EMDR therapy for the memories that still feel like they're happening
You know it's over, and you can probably tell the story calmly by now. But some part of you still reacts like it's happening today, and talking it through hasn't been enough to change that.
Sound familiar?
Most of the people who ask me about EMDR already understand what happened to them. What they want is for it to stop hitting so hard.
You can explain exactly why something affected you, and knowing why hasn't made it hurt any less.
A certain song or a tone of voice can drop you right back into a moment you thought you were past.
You've talked about it in therapy before, and it helped, but your body still reacts like it did then.
There's a moment you keep replaying even though you'd give almost anything to stop.
It wasn't one big event. It was years of smaller moments that taught you to stay on guard.
You're not sure what you went through "counts" as trauma, but it still shapes how you show up.
None of this means you're broken or that you should be over it by now. It usually means your brain filed an experience as unfinished, and it keeps bringing it back up to try to finish it.
FREE CHECK-IN · ABOUT 3 MINUTES
Your nervous system may be trying to warn you.
If rest hasn't been fixing the tired, it may be worth a closer look. The free check-in takes about 3 minutes, and at the end you'll get a guide with practical ways to help your body settle.
Educational, not a diagnosis. Your answers are never saved.
What EMDR actually is
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which is a mouthful, and I promise it's a lot less strange than it sounds.
When something overwhelming happens, the memory can get stored before your brain has a chance to fully process it, so it stays sharp and close, like it happened last week instead of years ago. In EMDR, you hold a piece of that memory in mind while following bilateral stimulation, usually my hand moving back and forth or gentle tapping, and that helps your brain finish the processing it didn't get to do at the time.
You don't forget what happened, and it doesn't get erased. What changes is how it feels. People often describe it afterward as feeling further away, more like something that happened to them than something that's still happening. It also isn't hypnosis: you stay awake and in control the whole time, and you can stop whenever you need to.
Talk therapy is great for understanding why something affected you, and EMDR works on the part of you that understanding hasn't reached. It's been around since the late 1980s and is one of the most researched treatments for trauma, recommended for PTSD by both the World Health Organization and the VA.
In a session, your eyes follow a slow back-and-forth like this one. Sometimes it's gentle tapping instead.
You don't have to forget what happened for it to stop running your life.
What a session looks like
Getting ready
We don't start with the hardest memory, and we don't start on day one. The first sessions are about getting to know you and making sure you have practical ways to settle your nervous system if something gets stirred up, because feeling safe enough in the room matters more than moving fast.
Processing
When we do start processing, we'll pick a specific memory and notice what comes up with it, whether that's a picture in your head or a feeling in your body. You'll follow short sets of eye movements or tapping, and between each set we'll pause and check in on what you're noticing. You don't have to narrate every detail out loud, and a lot of the work happens quietly.
Between sessions
It's normal to feel tired after a session, and sometimes new memories or vivid dreams show up in the days after. We'll talk about what to expect ahead of time and how to take care of yourself between sessions.
I'll push you when you need it, while also creating space where you can just be messy & human. My job is to keep the pace steady enough that you can actually do this work, not to rush you through it.
What EMDR can help with
EMDR is best known for trauma, and it can help with a lot more than that. It tends to work well anywhere the past is still showing up in the present.
Trauma, big and small
Sometimes it's one clear event, like a car accident or a scary medical procedure. Sometimes it's years of smaller experiences, like growing up in a home where you had to stay on guard, that never felt "bad enough" to call trauma but still left a mark.
Anxiety that has roots
A lot of anxiety started as a reasonable response to something that happened. EMDR can help process those moments so today doesn't keep getting filtered through them.
Anxiety therapy →
Burnout and chronic stress
When your system has been in survival mode for a long time, there are usually specific experiences that taught it to stay there. We can work on those alongside the day-to-day nervous system work.
Burnout therapy →
Performance and sports
A serious injury or a game you can't stop replaying can get stuck in your body the same way, and show up right when you need to perform.
Therapy for athletes →Is EMDR right for you?
EMDR is one tool I use, not the whole toolbox. Some of my clients do a lot of EMDR and plenty never do it at all. It isn't the right fit for everyone or for every season of life, and sometimes it makes more sense to build steadiness first and come back to it later.
You don't need to know whether you want EMDR before you reach out. We'll talk it through during the consult and in our first sessions, and decide together whether it makes sense for what you're dealing with.
What getting started looks like
Free 15-minute consult
A call to talk through what's going on and whether EMDR, or therapy in general, feels like a good fit, with no pressure either way.
First sessions
We get to know each other and build the skills that make processing feel manageable.
The work
In person at my Southlake office or online anywhere in Texas, at a pace that works for you.
Questions about cost? See Fees & insurance
Questions about EMDR
Do I have to talk about the details of what happened?
Not the way most people expect. You'll need to bring the memory to mind, but you don't have to describe every detail out loud, and a lot of the processing happens without much talking. Many people find that to be a relief.
Will I relive it or lose control?
You stay present and aware the whole time, and you're the one who decides when to pause or stop. It can bring up strong feelings, which is part of the process, and we spend time building ways to settle before we ever start so it doesn't feel like too much.
How many sessions does EMDR take?
It depends on what we're working on. A single event can sometimes shift in a handful of processing sessions, while longer histories take more time. There are also a few preparation sessions before processing starts, and we'll check in regularly on how it's going.
Is EMDR only for trauma?
No. It's also used for anxiety, grief, panic, phobias, disturbing memories, and experiences that still have a strong hold on you. It can be helpful anywhere a past experience is still shaping how you react, feel, or see yourself today.
Does EMDR work online?
Yes. Research on virtual EMDR has been encouraging, and I offer it online for clients anywhere in Texas.
Can I do EMDR with you if I already have a therapist?
Yes. Some people keep working with their current therapist and see me for EMDR alongside it, and we'd talk through how to make that work during your free consult.
Do you take insurance?
I'm in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna and Curative, and private pay is always an option. The Investment page has fees and details.
You can remember what happened without reliving it.
If something from the past is still showing up in your present, let's talk. A free 15-minute consult is a low-stakes way to see if EMDR, or working together at all, feels like a fit.
Let's work together
Let's Work Together
Let's Work Together
In person or online
1422 Main Street, Suite 213
Southlake, TX 76092
Online sessions anywhere in Texas
You send a note, I reply within two business days.
