Question 1

What is EMDR, in plain language?

Accepted Answer

EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — is a structured therapy in which you briefly hold a distressing memory in mind while following side-to-side eye movements, taps or tones. That bilateral stimulation lets the brain finish processing the memory, so it stops firing as if it were happening now and becomes something that happened then. Samuel Ezzatilord, PhD, RCC, CCC, LMCC, offers EMDR in Vancouver in English and Farsi.

Question 2

Does EMDR actually work? What is the evidence?

Accepted Answer

Yes. EMDR is one of the most researched trauma treatments and is recommended for PTSD in the major clinical guidelines, including those of the World Health Organization. Trials show it comparable to trauma-focused CBT for PTSD, often in fewer sessions and without detailed retelling. Samuel is candid about its limits: it is a trauma-memory treatment first, and it is used inside a plan that also addresses sleep, safety and the rest of your life.

Question 3

What does EMDR feel like — is it hypnosis?

Accepted Answer

No. You stay fully awake and in control, and you can stop at any moment. Most people describe it as tiring but not overwhelming: the memory is brought to mind briefly, the eye movements or taps run for short sets, and between sets you say a few words about what you notice. Over the session the memory usually loses its charge — it is still there, but it no longer grips.

Question 4

Do I have to describe the trauma in detail for EMDR to work?

Accepted Answer

No. EMDR works with the memory held privately in your mind; Samuel needs only enough to know what you are working on. This is one reason many people who could not face talk therapy find EMDR possible.

Question 5

Is EMDR covered by extended health, ICBC or CVAP in BC?

Accepted Answer

Yes in most cases. EMDR sessions with Samuel are Registered Clinical Counsellor sessions, covered by most extended health plans; ICBC covers counselling on an active claim after a collision without a referral; CVAP funds counselling after a crime. Fees may be covered, depending on eligibility, by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC, and most other insurers, and direct billing is available. Coverage is confirmed on the free call.

Question 6

How many EMDR sessions will I need?

Accepted Answer

A single, recent event — one collision, one assault, one medical scare — often resolves in a handful of sessions after preparation. Multiple or long-standing traumas take longer, because each memory network is worked in turn and preparation is more careful. Samuel does not start processing until you have grounding tools that work, and reviews progress with you openly.

Question 7

What can EMDR treat besides PTSD?

Accepted Answer

Anxiety and panic that trace back to specific events, phobias, driving fear after an accident, grief that will not move, the intrusive memories left by an emotionally abusive relationship, performance anxiety, and the ‘small-t’ traumas — humiliations, medical events, losses — that never seemed serious enough to mention but still fire. It is used within Samuel’s couples work too, when one partner’s reactivity has a history.

Question 8

Can EMDR be done online?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Bilateral stimulation works by video using on-screen movement or self-tapping, and outcomes in studies of remote EMDR are comparable to in-person when the client has a private, uninterrupted space. Samuel offers EMDR in person at 1300–1500 West Georgia Street in downtown Vancouver and by secure video anywhere in BC.

Question 9

Is EMDR available in Farsi?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Samuel runs EMDR entirely in Farsi for clients who prefer it — many find that a memory formed in Persian processes more completely in Persian. جلسات به فارسی برگزار می‌شود.

Question 10

How do I start EMDR therapy in Vancouver?

Accepted Answer

With a free 20-minute phone call directly with Samuel — no receptionist, no forms. Call or WhatsApp 604-721-0604, or text one line and he will call you back within a day. He will tell you honestly whether EMDR is the right first step, or whether preparation, IFS or another approach should come first.

Question 11

What are the eight phases of EMDR?

Accepted Answer

History and planning; preparation (grounding and safety tools); assessment of the target memory; desensitization with bilateral stimulation; installation of a more adaptive belief; a body scan for leftover tension; closure of the session; and re-evaluation next time. Most of the visible ‘eye movement’ work is phases four to six; much of the skill is in the first two.

Question 12

Why does EMDR use eye movements?

Accepted Answer

The bilateral stimulation appears to tax working memory while the memory is held in mind, and to engage the same processing the brain uses in REM sleep, so the memory is stored with less emotional charge. Eye movements were the original method; taps and alternating tones work too and are common by video.

Question 13

Will I feel worse after an EMDR session?

Accepted Answer

Some tiredness, vivid dreams or emotions surfacing for a day or two after early sessions is common and expected; feeling flooded or unsafe is not, and would mean the pace or preparation needs adjusting. Samuel builds in grounding tools first and closes every session so that you leave settled.

Question 14

Is EMDR safe for complex trauma or childhood trauma?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with more preparation and a slower pace. For complex or developmental trauma, Samuel usually pairs EMDR with Internal Family Systems (IFS) so the protective parts of you consent before any memory is approached, and stabilisation comes first. See Trauma therapist in Vancouver.

Question 15

How does EMDR combine with IFS?

Accepted Answer

IFS gets the system’s permission and calms the parts that block or fear processing; EMDR then clears the memory. Used together they are gentler and more thorough than either alone, and Samuel moves between them within the same course of therapy. See the IFS page.

Question 16

How does EMDR combine with neurofeedback training?

Accepted Answer

EMDR works on specific memories; neurofeedback training works on the baseline state of the nervous system that keeps those memories easy to trigger. Clients with sleep disruption, chronic vigilance or focus problems often do both — neurofeedback training to steady the system, EMDR to process what it is guarding. See Neurofeedback therapy in Vancouver.

Question 17

Can EMDR help after a car accident?

Accepted Answer

Yes — driving anxiety, flashbacks at intersections, sleep disruption and irritability after a collision respond very well to EMDR, often within a small number of sessions. ICBC covers counselling on an active claim without a referral, and Samuel bills ICBC directly. See ICBC counselling in Vancouver.

Question 18

Can EMDR help with anxiety or panic that isn’t obviously about trauma?

Accepted Answer

Often. Panic and anxiety frequently trace back to earlier moments — a first attack, a humiliation, a medical event — that the nervous system still treats as live. EMDR targets those; CBT and IFS handle the present-day thinking and the parts that worry. Samuel decides the order with you.

Question 19

Can EMDR help with grief?

Accepted Answer

Yes, particularly when grief is stuck on a specific image — the last conversation, the phone call, the hospital room. Processing that image lets the loss be grieved rather than relived. Samuel works with grief that does not fit the usual timeline, including grieving a parent in another country.

Question 20

Does EMDR work for the memories left by an emotionally abusive relationship?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The particular argument, the moment of humiliation, the discovery of a lie — these keep replaying after a controlling relationship, and EMDR is well suited to them, once IFS has steadied the parts that still second-guess you. See Healing from a narcissistic relationship.

Question 21

Can I do EMDR if I’m on medication?

Accepted Answer

Yes. EMDR works alongside antidepressants and anxiety medication; benzodiazepines taken right before a session can blunt processing, and Samuel will discuss timing with you and, where relevant, your prescriber.

Question 22

Is EMDR suitable for teenagers?

Accepted Answer

Yes — EMDR is used with adolescents and adapted to age. Samuel sees older teens individually and, when useful, alongside family sessions. Younger children are referred to clinicians who specialise in child work.

Question 23

What if I can’t remember the trauma clearly?

Accepted Answer

You do not need a clear narrative. EMDR can start from a body sensation, an image fragment or a present-day trigger, and the processing often fills in what matters without needing the whole story. Nothing is forced.

Question 24

What happens in the first EMDR session?

Accepted Answer

No processing. Samuel takes a history at your pace, explains how EMDR works and what you can control, and begins the preparation phase — grounding tools you practise until they work. Processing starts only when you both agree you are ready.

Question 25

How is EMDR with Samuel different from EMDR elsewhere in Vancouver?

Accepted Answer

Twenty-five years of trauma-informed practice — refugee-camp work with the International Red Crescent, veterans’ programs and hospital care in BC — mean the pacing is set by your system, not by a protocol. EMDR, IFS and neurofeedback training are all in one practice, sessions run in English or Farsi, and Samuel answers his own phone. See individual therapy for how EMDR fits a wider plan.

Question 26

Do you offer evening or weekend EMDR sessions?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Evening and weekend appointments are available, in person in downtown Vancouver or by video across BC. Ask on the free call for times that suit you.

Question 27

Can I read more before deciding?

Accepted Answer

See Trauma therapist in Vancouver for how EMDR fits with the other trauma approaches, then call or WhatsApp 604-721-0604 for the free 20-minute conversation. There is no obligation.

Question 28

Can EMDR help with post-concussion syndrome — the flashbacks to the crash, the driving anxiety, and the emotional reactivity that came with the head injury?

Accepted Answer

Yes. After a concussion, EMDR clears the traumatic memory of the crash itself — the flashbacks, the flinch at intersections, the nightmares — while neurofeedback training works on the dysregulated brainwave patterns the head injury left behind: the fog, the irritability, the broken sleep. Samuel often runs both in the same course of treatment, and ICBC covers counselling on an active claim without a referral. See Post-concussion syndrome — counselling and neurofeedback in Vancouver and ICBC counselling in Vancouver.

Question 29

Can EMDR help with chronic pain that persists after a car accident?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When pain continues long after tissues have healed, the nervous system is often stuck in a threat state — a process called central sensitization. EMDR targets the traumatic memories and fear-avoidance patterns that maintain that sensitization, helping the brain recalibrate its danger signals. Samuel combines EMDR with neurofeedback to address both the psychological and neurological components of chronic post-accident pain. Sessions and fees are covered by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC and most extended-health plans, and are billed directly to insurers. See Chronic pain after car accident — counselling in Vancouver.

Question 30

Can EMDR help with driving phobia after a car accident?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Driving phobia — refusing the highway, white-knuckling intersections, or not getting into a car at all — is one of the most common results of a motor-vehicle accident, and one of the most responsive to EMDR. The treatment targets the crash memory and the specific triggers (a certain road, headlights, the sound of braking) so the nervous system stops treating every drive as the accident happening again. Studies show that roughly 95 percent of MVA survivors with PTSD report significant driving anxiety, and that structured trauma therapy resolves it for the majority (Blanchard & Hickling, 2004). ICBC covers counselling on an active claim without a referral. See ICBC counselling in Vancouver.

Question 31

Can trauma therapy help with the anger and road rage I’ve had since my car accident?

Accepted Answer

Yes. After a crash the nervous system can get stuck in fight mode — the same survival response that kept you safe in the moment now fires at tailgaters, slow drivers, or a partner who asks the wrong question. A meta-analysis in Clinical Psychology Review found anger has the strongest association with PTSD of any emotional response (Orth & Wieland, 2006), and roughly half of people with post-traumatic stress report episodes of aggression. EMDR targets the unprocessed collision memory so the threat signal switches off, and the anger and road rage that came with it typically settle. Sessions and fees are covered by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC and most extended-health plans, and are billed directly to insurers. Call 604-721-0604 for a free 20-minute consultation. See ICBC counselling in Vancouver.

Question 32

Can EMDR help with passenger anxiety after a car accident — even if I wasn’t driving?

Accepted Answer

Yes. EMDR is one of the most effective treatments for the travel anxiety passengers develop after a collision. Passengers often feel more helpless than drivers — no steering wheel, no brake, no control — and that helplessness can lock the memory in place. EMDR targets the specific moment of impact, the sounds, and the feeling of being trapped, so the nervous system stops replaying the event every time you get into a car. Research shows that passengers develop PTSD at rates comparable to or higher than drivers after motor-vehicle accidents (Ehlers, Mayou & Bryant, 1998), and that EMDR resolves travel phobia effectively (de Jongh et al., 2011). Fees may be covered, depending on eligibility, by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC, and most other insurers, and direct billing is available. See ICBC counselling in Vancouver.

Question 33

Can CVAP pay for EMDR therapy after an assault?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Counselling is one of the benefits of British Columbia’s Crime Victim Assistance Program for victims of violent crime, and EMDR is a recommended treatment for post-traumatic stress. You apply to CVAP, and once sessions are approved Samuel bills the program directly. Immediate family members and some witnesses can also apply. Details are in CVAP Counselling in Vancouver. Fees may be covered, depending on eligibility, by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC, and most other insurers, and direct billing is available.

Question 34

Do I have to describe every detail of what happened during EMDR?

Accepted Answer

No. EMDR does not require you to recount the event in full. You hold the memory in mind while Samuel guides the processing, and you say only as much as you choose. Sessions begin with stabilisation, so you have ways to calm your body before any memory work starts, and you control the pace throughout. See trauma counselling after violent crime. Fees may be covered, depending on eligibility, by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC, and most other insurers, and direct billing is available.

Question 35

Can EMDR help me get back to work after a car accident?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Flashbacks, hypervigilance and concentration problems after a crash can make a normal workday feel impossible. PTSD is an independent risk factor for poor vocational outcomes after a motor-vehicle accident, separate from the physical injury itself (Matthews et al., 2001). EMDR targets the unprocessed crash memory so that intrusive images settle, the startle reflex calms and sustained focus returns. Samuel coordinates graded return-to-work plans alongside ICBC’s vocational rehabilitation benefit. Fees may be covered, depending on eligibility, by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC, and most other insurers, and direct billing is available.

Question 36

Can EMDR help with the anxiety I feel before an independent medical examination?

Accepted Answer

An upcoming IME can trigger dread, nausea, or sleeplessness weeks in advance — especially when earlier assessments felt dismissive or confrontational. Samuel uses EMDR to reduce the emotional charge attached to those previous experiences so the next examination feels more manageable. The goal is not to suppress valid concerns but to keep the nervous system from flooding before you walk in the door. Fees may be covered, depending on eligibility, by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC, and most other insurers, and direct billing is available.

Question 37

I felt fine after my car accident but PTSD symptoms appeared weeks later — can EMDR still help?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Delayed-onset posttraumatic stress is well documented after motor vehicle accidents. Andrews et al. (2007) found in a systematic review that many survivors initially cope well, only to develop full PTSD symptoms weeks to months later. Research on road-trauma survivors shows that peritraumatic dissociation — feeling numb or unreal at the scene — is a strong predictor of later PTSD (Murray et al., 2002). EMDR is effective regardless of whether symptoms began immediately or appeared after a delay; the protocol targets the stored memory of the crash itself, not the timing of symptom onset. Samuel assesses the dissociative and avoidance patterns that may have kept symptoms at bay and structures EMDR processing accordingly. Fees may be covered, depending on eligibility, by ICBC, CVAP, FNHA, IFHP, RCMP, VAC, and most other insurers, and direct billing is available.

EMDR Therapy Vancouver — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

What Is EMDR Therapy?

What EMDR Treats

The 8-Phase EMDR Protocol

EMDR + Neurofeedback: An Integrated Approach

EMDR in Farsi — For the Iranian Community in Vancouver

Book an EMDR Consultation in Vancouver

Further Reading

Who you’re talking to

What happens when you call?

Frequently Asked Questions — EMDR Therapy in Vancouver