When understanding
is not enough.
Many people come to EMDR after years of therapy and self-reflection. They understand their patterns. Yet something still happens in the moment.
Schedule a Consultation
What is EMDR?
You may know where the anxiety comes from. You may understand why certain situations feel overwhelming or why relationships seem to follow familiar paths. And still, something happens in the moment. A familiar feeling takes over. The body reacts before the mind can catch up.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy used to work with traumatic and distressing experiences that continue to feel emotionally present.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating tapping, while working with specific memories, emotions, beliefs, and body sensations. The process is designed to help distressing experiences become less activating and less disruptive in the present.
I often integrate EMDR with somatic approaches that help us notice and work with what is happening in the body during processing. (Learn more about Somatic Therapy.)
When the wound happened in relationship.
Not all trauma comes from a single event.
Some experiences happen repeatedly, often in the relationships and environments that shaped us. Criticism, rejection, abandonment, emotional neglect, parentification, bullying, cultural pressures, or feeling responsible for the needs of others can continue to influence how we relate to ourselves and the people around us.
You may notice patterns such as:
- Difficulty trusting others
- Fear of rejection or abandonment
- People-pleasing or overfunctioning in relationships
- Feeling responsible for everyone else's emotions
- Choosing relationships that feel familiar but not always safe
EMDR can be one way of working with experiences that continue to shape how you relate to yourself and others.
My approach.
I integrate EMDR with somatic therapy, attachment work, and narrative exploration, woven together within the Maduro Method framework.
We do not rush into difficult material. Before beginning memory processing, we spend time understanding what brings you to therapy, what happens when you become overwhelmed, and what helps you stay present enough for the work.
When we do begin EMDR, we identify what we are working with together. During processing, I may invite you to notice images, emotions, beliefs, or body sensations that arise while using bilateral stimulation. You do not have to force a memory, tell the entire story, or make something happen.
The work is paced collaboratively. We pay attention not only to what happened, but to how those experiences may still shape your expectations, relationships, identity, and sense of self today.
Is this right for you?
EMDR may be helpful if you
- Feel stuck despite years of insight or therapy
- Experience anxiety, panic, or chronic overwhelm
- Carry the effects of childhood or relational trauma
- Notice repeating relationship patterns
- Experience distress connected to particular memories or experiences
- Find that certain situations trigger reactions that feel disproportionate to what is happening now
What healing can look like.
Healing does not mean forgetting the past. It often means feeling less controlled by it.
You may begin to notice yourself responding differently in situations that once felt overwhelming. A trigger that once consumed an entire day may pass more quickly. A difficult conversation may feel more manageable. There may be more space between what happened then and what is happening now.
Healing can also involve understanding the relationship patterns that developed around those experiences. (Learn more about Attachment Therapy.)
Experiences that once felt defining can begin to feel like part of the story. They are held, but no longer in charge.
What people often ask.
What actually happens during EMDR?
EMDR involves focusing briefly on aspects of a distressing memory or experience while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating tapping. We pause regularly to notice what is changing and decide together how to proceed. Preparation and pacing are an important part of the process.
Do I have to talk about everything that happened?
No. EMDR does not require you to describe every detail of a difficult experience. We work collaboratively and at a pace that allows you to stay engaged without forcing the process.
Can EMDR be done virtually?
Yes. EMDR can be provided through telehealth. I offer virtual sessions to clients throughout California and Utah, as well as in-person sessions in Los Angeles.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
EMDR may be worth considering when a particular experience, memory, or pattern continues to feel emotionally present despite insight or previous therapy. During a consultation, we can talk about what brings you to therapy and whether EMDR may be appropriate for what you want to work on.
You don't have to keep managing what happened.
Beginning EMDR can feel vulnerable, especially if you have spent a long time carrying things on your own.
You do not need to know exactly where to start.