Trauma processing
EMDR Therapy in Calgary & Virtual Across Alberta
You know the event is over, but your body has not received the message. A memory, sound, conflict, or ordinary moment can pull you straight back into panic, shutdown, shame, or the same belief about yourself. EMDR offers a structured way to work with what still feels unfinished.
EMDR may be worth exploring when
- A past experience still feels emotionally present, even when you understand it logically
- Certain memories, images, sounds, or situations trigger a strong body response
- You keep returning to beliefs such as 'I'm not safe', 'I'm not enough', or 'It was my fault'
- Talking about what happened has brought insight, but the emotional charge has not shifted
- Anxiety, avoidance, hypervigilance, or shutdown keeps narrowing your life
What EMDR sessions can look like
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured therapy that uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or tapping, while you work with a carefully chosen memory or belief. You stay awake, aware, and in control throughout the process. Preparation and pacing come first, and processing begins only when you feel ready.
- Map what is happening now and identify the memories or beliefs connected to it.
- Build grounding and regulation skills so you have ways to settle your nervous system.
- Process a selected target at a pace that stays manageable, with regular check-ins.
- Notice what has shifted and strengthen a more adaptive belief before closing the session.
EMDR is one tool, not a one-size-fits-all answer
Sheri integrates EMDR into a broader trauma-informed approach. Depending on what you need, sessions may also draw from CBT, DBT skills, narrative therapy, somatic regulation, and attachment-based work. The approach is chosen with you, not applied to you.
Practical details
In-person in Calgary, virtual across Alberta
- Location
- 11500 29 St. SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 3W9, with free parking on site.
- Session format
- In-person sessions in Calgary and secure virtual sessions for clients anywhere in Alberta, including Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Peace River, and rural communities.
- Your clinician
- Every session is provided by Sheri Boyd, MA, MBA, a provisionally registered psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), under registered supervision.
- Fees & insurance
- $235 per 50-minute session (booked in a 60-minute slot). Psychological services are GST-exempt. Direct billing is available for Alberta Blue Cross, Sun Life, Green Shield Canada, and Canada Life, and detailed receipts are provided for every other plan.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to tell the whole story in detail?
Not necessarily. EMDR requires enough information to identify what you are working on, but you do not need to describe every detail aloud for processing to happen.
Will I lose control or be hypnotized?
No. You remain awake, aware, and able to pause at any point. EMDR is not hypnosis.
Can EMDR be done virtually?
Yes. Virtual sessions can use secure bilateral stimulation tools or guided self-tapping. Sheri will discuss whether virtual EMDR is appropriate for your needs and environment.
Does EMDR start in the first session?
Usually not. The early work focuses on understanding your history, identifying goals, and building enough safety and regulation before processing begins.
Is EMDR only for major trauma?
No. It may also be used for distressing experiences, persistent negative beliefs, anxiety triggers, and memories that continue to shape present-day reactions.
How do I know whether EMDR is a fit?
A free consult is a chance to describe what keeps resurfacing and ask whether EMDR, another approach, or a combination may fit your goals.
Short answers
What Does EMDR Actually Feel Like?
Most people arrive at EMDR having read something vague about eye movements and wondering if it's real therapy. It is, and it's more structured than it sounds.
The work starts with stabilization, not the memory. Only once you have ways to settle your body do you begin processing what's still active.
The goal isn't forgetting. It's that the memory stops behaving like it's happening now.
Burnout Isn't Laziness: Recognizing the Signs Before You Crash
Burnout rarely announces itself. It shows up as cynicism about work you used to care about, a shorter fuse at home, and exhaustion that rest doesn't touch.
By the time most people book, they've been managing it privately for a year or more.
Recovery is less about a vacation and more about changing what keeps refilling the tank with stress.
CBT vs. EMDR: Which Therapy Approach Fits Your Situation
CBT works on the thinking and behaviour patterns keeping a problem alive right now.
EMDR works on memories that still fire as though they're current events.
Assessment comes first. The approach should follow what's actually going on, not the other way around.