EMDR therapy · Addiction and trauma treatment in Costa Rica
Trauma does not have to define the rest of your life
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is one of the most clinically validated trauma therapies available. At CRTC it is a central part of how we address the trauma that so often underlies addiction and mental health conditions.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
It is a structured psychotherapy approach developed in the late 1980s that has since become one of the most rigorously researched and widely used treatments for trauma and PTSD.
Unlike talk therapy, which works primarily through language and conscious reflection, EMDR works directly with the way traumatic memories are stored in the brain. Traumatic experiences can become locked in the nervous system in a way that makes them feel perpetually present rather than safely in the past. EMDR helps the brain reprocess those memories so they lose their emotional charge.
EMDR is recognized by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association and numerous international health bodies as an evidence-based treatment for trauma and PTSD.
How EMDR works
Working with the brain, not against it
When a traumatic event occurs the brain sometimes fails to process it in the way it processes normal memories. Instead of being filed away as a past event the traumatic memory remains active, continuing to trigger emotional and physical responses as if the event is still happening.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, most commonly guided eye movements, while the patient briefly focuses on a traumatic memory. This bilateral stimulation appears to activate the brain's natural processing mechanisms, allowing the memory to be reprocessed and stored in a way that no longer triggers overwhelming emotional responses.
Over the course of EMDR sessions the emotional intensity associated with traumatic memories reduces significantly. The memory does not disappear. But it stops feeling present and threatening. It becomes something that happened rather than something that is still happening.
Why CRTC uses EMDR
Trauma and addiction are deeply connected
Many people who arrive at CRTC carry trauma they may not have fully recognized or named.
Childhood experiences, relational wounds, accidents, loss, abuse or events that were never properly processed. For a significant proportion of people with addiction, the substance has been a way of managing the emotional weight of that unprocessed trauma.
Treating the addiction without addressing the trauma leaves the underlying driver in place. The person stops using but continues to carry the same pain that drove the use. The risk of relapse remains high because nothing has actually changed at the level of the experience that needed numbing.
EMDR allows us to work with the trauma directly. To help clients reprocess what they have been carrying so that it no longer has the same power over their emotional state and their choices. This is one of the most important dimensions of lasting recovery.
What an EMDR session looks like
Nothing about this process requires you to re-live your trauma in detail
One of the most common concerns people have about EMDR is that it will require them to talk through traumatic experiences at length. In fact EMDR works differently from traditional trauma-focused talk therapy.
A typical EMDR session begins with preparation. The therapist helps the client develop coping resources and a sense of safety before working with any difficult material. This preparation phase can take multiple sessions and is not rushed.
When the processing work begins the therapist guides the client to briefly hold a target memory in mind while following a series of bilateral stimulation movements, typically the therapist's hand moving back and forth. The client does not need to describe the memory in detail. They simply notice what comes up.
After each set of bilateral stimulation the therapist checks in with the client about what they noticed. The session proceeds at the client's pace. The therapist is present and attentive throughout.
Most clients describe EMDR as an unusual but not overwhelming experience. Many report feeling lighter or more settled after sessions as the emotional charge of difficult memories begins to reduce.
Who EMDR helps at CRTC
EMDR is used with a wide range of presentations
At CRTC EMDR is used as part of individualized treatment plans for clients whose clinical picture involves trauma or trauma-adjacent presentations.
PTSD and trauma
The primary clinical indication for EMDR. Highly effective for clients with identifiable traumatic events that continue to affect daily functioning.
Addiction with underlying trauma
For clients where trauma is identified as a significant driver of substance use. EMDR addresses the underlying wound that the addiction has been managing.
Anxiety and panic
EMDR is effective for anxiety presentations where specific events or experiences are contributing to the anxiety response.
Depression with traumatic roots
Where depression is connected to unprocessed experiences or losses, EMDR can be an effective part of the treatment approach.
Complex and relational trauma
Childhood experiences, relational wounds and cumulative trauma that has shaped patterns of thought, emotion and behavior.
Grief and loss
Unprocessed grief can have a similar effect on the nervous system to trauma. EMDR can help reprocess difficult losses.
EMDR within the broader program
Not a standalone treatment. Part of something larger.
At CRTC EMDR is never used in isolation. It is one element of a broader, individualized treatment plan that draws from multiple therapeutic approaches.
Whether EMDR is appropriate for a specific client is determined by the clinical team during the initial evaluation period. Not every client will undertake EMDR. For those who do it is integrated carefully into the overall treatment plan, always with adequate preparation and never at the expense of the other clinical and therapeutic work happening in parallel.
EMDR is used alongside CBT, DBT, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, somatic work, mindfulness, family therapy and the full range of holistic and experiential modalities that make up the CRTC therapeutic stack.
When I arrived at CRTC, I was hopeless and broken. The night before, I had almost ended my life with a bottle of methadone pills just to make the pain stop. I didn't really feel like I deserved another chance at recovery.
Before coming to…
I'm so grateful I chose CRTC. They gave me the knowledge to understand, address and change my self destructive behaviours. I really liked the holistic approach to heal my mind, body and spirit. The program content was comprehensive enough…
Life changing, world class luxury recovery treatment center. Are you ready to fly far from home, touch down in San Jose International Airport, drive through lush rainforest to a luxurious million dollar property in the heart of the Costa…
CRTC combines evidence-based clinical modalities with holistic and experiential practices to create a treatment experience that addresses recovery on every level.
Yes. EMDR is recognized as an evidence-based treatment for trauma and PTSD by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association and numerous international clinical bodies. It has been extensively researched over more than three decades.
Will I have to talk about my trauma in detail?
No. EMDR works differently from traditional talk therapy. You do not need to describe traumatic events in detail. The bilateral stimulation process works with the emotional and physiological response to the memory rather than requiring a verbal account of it.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
This varies significantly by individual, the nature of the trauma and the complexity of the presentation. EMDR is not a quick fix. It is a careful, structured process that takes the time it needs to take. Your clinical team will discuss a realistic expectation with you.
Is EMDR used with everyone at CRTC?
No. Whether EMDR is clinically appropriate is determined during the initial evaluation period. It is one tool in the therapeutic stack and is used when it is the right fit for the individual client.
Can EMDR be used alongside other therapies?
Yes. At CRTC EMDR is always integrated into a broader individualized treatment plan alongside CBT, DBT, somatic work and other modalities. It is never used in isolation.
Do you accept insurance?
CRTC is a private pay center. We assist clients in navigating out-of-network PPO reimbursement claims where applicable.
