In almost every life there are experiences that have been traumatic. Examples of trauma might be the sudden loss of a loved one, childhood sexual abuse, rape, physical abuse or a severe car accident. But also included, as traumatic, are stressful events that shatter your sense of security and leave you feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope. Examples are emotional abuse, being bullied in school, being ridiculed or neglected or maybe receiving a frightening medical diagnosis.

It is your subjective, emotional experience of an event that determines whether it was traumatic, not the event itself. It is very important to me to hear your story when you feel safe and ready to share it. One very effective treatment for treating trauma is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful method of psychotherapy developed to treat trauma. EMDR was developed in 1989 by Dr. Francine Shapiro. It is a set of standardized protocols that incorporate elements from many different treatment approaches.

I utilize Attachment Focused EMDR. This is a more relational, attachment focused way of working that is client centered and adapts to the needs of each individual. I emphasize safety, attunement and relationship. To learn more about Attachment Focused EMDR click here.

If you know that trauma is part of what brings you to counseling, I will take time to understand the nature of your problem and, together, we’ll decide whether EMDR is an appropriate treatment.

We will discuss EMDR more fully and I will provide lots of opportunity to answer any questions about the method. If we agree that EMDR is appropriate for you, the type of problem, life circumstances, and the amount of previous trauma in your life will determine how many sessions are necessary. We may also use EMDR within standard therapy.

For more information about EMDR click here.