In-Person and virtual emdr therapy for women in north carolina
EMDR THERAPY
Heal the memories, patterns, and beliefs that hold you back
You may look like you have it all together. But inside, you’re overthinking, feeling anxious even when things seem fine, and constantly putting others first.
You might understand why… but the patterns are still there.
Your mind knows you’re safe. Your body doesn’t.
EMDR helps your nervous system process what’s been stuck so you can finally feel different - not just understand it.
I specialize in EMDR Therapy for women who struggle with:
Anxiety, panic, and chronic overwhelm
Confidence and Boundaries
Trauma
The trauma that doesn’t feel “big enough to be trauma”
Shame, guilt
Perfectionism
People-pleasing and fear of taking up space
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. let’s allow it space to do so.
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.
We spend multiple sessions in Phase 1 and 2 gathering your history and practicing unique grounding skills. We typically spend 3-10 sessions here; it is highly dependent on how much we need to cover and your comfort level. We will never jump into reprocessing (Phase 4-7) until you are ready.
Learn more details about the phase below.
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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.
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Resourcing
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.
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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.
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Reprocessing
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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Installation
Once the distress connected to the memory decreases, we strengthen a more helpful belief about yourself. For example shifting from “I’m not good enough” to “I’m good enough regardless.”
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Body Scan
We take a moment to notice any remaining tension or discomfort in your body. If anything still feels stuck, we continue processing until your system feels more settled.
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At the end of each session we make sure you feel grounded and stable before leaving. You’ll also have tools to use between sessions if anything continues processing.
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At the start of the next session, we check in on how things feel now. Many people notice shifts in how they think about the memory, how their body responds, or how they handle similar situations moving forward.
As we reprocess the stuck memories, some people notice immediate relief in the moment and some relief is over time but overall 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.
EMDR Explanation Videos
Intro to EMDR and how it can help you
EMDR clients share their stories
Frequently Asked Questions about EMDR
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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.
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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.
If you are interested in quicker relief - check out the EMDR Intensive Page
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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.
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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.
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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 as well.
Research and client experience shows it is just as effective as in-person sessions.
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We go through all 8 Phases the same as we would virtually. The only difference is you have more options when it comes to bilateral stimulation.
In-Person I offer the light bar, hand held vibrating buzzies, headphones for auditory, and self-tapping.
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There is no “right” amount. It depends what your goals are.
I offer weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly sessions for 55 min. and 85 min. Some clients come twice a week for 55 min. for the first two weeks then move down to once a week for a couple weeks, then bi-weekly, etc. for a tiered approach. Other clients start with bi-weekly 85 min. sessions.
We will work together to decide what scheduling option fits your needs.
EMDR Intensives are also an option to see quicker progress in more focused time.
Explore More
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Meaningful healing in a shorter amount of time.
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In-Person sessions in my cozy office downtown Wilson, NC.
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A safe, relaxed space in the comfort of your own home (virtually) to dig beneath the surface.
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55 min. Sessions - Wilson, NC
Connect with nature while healing. We can walk around a park or sit on a bench to be in fresh air during a session.
Are you ready to experience relief in your life from EMDR?
Book your first session or reach out with questions.