EMDR Therapy NYC:

Break Free from the Past—Step Into a Calmer, More Connected Life

EMDR Helps You Heal from What Still Hurts.

You tired of feeling on edge, waiting for the next bad thing to happen, even when everything is fine. And frustrated that you can’t even focus at work or in relationships because your mind keeps dragging you back to things you wish you could forget. You want to move forward—but your body, mind, and relationships keep pulling you into the same painful loops. You’re ready for something new.

Hey, I’m Eric. If you’re feeling stuck in survival mode, EMDR therapy in NYC can help you heal in a way that talk therapy alone sometimes can’t. Whether your trauma comes from one overwhelming moment or a buildup of chronic stress, I offer techniques to help your nervous system finally release what it’s been carrying. You can feel lighter, steadier, and more in control again.

You Deserve to Feel Better.

EMDR therapy can help you process the past, so it stops hijacking your present. It’s possible to heal, to feel safe in your own skin, and to start living—not just surviving.

Untangle the Past—Reclaim the Present

Eric M. Hovis, a licensed therapist specializing in EMDR therapy in NYC, standing in Central Park, offering trauma-focused therapy to help clients heal from past experiences and regain emotional balance.

Healing from trauma is possible. As a licensed mental health counselor, Eric M Hovis, specializes in EMDR therapy in NYC. He helps clients reprocess painful experiences, break free from the past, and reclaim a sense of calm, confidence, and control in their lives.

Hi, I’m Eric Hovis LMHC—A Certified EMDR Therapist in NYC

My name is Eric Hovis (he/him), and I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Online Therapist in New York City.

With over 16 years of experience, I help clients heal from anxiety, complex trauma, and religious trauma using EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Experiential and mindfulness-based approaches. You don’t have to force yourself to “let go.” With the right support, healing can happen naturally—without reliving every painful detail.

Why EMDR Therapy with Me is Different

We Help Your Body and Mind Feel Safe Again

Trauma lives in your nervous system—not just in your thoughts. I’ll guide you in using grounding, resourcing, and somatic tools to prepare for deeper trauma work.

We Reprocess What’s Stuck—Without Re-Traumatizing

Using EMDR and IFS, we’ll identify the stuck memories, beliefs, and emotional wounds—then gently shift them. We work at your pace, helping you move forward with clarity and self-trust.

We Reinforce the Growth, Not Just the Healing

EMDR isn’t just about trauma resolution. It's about helping you feel confident, whole, and grounded in the present—so you can live fully, not just function.

You Don’t Have to Keep Carrying This Alone. Book a Free Consultation

I know reaching out can feel like a big step, but I’ll make it easy. We’ll spend 15-minutes on the phone and I’ll let you know how or if I can help. If I am not the right fit, I’ll do my best to get you to the right person.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

You can also learn more about my approach, credentials, and experience on my About page. My other specialties include Anxiety Therapy, Religious Trauma Therapy, and LGBTQ Therapy.

Shift What’s Stuck—Live with Confidence and Calm

What It’s Like to Work With Me

  • Affirming & Trauma-Informed → Your story is safe here. You don’t have to justify your pain or prove you deserve support.

  • Structured but Compassionate → We follow a clear, research-backed path while always adjusting to what feels right for your nervous system.

  • Holistic & Experiential → I integrate EMDR with IFS, somatic awareness, and mindfulness so your healing feels embodied—not just intellectual.

Think we might be a good fit?

Interested in having a conversation to see if we might be a good fit or if I can be helpful to you, we can schedule a free, no-obligation, 15-minute conversation. Let’s start this journey together.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Stop Reliving the Past—Start Moving Forward with Clarity and Freedom

Wood blocks with the letters E, M, D, and R carved on them, representing EMDR therapy in NYC, a research-backed approach to trauma healing and emotional recovery.

EMDR therapy helps reprocess traumatic memories, reducing their emotional intensity and allowing for real healing. Through bilateral stimulation, EMDR supports the brain’s natural ability to heal, providing relief from anxiety, PTSD, and past trauma.

How EMDR Therapy Works

Why Trauma Gets Stuck in the Mind & Body

When something traumatic happens, your brain may store the memory in a raw, unprocessed form, as if it’s still happening. Instead of fading like other memories, it remains stuck—triggering fear, hypervigilance, avoidance, or emotional shutdown long after the event is over.

How EMDR Helps You Reprocess & Heal

Using bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sound tones), EMDR helps your brain reprocess distressing memories in a way that reduces their emotional intensity. Over time, the memories lose their charge, and the beliefs and sensations attached to them begin to shift.

With EMDR, you can:

  • Feel calmer and more in control of your emotions

  • Stop repeating unhealthy relationship patterns

  • Reduce physical symptoms like tension, headaches, and insomnia

  • Rewire negative beliefs (e.g., “I’m not safe” → “I am secure”)

What to Expect in EMDR Therapy

  1. Building Safety & Trust → We start by developing coping tools so you feel grounded before diving into trauma work.

  2. Identifying Stuck Patterns → We pinpoint the memories, emotions, and beliefs that need healing.

  3. Reprocessing the Trauma → Using bilateral stimulation, we help your brain release distress and integrate new insights.

  4. Reinforcing Growth → We strengthen positive beliefs, emotional regulation, and a sense of self-trust, so you can move forward with confidence.

You don’t have to relive your trauma to heal from it. EMDR allows you to reprocess the past without getting stuck in it.

You Don’t Have to Keep Carrying This Alone

If you’re ready to take the first step, I’m here to help. Let’s work together to break free from the past and create a future that feels lighter, calmer, and more like your own. Click below to schedule a free 15-minute consultation, and let’s talk about how EMDR therapy can support your healing.

You have always deserved to feel seen, whole, grounded, and at peace.

FAQs

  • EMDR is a powerful and effective therapy designed to help individuals process and heal from traumatic experiences. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping on the body, to help your brain reprocess traumatic memories. This process allows you to integrate these memories in a way that reduces their emotional impact and helps you move forward. EMDR not only focuses on desensitizing and reprocessing traumatic memories but also builds internal resources to enhance your resilience and coping abilities. Techniques used in EMDR help you develop a sense of safety and grounding, empowering you to face and process traumatic experiences without becoming overwhelmed.

    One of the remarkable aspects of EMDR is how quickly it has shown to be effective. Many individuals experience significant relief in just a few sessions, making it a time-efficient option for trauma therapy. EMDR can rapidly reduce the distress associated with traumatic memories, allowing you to move towards a healthier and more balanced emotional state.

  • EMDR works by stimulating both sides of the brain through bilateral stimulation, which can include eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones. This process helps to reprocess and integrate traumatic memories, reducing their intensity and emotional impact. Over time, this allows individuals to heal from their trauma and develop healthier emotional responses.

  • Absolutely! EMDR has also been shown to be effective for issues beyond trauma. One common problem it addresses is emotional “stuckness," where individuals repeatedly encounter the same emotional knots or problems without resolution, even after traditional talk therapies. This emotional stuckness can manifest as persistent anxiety, depression, or relationship difficulties that seem to never fully resolve. EMDR helps by identifying and reprocessing the underlying traumatic or distressing memories that contribute to these ongoing issues, allowing you to break free from these recurring emotional patterns.

    Whether you're dealing with unresolved grief, chronic stress, or a pervasive sense of being stuck, EMDR can provide the tools and techniques to help you move forward. By addressing the root causes of your emotional challenges, EMDR fosters a deeper level of healing and personal growth, making it a versatile and effective approach for a wide range of psychological issues.

  • Yes, EMDR can be effectively conducted over telehealth or video sessions. The use of bilateral stimulation techniques, such as eye movements or tapping, can be adapted for virtual sessions, allowing you to receive the benefits of EMDR therapy from the comfort of your own home. This approach has been shown to be effective and convenient, especially for those who may have difficulty attending in-person sessions.

  • EMDR can be effective for a wide range of traumas, including but not limited to:

    • Childhood trauma and abuse

    • Relationship trauma

    • Religious trauma

    • PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

    • Anxiety and panic disorders

    • Depression related to trauma

  • The number of EMDR sessions needed varies from person to person and depends on the nature and severity of the trauma. Some individuals may experience significant relief in just a few sessions, while others may require more extended therapy. Your therapist will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan based on your unique needs.

  • It depends. The integration of EMDR into a standard therapy session is based on assessment. While many EMDR sessions can fit within a typical 60-minute therapy session, working through a specific memory or particularly challenging issue may require an extended session. These extended sessions can last up to 90 minutes to ensure we have enough time to effectively process and reprocess traumatic memories. I will work with you to determine the appropriate session length based on your individual needs and the nature of the issues being addressed.

  • Yes, EMDR can be particularly effective for individuals dealing with religious trauma. By reprocessing traumatic memories associated with religious experiences, EMDR helps reduce their emotional impact and allows for healing. For more information, please visit my specialty page on religious trauma.

  • In addition to EMDR, I use a trauma-informed and integrated approach that includes:

    • Internal Family Systems (IFS): Harmonizing conflicting parts of your personality while helping you center in your truest Self.

    • Psychodynamic Approaches: Understanding how past relationships and attachment experiences shape your present.

    • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Developing awareness and strategies to manage negative thought patterns.

    • Somatic Therapies: Addressing the physical symptoms of trauma by working with the natural healing and regulating abilities of the mind-body.

  • Absolutely. While I specialize in working with LGBTQ individuals, my practice is inclusive and open to all. I provide a safe, affirming, and non-judgmental space for anyone seeking therapy, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. My integrated therapeutic approach is tailored to meet the unique needs of each client, ensuring comprehensive and compassionate care for everyone.

  • If you find yourself experiencing symptoms like constant hypervigilance, anxiety, nightmares, emotional numbness, or if you too use "medicators" like perfectionism, substance use, or compulsive behaviors to cope, it might be beneficial to seek therapy. Trauma can profoundly affect your daily life and relationships, and therapy can provide the support and tools you need to heal.

Break Free from the Past—You Deserve to Heal. You don’t have to do this alone.

Let’s Chat to See How I Can Help