Some memories stay stuck. EMDR helps your brain finish processing them, so the past can feel like the past.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is one of the most researched treatments for trauma and PTSD. At Road to Healing Counseling, Dr. Najmeh Hourmanesh, a Licensed Psychologist, Certified EMDR Therapist, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant, offers EMDR for children, teens, and adults from our office in Millcreek, serving families across the Salt Lake Valley. Sessions are available in English and Farsi (فارسی).

You set the pace. We go only as far as it feels safe, and you are never alone in the process.

What is EMDR?

When something overwhelming happens, the brain does not always file the memory away the way it files ordinary experiences. Instead, the memory can stay “stuck” with the original images, body sensations, emotions, and beliefs still attached. A sound, a smell, or a tone of voice can bring it all rushing back, as if it were happening now.

EMDR helps the brain finish the job it could not complete at the time. While you briefly hold a piece of the memory in mind, you follow bilateral stimulation: side-to-side eye movements, alternating taps, or tones. This dual focus appears to help the nervous system reprocess the memory, so it loses its emotional charge and becomes something that happened, rather than something that keeps happening.

EMDR does not erase memories, and you do not have to describe every detail out loud. Many clients are surprised by how much changes without lengthy retelling. Over time, beliefs like “I am not safe” or “It was my fault” can shift toward “It is over” and “I did the best I could.”

EMDR is recommended for trauma and PTSD by organizations including the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

What EMDR Can Help With

EMDR is best known for PTSD, but it can help with any distress rooted in difficult life experiences. Dr. Hourmanesh uses EMDR with clients facing:

• PTSD and complex PTSD, including trauma from childhood abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect
• Single-incident trauma such as car or industrial accidents, assaults, medical procedures, or natural disasters
• War, displacement, and migration trauma
• Anxiety, panic, and phobias, such as fear of driving, flying, or medical settings
• Depression linked to painful past experiences
• Dissociative symptoms, approached carefully and at a pace that protects stability
• Grief and traumatic loss
• Childhood experiences that still shape how you see yourself and relate to others

Not sure if your experience “counts” as trauma? You do not need a diagnosis to reach out. If something from your past still feels present, that is reason enough to talk.

Why Choose EMDR With Dr. Hourmanesh

Many therapists have taken introductory EMDR training. Fewer have gone on to certification, and fewer still are approved to train and supervise other clinicians.

• EMDRIA Certified Therapist and Approved Consultant. Dr. Hourmanesh has met the EMDR International Association’s standards for advanced training and supervised practice, and she provides EMDR consultation to other therapists working toward certification.
• More than one EMDR tool. Beyond the standard protocol, she uses the Flash Technique, EMDR 2.0, the EMDR Story Telling Technique for children, and group EMDR protocols (GTEP, C-GTEP, and IGTP) for families and groups.
• EMDR integrated with other trauma approaches. For complex trauma, she often combines EMDR with Internal Family Systems (Certified IFS Therapist, Level 3) and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (Certified), so the body and every part of you are included in the work.
• Every age, from early childhood up. As a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) and Nationally Certified School Psychologist, she adapts EMDR for children through play and sand tray.
• English and Farsi. EMDR works best when you can feel and think in your own language. Dr. Hourmanesh offers sessions in both, with an understanding of Iranian culture and family life.
• Licensed Psychologist (PhD). She earned her doctorate in Psychology from the University of Utah in 2006 and is licensed in Utah (DOPL #6291992-2501).

What to Expect

EMDR follows a structured, eight-phase approach. Reprocessing memories is only one part of it. Much of the early work builds safety and stability first.

1. History and planning. We talk about what brings you in, your goals, and which memories or triggers to focus on.
2. Preparation. You learn what EMDR feels like and build calming skills, such as a “calm place” or container exercise, that you can use in and out of session.
3. Assessment. We identify a target memory, the image, the negative belief tied to it, the belief you would rather hold, and where you feel it in your body.
4. Desensitization. With bilateral stimulation, you notice whatever comes up, and the memory’s intensity gradually decreases.
5. Installation. The positive belief is strengthened until it feels true.
6. Body scan. We check for any leftover tension or sensation and clear it.
7. Closure. Each session ends with you grounded and steady, even if a memory is still in progress.
8. Reevaluation. At the next visit, we review what has shifted and decide what to work on next.

A typical session lasts about an hour to 90 minutes. You stay awake, aware, and in control the whole time, and you can pause whenever you need to. Some people feel relief after a few sessions; complex or long-standing trauma usually takes longer. Dr. Hourmanesh will discuss a realistic plan with you after your first visits.

EMDR for Children and Teens

Children do not need to sit and talk through what happened for EMDR to help. With young children, Dr. Hourmanesh weaves EMDR into play, drawing, sand tray, and storytelling. Play gives children the safety and distance they need to approach hard experiences a little at a time, and to reclaim their power and their stories. The EMDR Story Telling Technique lets a parent or caregiver help tell the child’s story in a gentle, structured way while bilateral stimulation is delivered. Teens often do well with standard EMDR, adapted to their interests and need for privacy.

Parents are partners in the process. Depending on your child’s age and needs, you may join part of sessions, learn ways to support regulation at home, or take part in family-based protocols.

In-Person and Online EMDR

In person: Our office is located on the first floor of the Heritage Square building at 1345 E 3900 S, Suite 104, in Millcreek, a short drive from Salt Lake City, Holladay, Murray, Cottonwood Heights, and South Salt Lake. Free parking is available surrounding the building. The sign “Road To Healing Counseling” covers the Suite #.

Online: EMDR is also available through secure video for Utah residents, using on-screen eye movements or self-administered tapping. We will talk together about whether in-person or online sessions are the better fit for you. The FAQ has more details.

Fees: EMDR sessions are billed at the standard psychotherapy rate: $200 per hour for adults and $175 per hour for children and teens. Road to Healing Counseling is an out-of-network provider; we provide an invoice you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. A limited number of reduced-fee spots are available. See Fees & Policies for details.

Hours: Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many EMDR sessions will I need? It depends on what you are working on. A single recent event may resolve in a handful of reprocessing sessions. Complex or childhood trauma usually takes longer, because building stability comes first. Dr. Hourmanesh will give you a realistic estimate after the first few visits.

Do I have to talk about every detail of my trauma? No. EMDR asks you to briefly bring a memory to mind, not to retell it in full. You share what feels okay to share.

Is EMDR hypnosis? No. You remain fully awake, aware, and in control throughout, and you can stop at any time.

Will I feel worse before I feel better? Some people feel tired or notice new memories or dreams between sessions as processing continues. You will learn calming skills before reprocessing begins, and each session closes with you grounded.

Can EMDR help with anxiety or phobias, not just trauma? Yes. Dr. Hourmanesh often uses EMDR for anxiety disorders and phobias, which frequently trace back to earlier distressing experiences.

Is EMDR safe for young children? Yes, when adapted for their age. With children, EMDR is woven into play, drawing, and storytelling, with parents involved as appropriate.

Can I do EMDR in Farsi? Yes. Dr. Hourmanesh provides EMDR and all of her therapy services in both English and Farsi.

I already see a therapist. Can I do EMDR with you alongside that? Often, yes. Some clients come specifically for focused EMDR work while continuing with their primary therapist. We can discuss coordinating care with your consent.

Does insurance cover EMDR? Road to Healing Counseling is out-of-network. We provide an invoice you can submit to your insurer; check with them about out-of-network mental health benefits before your first appointment.

Ready to Begin?

Healing is a path you walk at your own pace, but never alone. If you are in Millcreek, Salt Lake City, or anywhere in Utah and want to learn whether EMDR is right for you or your child, reach out to start the conversation.