If you’ve researched EMDR and decided you want to try it, you’re probably looking for two things: a Nashville clinician who actually offers it, and a process that doesn’t require you to explain the basics all over again. This page is for you.
Athena Care offers EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy at our Nashville location with EMDR-trained clinicians. Below is what to expect, who EMDR helps, what a course typically looks like, and how to get started.
A quick refresher, in plain language
EMDR is a structured trauma-processing therapy that helps the brain reprocess painful or stuck memories. During a session, you briefly hold a difficult memory in mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation, side-to-side eye movements, alternating tones, or gentle taps on each side of your body. This dual focus appears to help the brain integrate the memory in a less distressing way, similar to what happens naturally during REM sleep.
It’s not exposure therapy in the traditional sense. You don’t have to describe traumatic events in detail to a stranger. You don’t have to relive everything. You hold the memory in mind in a controlled, supported way, and your therapist guides the process.
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase protocol developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987. Our broader EMDR therapy services page walks through the full protocol in detail; this page focuses on what working with us in Nashville actually looks like.
What EMDR treats
EMDR is best known for treating PTSD, but the evidence supports its use for a broader range of trauma-related and trauma-adjacent concerns:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from single-incident trauma (an accident, an assault, a medical event) or complex/chronic trauma
- Anxiety disorders, particularly when anxiety is anchored to a specific event or pattern
- Phobias, especially those with an identifiable origin (a fall, a dog bite, a panic attack on a plane)
- Grief and complicated bereavement, when a loss feels stuck or unprocessed
- Performance anxiety, public speaking, test anxiety, athletic performance issues with a triggering event behind them
- Childhood adversity and adverse childhood experiences that surface in adulthood
- Sexual assault and intimate partner violence trauma
The American Psychiatric Association recommends EMDR for PTSD. The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense rate it as a strongly recommended evidence-based treatment for PTSD in both military and civilian populations.
What an EMDR session looks like
A typical EMDR session lasts about 60 to 90 minutes, longer than a standard therapy session because reprocessing work needs adequate time to complete safely. Sessions are usually weekly, especially early in the course.
Here’s what to expect across the structured 8-phase process:
The first few sessions focus on history-taking, building safety, and learning grounding skills. Your clinician will not move into trauma processing until you feel ready and have the regulation tools in place. This is intentional, and it matters.
Reprocessing sessions are where the bilateral stimulation work happens. You hold a target memory in mind, your clinician guides you through sets of eye movements (or alternative bilateral input), and you notice what comes up, images, feelings, body sensations. Between sets, you briefly share what you noticed. The work continues until the memory no longer carries the same emotional charge.
Each session closes with grounding to ensure you leave feeling stable, not raw. Many people feel tired after EMDR sessions, similar to how you might feel after a hard workout, but stable.
How long a course takes
This depends meaningfully on what you’re working on:
- Single-incident trauma (one event, in adulthood, with otherwise stable mental health) often responds in 6 to 12 sessions. Some people see significant change within just a few reprocessing sessions.
- Complex or chronic trauma, particularly when it began in childhood or involves multiple traumas, takes longer. A course of EMDR for complex trauma may run several months or longer, with appropriate stabilization work integrated throughout. Phase-based trauma treatment, where the early phase focuses on building safety and skills before deeper reprocessing, is the international standard for complex trauma. Our article on complex PTSD symptoms covers this in more detail.
- Some people use EMDR alongside other forms of therapy, with ongoing talk therapy continuing while focused EMDR work addresses specific memories.
Your therapist will recommend a pacing that fits your situation, and you and they will adjust together based on how the work is going.
Athena Care Nashville: where to find us
220 Athens Way, Suite 104 Nashville, TN 37228
Our Nashville location is just off I-65 and reachable from Downtown, MetroCenter, and West Nashville neighborhoods. We also work with patients commuting from Franklin, Brentwood, Mt. Juliet, and Hendersonville.
EMDR can also be conducted virtually via secure video for established patients when in-person isn’t workable. Online sessions work just as well for EMDR therapy, though it is worth noting that many trauma survivors find in-person sessions provide more grounding and presence during the harder reprocessing work.
Accepted insurers
Athena Care is in-network with most major commercial insurance providers in Tennessee. EMDR is billed under standard psychotherapy CPT codes, so coverage typically follows your plan’s general mental health benefits.
Our care coordinator handles insurance verification as part of intake. They’ll run your benefits, identify any prior authorization requirements, and let you know what to expect for copays or coinsurance before your first appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have PTSD to do EMDR?
No. EMDR is most evidence-based for PTSD, but it’s also used for anxiety, phobias, grief, performance anxiety, and a range of other trauma-related concerns. Your therapist will help determine whether EMDR is the right fit for what you’re working on.
Will I have to relive everything in detail?
No. EMDR doesn’t require you to verbally recount traumatic experiences in detail. You hold the memory in mind during bilateral stimulation, but the work is internal. You share only what you choose to share with your therapist.
How many sessions will I need?
For single-incident adult trauma, 6 to 12 sessions is typical. For complex or chronic trauma, particularly when it began in childhood, a longer course with adequate stabilization work is standard. Your clinician will discuss pacing with you as you go.
Is EMDR covered by insurance?
Generally yes. EMDR is billed under standard psychotherapy CPT codes, so it typically follows your plan’s general mental health benefits. Our care coordinator will verify your specific coverage.
Can EMDR be done virtually?
Yes, EMDR can be conducted via secure video, particularly for established patients. Many trauma survivors find in-person sessions feel safer and more grounding for the harder reprocessing phases, but virtual is a real option when needed.
How long is each session? EMDR sessions are typically 60 to 90 minutes, longer than standard therapy, to allow reprocessing work to complete safely within a single session.
Will I feel worse before I feel better? Some people feel emotionally tired after reprocessing sessions, and it’s not unusual for material to surface between sessions. A well-trained EMDR therapist builds in stabilization throughout the course to keep this manageable. If something feels overwhelming, you and your therapist can adjust pacing.
How to start
The fastest path is a call or text to our Care Coordinator at 877-641-1155, Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm. They’ll spend about 15 minutes understanding what brings you in, verify your insurance, and schedule you with an EMDR-trained clinician at our Nashville location or virtually over telehealth.
You can also get started through our appointments page if a call isn’t convenient.
If you’re not sure whether EMDR is the right starting point, that’s a perfectly reasonable thing to discuss on the first call. Our therapy services include several evidence-based trauma approaches, and a care coordinator can help you think through which one might fit best.
If you’re in immediate crisis, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.
Contact us today
Patricia Stinnett, LMFT
Therapist
Patricia is trained and experienced in trauma, grief, depression, anxiety and simply adjusting to life. Her treatment model is trauma-informed and integrative psychotherapy including clinical training in TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and Level 1 Complex Trauma Treatment Professional Training.
Meg Stein, CFP
Editor
Meg is a certified mindfulness instructor and works at Alive and Aware Practice in Durham, NC. She has over ten years of experience as a content creator and marketing consultant, working in mental healthcare and social justice.