EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidenced-based approach for treating trauma, anxiety, and phobias, practiced in eight stages:

1) History taking

This is the “getting to know you” stage. Together, we will create a comprehensive life timeline, identifying important events throughout your life. If there are events you are not ready to talk about, that’s okay. The cool thing about EMDR is that you never need to disclose every detail—even in the desensitization or installation stage. If you want to spend a lot of time talking about the trauma and details, that’s okay too.

2) Preparation

In this stage, I will guide and teach you a variety of exercises to improve your ability to regulate. This means that I do my best ensure that you are emotionally safe before you leave my office—every time. We may start this while doing history taking.

3) Assessment

In phase 1, we identified those painful experiences that are the reason you’re with me in the first place. During this phase, we will assess your readiness for the target memory and bring it to your full awareness.

4) Desensitization

Now we are getting into what makes EMDR special: incorporating what is called bi-lateral stimulation (when the therapy was first created, it was eye movements, hence the name). While eye movements do get the job done, I use a TheraTapper, a small device that provides back and forth buzzing by small handheld paddles, similar to a phone vibration.

5) Installation

While thinking about the memory and using bilateral stimulation, you will notice positive beliefs take over negative ones. This is called installation. I will help guide you to fully strengthen the new positive beliefs.

6) Body scan

When it appears that the distress related to the event is resolving, I will ask you to close your eyes and scan your body, and identify if there is any notable tension. If there is, we can continue processing the event. If we are out of time, we can work on reducing the tension through targeted relaxation exercises.

7) Closure

The formal name for using the relaxation strategies that you learned in phase 2, which I will guide you through at the end of each EMDR session.

8) Re-evaluation

At the start of your next session, I will ask what your week was like since the processing. This will determine if we need to continue processing the prior target, or if we are able to move forward with another target event.

While this therapy can be emotionally intense and exhausting—the results are incredible. You will be well prepared to handle the emotions once we get really deep.

Cognitive Processing Therapy, or CPT is an evidence-based therapy that treats PTSD.

Requires weekly sessions for 12 weeks.

Does not focus on the details of the trauma—great for those who find EMDR too intense.

At home practice assignments are required for this approach.

The healing impact is still powerful—just another way of getting you there.

I will teach you about how the trauma has impacted your brain and the way you see the world, becoming empowered to challenge your own negative beliefs.

Not sure where to start? That’s okay! This is still the space for you.

My approach is relational, trauma-informed, and grounded in best practice. That means meeting you where you’re at, right now.

We don’t have to dive into trauma processing right away. We’ll work at your pace, explore the root of what’s hurting, and build your capacity to feel, cope, and express without apology.

This is real, deep, clinical work, and it’s also human work. Messy, raw, imperfect, at the same time, empowering, restorative, and hopeful.

Prefer to process in a group?

Stay tuned—Group CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy) is coming soon and will focus on specific experiences of trauma.

These groups will be 12 weeks long.

A group setting can help build shame resilience.

It’s a powerful experience when others see you and hear you because they went through it too.

You are not alone.