EMDR Phase 2: River Stream Exercise

Flowing Toward Healing: How EMDR Therapy and the “Rivers on a Stream” Meditation Support Emotional Processing

When life feels overwhelming, and thoughts are tangled with anxiety, trauma, or emotional pain, finding a method to gently process and release those experiences can feel life-changing. One such powerful method is EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This therapeutic approach helps the brain reprocess stuck memories and reduce the distress associated with them. A complementary practice that pairs beautifully with EMDR is the “Rivers on a Stream” meditation—a grounding visualization that can offer calm and clarity between sessions.

If you’re seeking EMDR counseling in Michigan, or are simply curious about tools to support your emotional healing, read on to discover how this gentle meditation can enhance the benefits of EMDR treatment.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy is an evidence-based approach developed to help people process traumatic experiences. Through the use of bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping), EMDR treatment enables the brain to “unstick” painful memories and integrate them in a more adaptive way. Over time, clients find that the memories no longer hold the same emotional charge.

At our Michigan therapy practice, we often recommend EMDR counseling for clients dealing with trauma, anxiety, loss, and negative self-beliefs. The brain has an incredible ability to heal—and EMDR helps unlock that healing.

What Is the “Rivers on a Stream” Meditation?

“Rivers on a Stream” is a mindfulness-based visualization technique that invites you to picture each of your thoughts as leaves or small boats drifting down a river. You imagine sitting on the riverbank, watching them float by—without clinging to or pushing away any of them.

This meditation is rooted in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and its principle of cognitive defusion. It helps individuals recognize that they are not their thoughts. Instead of getting swept away by worry, trauma flashbacks, or internal criticism, you begin to observe your mental activity with more distance and compassion.

How the Meditation Supports EMDR Counseling

While EMDR therapy works directly on reprocessing traumatic or stuck memories, practices like the “Rivers on a Stream” meditation help clients build mindfulness and emotional regulation skills in between sessions.

Here’s how the two complement each other:

• Regulates the nervous system – The meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting calm and safety. This supports the readiness and grounding needed for deeper EMDR work.
• Builds the observer self – Watching your thoughts drift by fosters the “observer” mindset that EMDR therapists often encourage. You learn to witness your thoughts and emotions rather than become overwhelmed by them.
• Reduces emotional reactivity – Clients in EMDR treatment may experience temporary distress after sessions. This meditation becomes a soothing anchor when emotions feel stirred up.
• Increases tolerance for distress – The practice of staying present while noticing difficult thoughts builds distress tolerance, a valuable skill during EMDR reprocessing phases.

Try It for Yourself: Guided Meditation on Insight Timer

To begin experiencing the benefits of this practice, you can listen to a version of the “Rivers on a Stream” meditation on Insight Timer here:

👉 Guided Meditation – Watching Thoughts Float By (Insight Timer)

Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and allow yourself to gently rest alongside the stream of your thoughts. With time, you may begin to feel lighter, more grounded, and more at peace.

EMDR Therapy in Michigan: You’re Not Alone

If you’re interested in exploring EMDR therapy in Michigan, our licensed EMDR clinicians are here to help. Whether you’re navigating grief, trauma, or anxiety, EMDR counseling offers a pathway to real transformation.

Our Michigan counseling practice is trauma-informed, holistic, and deeply client-centered. We integrate EMDR treatment with mindfulness-based practices like this meditation, so you feel supported inside and outside of session.

Healing is possible—and it often begins with noticing the river within you.

Reach out now 248-962-3329 or click “contact” page to get started