EMDR THERAPY IN CINCINNATI
Helping your brain do what it was always designed to do: heal.
Some things just don't get better with time alone. Or with talking about them.
Maybe you've processed a difficult experience forwards and backwards. You know where it came from. You understand why it affected you. You can talk about it calmly, rationally, in complete sentences.
And yet something still gets triggered. Your body still reacts. The same feelings keep coming back, with a familiarity that's exhausting.
That's not a willpower problem, and it's not a sign that you haven't worked hard enough. It's actually a really well-understood phenomenon: some experiences get stored in the brain in a way that keeps them feeling present and unresolved, even when the logical part of you knows they're in the past.
EMDR was developed specifically to address that. And it works differently from anything you may have tried before.
What is EMDR, and how does it work?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. The name sounds clinical, but the idea behind it is actually pretty elegant.
When something upsetting happens, your brain is supposed to process it—file it away, integrate it, let you move on. But sometimes, especially with traumatic or overwhelming experiences, that process gets interrupted. The memory stays "stuck" in an unprocessed state, and your brain keeps responding to it as though it's still happening.
EMDR helps unstick it.
During a session, you bring a specific memory or experience to mind while your therapist guides you through rhythmic bilateral stimulation—usually eye movements following a moving light or finger, though it can also be alternating sounds or gentle taps. This left-right stimulation engages both sides of your brain simultaneously, in a way that mimics what happens during REM sleep, when your brain naturally processes the day's experiences.
As you move through sets of bilateral stimulation, the memory starts to shift. It becomes less vivid, less charged. The beliefs you formed around it ("I'm not safe," "it was my fault," "I can't trust anyone") start to loosen. Over time, the memory can be recalled without the same emotional intensity—like watching something from a distance instead of being inside it.
It might sound subtle, but for many people the change is profound.
EMDR can help with more than trauma.
EMDR is best known as a trauma treatment—and it's excellent for that, with decades of research behind it and endorsements from organizations including the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
But it's also effective for:
Anxiety and panic, including when the source isn't entirely clear
Depression that hasn't responded fully to talk therapy
PTSD and complex trauma
Grief and loss
Low self-esteem and negative core beliefs about yourself
Relationship triggers and patterns rooted in past experiences
If there's something that feels emotionally stuck—something you understand intellectually but can't seem to move past—EMDR is worth exploring.
How is EMDR different from talk therapy?
Both have real value, and they work well together. But they work differently.
Talk therapy primarily engages the cerebral cortex—the part of your brain that handles language, reasoning, and conscious thought. It's great for building insight, developing coping skills, and making sense of your experiences.
EMDR works deeper. Trauma and difficult emotional experiences are stored in the limbic system, the older, more instinctive part of your brain that governs emotion, memory, and automatic responses. That part of the brain doesn't respond well to reasoning and conversation—it responds to direct processing.
EMDR bypasses the need for words and accesses the brain more directly, helping you process experiences at the level where they're actually stored. That's why people sometimes describe finally feeling free from something they've talked about in therapy for years.
Two ways to work with us for EMDR therapy in Cincinnati
Everyone's schedule, situation, and healing process looks different. We offer EMDR in two formats so you can find what fits.
Weekly EMDR Sessions
The traditional approach: 50-minute individual sessions, typically weekly, with the same therapist throughout. This format works well if you prefer a slower, steady pace—building rapport first, then moving into processing at a comfortable rhythm. Virtual sessions are available for Ohio residents.
EMDR Intensives
For those who want to go deeper, faster: extended 3-hour sessions that give you real space to process without the pressure of the clock. Rather than building toward something week by week, Intensives let you dive in and build momentum—many people experience meaningful shifts in a shorter timeframe than traditional weekly therapy.
Intensives are in-person only at our Blue Ash office.
EMDR therapy at Conscious Roots Counseling — meet your therapist
EMDR is a specialized modality that requires specific training to practice safely and effectively.
Jenny Liu, LPCC-S — EMDR for adults
Jenny is our founder and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor-Supervisor who completed EMDRIA-certified EMDR training. She works best with adults who are ready to process difficult or traumatic past experiences, and has a particular interest in supporting parents working to break cycles of intergenerational trauma. Jenny offers both weekly EMDR sessions and EMDR Intensives.
Questions about EMDR? Here's what people most often want to know.
You might be wondering about…
GETTING STARTED
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Yes — extensively. EMDR has been studied in dozens of clinical trials and is recognized as an effective treatment by the World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense, among others. It's one of the most well-researched trauma treatments available.
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No. While EMDR was originally developed for trauma and PTSD, it's now widely used for anxiety, depression, phobias, grief, and persistent negative beliefs about yourself. If something feels emotionally stuck, EMDR may be able to help — even if you wouldn't describe your experience as "trauma."
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Most people describe EMDR sessions as unusual at first, but not uncomfortable. You stay awake and in control throughout — you can pause or stop at any point. Some people feel emotionally tired afterward, which is normal. We recommend keeping your schedule lighter after sessions when you can.
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It depends on what you're working through and how your system responds. Some people experience meaningful shifts in just a few sessions; more complex trauma may take longer. Your therapist will check in with you regularly and adjust the pace as needed. There's no pressure to move faster than feels right.
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Weekly EMDR sessions are available virtually for Ohio residents. EMDR Intensives are in-person only at our Blue Ash office.
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Brainspotting can be successful in-person and virtually.
Our Cincinnati/Blue Ash office is at 4424 Carver Woods Dr, Suite 100, 45242.
Currently, Intensive (3-hour) sessions are only available in-person.
INSURANCE
& PAYMENT
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Services will be billed directly to you according to our private pay therapy rates. We can offer you “superbills'' that can be submitted to your insurance for possible reimbursement. We know this may sound confusing—please reach out and we can help explain this process!
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Services will be billed directly to you according to our private pay therapy rates.
Each therapist determines the rates for their services. You can see each therapist’s rates on our About Page.
Depending on your insurance plan’s out-of-network benefits, it’s possible that your insurance may reimburse you for some of the cost of therapy.
To determine your out-of-network benefits, you can use this guide. Feel free to also reach out and we can explain how out-of-network benefits work.
