EMDR Therapy
Your story isn’t over. Let’s rewrite it together.
EMDR Therapy in Calgary and Online across Alberta.
Somehow, the past just keeps holding you back.
-
Trauma
Stress
Anxiety
Phobias
Triggers
Self-esteem & self-worth
Relationships
Work & career
…and so much more
EMDR therapy is a powerful, evidence-based technique that is designed to support anybody feeling overwhelmed by memories of something recent or from years ago in childhood. You’re finding the weight of them is affecting each part of your life, work, friends, and family. You’re easily triggered by small things, which only adds to the feeling that there’s something wrong with you, and then the inevitable cycle of shame and guilt starts all over again.
So often, grief and pain are isolating. Whether it’s from loss, a breakup, or a traumatic event, it can feel like no one understands what you’re going through or even knows what’s going on. This is especially true if you find your needs are always last.
You may have been working on these things already without seeing real change or maybe you’ve just been holding onto the hope that time will heal the wounds. You’re starting to wonder if you need something different, something that actually helps you heal and move forward.
What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful therapy for trauma and other issues like anxiety, low self-worth, grief, phobias, relationship struggles and so much more. EMDR therapy helps you process difficult experiences more quickly and effectively.
Did you know? Your brain has a natural ability to heal itself, just like the body can heal a wound. Usually, your brain processes new experiences without you even noticing. But sometimes, intense or distressing experiences overwhelm this system, leaving certain memories “stuck” - causing ongoing stress, pain, and other symptoms. That’s where EMDR therapy can help, guiding your brain to reprocess and neutralise these memories so they no longer bother you in the same way.
Heal from the root and grow.
How does it work?
EMDR therapy is more than just moving your eyes back and forth. It's a healing process with eight phases, and we take it step by step to ensure you feel safe and supported the whole way through.
You're the one in control of this process and we can find a pace that works for you. EMDR therapy will help you feel more at peace with your experiences so you can move forward.
-
We’ll talk about what bothers you most and determine if EMDR feels like a good fit. We’ll set goals and create a plan for our work together.
-
We’ll focus on “resourcing”—this is where we will pack a backpack of coping skills for the journey ahead to help you manage tough emotions, calm your nervous system, and deal with distress. People sometimes notice this is all they need to feel better, even before we dive into the next phase.
-
When you’re ready, we’ll focus on a specific memory, feeling, or experience. I'll help you connect to it using seven magic questions and guide you through the process using bilateral stimulation (you can choose eye movements, sounds, or gentle tapping). This helps your brain process the stuck memory without needing to share the details if you don't want to. The goal is to shift how you feel about the memory so it no longer has such a strong emotional impact. EMDR will help you digest the emotional charge, and when you think about it, it will feel neutral and you will know it’s now in the past.
What life can look like
Tap into your innate ability to heal through EMDR therapy and transform as you rediscover your sense of purpose.
Clear the obstacles holding you back
Explore and process what’s been keeping you stuck in unhealthy patterns, so you can start living more intentionally and authentically.Identify and remove triggers
Feel less controlled by past triggers, with more emotional balance and the ability to respond calmly in tough situations.
Break free from the past
Let go of burdensome symptoms and start living life on your own terms.
Find a new perspective
Release old, limiting beliefs and build new, empowering ones that help you feel better about yourself and your future.
Build your confidence
Increase your self-confidence and feel empowered, whether at work, in relationships, or in your daily life.
Feel empowered
EMDR helps you break old cycles, giving you the strength to move forward with confidence and a clear vision for your life.
EMDR leads the way toward deeper, lasting change—the kind of change you’ve been searching for. My goal is for you to not only feel better and grow your resources so you can bounce back from whatever life throws at you.
For those who are interested in this deep, transformative work but have a limited schedule or who are seeking change in a quicker timeline, I also offer EMDR Intensives. You can learn more about them here.
Why Choose Me for EMDR Therapy
As a Certified EMDR Therapist with specialized training in trauma, I bring both professional expertise and deep compassion to our work together. My practice also incorporates complementary approaches including Internal Family Systems Informed Therapy, Trauma-Informed Stabilization Therapy, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) when beneficial.
I specialize in working with women struggling with anxiety and trauma, particularly those who appear successful externally while battling internal challenges. I understand the unique needs of high-functioning individuals who maintain outward composure while experiencing significant inner distress.
My goal is to help you not just manage symptoms but experience true healing—developing genuine confidence, calm, and clarity that transforms your relationship with yourself and your past.
-
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based therapy that uses bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess distressing memories and experiences. Rather than spending extensive time analyzing or discussing past events, EMDR works with your brain's natural processing abilities to help stuck memories become unstuck.
-
Unlike traditional talk therapy, which often focuses on discussing the past, EMDR therapy directly targets distressing memories and changes the way they are stored in the brain. This approach helps your brain process them in a healthier way, leading to faster and more lasting results, especially for deeply embedded emotional pain.
-
While EMDR therapy is highly effective for trauma, it also helps with a wide range of challenges, including anxiety, phobias, relationship struggles, stress, low self-esteem, and work-related issues. It is a versatile approach that helps heal the root cause of your pain and stress, whatever that may be.
-
Yes. While EMDR was originally developed for processing traumatic memories, it has proven highly effective for anxiety that may stem from accumulated stress, patterns developed over time, or experiences you might not initially recognize as traumatic. Through EMDR, we can identify and reprocess the foundational experiences driving your anxiety, which often leads to significant relief from symptoms like racing thoughts, physical tension, or constant worry.
-
During an EMDR session, I guide you through a structured process that helps your brain reprocess distressing memories. We identify the specific memory or issue you want to work on, then you focus on this memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically following my hand movements with your eyes. Throughout the session, I check in with you regularly to see what you are noticing. The session is entirely within your control, and you can pause or adjust the pace at any time.
-
No. One of the aspects many clients appreciate about EMDR is that you do not need to describe traumatic experiences in extensive detail for the therapy to be effective. You have complete control over how much you choose to share. During the bilateral stimulation phases, you are simply noticing what comes up for you internally, and your brain does the healing work.
-
Everyone processes at their own pace. To fully resolve a problem, we work with past memories, current triggers, and the way you would like to feel or act moving forward. Some people notice shifts within the first few sessions, while more complex or long-standing issues may take longer to address.
-
Between sessions, I may invite you to engage in practices that support your healing process, such as noticing certain thoughts or body sensations, using grounding techniques, or practicing self-compassion exercises. These are tools designed to extend the benefits of our sessions into your daily life, not to add to your already full plate.
-
Standard EMDR therapy typically involves weekly or biweekly sessions of 50 minutes, allowing you to work through difficult material at a steady pace. EMDR intensives involve longer, concentrated blocks of therapy time, usually several hours in a single day or multiple days of extended sessions. Intensives can be beneficial if you are dealing with specific traumatic events or have limited availability. During your consultation, we can discuss which format might work best for your situation.
-
Yes, EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that has been researched extensively and proven safe and effective for many people. During your initial intake session, I conduct a thorough assessment to determine if EMDR is appropriate for you at this time. If you need additional stabilization or coping skills first, we can build that foundation before moving into EMDR processing work.
-
You might be ready for EMDR if you are noticing patterns you want to change, such as intense reactions that seem disproportionate to current situations, persistent negative beliefs about yourself despite your accomplishments, or difficulty being present because past experiences keep intruding. You do not need to have everything figured out. If you are curious about whether EMDR is right for you, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your situation.
-
While I do not bill directly to insurance providers, I provide receipts that you can submit for possible reimbursement. Many extended health plans cover services provided by registered therapists.
Questions?
Resilience Counselling and Consulting is a Calgary-based private practice led by Vivienne Livingstone, offering in-person and online therapy across Alberta. The practice specializes in depth therapy to help clients address the root causes of anxiety, trauma, and stress rather than just managing symptoms. Vivienne utilizes evidence-based, trauma-informed modalities including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and Parts Work to help clients achieve lasting change. In addition to standard weekly appointments, the practice offers concentrated therapy intensives for those seeking accelerated healing.
