When Talking About It Isn't Enough
Maybe you've spent time in therapy sharing the stories, naming the pain, and still feel stuck. The memories resurface. Your body tenses in situations that shouldn't feel dangerous. Sleep is hard. Certain sounds, smells, or moments pull you back somewhere you'd rather not go. That's not a failure of effort or will. It's how trauma works. It gets stored in the nervous system, not just the mind, and talk therapy alone doesn't always reach it. If you've tried to work through a past experience and found yourself spinning in place, EMDR may be the approach you've been missing.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based therapy that helps the brain process distressing memories that haven't been fully integrated. Rather than requiring you to talk through every detail, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — such as guided eye movements — to help the nervous system metabolize experiences that have remained frozen.
Originally developed for PTSD, EMDR is now widely used for anxiety, grief, attachment wounds, and experiences of emotional overwhelm. Research consistently supports its effectiveness, and many clients experience meaningful shifts in a relatively short period of time.
How Laurel Approaches EMDR at Crescent Moon Foundation
Laurel Tien, MA, PhD, RCC, RN brings a depth of clinical training and lived understanding to her EMDR practice. Her approach is arts-informed and somatic, meaning EMDR doesn't happen in isolation. It's integrated with narrative therapy, body awareness, and creative expression to support the whole person, not just the symptom.
Sessions are held at the White Rock Counselling Coop, a calm and confidential space in South Surrey. Whether you're coming with a specific traumatic event, a pattern you can't shake, or a sense that something unnamed is weighing on you, Laurel can help you find a way through.
Learn more about Laurel's background and clinical approach on the About page.
What to Expect in EMDR Sessions
Assessment and preparation
Processing
Integration
What Shifts with EMDR
- Relief from intrusive memories and flashbacks, as the nervous system stops treating the past as a present threat
- Reduced anxiety and reactivity, so you can move through daily life with more ease and steadiness
- Greater capacity for connection, as unresolved trauma no longer creates distance in your relationships
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy
No. EMDR doesn't require a full verbal retelling of past events. You focus on the memory internally while Laurel guides the process, so you stay in control of what you share.
It varies. Some clients experience significant relief in 6–12 sessions. Others with complex trauma histories may benefit from a longer course of care. Laurel will discuss what makes sense for your situation during the early sessions.
Many extended health plans in BC cover sessions with a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). Laurel holds RCC designation through BCACC. Check your plan details or ask your employer about mental health coverage.
Yes. While EMDR is best known as a trauma treatment, it's also effective for anxiety, phobias, grief, and situations where a past experience continues to shape present-day responses — even when no single traumatic event is obvious.
Ready to Process What's Been Holding You Back?
Crescentmoon Foundation
1548 Johnston Rd, 202White Rock, BC
V4B 3Z7
laurel@crescentmoon.foundation
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