addressing the REMNANTS of trauma
EMDR Therapy
Integrating nervous system regulation, IFS parts work, and evidence-based EMDR for trauma healing.
Serving clients virtually in California & Washington, and in-person in San Anselmo
EMDR FOR TRAUMA HEALING
A gentle approach to
healing what still feels unresolvedYou can talk through what happened, understand why it affected you, and still feel your body react as if it’s happening all over again. A memory, conflict, sound, or sensation can trigger fear, shame, shutdown, or hypervigilance before you have time to think.
EMDR works directly with the memories, emotions, body sensations, and beliefs keeping that response in place. As the experience is reprocessed, the memory remains—but it can lose its urgency and emotional charge. You can remember the past without being pulled back into it, respond to the present with more choice, and begin replacing beliefs shaped by trauma with ones that reflect who you are now.
EMDR, EXPLAINED
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured psychotherapy intended to help the brain continue processing experiences that were too overwhelming to fully integrate when they occurred.
The goal is not to erase the memory, but to support a shift in how it is held. As the memory is reprocessed, it may feel less immediate or emotionally charged, allowing new perspectives to emerge.
HOW EMDR REPROCESSING WORKS
01
Focus on an experience
Together, we identify and focus on the traumatic memory and the negative belief, emotions, and body sensations connected to it.
02
Bilateral Stimulation
While briefly focusing on the memory, you engage in alternating eye movements or taps. Your attention moves between the memory and your present experience.
03
Reprocess what emerges
Brief sets of bilateral stimulation are repeated as thoughts, feelings, images, and sensations arise. Between sets, your therapist checks in and follows what changes.
04
Strengthen an adaptive belief
As the distress connected to the memory shifts, EMDR includes an installation phase intended to strengthen a preferred positive or adaptive belief.
TWO MODALITIES, ONE INTEGRATED APPROACH
Ketamine-Assisted EMDR Therapy
Low-dose ketamine can be thoughtfully combined with EMDR to support deeper and more fluid trauma processing. In these extended 90–120 minute sessions, ketamine helps soften protective defenses and increase cognitive and emotional flexibility, while EMDR supports the reprocessing of traumatic memories in a structured, integrative way. This approach can allow material that feels stuck or difficult to access to be worked with more gently, often supporting greater ease, insight, and nervous system settling.
FAQs
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EMDR sessions are 50-120 minutes. We will discuss session length when developing your treatment plan.
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EMDR is often used as a short-term therapy focused on specific memories or themes. It can also be integrated into longer-term therapy when that feels more supportive.
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No—you don’t need to share detailed descriptions of traumatic events. EMDR works primarily with what you notice internally, rather than retelling the story.
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Yes, EMDR can be helpful for complex or long-standing trauma when approached thoughtfully and at a pace that feels safe. Preparation and ongoing support are key parts of this process.
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EMDR combined with low-dose ketamine may be supportive for some people, but it requires careful screening. Please see the Ketamine Therapy page for eligibility details, or book a consultation to discuss whether Ketamine-Assisted EMDR is appropriate for you.
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Ready to Dive In?
I offer a free 20-minute consultation to learn more about my approach and services, and see if it’s a good fit.