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.
What is EMDR?
They know where the anxiety comes from. They can explain why certain situations feel overwhelming or why relationships seem to follow familiar paths. Yet the body reacts before the mind can catch up. A familiar feeling takes over. Anxiety appears despite knowing there is no immediate danger.
If this feels familiar, you are not alone.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy that helps the brain and nervous system process experiences that feel unresolved or stuck.
Trauma is not only what happened. It is also how those experiences continue to live in the body, emotions, beliefs, and relationships long after the event has passed.
EMDR is often integrated with somatic approaches that help people notice and work with what is happening in the body during processing. (Learn more about Somatic Therapy.)
EMDR helps the brain reprocess difficult memories so they no longer carry the same emotional intensity, creating space for genuine change rather than ongoing management.
When the wound happened in relationship.
Not all trauma comes from a single event.
Many people carry the impact of repeated experiences. These include criticism, rejection, abandonment, emotional neglect, parentification, bullying, cultural pressures, or feeling responsible for the needs of others. These experiences shape 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 help process these experiences and create new ways of relating to yourself and others.
My approach.
I integrate EMDR with somatic therapy, nervous system regulation, and narrative exploration, woven together within the Maduro Method framework.
This means we do not rush into difficult material. EMDR is not something that happens in a first session. We begin by building safety, understanding your unique nervous system patterns, and creating enough stability for deeper work to unfold.
Together we explore the connection between mind, body, and story. Not only what happened, but how those experiences continue to 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
- Struggle with self-worth or persistent self-criticism
- Notice repeating relationship patterns
- Feel disconnected from yourself or others
- Experience grief, loss, or major life transitions
- Feel like your body reacts in ways your mind cannot explain
What healing can look like.
Healing does not mean forgetting the past. It often means feeling less controlled by it.
Clients often describe 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. The body begins to recognize that the danger is no longer happening now.
Many clients also find that healing involves understanding the relationship patterns that developed around those experiences. (Learn more about Attachment Therapy.)
The experiences that once felt defining begin to feel like part of the story. It is held, but no longer in charge.
What people often ask.
Do I have to talk about everything that happened?
No. EMDR does not require sharing every detail of a difficult experience. We move at a pace that feels manageable and work collaboratively throughout the process.
Can EMDR be done virtually?
Yes. EMDR can be effectively adapted for telehealth and is available to clients throughout California and Utah. In-person sessions are available in Los Angeles.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
Many people seek EMDR when they feel stuck despite insight, self-awareness, or previous therapy. A free consultation can help determine whether it may be a good fit for where you are right now.
New to nervous system work?
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.