EMDR Therapy

"Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness" - Peter Levine

EMDR helps process and integrate distressing and traumatic experiences

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the therapeutic modalities I use with my clients. It is a research-supported psychotherapy that helps the brain process and integrate distressing and traumatic experiences that feel “stuck.” When trauma or overwhelming events are not fully processed, they can continue to trigger anxiety, emotional reactivity, or negative beliefs about oneself.

The body and mind have a natural ability to move toward healing

The body and mind have a natural ability to process experiences and move toward healing. This system is similar to how the body heals a physical wound. When a trauma happens, that natural process can become disrupted — like a wound that cannot heal because something is stuck in it. As a result, distressing memories and symptoms can continue. Just as a wound needs to be cleaned before it can heal, traumatic memories sometimes need support so the brain can finish processing them. EMDR therapy helps clear these blocks, allowing the brain’s natural healing process to resume.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to support the brain’s natural healing capacity

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (such as guided eye movements or tapping) to support the brain’s natural healing capacity, allowing painful memories to become less intense and more adaptive. Rather than reliving the past, clients often experience a shift in how the memory is stored — from something that feels present and threatening to something that feels resolved and integrated.

Attachment-Focused EMDR helps heal trauma and relationship wounds

I practice Attachment-Focused EMDR for which I trained at the Parnell Institute. It is an approach to EMDR therapy that integrates attachment theory and emphasizes safety, connection, and relational repair. In addition to processing traumatic memories, it attends to early attachment experiences that shape how we see ourselves and relate to others. This method moves at a pace that supports nervous system regulation and strengthens internal resources, helping clients feel grounded and supported as they heal. By addressing both trauma and attachment wounds, Attachment-Focused EMDR supports deeper, more lasting change in how clients experience themselves and their relationships.

Logistics

EMDR can be equally effective through in-person and online sessions. In addition to in-person sessions in Coldbrook, NS, I offer virtual counselling via secure video platform throughout Canada (except Quebec).

Fees: $160; 60-minute session.

Payment methods: e-transfer; credit card; direct billing for eligible Medavie Blue Cross and Sun Life insurance plans.

Contact me to book an appointment or to set up a free 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your counselling needs, and address any questions you may have about EMDR therapy or working with me. I look forward to connecting!