​​What is EMDR?​​​

EMDR is an eight-phase therapeutic approach that uses bilateral stimulation—typically eye movements, tapping, or tones— to heal symptoms of emotional distress resulting from disturbing, difficult and traumatic life experiences. This bilateral stimulation, similar to what occurs naturally during REM sleep, helps the brain process these experiences and integrate them into your broader life narrative in a healthier way.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR works directly to connect thoughts, feelings and physical sensations in the body that are affiliated with a traumatic memory. EMDR engages the brain's natural way of processing information and aides to transform how traumatic memories are stored. Traumatic experiences can become "frozen" in the brain with images, sounds, thoughts, feelings, and body sensations connected to that event. These unprocessed memories, when triggered in the present, cause the body distress. When the brain’s processing system is blocked, the emotional wound remains and causes pain and suffering. EMDR helps to move through the blockage to not just manage symptoms but actually heal from the wounding and release the distress.

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​​​My Approach to EMDR Therapy​ ​

Building safety and stability is super important when engaging distress. Supporting your body in its ability to tolerate distress is what curates safety within self.  As a guide and co-regulator,  I cultivate a space where you are resourced with tools and compassionate relationship that builds confidence, belief and practice to connect to and listen to your body. Once you body recognizes it can experience safety while feeling distressed, stress levels decrease, and healing begins.

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What to Expect in a Session​

​​EMDR are offered both in-person and via telehealth, and range from 45 - 90 minutes.​

To start and resource you, we will:

• Establish safety and build our therapeutic relationship

• Gather relevant history and identify treatment targets

• Learn and practice self-regulation techniques

• Develop a clear treatment plan​​

As your work progresses, you'll experience:

• Brief check-in about your current state and experiences since our last session

• Review of coping strategies and resources

• EMDR processing of targeted memories using bilateral stimulation

• Integration of insights gained during processing

• Proper containment to ensure stability before leaving the session

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I often find that integrating EMDR with other therapeutic approaches such as somatic therapy or Internal Family Systems accelerates healing.

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Who Benefits from EMDR Therapy?​

EMDR therapy can be beneficial for:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD

• Childhood trauma and adverse childhood experiences

• Anxiety and panic disorders

• Phobias and fears

• Grief and loss

• Performance anxiety

• Self-esteem issues 

• Chronic pain 

 EMDR is effective for single -incident traumas, complex trauma, and trauma-related symptoms (depressive or anxiety related reactions).

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