We offer EMDR Therapy for adults, teens, and children across the North Shore — a structured, evidence-based approach that helps your brain process and release what's been stuck, so it no longer runs the show.
Some experiences don't stay where we put them. They show up in the body as tension, in the mind as intrusive thoughts, and in everyday life as reactions that feel bigger than the moment deserves. That's not weakness. That's what unprocessed experiences look like.
EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a structured, evidence-based therapy designed to help the brain process and release those stuck experiences. Rather than just talking about what happened, EMDR works with the way your nervous system stores difficult memories and helps it complete what it couldn't finish at the time.
What EMDR Therapy tends to make possible:
During EMDR sessions, your therapist guides you through a structured process using bilateral stimulation — typically eye movements, tapping, or sound — while you briefly focus on a difficult memory or experience. This dual attention allows the brain to process what's stored in a way that reduces its emotional charge over time. The memory doesn't disappear. It just loses its grip.
At The Artful Life, EMDR is offered within individual therapy sessions and as standalone intensives for clients who want to do more concentrated trauma work in a shorter timeframe. Sessions are available in person at our Salem and Beverly counseling centers or via telehealth.
Without this kind of targeted support, difficult experiences can stay lodged in the nervous system indefinitely, shaping how you feel, how you relate, and how you move through the world. EMDR gives the brain a structured way to finally finish what it started.
Founded in 2016 by Natalie and Madelene, The Artful Life is the North Shore's only Expressive Arts Therapy group practice of its kind. What started as a single studio has expanded into two locations in Beverly and Salem, MA, with a full team of masters-level licensed therapists serving clients of all ages.
Several of our therapists hold specialized EMDR training, and our whole-person approach means EMDR is never offered in isolation. It's always part of a broader therapeutic relationship that supports you before, during, and after the processing work.
Our work is guided by four core beliefs:
Your therapist guides you through a structured process while you briefly hold a difficult memory in mind alongside bilateral stimulation, which may be eye movements, tapping, or sound. Sessions are paced carefully and you remain in control throughout. It's less intense than most people expect, and many clients notice a shift even within the first few sessions.
Standard EMDR is typically delivered across weekly sessions over a longer period of time. An EMDR Intensive condenses that work into longer, dedicated blocks, allowing you to move through traumatic material more efficiently without the gaps between weekly appointments. It's a strong option for adults who are ready to do focused trauma work and want to make meaningful progress in a shorter timeframe. Note: EMDR intensives are not fully covered by insurance. Contact our office for more information.
EMDR is particularly effective for trauma, PTSD, anxiety, phobias, grief, and distressing life experiences. It is available for adults, teens, and children at The Artful Life, and can be combined with individual therapy, Creative Arts Therapy, and Somatic approaches depending on what fits best.
No. One of the things that makes EMDR distinctive is that it doesn't require you to retell or relive your experience in depth. You hold the memory briefly while the bilateral stimulation does its work. Many clients find this a relief, especially if talk therapy has felt retraumatizing in the past.
For our 60-minute sessions, yes. For the intensives, clients would need to cover the rest out of pocket.
We accept insurance from a range of providers including Aetna, WellSense, Carelon, Point32 Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and United Healthcare/Optum. See our full, up-to-date coverage list here.
Some things don't resolve on their own. EMDR might be what finally helps.
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