EMDR Therapy in Michigan
Some experiences don’t stay in the past. A trauma, a loss, or a painful memory can keep firing off in the present — showing up as anxiety, panic, flashbacks, or a fear you can’t reason your way out of. Talk therapy helps many people, but sometimes understanding why you feel a certain way doesn’t stop the feeling. That’s where EMDR comes in.
Lori Little, MA, is an experienced EMDR therapist offering treatment to adults across Michigan — in person in Keego Harbor and online by secure telehealth statewide.
Lori Little, MA, offers anxiety therapy for adults across Michigan — in person in Keego Harbor and online by secure telehealth statewide. Wherever you start, the goal is the same: to help you feel like yourself again, instead of ruled by worry.
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — is a proven, structured therapy that helps the brain heal from distressing experiences, much like the body heals from a physical wound. Using gentle back-and-forth (bilateral) stimulation such as guided eye movements, taps, or tones, EMDR helps you reprocess a stuck memory so it loses its emotional grip. The memory remains, but it stops hijacking your present. EMDR is recognized by organizations including the American Psychological Association and the World Health Organization as an effective treatment for trauma and PTSD.
Why EMDR works when "just talking" hasn't
When something overwhelming happens, the brain can store the memory in a “raw,” unprocessed form — frozen with the images, emotions, and body sensations from that moment. Later, a sound, a smell, or a situation can trip that memory and flood you with the original fear, even years afterward. You can know you’re safe now and still not feel it.
EMDR works at that deeper level. Instead of only talking about the memory, it helps your brain finish processing it — filing it away as something that happened, rather than something that’s still happening. Many people find relief with EMDR after other approaches haven’t fully worked.
What EMDR can help with
EMDR was developed for trauma, but its reach is broader. Lori uses EMDR to help with:
- Trauma and PTSD
- Childhood trauma, abuse, or neglect
- Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias
- Distressing or intrusive memories
- Grief and traumatic loss
- Depression rooted in past experiences
- Fears and triggers that don’t respond to logic
What to expect from EMDR treatment
EMDR is a structured, phased process — not something that’s done to you, but a collaborative process you stay in control of the whole way through.
Getting to know you and building safety.
Lori starts by understanding your history and goals and making sure you have grounding tools in place before any reprocessing begins. You never have to dive into the worst moment on day one.
Targeting the memory.
Together you identify a specific memory or trigger to work on, along with the beliefs and body sensations attached to it.
Reprocessing.
While you briefly bring the memory to mind, Lori guides you through sets of bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, or tones). Over time, the memory's charge fades.
Installing what you want instead.
The old belief ("I'm in danger," "It was my fault") is gradually replaced by a truer, calmer one ("It's over," "I'm safe now").
Checking in.
You and Lori track your progress and make sure the change holds.
You don’t have to describe every detail of what happened for EMDR to work — a relief for many people who’ve dreaded reliving it out loud.
Can EMDR be done online?
Yes. EMDR translates well to telehealth, using on-screen guided movements or self-tapping methods, and research supports its effectiveness delivered online. Lori offers EMDR both in person in Keego Harbor and by secure, HIPAA-compliant video anywhere in Michigan — so you can do this work from a space where you feel safe.
Working with Lori
Lori Little, MA, is a Limited Licensed Psychologist with more than 20 years of experience, and EMDR is central to how she helps people heal from trauma, anxiety, and loss. Clients often describe her EMDR work as the thing that finally helped them process what they’d carried for years. She offers a warm, steady, judgment-free space and moves at a pace that always feels safe.
What to expect getting started
Your first step is a free, confidential 15-minute phone consultation — a chance to ask questions about EMDR and see whether it feels like the right fit. There’s no pressure, and no need to share more than you’re ready to.
Insurance and getting started
Full Circle Wellness is in-network with most major plans — including Blue Cross Blue Shield (all plans), Aetna, United Healthcare / Optum, Priority Health, HAP, and Magellan — and private pay is welcome. We’ll help you verify your coverage before your first session.
