Services

EMDR

EMDR Therapy for Trauma, Anxiety, and PTSD in California

Working with clients in Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Bay Area

What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a way of helping your brain work through experiences that haven’t fully settled.

When something overwhelming happens, it doesn’t always get processed all the way through. Instead, it can stick around, showing up in how you feel, how you react, and sometimes in your body, like it’s not entirely over.

EMDR helps your brain pick back up where it got interrupted, so those experiences start to feel like something that happened in the past, rather than something you’re still in.

How EMDR Works

During EMDR, you’ll bring up small pieces of a memory while also focusing on a back-and-forth movement, this might be eye movements, tapping, or sound.

It sounds simple, but it changes how the brain holds onto the memory.

Over time, people usually notice the memory doesn’t feel as intense. It’s still there, but it’s not as vivid, not as charged, and it doesn’t pull you in the same way.

What Can EMDR Help With?

EMDR can be helpful for:

  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Anxiety or panic
  • Experiences that still feel unresolved
  • Feeling stuck in patterns that don’t shift
  • Negative beliefs about yourself that don’t seem to change

What to Expect

We go at your pace.

Before doing any processing work, we spend time making sure you feel steady enough to do it. That might include building grounding skills and getting clear on what you want to focus on.

We don’t go into everything all at once. We take it in pieces, in a way that feels manageable.

You’re in control of the process the entire time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I have to relive my trauma?
No. We approach things gradually and with enough support in place, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

Is EMDR safe?
Yes. It’s a well-established approach for working with trauma, and we pace it carefully based on what feels right for you.

How long does it take?
It depends. Some people notice changes fairly quickly; others take more time. We adjust as we go.

Begin EMDR Therapy

If this sounds like the kind of work you’ve been looking for, you’re welcome to reach out.

You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation , ask questions, and get a sense of whether it feels like a fit.

You don’t have to keep carrying this on your own.

TRAUMA & PTSD THERAPY

Sometimes it doesn’t show up as “trauma.”

It shows up as feeling on edge more often than not. Getting triggered by things you wish didn’t affect you. Shutting down, overreacting, or pulling away in ways that don’t quite make sense, even to you.

You might notice your mind keeps going, even when you’re tired. Or that certain situations feel harder than they should. Or that no matter how much you understand things logically, something in your body doesn’t follow.

A lot of people I work with don’t come in saying they have PTSD. They come in saying, “I don’t feel like myself,” or “I don’t know why this keeps happening.”

What this can look like

  • Feeling anxious or on edge, even when things are okay
  • Reacting more strongly than you want to
  • Getting stuck in the same relationship patterns
  • Avoiding certain situations without fully knowing why
  • Feeling disconnected, shut down, or overwhelmed

Sometimes it’s intense. Sometimes it’s subtle but constant.

Why it doesn’t just go away

When something overwhelming happens, your system does what it needs to do to get through it.

But not everything gets processed all the way.

So parts of that experience can stay active, showing up in your reactions, your thoughts, and in your body. That’s often what people are feeling when they say they’re “stuck,” even after talking things through or trying to move on.

This isn’t about willpower. It’s about how the brain holds onto certain experiences.

How I approach this work

My practice is focused on helping people work through trauma, PTSD, and anxiety using EMDR therapy.

If you’ve already read about EMDR, you know it’s a structured way of helping the brain process experiences that feel unfinished. If you haven’t, you can learn more on the EMDR page.

What matters here is that we’re not just trying to understand what happened—we’re helping your system shift how it holds it.

Over time, people tend to notice they feel less reactive. Things don’t hit as hard. There’s more space to respond instead of immediately reacting.

We go at your pace

This kind of work doesn’t need to be rushed.

We start by making sure you feel steady enough, and we take things in pieces. You won’t be pushed into anything before you’re ready.

The goal isn’t to overwhelm you. It’s to help your system settle.

If this sounds familiar

You don’t need a specific label to start.

If something feels like it hasn’t fully let go, that’s enough.

If you’re looking for trauma therapy or EMDR therapy in California—whether you’re in Los Angeles, Orange County, or the Bay Area—you’re welcome to reach out and see if this feels like a fit.

ADJUNCT SUPPORT

Adjunct Trauma-Focused Support for Clinicians in Los Angeles and beyond

Some people come in specifically for EMDR while continuing to work with their primary therapist.

In that case, we focus on the trauma processing here, and you continue your broader work there. If it’s helpful, I can coordinate with your therapist, so the work feels connected.

A collaborative approach

I offer EMDR therapy as an adjunct service for clients who are already working with a primary therapist.

This allows clients to focus specifically on trauma processing while continuing their ongoing therapeutic relationship.

The goal is not to replace existing therapy, but to support it.

When EMDR may be helpful

This work can be helpful when clients:
  • Feel stuck despite ongoing therapy
  • Are experiencing unresolved trauma that is slowing progress
  • Struggle with high emotional reactivity or overwhelm
  • Need more targeted trauma-focused work

How the process works

  • The client continues working with their primary therapist
  • EMDR sessions focus specifically on trauma processing
  • I collaborate with the primary therapist as appropriate (with client consent)
  • Clients return to their ongoing therapist for integration and continued work

Areas of focus

  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Anxiety and nervous system dysregulation
  • Distressing or overwhelming life experiences
  • Negative core beliefs about self

Why refer for EMDR adjunct work

This model can support clients who:

  • Feel “stuck” in talk therapy alone
  • Need deeper trauma processing work
  • Benefit from a structured, focused approach to processing

It allows trauma work to happen without disrupting the primary therapeutic relationship.

My approach

My work is paced, trauma-informed, and grounded in helping clients feel stable throughout the process. I prioritize clear communication and collaboration with referring clinicians.

Let’s connect

If you’re a therapist interested in referring a client or discussing a case, you’re welcome to reach out.

  • Schedule a consultation
  • Discuss a potential referral
  • Explore collaboration

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY

If you are anxious, stressed out, feeling controlled by others, feel depressed, trapped by negative self-talk, are grief-stricken, or stuck in unfulfilling relationships, therapy can help you explore your perspective of life, uncover your unique strengths, have more control of your emotions, create healthy boundaries and help you move closer towards the life you want.

Common issues I have experience in:

  • Low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy
  • Addiction
  • Depression, anxiety, feelings of guilt and shame
  • Experiences of loss and grief
  • Emotional regulation and coping skills
  • Life transition such as parenting, dealing with aging parents, retirement, divorce
  • Past traumas – sexual abuse, psychological and verbal abuse, neglect, sexual assault
  • Stressful work environment/burnout and work/life balance

COUPLES COUNSELING

We long for connection and relationships. Intimate relationships can bring fulfillment to our lives and other times they can be challenging and draining.

If you are experiencing increasing conflicts, find you are not communicating well, are having trouble respecting differences, have blended family challenges, have parenting challenges, are recovering from an affair, couples therapy can help provide support, communication tools and help for rebuilding trust and security in your relationship to bring you closer together.

Each partner has their unique perspective about the problem and the relationship, and I will ensure that both partners feel heard and understood. When working with couples, I often see them stuck in interaction patterns that seem difficult to change. The goal of couples counseling is to help identify ineffective communication patterns, and learn ways to improve connection, emotional and sexual intimacy, and satisfaction.

Common couples issues I have experience in:

  • Communication breakdown; communication gridlock
  • Improving emotional and physical intimacy
  • Control and equality issues
  • Rebuilding trust after an affair
  • And more.