When an experience is over, but your mind or body still reacts as though it is happening.
Sometimes we understand logically that something is in the past—and still feel it in the present. A memory, image, body sensation, belief, trigger, or relationship dynamic can activate the same fear, shame, helplessness, anger, or urgency again and again.
Structured Therapy Approach
Loving Circle Counseling offers EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy in Bloomfield Hills to help clients process distressing experiences and the thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and body responses connected to them.
Ashley Casalou, MA, LPC, our founder and clinical director, is an EMDR Certified Therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant (verify through EMDRIA). Sue Nguyen, Rachel Quell, and Baylee Galdys also provide EMDR. Availability and clinical fit vary.
What EMDR May Help With
Trauma & PTSD
Complex Or Developmental Trauma
Distressing Childhood Experiences
Attachment & Relationship Wounds
Betrayal Or Trust Injuries
Anxiety, Panic & Phobias
Grief & Difficult Life Experiences
Shame, Negative Self-beliefs & Persistent Triggers
What EMDR Is
— And What It Is Not
EMDR is more than simply moving your eyes back and forth while talking about a memory. It is a structured therapy with multiple phases, including assessment, preparation, target planning, reprocessing, and integration.
Before reprocessing begins, your therapist will spend time understanding your history, current stability, goals, coping resources, and whether EMDR is the right fit. Preparation and pacing are especially important for clients with complex trauma or dissociation.
What An EMDR Session Can Look Like
Once you and your therapist have identified an appropriate target, you may briefly bring aspects of the experience to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or alternating taps. Your therapist guides the process while monitoring distress, body responses, new associations, and shifts in the way the memory is experienced. You remain awake, aware, and in control throughout the session.
In-Person And Online EMDR
EMDR is available in person in Bloomfield Hills. Online EMDR may also be available for clients located in Michigan when the therapist determines telehealth is clinically appropriate and the client has adequate privacy, technology, and support for the work.
Common Questions About EMDR
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Often, no. EMDR may require less detailed verbal retelling than some forms of traditional talk therapy.
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No. You remain awake, aware, and able to pause or stop at any time.
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The timeline varies. Some targets shift more quickly than others, while complex or longstanding trauma often requires more preparation and a longer course of therapy.
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No single approach is right for everyone. Your therapist will assess fit and may integrate EMDR with other approaches.