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EMDR Therapy

Sometimes difficult experiences from the past continue to affect how we feel, think, respond, and relate to others long after the experience itself has ended.

You may understand intellectually that you are safe now, yet certain memories, situations, sounds, places, or interactions can still bring up strong emotions or physical reactions. At other times, you may simply feel anxious, overwhelmed, stuck, or unable to understand why certain experiences affect you so deeply.

At Embrace Hope Therapy, I provide compassionate, trauma-informed counseling to help you safely explore these experiences and move toward healing.

One of the approaches I may incorporate into therapy is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) which is an evidence-based psychotherapy originally developed to help individuals process traumatic and distressing experiences.

When something overwhelming happens, the experience may not always be fully processed in the same way as an ordinary memory. Thoughts, emotions, beliefs, images, and physical sensations associated with the experience may continue to be triggered in the present.

EMDR is designed to help the brain process these distressing memories so that they can become less emotionally overwhelming.

During EMDR, you remain awake, aware, and in control. The therapist guides you through a structured process that may include bilateral stimulation, such as guided side-to-side eye movements or other forms of alternating stimulation.

EMDR does not erase memories or change what happened. Instead, the goal is to help the experience become less distressing so that the past does not have the same emotional hold on your present.

EMDR is not necessarily the right approach for every person or every situation. We will talk about your history, current concerns, strengths, and goals and determine together whether incorporating EMDR into your counseling may be appropriate.

In Spring 2026, I completed EMDR training through Personal Transformation Institute (PTI), an EMDRIA-approved training provider.

My training include the S.A.F.E. Approach to EMDR, which emphasizes creating a trauma-informed therapeutic environment.

I am currently working toward EMDRIA Certified Therapist certification. This advanced credential requires additional professional experience and education beyond completion of the EMDR basic training, including 20 hours of consultation with an approved EMDR consultant.