I’ve been doing EMDR therapy again for a couple of months now, and even though it’s still fairly recent, this isn’t my first time going through it. A few years ago, I spent almost a full year doing EMDR with a different therapist — and that experience planted the first real seeds of healing in my life. Coming back to it now feels like picking up where I left off, only stronger and more grounded in my faith.
For anyone who doesn’t know, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that helps you work through trauma and painful memories in a safe, guided way. Most people think it’s all about eye movement — following a light or watching a therapist’s fingers move side to side — but there are other methods too. Some sessions use gentle tapping on the knees or hands, while others use alternating sounds in each ear through headphones. These small, repetitive actions actually help your brain reprocess painful experiences so they lose their grip on you.
When I first started EMDR, I didn’t know if I could handle it. Facing trauma head-on takes courage, and there were moments I wanted to run from it. But session by session, something started to shift. The memories that once crushed me started to feel more distant. They were still there — but they didn’t control me anymore.
Now that I’ve returned to EMDR after some time away, I can see how far I’ve come. I’m more self-aware, more patient with myself, and more spiritually connected. This time around, I’ve been able to combine EMDR with regular therapy, the right medications, and my faith in God — and together, they’ve made a world of difference. My faith gives me strength to walk into those tough sessions and trust that God is working in the middle of the process, even when it hurts.
There are days I leave therapy emotionally drained, but there are also days I walk out feeling free. And that freedom — that feeling of peace after carrying so much weight — is something I’ll never take for granted.
If you’ve gone through trauma or still battle memories that replay in your mind, please know there is hope. Healing takes time, but it’s real. With the right support, the right tools, and a little faith, your story doesn’t have to end in pain
Healing isn’t about forgetting what happened. It’s about learning to live again — with peace, faith, and a heart that knows it’s finally safe to heal.
By: Joshua Bridges
YOU {R} NOT ALONE YOU HAVE A VOICE! 