Sun rays shining through a tree with steam rising from a fire on the ground. EMDR. Anxiety. Shame. Women. NC. Therapy. Virtual.

EMDR therapy for women in north carolina

EMDR THERAPY

Heal the memories, patterns, and beliefs that hold you back

I specialize in EMDR Therapy for women who struggle with:

  • Anxiety, panic, and chronic overwhelm

  • Performance Anxiety

  • Trauma - Big or Small

  • Shame, guilt

  • Perfectionism

  • People-pleasing and fear of taking up space

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What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma therapy that helps your brain and body process experiences that got “stuck.”

You know those memories or beliefs you logically understand but emotionally still feel in your body?

The moments that shaped:

  • your shame

  • your people pleasing

  • your perfectionism

  • your self-protection

  • your relationships

  • your anxiety or panic

EMDR helps your nervous system release what it’s still holding onto - so you can finally feel the shift you’ve been trying to think your way into.

EMDR isn’t about reliving trauma or making it disappear completely. It’s about helping your body stop reacting like it’s still happening so the memories and patterns no longer affect you.

How does EMDR work?

Your brain knows how to heal. trauma, fear or shame just got in the way.

When something overwhelming happens, your brain sometimes can’t process it fully; it stores the memory in a “raw,” unhealed form. That raw memory gets triggered later by tone of voice, conflict, stress, criticism, holidays, certain places, or sometimes… literally nothing obvious at all. EMDR helps the brain finish what it couldn’t finish then.

Most of the people who have heard of EMDR Therapy, are only familiar with the eye movement videos they have seen or heard about of someone moving their eyes back and forth. Although that is a major part of it, there are 8 full phases and that is only one phase.

As we reprocess the stuck memories, people often notice:

  • increased confidence and self-trust

  • less emotional intensity

  • decreased anxiety

  • fewer triggers

  • more clarity about the past

  • more compassion for themselves

  • more ability to respond instead of react

It doesn’t erase what happened.. but it frees you from being ruled by it.

  • History Taking

    We start by talking about your history, what brings you in, and what you’d like to feel different in your life. Together we identify patterns, experiences, or memories that may still be affecting you today.

  • Before we process anything difficult, we build tools to help you feel grounded and in control. This might include calming strategies, visualization exercises, or ways to settle your body if strong emotions come up.

  • Target Planning

    We identify a specific memory or experience to focus on and explore what thoughts, feelings, and body sensations are connected to it. This helps your brain know exactly what needs to be processed.

  • This is the part many people associate with EMDR. While you briefly focus on the memory, we use gentle bilateral stimulation to help your brain naturally process the experience.

    There are many different options for this. We can use one or a combination of these.

    In-Person:

    Eye Movements with the light bar

    Hand held ‘buzzies’ (oval palm sized things that vibrated)

    Tones with headphones

    Self Tapping

    Virtual:

    Many people find that the memory begins to lose its emotional.

    You stay in control the entire time. You don’t have to share details you don’t want to. And we stop anytime you need.

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EMDR Explanation Videos

Intro to EMDR and how it can help you

EMDR clients share their stories

FAQ about EMDR

  • EMDR is a good option for anyone who is having symptoms of adverse life experiences.

    Research on neuroplasticity shows that the brain is always capable of change. It can form new pathways, strengthen existing ones, and adapt based on our experiences. EMDR works with your natural ability by helping the brain create new, healthier connections, reorganize old patterns, and respond to life in a more balanced, grounded way.

    It’s a great fit if you want relief from trauma, anxiety, shame, or fears that feel “bigger than they should be,” or if you’re ready for healing that moves beyond insight and into the nervous system. And if you're not sure? We’ll explore it together and decide at a pace that feels safe.

  • There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline for EMDR. How long therapy takes depends on your history, your goals, and what your nervous system has been carrying. Some women see shifts within a few sessions (like with a single incident), while deeper, long-term trauma or childhood wounds can take more time — sometimes months or longer.

    Because EMDR works with the brain’s natural healing process, many clients feel progress quicker than with talk therapy alone.

    My commitment is to check in regularly, track your progress, and make sure therapy is moving at a pace that feels supportive, steady, and meaningful.

  • Most people describe EMDR as emotionally deep but surprisingly gentle. You stay present and aware while noticing thoughts, feelings, and body sensations shift in real time — without feeling overwhelmed or out of control.

  • It’s common for emotions or memories to surface as your brain starts healing, but you won’t be pushed into anything overwhelming.

    We will not move into processing painful memories until the preparation phase is solid and you feel safe using the skills in and out of session. The preparation phase involves 1) assessing your ability to manage emotions and symptoms and 2) teaching grounding, soothing, and containment skills.

    Be honest with your therapist about the ways you handle stress and symptoms and how well you do so. This helps tailor the therapy to your benefit.

  • Virtual EMDR is done through secure telehealth using visual cues and/or auditory sounds through a link I send you. This allows me to control the speed and length of the stimulation you see on the screen.

    There is also self tapping for bilateral stimulation that is effective through virtual therapy.

    Research — and client experience — shows it can be just as effective as in-person sessions.

Services

I offer flexible therapy options to meet you where you are.

You get to choose what fits best.

FEES

Are you ready to experience relief in your life from EMDR?

Book your first session or reach out with questions.

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