What is EMDR Therapy?

True psychological healing requires more than just talking about the past—it requires reaching the deeper centers of the brain where traumatic memories are physically stored.

If you have tried traditional talk therapy to resolve a history of trauma, you may have found that intellectual understanding only goes so far. True healing requires reaching the deeper, survival-based centers of the brain where traumatic memories are physically stored.

EMDR therapy goes beyond traditional talk therapy by helping the brain actively reprocess and integrate stuck trauma memories in a safe, structured clinical environment.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a structured, evidence-based psychotherapy designed to help the brain naturally process and integrate traumatic memories, reducing the ongoing emotional distress associated with them. 

Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the 1980s, EMDR shifts away from long-term verbal analysis, focusing instead on the brain's innate capacity for psychological healing.

While originally developed to treat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), extensive clinical research demonstrates that EMDR is highly effective for a wide spectrum of psychological challenges, including:

• Chronic stress and panic disorders

• Insomnia and sleep disturbances

• Performance anxiety and performance enhancement

• Substance abuse, behavioral addictions, and compulsive patterns

• Developmental, relational, and preverbal abuse

Why is EMDR Therapy More Effective Than Talk Therapy?

1. It Delivers Faster, Accelerated Trauma Resolution

Generally speaking, EMDR therapy tends to resolve trauma more rapidly than traditional talk therapies because it directly targets the nervous system rather than relying purely on cognitive insight. However, the timeline depends heavily on the complexity of the client's history, the skill of the clinician, and the strength of the therapeutic alliance. Prior to memory processing, a qualified clinician will guide you through an essential stabilization phase to build internal emotional resources and somatic coping skills.

2. It Reclaims the Brain's Natural Processing Mechanisms

Many scientists believe EMDR works by utilizing Bilateral Stimulation (BLS)—such as tracked eye movements, alternating tactile taps, or rhythmic auditory tones. This bilateral tracking mimics the natural memory-consolidation mechanisms that occur during sleep. By stimulating both hemispheres of the brain, BLS helps unlock the nervous system, allowing frozen, emotionally charged traumatic memories to be successfully reprocessed into safe, adaptive historical memories.

3. It Implements a Comprehensive 3-Pronged Approach

EMDR systematically addresses the psyche by mapping out three distinct timelines:

• The Past: Processing the root historical events and memories that laid the foundation for current psychological distress.
• The Present: Identifying and desensitizing current triggers that activate the body's survival responses in daily life.
• The Future: Integrating adaptive behavioral scripts and psychological resilience to help clients navigate future challenges cleanly.

Beginning Your Healing Journey with EMDR

Living under the constant weight of an unhealed past can leave you feeling chronically exhausted, anxious, or stuck. Working with an advanced Trauma Therapist allows you to step out of survival mode. Once your nervous system is free from the grip of historical trauma, you can fully reclaim your vitality and live a more authentic, fulfilling life.

About Josephine Ferraro, LCSW

I am a licensed New York City psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, and certified sex therapist with advanced clinical training in EMDR, AEDP, IFS, EFT for couples, and Somatic Experiencing. 

Using a somatic and experiential framework, I help individual adults and couples heal complex trauma, overcome emotional stagnation, and resolve mind-body distress.

Ready to step into a life free from trauma?
I offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your therapeutic goals and determine how we can best work together. 

I see clients in person at my office in Greenwich Village, NY (10011) and online via secure telehealth.

Ready to step into a life free from trauma?
I offer a complimentary 15-minute phone call to discuss your therapeutic goals and determine how we can best work together. 

• Website: Visit Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist to learn more about my practice.
• Phone: Call me directly at (917) 742-2624 during regular business hours to schedule a consultation.
• Email: josephineferraro@iCloud.com

Explore More Articles on Trauma Recovery & Experiential Therapy:

• Experiential Therapy, Like EMDR, Can Achieve Emotional Breakthroughs
• How EMDR Therapy Works: EMDR and the Brain
• EMDR Therapy: When Talk Therapy Isn't Enough
• What is Adjunctive EMDR Therapy?

Tips on How to Improve Your Sleep

Good sleep is essential to your health, mental health and overall well being.  

How to Improve Your Sleep

Generally, adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night.  If you're getting less than that, you might have insomnia.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a sleep-wake disorder which has three primary symptoms:

• Problems Falling Asleep (Onset Insomnia): An inability to fall asleep within 20-30 minutes

Problems Falling and Staying Asleep

• Problems Staying Asleep (Middle Insomnia): Frequent waking up in the middle of the night after sleep onset, which is more than 20-30 minutes, and difficulty falling back asleep after middle of the night awakening

• Early Morning Wakefulness (Late Insomnia): Waking up 30 minutes or more before the desired wake up time and before 6.5 hours of sleep. This often involves an inability to fall back to sleep.

A medical doctor will usually give a diagnosis of insomnia if a patient experiences sleep problems for three nights or more over a period of three months and no other condition is causing the sleep problem.  

There are also two different types of insomnia: 

• Short term insomnia: Lasting at least one month but less than three months

• Chronic insomnia: 
• Persistent insomnia: Lasting three months or longer
• Recurrent insomnia: Two or more episodes within a year

Common Causes of Insomnia

There can be many cases of insomnia, including:

• Anxiety
• Stress (see my article: Are You Experiencing Chronic Stress?)
• Depression
  
• Uncomfortable sleeping conditions (bed, temperature, light)
• Noise
• Drug use
• Alcohol use
• Caffeine
• Nicotine
• Irregular work shifts

Helpful Tips to Overcome Sleep Problems

See your medical doctor to get a diagnosis and rule out any other medical issues that could be causing a sleep problem.

There are also other things you can do on your own (always check with your medical doctor first before):

• Exercise: Daily physical activity at an appropriate level for you can release endorphins, which is good for your overall health and can help to improve your sleep.

Tips to Overcome Sleep Problems

• Practice Sleep Hygiene: Good sleep hygiene habits can help with insomnia, including:

• Wake up and go to sleep at the same time, even on weekends

• Make sure the room where you sleep is quiet, dark, relaxing and at a comfortable temperature

• Remove electronic devices from the bedroom, including the TV, smart phone, computer and other electronic devices

• Limit Napping: If you tend to nap during the day, limit it to 30 minutes or less and don't nap later in the afternoon.
• 
  
• Use Your Bed Only For Sleep and Sex: Don't do work while you're in bed. You want your bed to be associated only with sleep and sex. 

• Eat a Healthy Diet: Eat nutritious meals. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime and limit caffeine

Get Help in Therapy

If you doctor has ruled out medical causes and attributes your sleep problem to psychological issues, like anxiety, depression, unresolved trauma or other psychological issues, seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

Get Help in Therapy

Once medical issues have been ruled out, a skilled psychotherapist can help you to determine the underlying issues that are creating sleep problems and help you to work through these issues.

So, rather than struggling on your own, seek help from your medical doctor and, if the problem is related to mental health issues, seek help from a licensed psychotherapist.

About Me

I am a licensed New York City psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT, Somatic Experiencing and Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples to overcome mental health issues (see my article: What is a Trauma Therapist?).

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Self Help Tips For Coping With Anxiety

Experiencing occasional anxiety is common.  At any given time at least 30% of people experience anxiety.  In this article, I'm focusing on self help tips you can use for anxiety relief (see my articles:  What is the Difference Between Fear and Anxiety? , Coping with Anticipatory Anxiety and Tips to Cope With Chronic Worrying).

Coping With Anxiety

Common Symptoms of Anxiety

Let's start by defining some of the symptoms of anxiety:

• Feeling nervous, restless or tense
• Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
• Having problems concentrating on anything other than your present worry
• Wanting to avoid anything that triggers your worry
• Having an increased heart rate
• Having problems sleeping (either falling or staying asleep)
• Trembling
• Sweating
• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
• Having gastrointestinal (GI) problems

Common Forms of Anxiety

Here are some common forms of anxiety:

• Generalized Anxiety

• Panic Attacks (see my article: Tips on Coping With Panic Attacks)

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (see my article: Reacting to the Present Based on Your Past and Experiential Therapy, Like EMDR, Can Achieve Emotional Breakthroughs)

• Social Anxiety (see my article: Overcoming Social Anxiety)

• Adult Separation Anxiety (see my article: Overcoming Adult Separation Anxiety)

• Agoraphobia

• Phobias (see my article:What Are Phobias?)

Self Help Tips For Coping With Anxiety

If you experience occasional anxiety, which isn't causing significant problems in your life, here are some self help tips.

• Start Your Day With a Sense of Well Being: How you start your day can set the tone for the rest of your day and make a big difference in how you feel (see my article: Tips For Starting Your Morning With a Sense of Well Being and The Power of Creating Personal Rituals).

• Keep Physically Active: Whether you walk, dance, work out at the gym or engage in other healthy physical activity, keeping physical can be a powerful stress reliever.  Develop a physical routine for yourself that takes into account your ability to be active in a healthy way.  Consult with your doctor before making any significant changes to your physical activity.

• Use Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques: Meditation, visualization, yoga and other forms of stress management can help reduce anxiety (see my articles: Stress Management: Finding Moments of Peace and Relaxation,  Stress Management and Self Care, Mindfulness Meditation, Safe Place Meditation and Creating Quiet Times For Yourself).

• Remember to Breathe: When you're anxious, you might breathe in a shallow way, which can increase anxiety.  So you could benefit from being aware of your breathing and using relaxing breathing techniques (see my article: Square Breathing).

• Make Sleep a Priority: Most people need 7-8 hours of sleep per night (see my articles: Tips For Better Sleep and Conquering Your Nightmares).

• Spend Time in Nature: Spending time in green places can help relieve stress and anxiety (see my article: Walking in Nature Can Improve Your Mood).

• Eat a Balanced Diet: A balanced diet incorporates fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins.  Always consult with your doctor before changing your diet.

• Reduce or Avoid Alcohol: The stimulative effect of alcohol can increase anxiety, so be aware of how much you're drinking (see my articles: Overcoming the Temptation to Use "Liquid Courage" to Cope With Social Situations).

• Avoid Recreational Drugs: Certain recreational drugs can increase anxiety, including cannabis.  

• Cut Back or Eliminate Caffeinated Beverages: Caffeine can make anxiety worse, so be aware of your caffeine intake and take steps to either reduce or eliminate caffeinated beverages.

• Quit Smoking: Nicotine can make anxiety worse so take steps to stop smoking (see my article: Becoming a Successful Nonsmoker)

• Keep a Journal: Keeping a personal journal can help you to become aware of what's causing you anxiety and what helps to reduce your anxiety (see my article: Journal Writing Can Reduce Stress and Anxiety).

• Identify Your Triggers: Along with keeping a journal, being able to identify your triggers can help you to deal with your anxiety (see my article: Coping With Triggers).

• Get Emotional Support: Instead of isolating, stay social and get emotional support from trusted friends, family and a significant other (see my article: Overcoming Your Discomfort With Asking For Emotional Support).

When Self Help Isn't Enough

The suggestions above can help to reduce anxiety, but when you're experiencing persistent anxiety self help might not be enough.  

In my next article, I'll discuss how psychotherapy can help you to overcome anxiety (see my article: Getting Help in Therapy For Anxiety).

Getting Help in Therapy

Anxiety can reduce the quality of your life and overall sense of well-being.

If anxiety is a persistent problem, seek help from a licensed mental health professional.

Getting help in psychotherapy for your anxiety can improve the quality of life for you and for your loved ones who might be affected by your anxiety, so don't hesitate to seek help (see my article: Your Anxiety or Depression Could Be Having a Negative Impact on Your Loved Ones).

About Me

I am a licensed New York City psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT and Somatic Experiencing therapist.

I work with individual adults and couples.

I have helped many clients to overcome persistent anxiety.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Common Nightmares During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic

Have you been having nightmares lately? If so, you're not alone. Pandemic nightmares have been common during this COVID-19 pandemic.  Regardless of age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality, many people have been having pandemic nightmares, which is the subject of this article (see my articles: How to Overcome Anxiety Dreams).

Common Nightmares During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic

These nightmares are so common that Robert Bosnak, a Jungian analyst in Santa Barbara California, has been offering a free online workshop on Friday nights at 6 PM (PST) during the pandemic called the Spooky Dreams Cafe where he uses Embodied Imagination, a method of dreamwork which he developed, to help some people on the Zoom call with these nightmares (see my article: Dream Incubation: Planting Seeds).

Many people, who lived through the crisis of the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, have reported in therapy that they're having similar nightmares during this time to the ones they had in 2001 and beyond (see my article: Tips For Getting Better Sleep).

Common Themes in Pandemic Nightmares
There are certain themes that are common in these COVID-related nightmares, including (but not limited to):

• Anxiety-related events or circumstances in the dream
• Places, which were once known and familiar, suddenly looking and feeling unfamiliar in the nightmare
• A need to escape or run
• Feeling trapped, helpless and/or lost
• A regression to an earlier age (e.g., an adult dreaming that they're a child again)
• Losing someone or something
• Phones and other gadgets malfunctioning
• Other sudden and inexplicable changes 

Typical Nightmares During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic
The following dreams are typical of the type of dreams people have been having during this COVID-19 crisis (as told to me by friends and used with permission):

Dream 1:
I'm in a classroom, which is taking place in my apartment. The instructor, whom I like, is taking things out of my dresser drawer to show the class. These items include a silk scarf I haven't seen in many years.  At one point, he breaks apart the wooden dresser drawer, and I'm fascinated by this (it seems like a deconstruction of some sort). Then, I notice that there's a similar dresser in the room that remains in tact.  I leave the room to go to the rest room, and when I come back, my laptop is gone. Somehow, I know that the instructor gave it away to one of my classmates, and I'm annoyed that he did this without my permission. I look around for it, but I can't find it. I see a male friend, who is sitting in a far off corner of the room. Then, suddenly, the scene changes: I'm walking around in an area of my neighborhood, not far from my home, where I've been many times before. I know that this place is familiar to me, but it looks and feels eerily unfamiliar.  I know I need to get back to class, but I don't know which way to go because I'm lost.  Then, I see a cab and get in it.  There's a couple, who are on their way home from the airport, who are already in the cab.  I don't know where to tell the cab driver to go because I'm lost, but I'm relieved to be in the cab.  The cab stops because the couple have arrived outside their home. I get out too because I realize it's useless to be in the cab if I don't know where I'm going.  The couple tell me that I have to pay thousands of dollars to them for the short distance that I went with them, and I get angry and tell them that I won't pay.  I know that my male friend is back in the class, he has his car and he would come get me if I call him, but I don't know where I am, so I can't tell him. The scene changes: I'm sitting at an outdoor bar with this same friend and our classmates.  We're all dressed up. I suddenly realize that I forgot that he's much taller than me.  I tell my friend about what just happened (that I was lost) and he's surprised and laughs. I'm feeling much better.  The outdoor bar is up on a bridge that overlooks people's homes down below. These people have shallow outdoor pools in front of their homes.  I tell my friend that we could do that too (we could each have outdoor pools).  Then, as I'm gazing out at the water from the bridge, I tell my friend, "Let's pretend that we're on the Arno Bridge in Florence" and he agrees.

Dream 2:
I'm a child of 7 or 8 years old. My mother tells me that we have to escape from where we're living to move back to the US.  Only a few close relatives know because it's a secret.  My mother doesn't want her husband, my stepfather, to know that we're running away because he's abusive and we're escaping from him.  I grab whatever I can quickly because we have to get to the airport fast, and I kiss my relatives goodbye.  I don't have time to say goodbye to a male friend, who has been good to me (I'm older in this part of the dream).  So, I try to text him to tell him that I had to leave due to an emergency, but my phone won't work. I know he's going to be hurt that I left suddenly without an explanation, and I feel terrible about this. Then, my mother, brother and I run to the airport to get on a rescue flight that's been arranged for us by the US government to bring us back to the states. Somehow, I get separated from my mother and brother (I'm a young child again in this part of the dream). I don't know which way to go. I'm scared and I call out to my mother, but I don't see her anywhere. Nothing looks or feels familiar, even though I know I've been to this area many times before. I see other people who are also running and I ask them the way to the airport because I'm lost.  They point the way and I run all the way to the airport. Once I get there, I realize I don't have a plane ticket. I call out to my mother again saying that I don't have a plane ticket.  Even though she's still nowhere to be found, a reassuring male voice tells me over the airport public address system that I don't need a plane ticket because this is a special government rescue flight for my family to escape. When I get to security, I realize that I'm not wearing a face mask so I'm not going to be allowed on the flight. I see everyone else around me wearing a face mask, and I look around to see if there's somewhere I can buy as mask (I'm older again in this part of the dream). Then, I realize that I do have a mask, but I've been wearing it on my chin, so I pull it over to cover my nose and mouth.  When I arrive at the gate, I still don't see my mother or brother, but I feel a little calmer because I know I'm going to make the flight and I'll escape from this place.  Somehow, I see the long document that my mother had to fill out to get approval from the government for this rescue flight. I feel badly that I didn't know before about the abuse that my mother endured at the hands of my stepfather.  While I'm waiting for the flight at the gate, I try to text my male friend again. I desperately want to reach him so he won't feel abandoned by me, but my phone still doesn't work. I feel sad that he's going to feel sad and abandoned.

A Word About These Nightmares
I'm going to deconstruct these nightmares and discuss how to work with nightmares in my next article but, for now, suffice it to say that both of these dreams have many typical features of anxiety dreams and, specifically, many elements typical of current pandemic nightmares (outlined above at the beginning of this article).

Getting Help in Therapy
Nightmares during times of crisis are often a way for the unconscious mind to work through difficult emotions and reconsolidate traumatic memories.

In addition, these nightmares sometimes reveal underlying unresolved trauma (see my article: Before and After Psychological Trauma).

If you've been having nightmares during this global pandemic, you're not alone.

An experienced psychotherapist, who helps clients during times of crisis and who works with dreams, can help you to understand and heal from nightmares.

Rather than suffering on your own, take the first step by calling a licensed psychotherapist for help.  Being able to work through your fears and nightmares can provide you with relief and allow you to feel more empowered.

About Me
I am a licensed NYC psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT and Somatic Experiencing therapist (see my article: The Therapeutic Benefits of Integrative Therapy).

I work with individual adults and couples.

One of my specialties is helping clients to overcome unresolved trauma.

During the global pandemic, like most psychotherapists, I'm providing online therapy, which is also known as teletherapy and telehealth (see my article: The Advantages of Online Therapy When You Can't See Your Therapist in Person).

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Tips For Getting Better Sleep

Getting proper sleep is essential to maintaining good health and emotional well-being.  This is especially true when you're going through a stressful time.

Tips For Getting Better Sleep

The Effects of Poor Sleep

Poor sleep can affect you by:

• Lowering your threshhold for pain
• Increasing your blood pressure
• Affecting your memory and ability to concentrate
• Compromising your immune system, which can increase the likelihood of getting sick
• Increasing the likelihood for impulsive behavior
• Increasing the likelihood for weight gain

Improving Your Sleep Hygiene: Tips for Improving Your Sleep Hygiene

You might not realize that you're not getting enough sleep beausse you've become accustomed to being sleep deprived.  However, if you're not getting 7-8 hours (on average) of quality sleep, you're not getting enough sleep.  Here are some tips for improving your sleep hygiene:

• Exercise at a level that's appropriate for you earlier in the day to relieve stress.  
• Go to bed at the same time every night, including the weekends.
• Avoid bright lights after the sun goes down.  Bright light will inhibit melatonin which prepares you for sleep.
• Sleep about 7-8 hours straight (some people might require more sleep or a little less).
• Don't do work in your bedroom. You want your brain to associate your bedroom with sleep.
• Make your bedroom as comfortable as possible:
• Regulate the temperature so it's comfortable
• Decrease noise
• Don't watch TV, including the news, in your bedroom.
• Don't eat a large meal 3 hours or less before you go to sleep.  Indigestion can interfere with your ability to sleep.
• Don't use alcohol as a sleep aid.  Alcohol might relax you at first because you'll get the sedative effect, but alcohol also disrupts your sleep routine because it will wake you up after a few hours.
• Create a wind down routine to prepare you for sleep.  This might include bedtime rituals:
• Brush your teeth
• Wash your face
• Take a relaxing bath or shower
• Drink a relaxing cup of herbal tea 
• Read for a few minutes before sleep can be relaxing and help you sleep.
• Write in a journal earlier in the day to capture any thoughts that might be worrying you 
• Don't judge yourself if you still can't fall asleep.  
• Give yourself 20 minutes if you're unable to sleep.
• If you still don't fall asleep after 20 minutes, go into another room and do something relaxing to see if you can go back to bed and get sleep.

Getting Help in Therapy

You're not alone.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, you can contact a licensed psychotherapist to help you develop the tools and skills that you need to achieve emotional well-being.

During the COVID-19 crisis, many psychotherapists are offering online therapy sessions during this period when in-office sessions aren't available.

Rather than struggling on your own, contacting a licensed therapist can make all the difference in your overall health and well-being.

About Me

I am a licensed NYC psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples and Somatic Experiencing therapist.

I work with individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.