’t go there” box. 

A Deeper Dive into Denver EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based trauma therapy used to treat the effects of trauma, including symptoms of PTSD, dissociation, anxiety, and depression. Trauma can be defined as any experience that’s too overwhelming for our bodies and minds to process. When this occurs, the overwhelm gets lodged in our fight or flight systems and other emotional processing centers in our brain. Just like when a river is dammed and the water cannot move properly, stuck trauma impacts our emotional state, relationship with ourselves and with others, and general functioning, even if it happened years ago. How does this look and feel? Everyone’s bodies are different, therefore how trauma manifests varies too. However, experiences that trauma therapists tend to see across the board are: feelings of shame or guilt, difficulty trusting those closest to you, traumatic flashbacks, a sense of feeling disconnected from your body and emotions, persistent anxiety, and numbness.

What’s a Denver EMDR Therapy session at cztg like?

EMDR uses bilateral eye movements or hand buzzers - which is what you see in the photo to the right - to support your brain and body in processing through the difficult emotions, beliefs, images, and body sensations that are linked to a specific traumatic event or series of traumatic events. EMDR therapy takes place across eight phases, beginning with building safety and connection and holding space for you to share your story. Unlike other trauma processing methods, you are not required to share every detail of the trauma with your Denver EMDR therapist unless you want to. EMDR relies upon processing through particular stuck points (like a thought, body sensation, scent, or image) and this can be done without recounting the entire event. Before processing begins, your therapist will also introduce and rehearse with you various forms of grounding techniques so you can begin and end session feeling regulated. The processing phases are where the bilateral movements come into play, and your therapist will also walk you through how to engage in those.

What to expect after EMDR Therapy

Once the eight phases of EMDR therapy are complete, the trauma is desensitized and re-processed by the brain and body. This moves it out of the ‘stuck’ position that was causing so much pain and distress and into a place in your memory where it no longer feels overwhelming or negatively impactful within your daily life. When the trauma becomes unstuck, life opens up in many ways. Feeling physically lighter, less fatigued, or less anxious are common bodily responses, and on the emotional/mental side, we often see and hear reports of increased ease within relationships, increased self-esteem, and decreased self-blame.

Learn more about how EMDR therapy can help you heal from trauma on our blog or reach out to chat with a Denver EMDR therapist on our team.

jordan kurtz

How I work as an Emdr therapist:

Hello! In EMDR therapy with me, you can expect our process to be slow, attuned, and wholly guided by you. You’ll find me using EMDR therapy as a tool to support both teens and adults who have experienced trauma of any kind, with my specialties including grief and loss, relationship trauma, and childhood abuse/neglect.

Get Started with EMDR Therapy in Denver, CO.

1. reach out to schedule a free 20-minute consult call.

Trauma Therapy