EMDR therapy

EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach that helps you process traumatic memories and distressing life experiences. During EMDR sessions, I guide you through bilateral stimulation, typically using eye movements, while you focus on specific memories or experiences. This process helps your brain reprocess traumatic material in a way that reduces its emotional intensity and allows for healthier integration. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR works directly with how your brain stores and processes memories, creating lasting change without requiring you to describe traumatic events in extensive detail.

The timeline for EMDR therapy varies significantly based on your individual history, the complexity of your trauma, and your specific healing goals. Some clients experience meaningful shifts within a few sessions, while others benefit from longer-term work spanning several months. During our initial sessions, I assess your needs and create a personalized treatment plan that outlines realistic expectations for your healing journey. I focus on sustainable transformation rather than quick fixes, ensuring that the work we do together creates deep and lasting change.

While EMDR therapy was originally developed to treat PTSD and traumatic memories, I use this approach to address a wide range of concerns beyond trauma. EMDR can be highly effective for anxiety, depression, grief and loss, relationship issues, performance anxiety, and spiritual growth challenges. Many clients come to me seeking EMDR for identity shifts, life transitions, or patterns rooted in past experiences that continue to impact their present life. The approach works with how memories are stored and processed, making it valuable for anyone carrying experiences that feel unresolved or continue to create distress.

My approach to EMDR therapy blends clinical expertise with soul-centered guidance, creating a healing experience that goes beyond symptom relief. As an EMDR consultant with over 20 years of experience, I bring advanced training and depth to this work. I also integrate my background in spiritual practices, including shamanic work, to hold space for the profound transformations that can emerge during EMDR processing. At Canyon Passages, you receive boutique, personalized care rather than a clinical assembly-line experience. I tailor each session to your unique needs, pacing, and readiness, ensuring that you feel both safely held and deeply seen throughout your healing journey.

Absolutely. I frequently integrate EMDR therapy with other modalities to create a comprehensive healing experience tailored to your needs. Many clients benefit from combining EMDR with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy or psilocybin-assisted therapy, as the expanded states created by these medicines can deepen trauma processing and integration. I also incorporate Internal Family Systems concepts, somatic awareness, and mindfulness practices into EMDR sessions when appropriate. For couples, I may use EMDR alongside Gottman Method interventions to address shared trauma or individual wounds impacting the relationship. This integrative approach allows me to meet you exactly where you are and support the specific transformation you're seeking.

Each EMDR therapy session is structured yet responsive to what emerges in the moment. We typically begin with grounding and preparation, ensuring you feel resourced and safe. I then guide you to identify a specific memory, belief, or experience to target, and we measure the distress associated with it. During the processing phase, you focus on this material while engaging in bilateral stimulation, usually following my hand movements with your eyes. Between sets of eye movements, you briefly share what you're noticing without needing to elaborate extensively. As the session progresses, the memory often shifts, becoming less distressing and more integrated. We close with grounding techniques and a plan for any integration work between sessions.

One of the benefits of EMDR therapy is that you do not need to describe your traumatic experiences in extensive detail for the treatment to be effective. While I need enough information to help you target specific memories or experiences, the processing itself happens largely internally. You can share as much or as little detail as feels comfortable, and the bilateral stimulation allows your brain to do the reprocessing work without requiring you to verbalize everything. This makes EMDR particularly valuable for clients who find talk therapy retraumatizing or who struggle to put certain experiences into words. I hold the space while your own healing wisdom does the work.

I offer EMDR therapy both online and in person, depending on your location and preference. For clients in Santa Fe, Sedona, and Pagosa Springs, in-person sessions provide the opportunity to work together in a dedicated healing space. Online EMDR sessions are equally effective and allow for greater flexibility in scheduling and location. During virtual sessions, I use adapted bilateral stimulation techniques that work well through a screen. Many clients appreciate the ability to do this deep work from the comfort and privacy of their own space, while others prefer the container of in-person sessions. We discuss what feels most supportive for your healing process during our initial consultation.

After an EMDR therapy session, you may notice a range of responses as your brain continues processing the material we worked with. Some clients feel lighter and more at ease immediately, while others experience tiredness or heightened emotions as the integration unfolds over the following days. You might notice dreams, insights, or memories surfacing as your system continues the healing work between sessions. I provide guidance on self-care practices and grounding techniques to support you during this integration period. It's important to be gentle with yourself and allow space for whatever emerges. I remain available for support between sessions if you need guidance or reassurance as you navigate the processing that continues after we meet.

You're ready for EMDR therapy when you feel prepared to engage with your traumatic memories or distressing experiences in a new way, even if the thought feels daunting. Readiness doesn't mean you have it all figured out or that you feel completely stable. It means you're willing to do deep work and trust the process of healing. During our initial fit call and first sessions, I assess whether EMDR is appropriate for you at this time or whether we need to begin with preparation and resourcing. Some clients benefit from stabilization work before diving into trauma processing, while others are ready to begin immediately. I meet you where you are and create a personalized treatment plan that honors your readiness, your nervous system capacity, and your healing goals.