Where mind, body, & creativity meet
EMDR Therapy in Massachusetts & Rhode Island
Are distressing memories, anxiety, trauma, or negative beliefs continuing to impact your life?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy helps the brain process experiences that feel "stuck" so you can move forward with greater confidence, calm, and emotional freedom.
At Coastal Counseling Associates, EMDR therapy is provided by Alyssa Goff, LMHC, R-DMT. Alyssa works with children, teens, and adults experiencing anxiety, trauma, difficult life experiences, negative self-beliefs, and nervous system dysregulation.
She integrates EMDR with expressive arts, somatic approaches, mindfulness, movement, and play-based interventions to create a treatment experience that feels supportive, individualized, and effective.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require clients to talk in detail about every part of a painful experience. Instead, it helps the brain naturally reprocess difficult memories so they feel less emotionally overwhelming over time.
Our approach to EMDR is gentle, collaborative, and tailored to each individual client’s pace and readiness.
EMDR Investment
EMDR Intake Appointment (starting November 2026): $350
EMDR Follow Ups (starting November 2026): $280
As a private-pay, boutique practice, Coastal Counseling Associates is able to offer personalized, individualized care tailored to each client's unique needs. While we do not participate directly with insurance plans, we provide a superbill after each session that clients may submit to their insurance company for potential out-of-network reimbursement.
What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured psychotherapy approach created by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987 that helps the brain process unresolved experiences that continue to impact emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and the nervous system.
During EMDR therapy, clients use bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones, while safely processing distressing memories, emotions, or body sensations with the support of a specially trained EMDR therapist.
Over time, experiences that once felt highly triggering often begin to feel more manageable, less emotionally intense, and more fully integrated.
EMDR can help clients move from:
“I’m not safe” → “I survived and I am safe now.”
“I’m not good enough” → “I am worthy.”
“It was my fault” → “I did the best I could.”
EMDR May Help With:
Trauma & PTSD
Childhood trauma
Anxiety & panic attacks
OCD
Depression
Grief & loss
Medical trauma
Birth trauma
Relationship trauma
Attachment wounds
Emotional dysregulation
Low self-esteem
Phobias
Performance anxiety
Stress & burnout
Distressing memories
Negative self-beliefs
Nervous system dysregulation
Signs EMDR May Be Right For You
✓ You keep replaying a difficult memory
✓ You feel stuck in anxiety despite understanding it logically
✓ Certain situations trigger intense emotional reactions
✓ You struggle with panic attacks or hypervigilance
✓ Childhood experiences still impact your self-esteem
✓ You find yourself saying, "I know I'm safe, but my body doesn't feel safe."
Our Approach to EMDR
Coastal Counseling Associates offers a unique integration of EMDR, expressive arts, somatic therapy, and nervous-system-informed care in a warm, creative environment designed to support healing for both children and adults. EMDR at our practice is integrated with:
Traditional talk therapy
Somatic & nervous system-based work
Mindfulness
Expressive arts
Play therapy techniques (when appropriate)
Attachment-focused care
Grounding & emotional regulation skills
We do not believe in rushing the healing process. Before beginning trauma processing, we focus on building emotional safety, coping tools, nervous system regulation, and a strong therapeutic relationship.
Every EMDR journey looks different because every person’s story is different.
EMDR for Children & Teens
EMDR can be adapted for children and adolescents in developmentally appropriate ways.
Parents often notice:
Increased anxiety
Emotional outbursts
School avoidance
Difficulty separating from caregivers
Sleep challenges
Regressive behaviors
EMDR can help children process experiences that may be contributing to these struggles.
For younger clients, EMDR may incorporate:
Play
Art
Storytelling
Movement
Sand tray
Music
Creative expression
Children often process experiences through the body, imagination, and nervous system…not just words. Our holistic approach helps support healing in ways that feel safe and engaging for children and teens.
EMDR Training
EMDR therapy at Coastal Counseling Associates is provided by Alyssa Goff, LMHC, R-DMT, a licensed mental health counselor and registered dance/movement therapist. Alyssa integrates EMDR with expressive arts, somatic approaches, mindfulness, play-based interventions, and nervous system-focused strategies to support children, teens, and adults in a way that feels individualized and compassionate.
What does a typical EMDR session look like?
EMDR sessions are collaborative and individualized. Sessions may include:
Identifying goals and target memories
Learning grounding and regulation skills
Exploring emotions, thoughts, and body sensations
Bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sound)
Processing experiences in a safe, supported environment
Strengthening positive beliefs and resilience
Some clients notice changes quickly, while others experience healing gradually over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is EMDR only for severe trauma?
No. EMDR can help with both “big T” trauma and smaller “T” experiences that still impact self-esteem, anxiety, relationships, or emotional functioning.
Do I have to talk about everything that happened?
No. EMDR does not require clients to share every detail of an experience in order to heal.
Is EMDR safe?
Yes. EMDR is a well-researched, evidence-based therapy approach created by Dr. Francino Shapiro in 1987. Treatment always moves at a pace that feels manageable and supportive for the client.
How long does EMDR take?
Some clients benefit from shorter-term EMDR work focused on a specific experience, while others engage in longer-term therapy depending on their goals, history, and nervous system needs. The timelines below are general estimates and vary based on each client's unique history, goals, and needs.
Single-incident trauma (car accident, medical event, isolated traumatic experience):
Often around 6–12 sessions of focused EMDR work.
Anxiety, self-esteem issues, or moderate trauma history:
Often 3–6 months of treatment.Complex trauma, childhood trauma, attachment wounds, or longstanding emotional patterns: Often 6 months to 1+ year, especially when EMDR is integrated into ongoing therapy.
Children & teens: Often 8-18+ months of treatment.
Can EMDR be combined with other therapies?
Absolutely. EMDR is often integrated with talk therapy, somatic work, expressive arts, and other therapeutic approaches.
EMDR Therapy in Medway, MA
Coastal Counseling Associates provides EMDR therapy for children, teens, and adults in Medway, Franklin, Holliston, Milford, Bellingham, Norfolk, Medfield, Millis, Hopkinton, Wellesley, Newton, and surrounding Massachusetts and Rhode Island communities. We also offer telehealth services throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island where clinically appropriate.
Individual Therapy
We utilize evidence-based therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), strength-based therapy, trauma-focused therapy, play therapy, sand tray therapy, expressive arts therapy, mind-body connection, attachment-based therapy, and nature-based therapy.
Expressive Arts Therapy
Our clinicians are additionally licensed as expressive arts therapists! (either in art, dance, music, drama)
Group Therapy
We offer group therapy for children, teens, and adults with various different modalities and topics. See our groups tab or email us for more info ◡̈