Frequently Asked Questions
Can EMDR therapy be used during pregnancy? Is it safe for pregnant women?
Yes — EMDR therapy can be used safely during pregnancy, and it's often one of the best times to address unresolved trauma, anxiety, or fear of childbirth. Prenatal mental health directly impacts birth outcomes and early bonding, so addressing it before the baby arrives is genuinely valuable. EMDR is a non-medication approach, which makes it particularly well-suited for pregnant women who want effective support without pharmacological intervention. Sessions are adapted to your comfort and stage of pregnancy, and we work at a pace that feels safe for you throughout.
Is virtual EMDR therapy effective for postpartum anxiety and trauma?
Yes, virtual EMDR therapy is considered effective and is widely used by trained therapists. Research and clinical experience show that EMDR can be successfully adapted for online sessions using specific protocols that maintain its effectiveness.
Many postpartum moms prefer virtual EMDR therapy because it allows them to access support from home, without needing childcare or travel. I offer virtual EMDR therapy to clients across Ontario and Quebec, making specialized trauma care more accessible
What is perinatal grief and can EMDR therapy help with pregnancy loss or infant loss?
Perinatal grief refers to the grief experienced around pregnancy and early parenthood — including miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, infertility, a traumatic diagnosis during pregnancy, or even the grief of a birth experience that felt deeply wrong. It's a type of loss that is often minimized or misunderstood by those around you, which can make the pain even harder to carry. EMDR therapy is well-suited for perinatal grief because it helps process not just the loss itself, but the fear, guilt, and identity disruption that so often come with it. You don't have to be "over it" on anyone else's timeline. Danik Bernier offers EMDR therapy for perinatal grief across Ontario and Quebec.
Can EMDR therapy help me break generational trauma patterns that are affecting my parenting?
Yes, and this is one of the most meaningful areas of EMDR work. Many parents find that having children brings their own childhood experiences rushing back — unresolved pain, difficult memories, old coping patterns — and suddenly those patterns are showing up in how they react to their kids. EMDR helps you process the original experiences from your own childhood so that they stop driving your responses in the present. The goal isn't to be a perfect parent. It's to stop reacting from a wounded place and start responding from the grounded, present version of yourself.
What is your fee for hourly EMDR sessions?
The fee for a 50-60 min session is $275. Pricing differs for weekend EMDR intensives. Although Danik Bernier offers psychotherapy, she is a Registered Social Worker. Please confirm with your insurance provider that you have sufficient coverage for social work services. Sometimes insurance compagnies will claim they cover 100% of the session fee, although their definition of “100% fee coverage” is often less than $200 per session. Keep in mind that social work services in Canada are considered medical expenses.
How do I choose the right EMDR therapist for postpartum or birth trauma?
Choosing the right EMDR therapist is essential, especially for postpartum and birth trauma. Look for a therapist who is not only trained in EMDR, but who also specializes in perinatal mental health and understands the unique challenges of pregnancy, postpartum, and early parenting.
Working with a therapist who has experience in both trauma and the postpartum period ensures that treatment is tailored to your needs as a mother. I provide specialized EMDR therapy for postpartum anxiety, birth trauma, and childhood trauma for moms in Ottawa, Embrun, and across Ontario and Quebec.
What does an EMDR therapy intensive look like?
An EMDR therapy intensive is an extended, concentrated format of EMDR therapy — instead of weekly 50-minute sessions spread out over months, you complete a significant portion of the therapeutic work in a condensed block of time. Rather than building slowly week to week, intensives allow your nervous system to stay in the processing "zone" long enough to move through trauma material more efficiently and with more momentum.
At Danik Bernier's practice in Ottawa and Embrun, EMDR intensives are offered as half-day or full-day formats, typically ranging from 3 to 6 hours of therapeutic work with built-in breaks. The intensive begins with a thorough preparation phase — we don't just dive into trauma processing. We make sure your nervous system is resourced and ready, and that we have a clear map of what we're working toward together. Schedule a free consultation to find out what an EMDR intensive could look like for your specific needs.
What is birth trauma, and how do I know if I have it?
Birth trauma is not defined only by what medically happened during delivery, but by how your body and mind experienced it. You may have birth trauma if you feel distress, fear, or helplessness when thinking about your birth, or if you experience symptoms like nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, or avoidance.
Even if others tell you that your birth was “healthy” or “normal,” your experience is valid. EMDR therapy helps process traumatic birth memories so they no longer feel overwhelming, allowing you to move forward without reliving the experience.
How do I know if I have postpartum PTSD vs. postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety?
These conditions can overlap, and many people experience more than one at a time — which is part of why getting a proper assessment matters. Postpartum depression typically involves persistent low mood, loss of interest, exhaustion, and difficulty bonding. Postpartum anxiety involves excessive worry, hypervigilance, and physical symptoms like a racing heart or difficulty sleeping. Postpartum PTSD is specifically tied to a traumatic experience — most often a difficult or frightening birth — and involves flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, and feeling on edge or emotionally numb. EMDR therapy was originally developed to treat PTSD and is highly effective for all three, particularly when trauma is at the root. While I can’t provide a diagnosis, it’s also not necessary to access EMDR therapy services.