Trauma Therapy & Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Trauma can leave deep, and sometimes unseen, wounds but healing is possible.

 Understanding Trauma Therapy

  • Trauma therapy offers a safe, supportive space to process past painful experiences and rebuild a sense of trust, connection, and safety.

    Many people carry invisible wounds—whether from a single event or years of smaller hurts—that have shaped who they are, how they see themselves, and how they see the world.

    For some, these experiences have caused ongoing trauma responses like anxiety, numbness, or hypervigilance. Trauma therapy will help reduce these responses, allow your brain and body to heal, and support you in moving through the world differently—with more ease and reconnection to yourself.

  • I work with both "big T" and "little t" traumas—any experiences that have impacted your sense of safety, belonging, or self-worth.

    Big "T" traumas are obvious crises: accidents, assault, loss. Little "t" traumas are the everyday wounds that quietly accumulate—emotional neglect, identity-based hurt, relationship patterns that shift how you trust and see yourself.

    Whether you're healing from one major event or years of accumulated stress, if it's affecting your thoughts, feelings, relationships, and the way you move through the world, we can work together. My goal is to help you process what happened, rebuild your sense of safety, and leave the past in the past—so you can feel grounded and reconnected to yourself again.

  • Even long-term or chronic trauma can heal when your brain and body have the space to process it safely. Therapy helps shift the protective patterns you developed to survive—whether that was shutting down, overworking, people-pleasing, or disconnecting from others. This opens up new choices and new ways to show up for yourself and the people you care about.

    Together, we’ll help your brain recognize that the danger has passed so you can move out of constant hypervigilance and into a sense of safety, trust, and connection. Over time, you’ll notice more capacity for rest, joy, and genuine choice instead of just coping or surviving.

    Healing doesn’t mean forgetting what happened. It means this part of your story becomes part of your past, not your present. You get to decide what comes next. How long you’ve carried this doesn’t determine whether you can heal—it just means your healing journey may take time, and that’s okay.

  • Being "ready" looks different for everyone. For some, it's about feeling able to face past experiences. For others, it starts with noticing current trauma reactions—like anxiety, numbness, or emotional triggers—and wanting to understand them. For many, readiness begins when the pain of staying stuck outweighs the fear of change.

    You don't need to be ready to dive into the deep end of the pool to start therapy—you just have to want to learn to swim. Readiness happens in stages, and even small steps, like reading this page or reaching out.

    In our work together, you'll have the power to set the pace so everything feels safe, and manageable.

  • That’s completely okay. You don’t have to tell your full story for therapy to help. For some people, sharing their experiences out loud can feel healing; for others, it can feel overwhelming or even re-traumatizing. You’ll never be pushed to share more than feels safe for you.

    Therapy can focus on grounding, developing coping skills, and reducing trauma symptoms without going into every detail.

    We’ll move at your pace, centering your comfort, consent, and sense of control every step of the way.

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 Understanding Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy helps your brain reprocess stuck or distressing memories so they no longer feel overwhelming. It uses a process called bilateral stimulation—alternating movement, sounds, or tapping—to activate both sides of the brain and support healing.

    Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR works directly with the memory along with the thoughts, emotions, and body sensations connected to it. Over time, this helps your brain and body understand that the trauma has passed, allowing you to feel safer, calmer, and more present in your life. One of the benefits of EMDR is that you don’t need to share the full details of your trauma for healing to happen.

    EMDR includes eight phases that begin with building safety, stability, and internal resources before working with any memories. Once you're ready, we use bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess the memories—including their cognitive, emotional, sensory, and somatic aspects. The final phases help strengthen new beliefs, check for any remaining activation, and ensure everything feels integrated and grounded. EMDR also addresses current triggers connected to the past and helps you prepare for handling similar situations in the future with more confidence and stability.

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  • Weekly EMDR sessions are scheduled for either 60 or 90 minutes. The 90 minute EMDR sessions are considered best practice because the added time allows for deeper reprocessing, which can shorten the overall course of therapy. Insurance typically reimburses only for 60 minute sessions, so clients who plan to use out of network benefits usually choose the shorter option.

    I also offer extended EMDR sessions and half day intensives that run up to 4 hours. These are helpful for people who have time sensitive needs, those who worry that EMDR might activate self harm urges, and those who want faster movement and resolution. Sliding scale is not available for extended sessions or intensives.

  • There are a lot of misunderstandings about EMDR, especially because it can look different from traditional talk therapy. EMDR is not hypnosis, you do not need full recall of your memories, and it doesn’t require you to recount every detail of what you went through. You’re not diving fully into the memory—instead, you stay grounded, present, and in control throughout the experience. And while some people worry they might feel overwhelmed, this is exactly why we spend time building resources and safety first, so you have the tools to stay regulated during the process.

    Another misconception is that EMDR is a quick fix or only for PTSD. There are several phases of EMDR that happen before any reprocessing, which helps build stability and internal supports. How long EMDR takes varies from person to person. EMDR is also effective for much more than trauma memories—it can help with anxiety, panic, shame, grief, depression, and long-standing beliefs about yourself. EMDR does not erase or change your memories; it simply helps them feel less charged, less intrusive, and more fully processed.

    People also sometimes think EMDR is “just eye movements,” but that’s only one form of bilateral stimulation (BLS). There are several BLS options we can test to find what feels right for you, including when we work virtually. EMDR can still be effective even if your memories are fragmented, blurry, or blended—your brain works with whatever is there, and we follow its lead.

  • Both EMDR therapy and talk therapy can help you heal from trauma and reduce symptoms of PTSD—like anxiety, hypervigilance, and flashbacks—they just work in different ways.

    Talk therapy helps you make sense of what happened through conversation, reflection, and insight. You’ll notice patterns, understand your story, and change your relationship with yourself.

    EMDR works differently, using bilateral stimulation—like eye movements, sounds, or tapping—to help your brain reprocess those memories without having to retell every detail. It helps your brain finish what got interrupted by trauma.

    Both approaches build safety, develop coping skills, and increase self-awareness. The difference is simply in how they get you there. We can explore which feels right for you, or use both as part of your healing.

  • EMDR therapy is not just for trauma. While it was originally developed to treat PTSD, it’s also effective for anxiety, depression, panic attacks, grief, and relationship patterns that stem from past experiences.

    EMDR works by targeting the memories and beliefs beneath these patterns—the parts that keep you feeling stuck in the same emotional loops. It can help with attachment wounds, shame, guilt, and low self-esteem, which often trace back to earlier painful experiences.

    By reprocessing those stuck memories, you can begin to feel calmer, more grounded, and more connected to yourself and others. Many people find EMDR to be a powerful tool for healing patterns that traditional talk therapy alone hasn’t fully shifted.

  • EMDR therapy can be done both in person and online. Research shows that both formats are effective, and only minor adjustments are needed for virtual sessions—for example, using headphones if we’re doing audio-based bilateral stimulation.

    For online EMDR, you’ll just need a private space, a stable internet connection, and your camera set up comfortably. I’ll guide you through the process and make sure everything feels safe and grounded.

    If you prefer the experience of being together in person, I offer EMDR and talk therapy sessions at my office in Center City Philadelphia, PA. If you’d rather meet from the comfort of your own space, I offer virtual therapy for clients throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Florida.

  • You do not need to re-live your trauma to heal from it. EMDR therapy helps your brain process the thoughts, images, emotions, and body sensations connected to past experiences while keeping you grounded in the present. This helps prevent triggering the brain’s fight-or-flight trauma response.

    The dual focus—between what’s happening in the room (now) and the memory (then)—helps reduce the likelihood of flashbacks, panic, or emotional overwhelm.

    You’ll stay in control throughout the process. If anything ever feels too intense, you’ll have a nonverbal signal you can use to pause at any time. I’ll always help you slow down, ground, and process whatever comes up at a pace that feels safe for you.

  • There is no set timeline for EMDR therapy—it depends on your history, your starting point, and the supports that need to be built in. For single-incident trauma, EMDR can sometimes be completed within a few months of weekly sessions. For complex or long-term trauma, healing often takes more time as the process unfolds in layers.

    Each phase of EMDR takes the time it needs. We start by building safety and stability, then move into reprocessing when you’re ready. Healing happens at the pace your mind and body can safely manage—it’s not about rushing, but about creating steady, lasting shifts. The process takes as long as it needs to help you feel grounded, safe, and more connected to yourself.

Healing takes time — but you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out today to take the first step toward your healing journey.

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