Specializing in EMDR, Clinical Consultation,
and Relationship Therapy
About EMDR and Somatic Therapy
Practitioners of somatic therapy know that minds and bodies are deeply interconnected and influence one another, often in unexpected ways. For example, there can be a vast difference between knowing something is not dangerous and feeling safe – our cognitive understanding is not always enough to calm our body’s habitual, protective response to difficult situations. This can explain why people report feeling like something has been missing from their experience of talk therapy, despite its success in generating self-awareness, connectedness, and insight. Somatic therapy seeks to enhance the connection of mind and body to help release negative physiological responses to stimuli that affect your physical and emotional wellbeing.
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) is a somatic therapy that uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or alternating sounds, to process and release information trapped in the mind and body. It helps bring together what we know to be true (cognition) with our felt experience, so it frees people from disturbing images, body responses, debilitating emotions, and restrictive beliefs. EMDR has been extensively researched as treatment for PTSD and is considered an evidence-based therapy.
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EMDR is an accelerated process, so it doesn’t take years to find liberation from sensations that have long felt stuck. It is also used to treat the psychological effects of smaller traumas that manifest in symptoms of depression, anxiety, phobias, low self-satisfaction, creativity blocks, and relationship difficulties. As a result of EMDR’s clearing of emotional and physical blockages, many people experience a new sense of joy, openness, and deep connection with others.
Relationship Therapy
Couples of all types occasionally need guidance to recognize and resolve conflicts. The main purpose of couples therapy is to offer a neutral and supportive mediator to help you make sense of what's going on. My aim is to help unlock your ability as a couple to make thoughtful decisions about your relationship and guide you towards new channels for productive and satisfying communication, including increased empathy during conflict. I enjoy working with couples where one or both individuals are healing from trauma, and I am also experienced in managing separation and reunification.
My belief is that couples can improve their understanding of one another by exploring the hows and whys behind the dynamics that exist between them, both positive and negative. Work toward mutual respect and support is enhanced when a couple has a safe and reliable person to guide them in the process. In couple's therapy, my responsibility is to the relationship itself so both of you will get equal time, attention, and understanding.
Adjunctive EMDR
We’ve all had those moments in therapy where we feel stuck, or in a loop on issues related to negative life experiences. It can be discouraging for both the client and the therapist! With EMDR, I can target specific memories, body sensations, or limiting beliefs that have begun to feel like a plateau in talk therapy. By specifically targeting intrusive material, adjunct EMDR accelerates progress in traditional therapy, helps the client and the primary therapist to resolve stuck points, and enriches their ongoing work.
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Adjunct therapy does not replace or interrupt ongoing therapy; it is supplemental to the primary therapeutic relationship. By closely collaborating with a client’s primary therapist, I can ensure that EMDR therapy is paced in a way that is both beneficial and comfortable, as well as prevent duplication of services. The success of treatment is based on clear goals for EMDR, which I define in collaboration with the primary therapist and client.
I love partnering with primary therapists and their clients to improve outcomes. If you are interested in adjunctive EMDR therapy, contact me or request a referral from your current provider.
Professional Consultation
I offer clinical consultation for therapists who are independently licensed and working with individuals and couples/relationship systems. I consult from a trauma-informed and attachment-focused perspective, and consultation with me will support your professional development in the areas of EMDR consultation, couples/relationship dynamics, case conceptualization, and understanding of theory and technique as it applies to a particular case.
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For those seeking EMDRIA supervision and consultation for EMDR, I am an approved Consultant-in-Training; this means I can provide you 15 of the 20 hours of supervision required for EMDRIA certification. I strive to make consultation safe, shame-free and fun, so you can be curious in your learning and feel energized, supported, and refreshed.