What is Trauma?

"Trauma" can often feel like an intimidating word. However, I define trauma as anything that changes the way we see ourselves as people or how we see the world around us.  Traumas can be large or small, overt actions or messages, or subtly compounding events over years. We often discount smaller traumas or negative messages we were told about ourselves, but they impact our day to day approaches and reactions to daily life.

Though uncomfortable, being traumatized is our amazing mammalian wiring attempting to protect us from future threat and hurt. Our response to traumas are actually quite brilliant. The problem with trauma is that often it is no longer accurately representative of the current world around us.  This is where EMDR therapy comes in.  EMDR provides our brains space to realize we don't have to live like we used it.

When we simply "talk" about our traumas, our highly analytical "smart" brain often tries to talk us out of those negative feelings. EMDR take us through a less guarded process so we can genuinely reset ourselves. 

What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a treatment modality that enables us to heal from the symptoms of troubling or traumatic life experiences.  EMDR is one of the most proven therapeutic techniques in desensitizing traumatic events and removing negative limiting belief systems in a way that traditional talk therapy has not allowed clients to do in the past. This may be a negative belief such as "I'm unsafe", "I'm not good enough", "I'm damaged" or "I don't deserve". 

EMDR is utilized to not only decrease trauma, but as a powerful tool for performance enhancement for activities ranging from public speaking to athletic performance.  This is a negative belief that those around us argue doesn't match what they see as our reality. The EMDR process connects those negative beliefs we hold for the world or ourselves along side memories, associated emotions, and physical feelings surrounding the belief.

Through bilateral stimulation of the brain (either eye movements or alternating stimulation hand paddles), EMDR allows our more primitive brain the opportunity to talk and reflect. Eventually, we can view those old experiences and negative beliefs against reality in the here and now.

My EMDR clients are in-person and remote. 

In-person intensives at my Asheville, NC office range from 3-5 days depending on therapeutic readiness and goals.  Please contact me to discuss.