EMDR Therapy in Oakland
Feeling Like You Just Can’t Let Go Of Past Wounds?
Some of the people I work with in counseling come to me because they feel “stuck” despite having tried conventional talk therapy in the past.
They may have a specific emotion or experience they haven’t been able to fully process, or they might just live with general feelings of unease that they can’t seem to shake. Unable to find relief, they struggle with everything from their daily functioning to their relationship dynamics to their overall self-esteem. While I operate a generalist practice that individualizes the treatment experience to each client’s unique needs, I find that most of the people I work with in therapy feel “stuck” in some way.
Fortunately, the highly effective approach of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is available through my practice. This revolutionary therapy can transform the way that stress and trauma are stored in the mind and body.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is a comprehensive therapy that relies on the brain’s innate healing mechanisms to change how memories are stored and processed. Using a function called “bilateral stimulation”—or left-to-right stimulation to activate both hemispheres of the brain that involves eye movements, taps, or auditory cues—the components of challenging memories, beliefs, emotions, and physical sensations get desensitized and re-stored in the brain in a more adaptive, less triggering way.
Not only does this allow you to respond to present day situations more effectively, EMDR also helps you heal past wounds and build resilience for future challenges, offering a thorough, holistic trauma treatment. Along the way, you will develop an improved ability to self-regulate and create more adaptive beliefs about yourself and the world around you.
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EMDR Is A Well-Researched, Highly Effective Treatment Approach
EMDR is a multi-phase treatment that can be integrated with other therapy approaches. While it was initially developed to target symptoms of PTSD in trauma survivors, EMDR has since been expanded in its treatment application to include symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders.
Since its inception in the 1990s, EMDR has been shown to drastically reduce symptoms of a wide range of mental health issues—in some cases, more so than medication and/or conventional talk therapy alone.
EMDR Is One Of The Treatment Approaches I Use In My Counseling Practice
As a therapist, I believe in offering non-pathologizing treatment options that enhance my clients’ self-compassion and relationship with themselves, which is why I sought to get trained in EMDR. I wanted to find ways to better support my clients in navigating and moving through feelings of stuckness.
Since 2025, I have pursued training in the modality through the national organization A Home Within, where I’ve continued volunteer work, training, and consultation and through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). I have also used EMDR in my own personal therapy process and found it to be extremely effective in helping me overcome “stuck” experiences impacting my own life.
Over the course of my career as a therapist, I have seen how EMDR can meaningfully transform clients’ relationship with stress, trauma, and other life obstacles. As they go through the process of desensitizing and reworking difficult memories, beliefs, and sensations, they free up space in their lives for fuller, more satisfying experiences. Using this approach, clients can:
- Create a healthier narrative about life experiences and suffering
- Regain a sense of hopefulness, agency, and calm
- Develop self-compassion
- Build skills for relaxation, self-soothing, and emotional regulation
- Embrace a growth mindset
Lasting change is possible—and it begins with EMDR.
Help Is Available
If you are suffering from symptoms of trauma or feeling “stuck,” Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly effective and efficient therapy that can help to make past experiences less charged in the present moment. As you reduce symptoms of distress, you can feel better and begin charting the path toward a more functional, generative, and satisfying life.
For more information or to schedule an EMDR therapy session, contact me to get started.
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