EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is one of the most thoroughly researched treatments for trauma, recommended by major health bodies as a first-line therapy for PTSD. At Clarity Counselling it is offered online across Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, with limited in-person sessions in Calgary, and it is adapted carefully for clients with complex trauma and dissociation, who are often turned away from standard EMDR.
Trauma leaves memories stored in a raw, unprocessed form, so that a reminder in the present fires the body's alarm as if the danger were happening now. EMDR helps the brain finish processing those memories. The events are not forgotten; they stop hijacking the present.
What EMDR Helps With
Post-traumatic stress after a single event such as an accident, assault, medical emergency, or loss. Complex trauma from childhood abuse, neglect, or chronic adversity. Grief that feels frozen in time. Specific phobias and panic. Anxiety rooted in earlier experiences. Nightmares and intrusive memories. Distressing experiences that don't meet criteria for PTSD but still shape how you react, relate, and see yourself. EMDR is also used within longer-term treatment for borderline personality disorder and dissociative disorders, once stabilization is in place.
How EMDR Works
EMDR follows an eight-phase protocol. The early phases take your history, build grounding and coping resources, and identify the memories to target. In the reprocessing phases, you hold a memory briefly in mind while following bilateral stimulation, usually guided eye movements or alternating taps, in short sets with pauses to check in. Over sets, the memory's emotional charge drops and the beliefs attached to it ("it was my fault," "I'm not safe," "I'm powerless") give way to more accurate ones. You stay fully awake and in control throughout; EMDR is not hypnosis, and you can stop at any time. Our guide to how EMDR therapy works covers each phase in detail, and a second guide describes what to expect in your first EMDR session.
EMDR for Complex Trauma and Dissociation
Standard EMDR assumes a nervous system that can tolerate touching a traumatic memory without flooding or shutting down. For people with complex trauma, dissociation, or BPD, that assumption often doesn't hold, which is why many EMDR practitioners decline to work with them or stop after a destabilizing session. Jason's primary specialization is dissociation, and EMDR here is embedded in a phase-oriented plan: stabilization and parts work first, drawing on Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST), then EMDR modified with shorter sets, more frequent grounding, and attention to which parts of you are present. The pace is set by your stability, never by the protocol.
Online EMDR
EMDR works well by secure video. Bilateral stimulation is delivered through on-screen guided eye movements or self-administered tapping, and research on remotely delivered EMDR shows outcomes comparable to in-person treatment. Being at home can make the settling period after a session easier, and sessions are planned so that you finish grounded rather than raw. In-person EMDR is available by appointment at the Calgary office.
Rates and Insurance
Individual sessions are $150 for 50 minutes or $220 for 80 minutes. The initial 15-minute consultation is free. For EMDR reprocessing, the 80-minute session is often the better choice, because it allows a full set of processing and time to close the session well. Receipts are provided for extended health benefits; many plans reimburse sessions with a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) or Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), so check your plan's coverage for counselling.
About Jason Chang
Jason Chang, MA, is a Canadian Certified Counsellor and Registered Clinical Counsellor trained in EMDR and certified in Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment, with a clinical focus on complex trauma, dissociation, and borderline personality disorder. Read more about Jason.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
For a single-incident trauma in an otherwise stable person, meaningful change often comes within six to twelve sessions. Complex trauma takes longer because stabilization comes first and there are more memories to process. An estimate is discussed after the initial assessment.
Does EMDR work online?
Yes. Studies of EMDR delivered by video show results comparable to in-person treatment. Bilateral stimulation is adapted for the screen, and session structure is planned so you end grounded.
Is EMDR safe if I dissociate?
It is, when it is adapted and properly sequenced. Standard EMDR applied too early can increase dissociation, so here it follows stabilization and parts work and uses modified sets. Working with dissociation is the centre of this practice rather than an exception to it.
Will I have to talk about the trauma in detail?
No. EMDR does not require a detailed verbal account of what happened. You hold the memory in mind; you do not have to narrate it, and many people find this one of EMDR's advantages over talk therapy.
Is EMDR compatible with my faith or values?
EMDR is a physiological, evidence-based treatment with no spiritual content, no hypnosis, and no required beliefs. Clients of any faith or none receive the same treatment, and faith can be part of the grounding and resourcing work if you wish.
Related Reading
How EMDR therapy works · What to expect in your first EMDR session · EMDR for grief · EMDR for phobias · EMDR and nightmares