EMDR Therapy
For when part of you is ready to move through what has become stuck
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence based therapy originally developed by Francine Shapiro in the 1980s to help people recover from trauma and distressing life experiences. It works by activating the brain's innate capacity to move toward healing through bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements or tapping) while you hold a memory or experience in mind.
When difficult experiences are stored in ways that keep them "stuck," they continue to shape how you feel, think, and respond in the present. EMDR helps the brain do what it would naturally do if it could, by integrating the experience so it no longer carries the same weight.
It doesn't require you to describe events in detail. The shift tends to happen at a deeper level than talking alone can reach.
What EMDR can help with
Single incident trauma
Complex or developmental trauma
Anxiety, panic, and phobias
Depression with a trauma history
Eating concerns and difficult relationships with the body
Grief and loss
Chronic illness and health related distress
Adjustment to chronic or persistent pain
Low self worth and persistent negative beliefs about yourself
Intergenerational and cultural trauma
How I work
I offer EMDR extended sessions, 80 minutes as standard, with more frequent sessions available as part of an intensive program.
EMDR moves through eight phases, and a longer session allows us to move through activation and into resolution in the same appointment, rather than stopping mid-process. For many people, this is both more effective and less disruptive to daily life.
Before any processing begins, we spend time building the foundations of our work. This includes taking the time needed to build enough safety, develop resources, and make sure you feel oriented in the work.
I tend to use EMDR therapy alongside other frameworks, which I incorporate into the early parts of therapy (Phase 2 of EMDR) before we start reprocessing.
EMDR Intensives
For some people, the usual rhythm of therapy isn't the right fit.
An Intensive offers concentrated, focused therapy over a shorter period, designed to move through material without the staggered pace of weekly or fortnightly sessions.
An example Intensive might involve an 80 minute intake session via telehealth, followed by 3x EMDR resourcing and processing sessions across two days.
Each program is tailored so that structure, pacing, and length are determined through the intake process based on what you're bringing and what you need.
Intensives are available in person at the Coffs Harbour Jetty, via telehealth, or as a combination of both. The Coffs Coast lends itself naturally to treating the experience as a kind of retreat. Time away from your usual environment, space to do deep work, and room to integrate.
A careful intake and suitability assessment is required before booking. If you're curious about whether an Intensive might be suitable for you, mention it in your initial enquiry, and we can set up a 30 minute initial phone call to discuss your suitability.
Note that intensives are offered as a private pay package. Medicare rebates do not apply.