Therapy Services

EMDR Therapy in Atlanta, GA

Helping your brain heal from painful experiences so you can move forward with greater peace, freedom, and confidence.

Individual EMDR Therapy. In person in Atlanta GA and Online in GA, FL, SC & NC

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Do You Feel Like The Past Still Has A Hold On You?

Do certain memories seem to replay in your mind no matter how much time has passed?

Do you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or constantly on guard without fully understanding why?

Have you worked hard to move forward, yet still find yourself reacting in ways that don't make sense?

Do you wish you could remember what happened without feeling like you're reliving it?

Trauma doesn't always stay in the past. Sometimes it lingers in our thoughts, emotions, relationships, and even our bodies. You may know you're safe, yet your nervous system continues to respond as though the danger is still present.

EMDR therapy helps your brain process those painful experiences so they no longer carry the same emotional weight. Rather than simply managing symptoms, EMDR works to address the memories and experiences that continue to shape your life today.

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black therapist in atlanta comforting client during therapy

EMDR for trauma

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is short for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured, research-backed approach that helps the brain heal from distressing life experiences, much the way the body heals from a physical wound. It was developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro, who noticed that certain eye movements seemed to reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts. Over the decades since, EMDR therapy has grown into one of the most studied trauma treatments in the world.

When something overwhelming happens, the experience can get “stuck” in the nervous system, frozen with all of the original images, emotions, and body sensations attached. That’s why a memory from years ago can still feel like it’s happening right now. EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess those stuck memories so they can finally settle into the past, where they belong.

The goal isn't to erase your memories. It's to reduce the emotional distress attached to them so you can remember the past without feeling controlled by it.

Backed By Decades Of Research

EMDR therapy is recognized as a first-line treatment for post-traumatic stress by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.¹ Controlled studies have found that 84–90% of people with a single traumatic event no longer met criteria for PTSD after just three sessions of EMDR therapy.² That kind of result is part of why I trust this approach so deeply.

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More about EMDR

How EMDR Works?

In my practice, I use EMDR therapy to help people heal from a wide range of experiences including childhood wounds, abuse, accidents, medical trauma, pregnancy and postpartum trauma, grief, betrayal, and the lingering effects of chronic stress. It’s also a powerful tool for the anxiety, panic, low self-worth, and relationship reactivity that so often have roots in earlier experiences.

EMDR therapy follows eight phases, but you don’t need to memorize them, you just need to know what to expect. We begin by getting to know your history and building skills to keep you grounded and safe. When you’re ready, we identify a specific memory along with the negative belief attached to it (something like “I’m not safe” or “It was my fault”). Then, while you briefly bring that memory to mind, I guide you through sets of gentle bilateral stimulation — usually back-and-forth eye movements or taps. This helps your brain do what it couldn’t do at the time: process the experience and release its charge.

Therapist with client doing EMDR therapy

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Why EMDR Therapy Can Reach What Talk Therapy Alone Sometimes Can’t?

Many people have spent years talking about what happened without feeling much relief. That’s because insight alone doesn’t always reach the part of the brain holding the trauma. EMDR therapy works with the brain’s own information-processing system, so change often happens at a deeper, felt level. One of the things clients appreciate most is that you don’t have to describe every detail of what happened out loud to heal — much of the work happens internally. Over time, the memory remains, but it no longer hijacks your present. You can think of it without the flood of emotion, and you walk away with healthier beliefs about yourself.

Why Choose EMDR?

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn't require you to repeatedly tell your story in detail.

Instead, it allows your brain to process experiences in a way that often reduces the intensity of painful emotions, changes negative beliefs about yourself, and helps your nervous system recognize that the danger is over.

Many clients describe feeling lighter, calmer, and more present as therapy progresses.

How EMDR Can Help?

Many people are surprised to discover that experiences they minimized years ago are still influencing how they see themselves and relate to others today.

EMDR therapy may help if you're struggling with:

PTSD
Childhood trauma
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Grief and loss
Medical trauma
Birth or postpartum trauma
Relationship betrayal
Low self-worth
Perfectionism
People pleasing
Distressing memories
Emotional triggers
Negative beliefs EMDR can help change:
- "I'm not good enough."
- "I'm unlovable."
- "I'm not safe."
- "I'm powerless."

Kaara Kiddoe, EMDR therapist in Atlanta, GA

Kaara Kiddoe, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker

My Approach to EMDR Therapy

While EMDR is a powerful therapy on its own, I believe healing is about more than processing memories.

I integrate EMDR with trauma-informed care, attachment theory, and Emotionally Focused Therapy principles to help you understand not only what happened to you, but how those experiences continue to shape your relationships, emotions, and sense of self today.

Because every person's story is different, your treatment will always be tailored to your unique needs and goals.

Kaara Kiddoe, LCSW

Meet

Trauma Therapy Helps You Heal At The Root

I'm Kaara Kiddoe, LCSW, and I've spent the past ten years helping individuals heal from trauma using EMDR and other evidence-based therapies.

I believe healing doesn't happen by forcing yourself to "just get over it." Healing happens when your brain and nervous system finally have the opportunity to process experiences that were too overwhelming at the time they occurred.

My goal is to create a safe, compassionate space where you feel supported throughout that process and never rushed.

I often weave EMDR therapy together with an emotionally focused, attachment-based approach, especially for clients healing from relational trauma or betrayal. If you’d like to see how this fits into broader healing, you can explore my trauma therapy page, and for couples, my work in emotionally focused therapy. I provide EMDR therapy via secure telehealth, which research shows can be just as effective as in-person care for many people.

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Are you ready to

Heal What’s Been Holding You Back?

Healing doesn't mean forgetting what happened. It means no longer feeling controlled by it. You don’t have to keep reliving the past to move forward. If you’re curious whether EMDR therapy is right for you, I’d love to talk. To begin EMDR therapy in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, or North Carolina, please fill out the New Client Inquiry form and I’ll reach out to discuss how we can get started.

What you need to know

EMDR is one of the most extensively researched treatments for trauma and post-traumatic stress. It is recognized by organizations such as the American Psychological Association and the World Health Organization as an effective treatment for trauma. Many people also find it helpful for anxiety, grief, negative self-beliefs, and other concerns related to distressing life experiences.
No. Although EMDR is well known for treating PTSD, it can also be highly effective for anxiety, panic attacks, grief, childhood trauma, relationship wounds, perfectionism, and persistent negative beliefs about yourself that stem from earlier life experiences.
Whether something happened three months or thirty years ago, it can still be processed and healed. The brain’s capacity to heal doesn’t expire. Many of the clients I work with came in convinced they were a hopeless case — and found real relief.
No. While we'll discuss your history and identify the memories we want to address, EMDR does not require you to repeatedly retell every detail of your trauma. Many people appreciate that they can experience meaningful healing without feeling like they have to relive painful experiences over and over again.
It’s a fair worry. We never rush into painful material. We spend real time building safety and stability first, and we only approach difficult memories when you feel ready and resourced. Processing trauma in a supported, intentional way is very different from being ambushed by it alone …the goal is relief, not re-injury.
The number of sessions varies depending on your goals, the nature of your experiences, and whether you're working through a single event or more complex trauma. Together, we'll regularly review your progress and tailor treatment to your individual needs.
Please note I currently do not accept insurance and I am considered an out-of-network provider. If your insurance has out-of-network benefits for mental health, I can provide you with a Superbill for you to seek reimbursement with you insurance. You are also welcomed to use your HSA or FSA card for your sessions. Payments for sessions are made with a debit or credit card.
Please note, Authentic Marriages requires 48 hours notice to cancel or reschedule a session otherwise a cancellation fee is charged at the rate of your full session fee.

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