--- title: "Online EMDR Therapy · Raven Counseling" url: https://ravencounselingservices.org/online-emdr-therapy description: "How EMDR works by telehealth: preparation first, on-screen or tapping bilateral stimulation, a private space and a plan for intense moments. TX, MD, MA." lang: en --- ONLINE EMDR # EMDR over video, and what actually changes. A practical look at how EMDR is delivered by telehealth, what stays exactly the same, and what you set up on your end. Book on Headway →: https://care.headway.co/providers/zandria-hooks Free 15-min consult: https://ravencounselingservices.org/contact ## The question behind the question When people ask whether EMDR can be done online, they are usually asking something more specific. EMDR has a reputation for involving a therapist moving a hand back and forth in front of your eyes, or a light bar, or buzzers you hold. It is fair to wonder how that translates to a laptop in your living room. It is also fair to wonder whether it is safe to work on painful memories without someone physically in the room. The short answer is that the structure of EMDR does not change over video. The same phases happen in the same order, with the same attention to preparation and safety. What changes is the delivery of bilateral stimulation and a handful of practical details on your side of the screen. If you are new to EMDR in general, the EMDR therapy page (https://ravencounselingservices.org/emdr-therapy) explains the method itself. This article is about doing it remotely. All sessions at Raven Counseling Services are telehealth, and Zandria Hooks, LCSW, is EMDR trained. ## Preparation and resourcing come first EMDR does not start with the hardest memory. It starts with history taking and then a preparation phase, which is covered in detail in the guide to the eight phases of EMDR (https://ravencounselingservices.org/emdr-eight-phases). In preparation, you build a set of tools for bringing yourself back to steady ground: a calm or safe place exercise, breathing and grounding skills, and sometimes containment imagery for setting material aside at the end of a session. Over video, this phase matters even more. In an office, a therapist can adjust the room, offer water or simply be physically present. At home, your own skills and your own space do more of that work. So time is spent practicing those skills until they are familiar, and checking that you can use them on your own between sessions. Moving on to processing happens when both of you agree you are ready, not on a fixed date. ## How bilateral stimulation works through a screen Bilateral stimulation means attention that alternates left and right while you hold a memory in mind. It is part of the reprocessing phases. Online, it is usually delivered in one of two ways. - **Visual, on screen.** A dot or shape moves side to side across your screen, and you follow it with your eyes while keeping your head still. Speed and width can be adjusted. A laptop or desktop monitor works better than a phone for this. - **Self-administered tapping.** You cross your arms and alternately tap your shoulders or upper arms, sometimes called a butterfly hug, or tap your knees left and right. The pace is guided during the set. This works well if eye movements are uncomfortable or if your screen is small. Some people use a mix, switching based on what feels workable that day. The choice is made together and can change. What matters is the alternating attention, not the specific tool. ## Setting up your space before the session Your environment is part of the treatment when you do EMDR at home. A few things make a real difference: - **Privacy.** A room with a door that closes, at a time when nobody will walk in or listen through the wall. Headphones help keep your side of the conversation private. - **A stable device.** Charged, propped up at eye level, and close enough to follow visual stimulation comfortably. - **A comfortable seat.** Somewhere you can sit upright and feel your feet on the floor, not lying in bed. - **Grounding items within reach.** Water, a blanket, something with texture or a scent you find calming. - **Time on both sides.** Try not to schedule a work call right after. A buffer of even fifteen minutes to walk or rest helps. The broader telehealth page (https://ravencounselingservices.org/telehealth) covers the platform and general setup. For EMDR specifically, privacy and a buffer afterward are the two details worth protecting most. ## When a session gets intense Reprocessing can bring up strong emotion or body sensation. That is expected, and it is one reason the preparation phase exists. During a set, you can always signal to stop. A hand raised, a word agreed in advance, or simply saying "stop" is enough. Nothing is pushed through against your wishes. If things become too much, the session shifts to grounding: orienting to the room, naming what you see and hear, slowing your breath, using the calm place you built earlier. Sessions are not ended in the middle of distress. Time is kept at the end for closure, bringing you back to a steady state before logging off, even if the memory is not finished. Before processing starts, you also agree on a plan for technical problems. If video freezes or drops, you know how to reach each other by phone, and you know which grounding skill to use in the meantime. Having that plan in place tends to make the possibility feel much smaller. ## After you log off Processing can continue quietly after a session. Some people feel tired, some feel lighter, some notice new memories or dreams. It helps to keep the rest of the day gentle where you can, and to jot down anything that comes up to bring to the next session. You leave each session with the skills to contain what surfaced until then. ## Is EMDR the right method for you? EMDR is one of two trauma-focused methods offered here. The other is Cognitive Processing Therapy, which works through thoughts and beliefs rather than bilateral stimulation. The EMDR vs CPT comparison (https://ravencounselingservices.org/emdr-vs-cpt) lays out how they differ, and the choice between them is made together. You must be physically located in Texas, Maryland or Massachusetts at the time of each session. That applies to every EMDR session, wherever you normally live. ## Online EMDR questions ### Does EMDR really work over video? EMDR is delivered by telehealth using the same phases and structure as in person, with bilateral stimulation adapted for a screen. Whether it is a good fit for you is something to talk through in the consult and the early sessions. ### What equipment do I need? A laptop, desktop or tablet with a camera and a reasonably stable internet connection, plus a private space. A larger screen makes visual bilateral stimulation easier to follow than a phone. ### What happens if my connection drops in the middle of processing? A plan for this is set up before processing begins, including a phone number to reconnect and a grounding skill to use while you wait. Nothing about a dropped call is treated as a failure on your part. ### Can I do online EMDR while traveling? Only if you are physically located in Texas, Maryland or Massachusetts at the time of the session. That rule applies to every session, including EMDR. Sessions are 50 minutes, with evenings available. See rates (https://ravencounselingservices.org/rates) or request a free 15-minute consult on the contact page (https://ravencounselingservices.org/contact). In crisis or thinking about harming yourself? This site is not for emergencies. Call or text 988, or dial 911. Veterans: press 1 after calling 988. Ready to talk? RELATED EMDR Therapy Read →: https://ravencounselingservices.org/emdr-therapy The Eight Phases of EMDR Read →: https://ravencounselingservices.org/emdr-eight-phases Telehealth Read →: https://ravencounselingservices.org/telehealth READY WHEN YOU ARE ## When you're ready to begin, I'm here. Book directly through Headway, or start with a free 15-minute consult so we can find out if we're a fit. R How can we help? Not for emergencies · 988 / 911 Book a Call Free 15-min consult · via Headway or form (https://ravencounselingservices.org/contact)Call Us Directly (214) 984-3411 (+12149843411) In crisis? Call or text **988**, or dial **911**. Veterans: press **1** after 988. ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://ravencounselingservices.org/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Online EMDR Therapy", "item": "https://ravencounselingservices.org/online-emdr-therapy" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Zandria Hooks", "honorificSuffix": "LCSW", "jobTitle": "Licensed Clinical Social Worker", "hasCredential": [ { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "license", "name": "TX LCSW #107245" }, { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "certification", "name": "CPT Certified" }, { "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential", "credentialCategory": "certification", "name": "EMDR Trained" } ], "worksFor": { "@type": "ProfessionalService", "name": "Raven Counseling Services PLLC" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/zandria-hooks-addison-tx/1682752", "https://care.headway.co/providers/zandria-hooks" ], "knowsAbout": [ "PTSD", "Trauma", "EMDR", "Cognitive Processing Therapy", "CBT", "Anxiety", "Depression", "Life Transitions" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": [ "ProfessionalService", "MedicalBusiness" ], "name": "Raven Counseling Services PLLC", "url": "https://ravencounselingservices.org", "telephone": "(214) 984-3411", "email": "admin@ravencounselingservices.org", "sameAs": [ "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/zandria-hooks-addison-tx/1682752", "https://care.headway.co/providers/zandria-hooks" ], "description": "Trauma-focused telehealth therapy (EMDR, CPT, CBT) for veterans, active-duty service members, first responders and their families.", "founder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zandria Hooks", "honorificSuffix": "LCSW" }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "State", "name": "Texas" }, { "@type": "State", "name": "Maryland" }, { "@type": "State", "name": "Massachusetts" } ], "serviceType": [ "Telehealth psychotherapy", "EMDR", "Cognitive Processing Therapy", "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy", "Group therapy" ], "medicalSpecialty": "Psychiatric", "availableLanguage": "en-US", "provider": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zandria Hooks", "honorificSuffix": "LCSW" }, "priceRange": "$150", "knowsAbout": [ "PTSD", "Trauma", "EMDR", "CPT", "CBT", "Anxiety", "Depression", "Life Transitions" ], "availableService": [ { "@type": "MedicalTherapy", "name": "EMDR" }, { "@type": "MedicalTherapy", "name": "Cognitive Processing Therapy" }, { "@type": "MedicalTherapy", "name": "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does EMDR really work over video?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "EMDR is delivered by telehealth using the same phases and structure as in person, with bilateral stimulation adapted for a screen. Whether it is a good fit for you is something to talk through in the consult and the early sessions." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What equipment do I need?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A laptop, desktop or tablet with a camera and a reasonably stable internet connection, plus a private space. A larger screen makes visual bilateral stimulation easier to follow than a phone." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens if my connection drops in the middle of processing?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A plan for this is set up before processing begins, including a phone number to reconnect and a grounding skill to use while you wait. Nothing about a dropped call is treated as a failure on your part." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I do online EMDR while traveling?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Only if you are physically located in Texas, Maryland or Massachusetts at the time of the session. That rule applies to every session, including EMDR." } } ] } ] ```