EMDR Therapy

A gentle, evidence-based way to heal from what still hurts

Some experiences don't stay in the past. A memory, a moment, a season of your life — it can keep showing up in your body and your reactions long after it's over. You might notice it as anxiety that doesn't match the situation, a harsh inner voice, or a feeling of being stuck in patterns you can see clearly but can't seem to change.

EMDR therapy was developed for exactly this. And you don't need to have experienced a major trauma for it to help.

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It's a structured, well-researched form of therapy that helps your brain do something it naturally wants to do: process difficult experiences so they stop feeling so present.

During EMDR, we work with a specific memory or belief while using bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements or gentle tapping. This dual attention seems to unlock the brain's natural processing, allowing painful memories to lose their emotional charge. The memory doesn't disappear. It just stops running the show.

EMDR is recognized as an effective treatment for trauma and PTSD by organizations including the American Psychological Association and the World Health Organization, and research increasingly supports its use for anxiety, grief, and negative self-beliefs.

What EMDR can help with

I use EMDR with adults and adolescents working through:

  • Trauma and PTSD, including childhood experiences

  • Anxiety and panic

  • Painful memories that intrude on daily life

  • Deeply held negative beliefs ("I'm not enough," "I'm not safe," "It was my fault")

  • Grief and loss

  • Difficult life transitions that stirred up old wounds

If you've done talk therapy before and felt like you understood your patterns but couldn't feel differently about them, EMDR is often the missing piece. Insight lives in the thinking brain; EMDR works where the feelings are stored.

What a session looks like

EMDR is not hypnosis, and you're in control the entire time. We move at your pace.

Before any reprocessing begins, we spend time building safety and resources — grounding tools, a strong therapeutic relationship, and a clear picture of what you want to work on. When you're ready, we'll focus on a target memory while I guide you through sets of bilateral stimulation. Between sets, you simply notice what comes up. There's no need to describe every detail of what happened; EMDR works even when the words are hard to find.

Many clients are surprised by how quickly long-held memories begin to shift — and by how much lighter they feel afterward.

My training

I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #MFT99953) and completed my EMDR training through The Institute for Creative Mindfulness. I integrate EMDR with a psychodynamic and Internal Family Systems–informed approach, which means we don't just process memories — we understand them in the context of your whole story.

Is EMDR right for you?

The honest answer: it depends on you, your history, and what you're hoping for — and that's a conversation, not a checkbox. If you're curious, I offer a free consultation call where we can talk about what's bringing you to therapy and whether EMDR (or another approach) fits.