EMDR therapy in Denver, from therapists who are actually certified in it
A lot of practices offer EMDR. Very few have therapists who are EMDR Certified — a credential that requires advanced training, supervised practice hours, and demonstrated clinical competency beyond basic coursework. At My Denver Therapy, we have multiple EMDR Certified therapists — more than nearly any independent practice in Colorado — and our team has collectively helped over 1,000 people heal from trauma using EMDR.
What EMDR Certified actually means — and why it matters
When you search for “EMDR therapy Denver,” you’ll find dozens of results. Most therapists who list EMDR as a service have completed a basic weekend training — enough to use the protocol, but not enough to earn EMDR Certification.
EMDR Certification through EMDRIA (the EMDR International Association) requires:
- Completion of an approved basic EMDR training program
- A minimum of 50 EMDR sessions with actual clients
- 20 hours of consultation with an approved EMDR consultant
- Demonstrated case conceptualization and clinical competency
It’s the difference between a therapist who has learned EMDR and one who has been rigorously tested in applying it. For trauma that hasn’t responded to other treatment, that difference matters.
Several of our therapists are EMDR Certified. Others are EMDR-trained with extensive clinical hours. And our own Leigh Anne Hague is not only EMDR Certified — she’s an EMDRIA-approved EMDR consultant, meaning she trains and evaluates other therapists seeking certification.
What EMDR is — and how it works
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based therapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It’s now one of the most extensively researched trauma treatments in the world, recommended by the American Psychological Association, the VA, and the World Health Organization.
The core insight behind EMDR is that traumatic memories aren’t processed the same way ordinary memories are. When something overwhelming happens, the brain sometimes can’t fully integrate the experience — it gets “frozen” with the original emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs attached. Those frozen memories then get triggered by present-day experiences, producing reactions that feel disproportionate or out of control.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements, though audio or tactile cues can also be used — to activate the same natural processing mechanism that occurs during REM sleep. This allows the brain to reprocess the stored memory, keeping the factual content while stripping away the emotional charge. The memory doesn’t disappear. It just stops running your life.
Importantly, EMDR doesn’t require you to talk through your trauma in detail. Many clients find this to be one of the most significant differences from traditional talk therapy — you can process without having to narrate.
What EMDR treats
EMDR was originally developed for PTSD, but decades of research have expanded its applications considerably. Our Denver EMDR therapists use it to treat:
- PTSD and complex PTSD (C-PTSD) — including single-incident and developmental trauma
- Childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
- Anxiety and panic disorders — particularly when rooted in past experiences
- Depression linked to unprocessed grief, loss, or trauma history
- Betrayal trauma — infidelity, breach of trust, pathological relationships
- Religious trauma — harm caused by religious environments or communities
- Grief and loss — including pregnancy loss and anticipatory grief
- Phobias — especially those with an identifiable origin
- Performance anxiety — in athletes, executives, and creatives
- Attachment wounds — early relational trauma affecting current relationships
- Domestic violence and abuse
- First responder and medical trauma
- Perinatal trauma — birth trauma, NICU experiences, postpartum PTSD
If you’re unsure whether EMDR is the right fit for what you’re dealing with, reach out — we’re happy to talk it through before you book.
The research behind EMDR
EMDR has one of the strongest evidence bases of any trauma treatment available:
- Research published in the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research shows success rates as high as 90% for single-trauma PTSD, often in as few as 3 sessions
- The World Health Organization, American Psychological Association, and the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines all recommend EMDR as a first-line treatment for PTSD
- A landmark study found that 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD diagnosis after 12 EMDR sessions
- EMDR has been shown to be effective for trauma across the lifespan — from early childhood adverse experiences through adult-onset PTSD
These aren’t niche findings. EMDR’s effectiveness is as well-established as any treatment in the mental health field. The question isn’t whether it works — it’s whether you’re working with therapists who are trained well enough to apply it effectively for your specific situation.
What to expect: EMDR at My Denver Therapy
History and treatment planning: Your first sessions focus on understanding your history, identifying the specific memories or experiences driving your current symptoms, and building the therapeutic relationship. We don't rush this.
Preparation and resourcing: Before any processing begins, we equip you with grounding and stabilization tools — techniques you can use between sessions when difficult material surfaces. Clients who skip this phase often feel destabilized rather than helped. We don't skip it.
Assessment, desensitization, and installation: This is the core EMDR work: activating the target memory, applying bilateral stimulation, and allowing the brain to process and reprocess until the emotional charge diminishes. We then install a more adaptive belief in place of the negative one the trauma created.
Closure: Every session ends with closure — grounding exercises to ensure you leave feeling stable, not raw. You'll never leave an EMDR session mid-process.
Reevaluation: At the start of subsequent sessions, we check in on what processed, what shifted, and what still needs attention. Treatment is iterative, not linear.
How long does EMDR take? For a single-incident trauma, many clients see significant results in 6–12 sessions. Complex or developmental trauma — especially trauma beginning in childhood or involving repeated experiences — typically takes longer. We'll give you an honest picture of what to expect for your specific situation in the early sessions.
Our EMDR therapists in Denver
Denver
Anne Giles Anne integrates EMDR, somatic therapy, psychodynamic theory, and parts-based work to help clients move beyond self-criticism and emotional overwhelm toward inner balance and self-trust. Her style is grounded, compassionate, and relational.
Lindsey Kayne Lindsey has extensive experience working with survivors of childhood trauma, domestic violence, and complex PTSD, using EMDR, CBT, and Emotionally Focused Therapy as her primary modalities.
Lance Hill EMDR is Lance’s primary clinical training and the central tool in his trauma work. He uses it alongside Internal Family Systems to help clients reprocess unresolved feelings that are driving distress in daily life.
John Hague John completed his EMDR training through an EMDRIA-approved facility and brings extensive experience working with survivors of domestic violence.
Allie Evans (EMDR Certified Therapist) Allie is an EMDR Certified Therapist also trained in Ketamine-assisted therapy, Level 1 Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Somatic Attachment Therapy — a holistic approach that helps people heal from relationship wounds and trauma. She works with individuals, couples, and families navigating life transitions, emotional distress, self-esteem challenges, and trauma.
Aria Kirby Aria is trained in EMDR and Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, with a focus on healing from trauma, addiction, and depression.
Greenwood Village
Leigh Anne Hague (EMDR Certified Therapist — EMDRIA | EMDR Consultant) Leigh Anne is one of our most credentialed EMDR practitioners. She is an EMDR Certified Therapist through EMDRIA and an EMDRIA-approved EMDR consultant — meaning she not only practices EMDR at the highest level, she also provides EMDR consultation to other therapists working toward their own certification. She has worked with children, adolescents, adults, and families facing sexual abuse, grief, life transitions, anxiety, depression, and complex trauma.
Dawn Schmidli Dawn brings EMDR into her work alongside CBT and Experiential Therapy, specializing in grief, loss, life transitions, and personal growth.
Lone Tree
MacKenzie King MacKenzie is trained in EMDR and uses it as part of her work with betrayal trauma — the particular devastation that follows infidelity and affair discovery. She also integrates Motivational Interviewing and Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.
Kelly Albers Kelly is trained in EMDR with advanced training specifically in EMDR for Complex PTSD (C-PTSD). She specializes in anxiety, depression, complex trauma, grief, and life transitions, with particular depth working with clients navigating infertility, pregnancy and child loss, and the foster care system.
Brian Thomas Brian integrates EMDR with DBT and Ketamine-assisted therapy, with a specialty in recovery from narcissistic and pathological relationships as a Certified Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Technician through the PRL Institute.
Telehealth (Colorado-wide)
Courtneyrose Chung (LPC, LMFT, LAC) One of the most requested trauma therapists at MDT, Courtneyrose is one of the only therapists in Colorado who simultaneously holds licenses as a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Licensed Addiction Counselor. EMDR is one of her core modalities, alongside IFS, Ketamine-assisted therapy, DBT, CBT, Gottman Method, and EFT.
Hillary Naef Hillary is trained in EMDR for trauma and brings experience from inpatient, residential, and group private practice settings. She works with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, personality disorders, substance use, and perinatal mental health.
EMDR online — does it work?
Yes. Online EMDR therapy is effective and increasingly well-supported by research. Bilateral stimulation can be delivered via screen-based eye movement tools, audio, or self-administered tapping — all of which have shown comparable outcomes to in-person delivery in multiple studies.
Many clients actually prefer starting EMDR online. Processing difficult trauma material from the safety of your own home can feel less exposing, and the option to pause and ground yourself in a familiar environment is genuinely useful.
All of our therapists offer telehealth for clients anywhere in Colorado.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between EMDR Certified and EMDR trained? EMDR trained means a therapist has completed a basic EMDR training program — typically a weekend course. EMDR Certified is a more rigorous credential requiring a minimum of 50 completed EMDR client sessions, 20 hours of consultation with an approved consultant, and demonstrated clinical competency evaluated by EMDRIA. Not every therapist who offers EMDR is Certified. At My Denver Therapy, several of our therapists hold full EMDR Certification.
How many EMDR sessions will I need? For a single-incident trauma, many clients see significant results in 6–12 sessions. Complex or developmental trauma typically requires more. We’ll give you an honest estimate in the first few sessions based on your specific history and goals.
Does EMDR work for anxiety, not just trauma? Yes. EMDR is highly effective for anxiety, panic disorders, phobias, and OCD — particularly when those issues are rooted in past experiences. Research supports its use well beyond PTSD.
Do I have to talk about everything that happened in detail? No. One of EMDR’s most significant advantages over traditional talk therapy is that it doesn’t require a detailed verbal narrative of your trauma. You control how much you share. The processing happens internally, guided by bilateral stimulation, not by recounting events aloud.
Can EMDR make things worse? Done well, no. The preparation and resourcing phase exists specifically to ensure you have the stability and coping tools needed before processing begins. Skipping that phase — which some undertrained therapists do — can lead to clients feeling destabilized. We don’t skip it.
Is EMDR covered by insurance? My Denver Therapy is private pay and out-of-network with insurance. We provide superbills for potential out-of-network reimbursement. See our cost and insurance page for full details.
Can EMDR be done online? Yes. We offer online EMDR therapy via secure video for clients anywhere in Colorado, using bilateral stimulation methods adapted for virtual delivery.
What if I’ve tried EMDR before and it didn’t work? EMDR outcomes depend significantly on the training and skill of the therapist delivering it. If you’ve had EMDR that felt ineffective or destabilizing, it’s worth trying again with a therapist who holds full EMDR Certification and has substantial clinical experience. Many of our clients come to us after EMDR experiences elsewhere that didn’t land — and find meaningfully different results.
Other Specialties
When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
Victor Frankl
Meet our therapists
As a therapist-owned practice, we care about helping you heal, grow, and thrive. We take a client-focused approach to counseling and approach each session with a commitment to your progress and growth.
Availability
We’re always accepting new clients at our conveniently located offices in Denver, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, and Arvada. All of our therapists can meet with clients online.
We specialize in you
You are welcome here. Because we have a large team with a wide range of specialties and trainings, we work with clients of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages.
We can match you with a male or female therapist who matches your goals, location, and schedule. If you have a preference for gender, age, religious background, or a person with a specific type of training or life experience, we can match you with a therapist you feel comfortable with.
Trained in effective therapy modalities
To support your mental health journey, our team is trained in some of the most effective forms of therapy available today, including EMDR, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Brainspotting, CBT, DBT, and IFS.
Whether you’re looking for help with anxiety, depression, trauma, or want to better understand your relationship and attachment styles, we can help.
Insurance information
We’re out of network with insurance and Tricare and are unable to take Medicaid or Medicare.
Unlike many Denver therapy practices, we don’t charge separate intake or administration fees or charge more for your first session or specialized therapy methods like EMDR.
Get matched with a therapist
Contact us today, and one of our therapists will reach out to you directly, usually the same day.