EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful, evidence-based psychotherapy that is a core component of my work. It is a therapeutic approach designed to facilitate healing from trauma and other complex life challenges.
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Recognised as the gold standard for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), EMDR’s efficacy is supported by a growing body of peer-reviewed research across a multitude of psychological conditions.​
EMDR is incredibly effective for a wide range of challenges:
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Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias
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Chronic Illness and medical issues
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Depression and bipolar disorders
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Dissociative disorders
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Eating disorders
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Grief and loss
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Pain
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Performance anxiety
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Personality disorders
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma and stress related issues
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Sexual assault
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Sleep disturbance
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Substance abuse and addiction
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Violence and abuse
How does EMDR work?
Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. This process involves communication between the amygdala (the alarm signal for stressful events), the hippocampus (which assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger), and the prefrontal cortex (which analyses and controls behaviour and emotion). While many times traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, some traumatic experiences may not be processed without help.
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Stress responses are part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create feelings of overwhelm, of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories, and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.
How is EMDR different from other therapies?
One of the advantages of EMDR therapy is that, unlike some other therapy approaches, it does not require you to talk in detail about the distressing issue. EMDR enables the brain to access its natural healing process rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue.
For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies.
MY APPROACH
EMDR It's so much more than just symptom relief. With EMDR, we dive into deep psychotherapeutic work. We gently reprocess painful memories and experiences, helping your brain release the emotional charge associated with them. This isn't about forgetting, but about transforming how these memories impact your present.
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​Through EMDR, we explore the lasting impacts of early childhood attachment trauma and the wounds carried by your inner child. We also address concepts like structural dissociation, which might sound complex, but often shows up as that feeling that 'parts of me' get activated in relationships or difficult situations, leading to reactions that just don't feel like you. These 'parts' can sometimes feel in conflict, creating a sense of internal disharmony.
EMDR, alongside other integrated therapeutic approaches, offers a powerful path toward the ultimate integration and healing of these past experiences.