EMDR
a structured, research-backed approach to processing traumatic memories. rather than talking through experiences in detail, we use bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess stuck material so it loses its charge.
what it is
You might have seen pop culture references to EMDR— a therapist moving their hand back and forth while someone stares at it. While it's true we use bilateral stimulation, which can be eye movements, binaural auditory cues, or even tapping, EMDR is actually an 8-phase, somatic treatment approach to trauma work. It starts with what we call resourcing— teaching you how to build safety. From there we map triggering events, identify the core beliefs that got stuck, and work through reprocessing and reintegration. Trauma lives in our bodies— not just our minds. And EMDR helps us process the somatic experience of that trauma.
what happens in session
The truth is, it depends on the phase. Single-incident trauma looks different from complex, repeated trauma, and the timeline varies a lot by person. In reprocessing sessions, we use an online tool that generates bilateral visual and auditory stimuli. You’ll engage with it in short increments while holding a traumatic memory in mind. Then we’ll pause and I’ll help direct you as needed. I like to compare it to meditation: your mind will wander, there's no wrong way to do it, and it’s almost impossible to explain to someone who hasn’t been through it. But the main idea is to get out of the way and let the brain heal itself.
who it’s for
EMDR is best suited for people who have experienced capital-T trauma, whether as a single defining event or a lifetime of wounds that have profoundly impacted their sense of self. Often clients who search for EMDR have tried traditional talk therapy, but find themselves stuck in visceral maladaptive patterns that don’t seem to respond to insight. They might understand certain triggers, but still lack control over them. If that’s the case for you, EMDR might be worth exploring. Even so, it's not the right fit for everyone, and I'll always tell you if I think we should try something else first.
what it’s not
EMDR isn't a magic bullet. It can move more quickly than traditional talk therapy and require less disclosure, but that doesn't mean it's easy, quick, or painless. Processing old material stirs things up before it settles them. And, while we can reduce the level of distress you experience around a trigger, we can’t fully erase the pain of trauma. Also, if you're in active crisis, or don't yet have basic tools for managing distress, we need to build that foundation first. I find that for complex trauma especially, a blend of EMDR and integrative therapy is more effective than EMDR alone. The therapeutic relationship still does the heavy lifting.
integrative
my training includes ACT, somatic attachment, ego states, and somatic sexology. but most of what happens in therapy defies a single label. the goal is to draw from different techniques, theories of mind, and philosophies to meet you where you are. the core pillars to my approach are:
people are made up of parts
So much of therapy can be boiled down to two words: curiosity and tolerance. That’s the opposite of our gut reaction to parts, which often show up in ways that make us feel we’re being pulled in totally different directions. We have a part that wants to move forward and a part that's terrified to. A part that knows better and a part that can't seem to stop. Ego states work is a theory of mind that invites us to work with those contradictions rather than against them. Instead of fighting our parts, we work on understanding the wounds they're rooted in and the needs they're asking us to meet. And slowly, over time, the parts tug at us less.
our bodies hold our experiences
The idea that trauma is stored in the body is one that has made its way into popular consciousness. Even so, we have a hard time applying this knowledge. Most therapy— and indeed, most of modern life— is cognitive. But the nervous system is a record of every feeling you’ve had since your mother’s womb. It doesn’t respond to insight, it responds to experience. In session we’ll do a lot of pausing, a lot of noticing how the body responds to certain thoughts & feelings, and a lot of mindful exercises. We’ll also track your nutrition, sleep, and movement habits, all of which are intimately tied to mental health.
the stories we tell ourselves matter
Typically therapy sticks to addressing surface-level negative beliefs and cognitions— labelling them as our core stories. In reality, our entire worldview informs the way we see ourselves. Is the world a place devoid of meaning and truth? Do we view every interaction through the lens of oppressed and oppressor? Do humans have free-will? Most importantly, are these stories helping or hurting us? I believe good therapy— especially for creative people— has to address and connect the intellectual and emotional dimensions of the self. I can’t prescribe you a worldview, but I can help you ask these important questions.
we don’t heal, we make space
You might be thinking— huh? Aren’t I here to heal? Maybe, but we can’t actually achieve healing, and that’s good news. A gardener doesn’t will a seed to sprout. They cultivate the soil, put the seedlings in light, and wait. The seed knows what to do and will do so in its own time. Humans are the same. There’s a part of us that wants to move towards peace and wholeness, and, in my belief, that innately knows how to do so. I often tell clients that healing— especially from complex trauma— isn’t about an action, it’s about having your lifestyle be oriented towards peace. We set the conditions and growth follows.