EMDR THERAPY FOR TRAUMA | VIRTUALLY ACROSS CALIFORNIA

Let go of shame and unlock your freedom with EMDR therapy.

You don’t have to feel “stuck” anymore.

You can’t quite put your finger on it, but something isn’t right.

Maybe you’ve gone through things that seem “small” to others—like a breakup, losing a pet, or being bullied—but they’ve stuck with you in ways you didn’t expect. Or maybe there are bigger, harder-to-name experiences, like trauma or loss, that feel blurry or disconnected. It’s hard to trust your own memories and make sense of what happened. Over time, you’ve learned to cope by staying busy, numbing out, or overthinking everything, but deep down, you know it’s not working anymore.

What you might be struggling with:

  • Feeling stuck in emotional patterns from past trauma

  • Chronic people-pleasing, perfectionism, and losing yourself in the process

  • Self-doubt, especially in relationships

  • Emotional numbness or a flood of feelings, feeling overwhelmed with emotions

  • Imposter syndrome or burnout from constantly feeling like you have to prove yourself

What is emdr?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a unique and effective approach to processing trauma and overwhelming experiences.

It works by helping your brain reprocess painful memories that might be keeping you stuck. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation—like guided eye movements or tapping—to help your brain process these memories, so they no longer feel as intense or overwhelming.

Trauma isn’t just one huge, catastrophic event—it’s anything that significantly alters your perception of yourself or the world around you. Even if you don’t think your experience is “big” enough to count as trauma, if it’s still affecting you, it matters. EMDR is particularly effective in helping you process these experiences so they no longer weigh you down. 

Whether you’ve experienced a significant event, like a car accident or loss, or the buildup of smaller, repeated challenges, this approach helps your mind and body heal, making it easier to move forward with greater clarity and calm. You don’t have to carry the weight of the past alone. EMDR can help you put it down, piece by piece.

Your story isn’t over just because this chapter feels hard.

HOW IT WORKS

EMDR works with both your mind and your body to process the memories that are causing you pain, stress, or anxiety.

The goal is to help you feel more in control, more grounded, and less affected by those memories. While every experience is uniquely tailored to the individual, EMDR is a very structured therapy with eight specific phases we’ll walk through together. This is not something we’ll rush into or jump into lightly. Building trust, understanding your needs, and making sure EMDR is the right fit for you are the foundation of this work. We’ll start with talk therapy, focusing on education, resourcing, and building a strong therapeutic relationship before moving forward with EMDR reprocessing.

Here’s how we do it:

  • Before we dive into EMDR, we’ll take time to talk about what’s going on in your life and what brought you to therapy. Whether you’re dealing with big trauma or just a general feeling of being stuck, we’ll get a sense of what’s been weighing on you.

  • I’ll walk you through how EMDR works, why it’s different from talk therapy, and how we’ll use bilateral stimulation (eye movements or tapping) to help your brain reprocess memories. It’s really important to me that you feel informed and comfortable throughout the process, so there will be plenty of chances for you to ask questions and share your feedback.

  • Before we get into the deeper work, we’ll focus on building some emotional resources—things that help you feel calm, safe, and grounded. We’ll talk about how trauma affects your nervous system and what tools you can use to stay centered during the process and between sessions. It’s all about making sure you’re informed and feeling secure.

  • When you're ready, we'll begin working through distressing memories or experiences—but we won’t rehash them in detail. That’s not the point of EMDR. Many people avoid therapy because they fear reliving their trauma, but EMDR allows us to process it without needing to talk about every detail. 

    If you don’t remember everything—or even have a clear grasp of the memory—that’s completely okay. Trauma often protects us this way. As long as you recall how it makes you feel or certain pieces, we can work with that. Through bilateral stimulation, your brain will start reprocessing these memories, making them feel less intense and triggering. Over time, you can feel lighter and more at peace.

  • Everyone’s experience with EMDR is different, so we’ll keep checking in to make sure you’re comfortable and that this approach is still helping you reach your goals. We can always switch between talk therapy and EMDR sessions, depending on what feels best for you. This is your experience and I’ll always honor that. 

  • After reprocessing the memories that have been “stuck” in your system, you can start to feel more at ease, more in control, and less affected by those old wounds. The goal is for you to feel lighter, more connected to yourself, and able to move forward in your life, free from shame, and with more balance and clarity.

EMDR therapy can help you…

  • Feel lighter as flashbacks and intrusive thoughts fade.

  • Replace old thought patterns that no longer serve you.

  • Shift those self-doubts and step into empowerment, confidence, and resilience.

  • Work through PTSD, anxiety, grief, and phobias.

  • Quiet your anxieties and face challenges with more ease.

  • Handle stress with confidence and stay in control.

  • Reduce the emotional charge tied to past traumas and experiences, so they have less power over you.

Consider this permission to be imperfect, to be brave, and to finally own your story.

FAQS

Frequently asked questions

  • Yes! While EMDR doesn’t treat ADHD directly, it can address some of the emotional challenges that often come with it, like anxiety, shame, or feeling overwhelmed. EMDR can also help with improving focus by reducing the emotional stress that might make it harder to concentrate. You can learn more about my therapeutic approach for ADHD HERE. 

  • EMDR therapy is highly individualized, so the timeline varies. Some people notice significant shifts after a few sessions, while others may take longer, especially if there’s a history of complex trauma. We’ll go at your pace and adjust as needed.

  • Not necessarily. One of the benefits of EMDR is that it doesn’t require you to “rehash” or go into all the details of your past traumatic experiences. Instead, we’ll focus on the feelings, thoughts, and sensations tied to the memory, allowing your brain to process them without reliving the experience.

  • As we work together, you’ll notice that the memories or feelings causing distress become less intense. It's common to experience emotional ups and downs during EMDR—sometimes feeling worse before feeling better as difficult emotions come up. This is part of the process, and over time, most people find the distress lessens, and their overall emotional state improves.

    I’ll check in regularly to make sure we’re on track and moving toward your goals. EMDR can help bring more balance, peace, and control to your life. For some, changes are noticeable quickly, but for others, it can take a little more time—and that’s okay.