A few years ago, I used EMDR to process the trauma of losing my home in a house fire. We used vibrating buzzers in each hand while I revisited different parts of the memory. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, sounds, taps, or buzzers) while recalling difficult experiences. The goal isn’t to erase the memory, but to help the brain process it in a healthier way. My experience has been that EMDR is intense. Sometimes grueling. It takes courage to sit with memories you’ve spent years avoiding. There have been tears, strong emotions, and moments of exhaustion. But there has also been relief. After a session, I often feel lighter, as if something has finally shifted. I usually leave feeling pleasantly tired—the way you might after a deep cry or an honest conversation. Sometimes it simply feels good to have a compassionate witness while facing difficult parts of my story. I’ve also experimented with self-guided EMDR through the HealEMDR app (though I’d recommend working with a professional first). Soon I’ll be starting EMDR again with my new therapist to work on other traumatic experiences including SA. I’m nervous, but I know healing often asks us to walk through the fire, not around it.