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EMDR therapy in Guelph

EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy are among the approaches Kate may draw on for trauma, offered virtually across Ontario.

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured form of psychotherapy used to help people process distressing or traumatic memories. In a session, you briefly bring a difficult memory to mind while following a form of bilateral stimulation — most often gentle side-to-side eye movements.

EMDR was developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s and follows an eight-phase protocol (Shapiro, 2018). It is used internationally in the treatment of post-traumatic stress: the World Health Organization’s guidance on stress-related conditions states that referral for advanced treatments such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy or EMDR should be considered for people with PTSD (World Health Organization, 2013).

What is ART?

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) is a related, more recent approach that also uses back-and-forth eye movements within a structured session. It was developed by Laney Rosenzweig in 2008, drawing on her training in EMDR along with elements of other established therapies (International Society of Accelerated Resolution Therapy, n.d.). Like EMDR, it is used to help people work through traumatic or upsetting experiences, and it has been studied in a randomised controlled trial with military personnel and veterans (Kip et al., 2013).

How these fit into working together

EMDR and ART are approaches used within therapy, not a separate programme you sign up for. For those who have experienced trauma, Kate may incorporate eye movement-based approaches such as EMDR and ART, tailored to what each person needs. Whether they’re a good fit is something you decide together.

Because this kind of work benefits from unhurried time, it is often done within a 75-minute Extended Session. If you’re new to EMDR, or simply unsure whether it’s right for you, a free 15-minute consultation is a good place to start.

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References

  1. International Society of Accelerated Resolution Therapy. (n.d.). About IS-ART. Retrieved September 14, 2026, from https://is-art.org/about/
  2. Kip, K. E., Rosenzweig, L., Hernandez, D. F., Shuman, A., Sullivan, K. L., Long, C. J., Taylor, J., McGhee, S., Girling, S. A., Wittenberg, T., Sahebzamani, F. M., Lengacher, C. A., Kadel, R., & Diamond, D. M. (2013). Randomized controlled trial of accelerated resolution therapy (ART) for symptoms of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Military Medicine, 178(12), 1298–1309. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED-D-13-00298
  3. Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.). The Guilford Press.
  4. World Health Organization. (2013). Guidelines for the management of conditions specifically related to stress. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241505406