One event that won't stay put
A car accident, an assault, a medical emergency, a sudden loss. When a single event keeps replaying, EMDR is often a natural fit.
Request an appointment
EMDR THERAPY · LAKELAND + FLORIDA TELEHEALTH
EMDR therapy in Lakeland.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy for memories that still land in your body as if they were happening now. Two EMDR-trained therapists provide it, Kaylee Mills Brenneman, LMHC, and Ashley Huston, RMHCI, in person at our Lakeland office or by secure video anywhere in Florida.
Accepting New Patients · Lakeland office + Florida telehealth
EMDR THERAPY IN LAKELAND
Find out if EMDR fits what you're carrying.
Call (863) 510-2624, or leave your details and a patient coordinator will call you back.
Got it. We will be in touch.
A care coordinator will reach out within one business day. If you would rather not wait, call (863) 510-2624.
Therapy is self-pay. We give you a superbill you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement. Calls are answered Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Please don’t include medical details here; we cover those on the call.
Or call directly: (863) 510-2624
Your information is kept confidential.
Quick answer
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) at Ascend is provided by two EMDR-trained therapists, Kaylee Mills Brenneman, LMHC, and Ashley Huston, RMHCI, in person at the Lakeland office or by secure video anywhere in Florida, reprocessing included. Therapy is self-pay, with an itemized superbill for out-of-network reimbursement.
What EMDR is
In plain terms
A different way to work with a memory.
Most memories fade the way they should. Then there is the one that didn't: the crash, the hospital room, the night you still can't think about without your chest tightening. EMDR is built for that second kind. Instead of talking the event through week after week, you bring a small piece of it to mind while following a back-and-forth cue, usually eye movements, tapping or alternating tones, and notice what changes. For many people the memory starts to feel quieter and further away, though responses vary from person to person.
EMDR is one of the trauma-focused therapies named in the American Psychological Association's PTSD guideline and the VA/DoD clinical practice guideline for PTSD. It sits inside our talk therapy practice, and for a wider look at trauma and the other approaches we use, see trauma therapy and PTSD.
Who it tends to fit
When EMDR is worth asking about.
A first conversation sorts out whether EMDR, another trauma approach, or something else entirely is the better place to start.
Hard to put into words
If saying it out loud is the part you dread, EMDR asks for far less narration than most trauma therapy. You stay in control of how much you share.
Request an appointmentYears of it, not one thing
Childhood trauma and long-running stress can be treated with EMDR too, usually more slowly, with extra time spent on stability before any reprocessing begins.
About trauma therapyOld memories, today's reactions
Panic that feels out of proportion, shame that arrives out of nowhere, a flinch at a certain sound. Sometimes the root is a memory that never got processed.
About PTSDAlongside other care
EMDR can run alongside psychiatric care or ongoing talk therapy. If you see one of our psychiatric providers, your care stays coordinated inside one practice.
About psychiatryWhen we start somewhere else
If you are in crisis, living somewhere unsafe right now, or need care for substance use or another condition first, your therapist will say so and help you get that care before EMDR.
Talk it through
How it works here
Eight phases, four parts you'll notice.
EMDR follows a standard eight-phase protocol. From your side of the room, it feels like four stretches of work.
History and a plan.
Your therapist learns what brought you in, what you want to change and which memories to start with. Nothing is reprocessed yet.
Getting steady first.
You build ways to settle yourself, such as a calm-place exercise and grounding skills, so you have somewhere to land if a session stirs things up.
Reprocessing, a piece at a time.
You hold a small piece of the memory in mind during short sets of eye movements, tapping or tones, then say what shifted. Your therapist sets the pace and stops whenever you need to.
Closing and checking back.
Every session ends with you settled. The next one starts by checking what changed in between and what still needs attention.
Your EMDR therapists
Two EMDR-trained therapists, one Lakeland team.
Kaylee Mills Brenneman, LMHC
Kaylee leads the Lakeland therapy team and supervises its registered interns. She completed her EMDR training through an EMDRIA-approved training program. She is also comprehensively trained in DBT.
View Kaylee's profile
Ashley Huston, RMHCI
Ashley pairs EMDR with a mind-body approach, using breathwork and body awareness to help clients stay grounded while they reprocess. She practices under licensed clinical supervision.
View Ashley's profile
Where sessions happen
Lakeland + video
In the office or by secure video.
Our EMDR therapists see clients in person at the Lakeland office on South Florida Avenue and by secure video anywhere in Florida, and the full course, reprocessing included, works in either format. Over video, the back-and-forth cue comes from a visual on your screen or tapping you do yourself, so you will want a private room and a steady connection. Your therapist will talk with you about whether starting in person or by video fits you, and some clients mix the two.
Lakeland sits about 35 miles east of downtown Tampa on I-4, so many Tampa clients start by video. For the rest of the team's trauma work, see PTSD therapy for Tampa and therapy in Lakeland.
Therapy at Ascend is self-pay. We do not bill insurance for therapy sessions, but we provide itemized superbills you can submit for out-of-network reimbursement; our insurance page explains how that works.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions.
What does an EMDR session feel like?
Quieter than most people expect. Early sessions are conversation and skill-building. In reprocessing sessions you hold a small piece of a memory in mind while following eye movements, tapping or tones in short sets, then say briefly what you noticed. Some sessions feel heavy and some feel surprisingly ordinary. Your therapist makes sure you are settled before you leave.
Do I have to describe what happened in detail?
No. Your therapist needs a general sense of the memory you are working on, but EMDR does not ask for a detailed retelling. You decide how much you share, and you can stop a set at any point.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
It depends on what you are working on. A single event can sometimes be addressed in a fairly small number of reprocessing sessions once the preparation is done, while long-running or childhood trauma usually takes longer. Some people shift quickly, some need many more sessions, and a small number do not respond. Your therapist reviews progress with you as you go.
Can I do EMDR by telehealth?
Yes. EMDR is available by secure video for anyone located in Florida, reprocessing included. Over video, the back-and-forth cue comes from a visual on your screen or tapping you do yourself. Your therapist will talk with you about whether starting in person at our Lakeland office or by video fits you, and about having a private room and a plan for settling after a heavy session.
Who provides EMDR at Ascend?
Two EMDR-trained therapists: Kaylee Mills Brenneman, LMHC, who leads the Lakeland therapy team, and Ashley Huston, RMHCI, a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern who practices under licensed clinical supervision. A patient coordinator helps match you with the right one.
Can I do EMDR while taking medication or seeing a psychiatric provider?
Yes, many people do. Keep taking your medication as prescribed and tell your therapist what you are on. If you also see one of Ascend's psychiatric providers, your therapy and medication care can be coordinated inside one practice.
Currently Accepting New Patients
Start with one phone call.
Tell us what you are dealing with and we will help you decide whether EMDR is the right place to start.
In person at our Lakeland office · Florida telehealth