EMDR Therapy 

Yes. EMDR can help process painful childhood experiences and the beliefs about yourself and relationships that developed from them. It is during our childhood where we are our most vulnerable to trying to fill in the gaps of painful experiences and when we are the least able to do so with our full cognitive faculties. This can lead to painful beliefs about how deserving we feel of support, of being witnessed, of what we believe we must do for the sake of maintaining connection. Many of the clients I work with had parents who did the best they could with what they had, but whose own experiences may have gotten in the way of being emotionally present and available as life unfolded. We can hold both realities—compassion for what they carried and space for you to heal from what you didn’t receive.

No. EMDR does not require you to share every detail of a painful or traumatic experience. While EMDR follows a structured process, my priority is to continually listen to your body and what feels manageable for your nervous system.We are less focused on the content of the trauma and more focused on how your body and mind have stored and made sense of what happened -or what you needed but didn't receive- and what may be needed to help you move through where your mind has gotten stuck.

You don't need to remember your childhood clearly for EMDR to be helpful. We can begin with the emotions, body sensations, and beliefs that feel stuck in the present and gently explore earlier experiences you can recall. The experiences may seem like "not a big deal" but may be an access point into where and why your mind decided this way of believing or navigating the world was necessary.

Readiness for EMDR is something we determine together—you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Before beginning reprocessing, I pay attention to how you respond to distressing emotions, what resources & tools support your nervous system, the internal and external support available to you, and how you’re doing between sessions.Readiness isn't all-or-nothing. We continue checking in with what you're experiencing and adjust the pace, preparation, and support along the way.

Yes. I provide online EMDR therapy to adults throughout California. Bilateral stimulation can be adapted for virtual sessions using eye movements, sounds, or tapping. I often use tapping because many clients appreciate having a sense of control over the stimulation.Some people wonder whether trauma work can feel as connected online. Even virtually, I’m able to notice shifts in your facial expressions, posture, breathing, and other cues while also checking in directly with what you’re experiencing. Together, we use that information to guide the pace of the work and stay attuned to what your nervous system needs.