EMDR Therapy

I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapeutic approach designed to relieve distress associated with traumatic memories and difficult life events.

What is EMDR?

EMDR is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps the brain’s natural processing system work through memories and experiences that have gotten “stuck.” When something distressing happens, it isn’t always processed and stored the way other memories are. It can stay lodged with the original images, emotions, and body sensations still attached, getting triggered by things that remind you of it long after the event itself is over.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (usually guided eye movements, though taps or tones can be used instead) while you bring a distressing memory to mind. This engages the brain’s own information processing system, helping it move that memory toward resolution, so it no longer carries the same charge.

What can it help with?

I use EMDR with women working through a range of difficult experiences, including:

• Birth trauma and difficult postpartum experiences
• Pregnancy loss, infertility, and reproductive trauma
• Single-incident traumatic events
• Stuck, unhelpful beliefs about yourself that talk therapy alone hasn’t shifted, like “I’m not safe” or “it was my fault”
• Anxiety and distress connected to a specific memory or experience

EMDR can bring relief in much less time than traditional talk therapy alone, because it works directly with how the memory is stored rather than relying only on talking through it.

How does it work?

EMDR follows a structured protocol. We start by making sure you have the resources and coping skills to feel stable and grounded before we do any processing work, and by identifying the memories and beliefs we’ll target together. From there, we work through the memory using bilateral stimulation, checking in regularly about what’s coming up for you, until the memory feels less distressing and you’re able to hold a more accurate, helpful belief about yourself in its place.

EMDR can be used on its own or alongside talk therapy, depending on what fits your situation best.

You can learn more about EMDR here: EMDR International Association