Online Counseling for Sensitive, Introverted Women
In Florida, Hawaii, Delaware, and New Jersey
What is Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing?
(EMDR)
What is a session like?
A complete EMDR therapy session is comprised of 8 phases. Not all 8 phases will be completed in
every session.
​
How long does it take?
If you are interested in using EMDR, we'll need to make sure it's therapy is right for you. If it is determined to be a good fit, the length of treatment varies based on several factors.
Read More
TL;DR: What EMDR Is and How It Helps
​
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy that helps your brain process painful memories so they stop feeling so heavy, vivid, or overwhelming.
Instead of being “stuck” in the past, those memories become neutral—something that happened, not something that controls you.
​
​
With EMDR, we use simple techniques like tapping (see Prince Harry in the picture below) to help your brain release the heavy feelings that get stuck to old memories—things like shame, fear, anger, or guilt.
​
​
It also helps calm the physical reactions those memories can bring up, like a tight chest, a lump in your throat, or a knot in your stomach.
​
​
You’ll still remember what happened, but it won’t take over your body or leave you feeling unsafe the way it used to.
And EMDR isn’t only for big traumas. It can also help with the painful messages you may have picked up growing up, like “I’m not good enough” or “I have to be perfect.”
With EMDR, those old beliefs lose their grip, and you can replace them with ones that actually lift you up.
​
​
The best part? You’re always in control of the process, and we move at your pace.
​
-
Relief from both emotional + physical reactions.
-
Trauma and childhood/negative belief applications.
-
A sense of safety and control
​
EMDR can be hard to put into words—you really understand it once you experience it. I’m grateful to be able to offer it as part of my online practice.
​
​
​
EMDR Therapy: In Plain Language
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy that helps your brain let go of painful memories that feel “stuck.”
If you’ve ever had a memory pop up that makes your chest tighten, your stomach knot, or your throat close, EMDR can help calm those reactions so you don’t feel hijacked by the past.
​
​
It also takes away the emotional punch of the memory. Instead of being flooded with shame, guilt, anger, or fear, you can think about what happened without it overwhelming you. Over time, the memory itself often fades in intensity—it feels less sharp, less colorful, and more distant.
​
​
EMDR isn’t only for big traumas. It’s also powerful for the negative beliefs many sensitive women pick up in childhood, like “I’m not good enough” or “I have to be perfect.” With EMDR, we can shift those old beliefs and replace them with healthier, more supportive ones.
​
​
This approach is recognized by organizations like the U.S. Department of Defense and the VA as highly effective for trauma—but you don’t have to be a veteran to benefit. I use EMDR every day with highly sensitive, introverted women who struggle with anxiety, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or the long shadow of childhood emotional neglect.
​
​
Most importantly, EMDR moves at your pace. You’re always in control, and we’ll use grounding tools to make sure you feel steady along the way.​​​​
​How Does E.M.D.R. Work?
​
​​​
You might be wondering: “How does EMDR therapy actually work?” In simple terms, EMDR helps your brain reprocess painful or traumatic memories so they don’t feel overwhelming anymore.
Instead of reliving the past with all the emotions and body reactions that come with it, EMDR helps you put those memories in the past—where they belong.
​
​
During a session, we use gentle techniques like tapping, following a moving object with your eyes, or listening to alternating sounds. These simple back-and-forth movements help your brain process memories in a new way.
​
​
For example, if you were in a car accident, you might now feel a constant sense of being out of control. With EMDR, we revisit that memory together in a safe, structured way.
Over time, the memory loses its intensity—you’ll still know the accident happened, but it won’t feel so sharp or vivid, and it won’t trigger the same fear in your body. The old belief “I’m not safe” can be replaced with a new one like “I am in control.”
​
​
As this happens, the strong emotions (fear, guilt, shame, anger) and physical reactions (tight chest, lump in your throat, knots in your stomach) start to fade. You’ll still remember what happened, but the memory no longer hijacks your body or your sense of safety.
​
​
EMDR isn’t just for big traumas. Many of the highly sensitive women I work with use it to shift the negative beliefs picked up in childhood—like “I’m not good enough” or “I have to be perfect.”
With EMDR, those beliefs lose their grip, and you can replace them with ones that actually support you.
​
​
I use EMDR in my online therapy practice with highly sensitive, introverted, and neurodivergent women dealing with anxiety, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or the long shadow of childhood emotional neglect.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Can EMDR therapy help me?”—the best way to know is to experience it.
​What is an E.M.D.R. therapy session like?
There is some preparation before we jump into the "desensitization" phase of the process including implementing grounding tools.
​
Before we begin, we’ll practice simple calming tools you can use anytime during the session. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, we stop right away and use one of these tools. You are always in control of the process.
The grounding tools would be something that helps calm you down and makes you feel safe. This would be used during the "desensitization" phase if you were to get overstimulated.
​
You are always in complete control of the session. If at any point you get too uncomfortable, we stop. Then we would use one of your grounding techniques. The session also ends with a grounding technique.
​
​
Once we get to the "desensitization" phase of EMDR, I will have you close your eyes (if you are comfortable doing so) and focus on a memory, experience, or negative belief about yourself that we identified in the previous phases.
​
​
When you’re ready, I’ll guide you to focus on a memory, experience, or belief that still feels heavy—like a car accident, being bullied, or the thought “I’m not good enough.”
​
​
While you bring this to mind, we’ll use gentle techniques like tapping your shoulders or following a moving object with your eyes.
​
​
FOR EXAMPLE
You may want to target a specific memory such as a car accident, embarrassing moment, time you were really scared.
​
You can focus on an experience that was ongoing such as being bullied in the fourth and fifth grade.
​
You can even focus on a negative belief that is holding you back such as "I should've done something," I am not in control" or "I am inadequate."
​
EMDR works by integrating the left and right parts of your brain. In order to do this, I will have you cross your arms over your chest and alternately tap your shoulders.
If you are comfortable, I have you close your eyes and begin tapping your shoulders while thinking of the memory.
You don't have to say anything during the tapping "sets".
​​
​
​
NO RIGHT WAY
Keep in mind, there is no right or wrong way to do EMDR. You are not expected to have a specific outcome or feel a certain way. We work with whatever comes up for you.
​
After a little while (a few seconds to a few minutes) I will ask you pause the tapping and open your eyes. At that time you can choose to share with me what you processed.
​
​
You can say as little or as much as you feel comfortable.
​
We then repeat the process, having you close your eyes, tap your shoulders and process. ​​​
​
​
As your brain works through the memory, the emotions and body reactions that used to feel overwhelming begin to ease.
​
The memory doesn’t disappear—you’ll still know it happened—but it no longer feels sharp, vivid, or hijacking.
Over time, old beliefs like “I’m not safe” can be replaced with new ones like “I am in control.”
​
​
​
MORE:
Here is a great article in which Prince Harry talks about using EMDR to overcome PTSD.
​
If you would like to "geek out" on more info, here is an in-depth version of the phases used in EMDR.
​