EMDR Therapy
The trauma still affects you.
You feel disconnected.
From others…
From yourself…
From life in general.
It’s a struggle just to get through the day.
Your shoulders are tight.
You avoid risks and being triggered.
You’re wracked with guilt, shame, and anxiety.
Healthy relationships are impossible.
You fear others’ judgments.
Going it alone often seems easier.
You can’t trust anyone.
Life feels like so much work… with so little pleasure.
You’ve tried to put the past behind you.
But nothing’s worked.
After reading the books, watching the videos, and telling your story repeatedly, you still struggle with personal and professional connections.
You may have even been to therapy, but the anxiety and depression are still there.
Here’s part of the reason why nothing’s worked…
In his well-known book, The Body Keeps the Score, psychiatrist and trauma researcher Bessel van der Kolk tells us:
Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs, and, in an attempt to control these processes, they often become expert at ignoring their gut feelings and in numbing awareness of what is played out inside. They learn to hide from their selves. (p. 97)
Trauma doesn’t just live in your thoughts; it also lives in your body and nervous system.
You need an approach that addresses the mind AND the body.
That’s why you can talk about your trauma for years and never make any headway – you’re not treating the trauma directly in the nervous system.
That’s where Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) comes into play.
It works by stimulating both sides of your brain through eye movements as you target a particular traumatic memory.
The back-and-forth eye movements help you “reprocess” that memory – much like REM sleep consolidates and moves your daily experience into other areas of your brain when you dream.
Almost like magic, you’ll be desensitized to the event. EMDR doesn’t eliminate it from your memory, but it will no longer trigger your mind, body, or emotions.
We’ll transform your life, piece by piece.
As an EMDR therapist, my approach is gentle and compassionate.
You’ll set the pace, and I’ll support you through every step of the process.
I’ll also weave in other modalities, like guided imagery, creative therapies, somatic exercises, and more.
Not every tool works for everyone all the time, so we’ll use an integrative approach and hone in on what works for you.
You might be wondering…
How can I do this work when I’m already struggling to hold my life together?
I get it. Your plate probably seems so full there’s no room for ONE more thing. But think of it as an investment that will pay increasing dividends over time. With this relatively small investment of time, your life will start to ‘hold together’ on its own, leaving YOU with more time to do the things that matter most.
What if EMDR therapy doesn’t work for me?
We’ll start with an assessment of where you are, where you’ve been, where you want to be, and what you need.
Some people respond well to EMDR from the beginning. For others, different approaches are helpful initially, and we add EMDR later.
I’ll tailor the treatment to make sure you’re getting what you need. I’ll ask for your feedback along the way to make sure I’m helping you heal and grow.
How do I know if you are a good fit for me?
That is the best question you can ask when you are looking for an EMDR therapist. The quality of the relationship between you and your therapist is the number one predictor of successful therapy.
Please explore my website and see if what I’ve presented here resonates with you. Then, when you’re ready, give me a call. We’ll talk for about 20 minutes to see if we’re a match to work together. That call is totally free.
I know there’s a part of you holding on to hope.
Hope that it can get better…
Hope that you can have meaningful relationships without losing yourself…
Hope that you can live the creative, fulfilling life you’ve dreamed of.
I’ve been working with trauma survivors for almost 20 years. I’ve seen them create friendships, enjoy romantic relationships, and find work that gave them a deep sense of value and fulfillment.
I’m here to help you, too. Reach out through the contact form, and we can schedule that free consultation.