EMDR Therapy in Perth.
A specialised, evidence-based therapy that helps the mind reprocess distressing memories so they no longer hold you back. One of Jacob’s core areas of training.
What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, known as EMDR, is a structured, evidence-based therapy developed specifically to help people recover from trauma and distressing life experiences. When something overwhelming happens, the brain can struggle to process the memory fully, leaving it stored in a raw, unresolved form. Years later, that memory can still trigger intense emotions, physical sensations, and unhelpful beliefs as though the event were happening now.
EMDR helps the brain reprocess these stuck memories. Using guided sets of bilateral stimulation, typically side-to-side eye movements, the therapy supports the natural processing system so that the memory loses its emotional charge. The event is not forgotten, but it settles into the past where it belongs, and its grip on the present loosens.
At Sage, EMDR is delivered by registered psychologist Jacob Jones, who was first introduced to trauma-focused therapy during his postgraduate research and has made it a central part of his practice ever since.
What EMDR can help with.
EMDR is best known as a treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress, and it can be effective for a wide range of experiences, whether a single distressing event or the accumulated weight of many. Jacob uses EMDR to support clients working through:
Distressing or intrusive memories
Helping memories that push into the present settle back into the past where they belong.
Childhood experiences that continue to affect adult life
Working through the early events whose weight has followed you into now.
Grief and loss
Making room for the memories and the meaning that surround them.
Anxiety rooted in past experiences
For anxiety that seems to trace back to something specific, rather than the everyday kind.
Phobias and specific fears
Reprocessing the moment a fear took hold, so it loses its intensity.
What to expect from EMDR.
Understandably, many people feel cautious about trauma therapy. Jacob’s approach is careful, paced, and always led by what feels manageable for you. EMDR is never rushed.
The process generally moves through several phases:
- 01History and preparation, where Jacob gets to know you and helps you build a sense of safety and stability.
- 02Identifying the specific memories or experiences to work with.
- 03Reprocessing those memories using bilateral stimulation, at a pace you control.
- 04Strengthening more helpful, adaptive beliefs about yourself.
- 05Reviewing progress and consolidating the gains you have made.
Because trauma work requires a strong foundation of trust, Jacob often integrates EMDR with psychodynamic and CBT-based approaches, ensuring the therapy supports the whole person, not just the memory.
Why choose Sage for EMDR.
EMDR is a specialised therapy, and it matters who guides you through it. Jacob’s training in trauma-focused work began during his postgraduate thesis and has been deepened through mentorship and ongoing practice. He brings a genuine passion for looking beyond presenting symptoms to the underlying experiences that shape them, which is precisely the depth EMDR is designed to reach.
Sessions take place in a calm, private room in East Fremantle, with the same low out-of-pocket fee under a Mental Health Care Plan that applies across the practice. Full details are on our fees and rebates page.
Enquire about EMDR in East Fremantle.
If you feel EMDR might help you move forward, Jacob would welcome a conversation about whether it is the right approach for you. You can book a consultation or get in touch with any questions first. There is no pressure and no obligation.