EMDR Therapy in Wilmington, NC
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured trauma therapy that helps the brain work through experiences it never finished processing. Three therapists at Allora Rise Counseling and Therapy are EMDR trained, offering it in Wilmington, North Carolina, and by telehealth throughout the state.
or book a free fifteen-minute consultation first
WRITTEN WITH
Shaina Frank, MA, LCMHC
How EMDR works
When something overwhelming happens, the brain does not always file it the way it files ordinary memory. The experience gets stored with the original images, emotions, and body sensations still attached: the tight chest, the knot in the stomach, the heart that starts racing before you know why. Which is why a reminder years later can bring all of it back at full strength, as if it is happening now rather than being remembered.
EMDR helps the brain finish that filing. You hold a piece of the memory in mind while following bilateral stimulation, and the brain does the rest, connecting what got stuck to everything it has learned since. The memory stays, but the alarm attached to it quiets. You can remember it without your body bracing for it.
It is a structured therapy with eight phases, as set out by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA), the body that sets training standards for the method and where Shaina Frank trained. Most of the early phases involve no processing at all. Your therapist starts with your history, what you want from the work, and building the grounding skills you will use throughout, which is why the first sessions look a lot like regular talk therapy.
What an EMDR session actually looks like
EMDR looks different from what most people expect, and the difference matters, because the expectation is usually what stops people from booking a session.
You do not begin with the hardest memory. A session starts with a check in: how you are doing that day, what has come up since last time, and whether it feels like the right day to keep processing. Your therapist tells you what that session will focus on before you begin, so you always know what you are walking into.
When processing begins, you bring a specific memory, image, thought, or feeling to mind while following bilateral stimulation, which is usually moving your eyes side to side or alternating taps. You do not have to describe every detail of what you are experiencing. You notice what comes up, whether that is a thought, an emotion, a body sensation, or another memory, and you let your brain do what it already knows how to do. Your therapist pauses throughout to ask what you are noticing, and then you continue.
Every session ends with grounding. You talk about what came up, how you feel, and use calming strategies if you need them. It is normal for new thoughts, emotions, or memories to surface between sessions, and that becomes part of the work at a pace that stays manageable.
From your side it often feels like a gentle, steady rhythm. There is nothing you have to force or do right. Your only job is to notice what comes up while we move through it together. And you are in control the entire time. If you need a break, want to slow down, or something does not feel right, we stop.
SHAINA FRANK, MA, LCMHC
What has to be in place before you start
There is no set number of sessions before reprocessing begins, because it depends entirely on the person. Some clients are ready sooner. Others benefit from more time building coping skills, strengthening internal resources, and making sure they feel genuinely grounded before moving into deeper work.
The preparation is what makes the processing hold. Our therapists do not rush this phase, and the goal is never to get through EMDR quickly.
What people get wrong about EMDR
THE WORRY
"I'll have to relive it"
You do bring the memory to mind, but recalling is not reliving. You touch it briefly, with your therapist pacing it, and you do not have to describe a single detail out loud for the processing to work.
THE WORRY
It's basically hypnosis."
It is not. You are awake, aware, and in control throughout. You can pause, ask questions, or stop at any point.
THE WORRY
"I'll lose control."
The opposite is the design. It is a collaborative process and you set the pace, including whether and when to stop.
What we treat with EMDR
Single-incident trauma, complex trauma, and childhood trauma. OCD. Specific phobias including emetophobia. Relational trauma, meaning the patterns that formed in early relationships and still shape how you feel and relate now. Grief and traumatic loss. Attachment concerns.
EMDR is also used here for anxiety and negative core beliefs when those turn out to be rooted in something unresolved rather than in present circumstances. As one of our therapists puts it, EMDR is for anyone experiencing triggering memories, intense anxiety, and negative beliefs they feel stuck inside.
It is not the right tool for everything, and none of our EMDR therapists treat active addiction, eating disorders requiring medical monitoring, mania, or psychosis with it. If that is the help you need, our practice will refer you to a provider rather than start EMDR.
How long it takes, and what finishing looks like
The length depends on what you came in for and what you want from it. Some clients arrive with one specific concern and feel ready to finish after a few months. Others continue longer, working through deeper patterns as they surface.
Finished does not mean life is perfect or that you never feel anxious again. It means you feel more confident in yourself, you trust your ability to handle what arrives, and you are no longer caught in the cycles that brought you in.
Who offers EMDR at Allora Rise
Three therapists here are EMDR trained. Each brings it to a different kind of work, and two, Jax Sullivan and Yolandi Rause, also work with clients who want their faith held alongside the trauma work rather than set aside for it.
Shaina Frank
MA, LCMHC
Single-incident trauma, complex and childhood trauma, relational trauma, OCD, and emetophobia. EMDRIA trained. Adults 18 and up. Cargo District and telehealth.
Jax Sullivan
LCMHC-A
Trauma, attachment concerns, and grief. Adults 18 and up. Cargo District and telehealth.
Yolandi Rause
LCMHC-S
Trauma, religious and spiritual trauma, and women’s health concerns. Women 18 and up. Wrightsville Beach and telehealth.
Common questions
Is EMDR a device or a technique?
It is a technique, not a device. The therapist guides your eye movements or another form of bilateral stimulation, such as tapping, by hand or with simple cues, while you focus on a specific memory. No equipment is required, though some therapists use a light bar or handheld pulsers as an aid.
Is EMDR the same as hypnosis?
No. You are awake, aware, and in control the entire time. You can pause, ask questions, or stop at any point.
Is EMDR covered by insurance?
EMDR is a therapy method rather than a separate billable service, so it is covered as a standard therapy session. Shaina Frank and Yolandi Rause are in network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and UnitedHealthcare. Jax Sullivan is in network with Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.
Does EMDR work over telehealth?
Yes. All three of our EMDR trained therapists offer telehealth throughout North Carolina, and bilateral stimulation adapts to a virtual session.
What if I start and want to stop?
You can stop at any point, in the middle of a set or between sessions. Nothing about EMDR requires you to continue past what feels manageable, and pausing is a normal part of the process.
Do I have to tell my therapist everything that happened?
Yes, and most of our therapists offer it throughout North Carolina. The skills-based work in particular translates without difficulty.
Most people say it was gentler than they expected.
Book a session online, or a free fifteen-minute consultation first with an EMDR trained therapist of your choice. You can also email info@allorarise.com or call or text 910-408-2302.