Wait… I Do What With My Eyes?” — Demystifying EMDR (and Why It’s Actually Awesome)
Okay, let’s just get this out of the way: yes, EMDR sometimes involves moving your eyes back and forth—but it can also use gentle tapping or alternating sounds. No, it’s not hypnosis, mind control, or Jedi therapy (though wouldn’t that be kind of cool?). It might sound a little weird at first, but EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is actually one of the most powerful tools I use with clients to help them heal from trauma.
Let me break it down for you—therapist-style, but make it conversational.
So… What Exactly Is EMDR?
EMDR is a therapy that helps your brain do something it already knows how to do: process stuff.
Think about what happens when you sleep—especially during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Your eyes move back and forth, and your brain is busy filing away experiences, sorting emotions, and kind of like Marie Kondo-ing your mental clutter.
EMDR works in a similar way. Using bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds), we help your brain “digest” experiences that may have gotten stuck—like a mental file that crashed the system. Trauma tends to freeze those files in place. EMDR helps unfreeze them so they can be reprocessed and properly stored. The goal? You remember the experience, but it no longer overwhelms you.
But… Does It Really Work?
Yes! And no, you don’t have to believe in crystals or magic (although I’m totally on board if you do love those things). EMDR is backed by loads of research and is used worldwide for treating PTSD, complex trauma (CPTSD), anxiety, and even things like phobias and performance anxiety.
Many of my clients are surprised by how quickly they start feeling shifts. EMDR isn’t about talking something to death—it’s about helping your brain do what it naturally wants to do: heal.
Why I Love Pairing EMDR with Art Therapy & Somatic Work
Here's where the magic really happens: EMDR is amazing on its own, but when you mix it with art therapy and somatic therapy? Chef’s kiss.
Art therapy taps into the creative part of your brain that often knows things before words do. When you’re working through tough stuff, sometimes a color or an image says more than a thousand therapy sessions ever could.
Somatic therapy keeps us grounded in the body. Trauma often lives in our nervous system—it’s not just in our heads, it’s in our cells. Somatic work helps you reconnect to your body in safe, gentle ways.
When we combine these approaches, healing becomes more holistic, integrative, and—dare I say—empowering. It’s like giving your mind, body, and soul a team of allies to work with, rather than going it alone.
TL;DR?
EMDR helps your brain reprocess old pain in a safe, effective way.
It’s weird for like 5 minutes and then it starts to feel kind of magical.
Art and somatic therapies add beautiful layers of healing that speak to different parts of you.
You are so not alone in your healing process—and there’s more than one path to peace.
If you’re curious about EMDR (or you're still wondering if I'm going to wave a magic wand at your forehead), reach out. We’ll take it one step at a time, and maybe even have a few laughs along the way.
Your healing doesn’t have to be clinical and cold—it can be creative, connected, and even kind of fun. 💛
Why AI Can’t Replace Your Therapist (Especially for Trauma Work)
—From someone who loves both healing and helpful tech
Let’s face it: AI is everywhere. It writes grocery lists, answers trivia questions, and may or it may be creating a meal plan for a busy mom of two who also eats gluten free and dairy free - seriously… life changing for this. And sure, it’s impressive — like, "Wow, how did it know I meant lasagna when I typed laagna?" impressive.
But when it comes to trauma therapy, here’s the deal: AI just doesn’t cut it. And it’s not because it doesn’t try—it’s just because it’s, well… not human.
1. AI Doesn’t Have a Nervous System
Trauma lives in the body. It’s not just about memories—it’s about how your nervous system learned to protect you. Healing from trauma requires attuned presence, co-regulation, and the kind of emotional safety that’s built moment by moment in relationship.
AI can process data—but it can’t read the subtle tremble in your voice, notice when you start holding your breath, or offer a steady, calm presence when you feel like you're coming undone. (It can offer a "😊" though. Sweet, but not quite the same.)
2. No Algorithm Understands the Nuance of Your Story
Your trauma is not a one-size-fits-all experience. It’s complex, layered, and uniquely yours. While AI can generate a nice quote about inner strength, it can’t hold your history with reverence. It doesn’t know what it meant to be you, in that room, in that moment.
A real therapist can help you make sense of the unspeakable, and more importantly, help you feel safe enough to say it out loud.
3. AI Doesn’t Build Trust—People Do
Healing trauma is sacred work. It happens in relationship, with real trust, real time, and real repair. A trauma-informed therapist isn’t just a sounding board—they’re someone who gently walks with you through the hard stuff, holds space for your grief, and celebrates your quietest victories.
AI? It’s smart, sure—but it doesn’t remember the first time you cried in session, or how brave you were to come back the next week. It also can’t tell you the subtle changes in your body language when talking about a moment in your childhood.
4. Empathy Isn’t Programmable (Yet)
You can’t code compassion. You can simulate it, yes. But real empathy comes with lived experience, heart, and a nervous system that knows how to sit beside suffering without needing to fix it. That kind of presence can’t be downloaded—it has to be felt.
So… Is AI Useless in Mental Health?
Not at all! AI can support the therapy process—by helping schedule appointments, offer reminders, even generate helpful journal prompts or psychoeducation. But it should never replace the healing power of human connection.
In trauma therapy, you need someone who can sit with the storm and not look away. Someone who can say, “You’re not too much,” and mean it—not because it’s been programmed to, but because it knows the weight of pain and the shape of healing.
So yes, AI is cool. But when it comes to trauma work? I’ll take a warm, regulated, human therapist every time.
And if you're looking for one of those—I happen to know someone.
😉
What Is Attachment-Based Healing (And Why It Matters If You Had a Tough Childhood)
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Why do I shut down when things get close?” or “Why does a part of me still feel like a scared kid?”—you’re not alone. These patterns often have deep roots in our earliest relationships, and attachment-based healing offers a powerful, compassionate path to repair.
What Is Attachment?
Attachment is the emotional bond we form with our caregivers in early life. Ideally, this bond teaches us that the world is safe, people are trustworthy, and our needs will be met. But if you grew up with emotional neglect, inconsistent care, or trauma, your attachment system may have learned something very different—like "love isn't safe,” or “my needs don’t matter.”
These early experiences shape the way we relate to ourselves, others, and the world—often well into adulthood.
What Is Attachment-Based Healing?
Attachment-based healing is a therapeutic approach that helps you repair those early relational wounds. It’s not about blaming parents or getting stuck in the past—it’s about rewiring how you feel in relationships today, especially the one you have with yourself.
In therapy, this work happens through:
A safe, attuned relationship with your therapist, where you can experience what it feels like to be seen, heard, and supported without judgment.
Somatic (body-based) work, helping you notice and soothe the nervous system patterns wired in early relationships.
Inner child work, to reconnect with younger parts of yourself that were ignored or shamed.
Exploring boundaries, trust, and emotional regulation—and how those were modeled (or not) for you.
Why It Matters If You Had a Difficult Childhood
When we grow up with emotional chaos, inconsistency, or neglect, we often internalize beliefs like:
“I’m too much.”
“I can’t depend on anyone.”
“Love always comes with pain.”
These beliefs don’t just stay in our minds—they live in our bodies and relationships. They show up in romantic partnerships, friendships, work dynamics, and even the way we talk to ourselves.
Attachment-based healing helps you unlearn what hurt you and relearn what supports you—bit by bit, with compassion and care.
Steps to Start Healing
If this resonates, here are some gentle steps to begin:
Notice your patterns
Become curious about how you respond to closeness, conflict, or vulnerability. This awareness is the first step toward change.Find a safe therapeutic relationship
Attachment wounds heal best in relationship. A trauma-informed, attachment-based therapist can help provide the kind of safety and consistency you may have missed.Practice self-compassion
Your coping mechanisms were brilliant adaptations to survive. Honor them—and know you can now choose new ones.Reconnect with your body
Breathwork, mindfulness, somatic therapy, and movement can help regulate your nervous system and build a sense of safety within.Build safe, reciprocal connections
Seek out relationships where you feel respected, valued, and emotionally safe. You deserve them.
Healing attachment wounds doesn’t mean becoming perfect—it means becoming whole. You get to rewrite your story, one safe connection at a time.
If this feels like the kind of work you're ready for, I'd be honored to support you. Healing is possible—and you don’t have to do it alone.
Summer Healing: Why This Season Is the Perfect Time for EMDR & Art Therapy
There’s something about summer… there are the longer days, warm breezes, and the scent of sunscreen and possibility in the air. While many people think of summer as a time for vacations and fun, it can also be a surprisingly powerful season for deep healing, especially if you’re navigating trauma. I don’t know about you but summer brings so much joy for me - just sitting in the sun early in the morning and listening to the birds brings so much healing to me.
Whether you're considering EMDR therapy, art therapy, or both, summer might be the gentle nudge you need to finally give yourself space to process, release, and grow.
Why Summer?
Trauma healing takes time, and just like plants need sunlight to grow, we need safety, space, and energy to heal. Summer naturally offers more of all three:
Longer days mean more light—literally and emotionally. That extra daylight can lift your mood and give you more capacity to face difficult memories.
Schedules slow down. With school breaks, vacations, and a more relaxed pace, summer can offer the breathing room you need to start the work.
Nature helps regulate. Grounding in the outdoors—whether you're sketching under a tree or taking a mindful walk after EMDR—supports nervous system regulation and emotional clarity.
How Art Therapy Helps
Sometimes words aren’t enough—or just feel too hard. Art therapy gives your inner world a voice, even when you’re not sure what you’re feeling. Through color, texture, and image, your mind can begin to process trauma gently, symbolically, and safely. You don’t have to be “an artist.” You just need a willingness to explore.
How EMDR Helps
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful, evidence-based approach that helps your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer feel like live wires. Paired with the calm of summer, EMDR can help you access stuck memories with more safety and move through them toward relief.
A Season for You
This summer, instead of pushing everything down or putting everyone else first, what if you gave yourself the gift of healing? There’s no “perfect” time to start therapy—but summer might just be the kindest.
You’re allowed to heal in sunlight. You’re allowed to grow on your own timeline. And you don’t have to do it alone.
If this feels like the season to begin your healing journey—or deepen the one you’re already on—I’d be honored to walk alongside you. When you're ready, I’m here.
Easter Eggs, Family Feels & PTSD: When Holidays Aren’t So “Happy”
Holidays like Easter come with pastel colors, brunch plans, and Instagram-perfect family photos. But if you’re someone living with complex PTSD, this time of year might feel more like emotional whiplash than a warm, fuzzy celebration.
Wait, Why Is This So Hard?
Complex PTSD usually comes from ongoing or early-life trauma—often in family settings. So when Easter rolls around, complete with family expectations, religious themes, or pressure to “be cheerful,” it can stir up old stuff you thought you'd filed away years ago. Suddenly, you're not just choosing between deviled eggs or carrot cake—you're managing flashbacks, anxiety, or a deep ache you can’t quite name.
Common Easter Triggers Can Include:
Family gatherings that bring up unresolved pain
Religious traditions that don’t feel safe or authentic anymore
Feeling left out if your life looks different than others’ highlight reels
The pressure to “show up” when you barely feel like yourself
So… What Can You Do?
First of all: you're not broken, you're not overreacting, and you're definitely not alone. Some ways to take care of yourself this Easter:
Give yourself permission to say no (even to grandma’s famous ham)
Make your own rituals—yes, chocolate counts
Stay grounded with things that soothe you (music, movement, art). Music has always been an intentional ritual for me. Here is one of my favorite for grounding.
Reach out to safe people, or even just your pet
Most importantly: be kind to yourself
Your healing doesn’t take a holiday—but that doesn’t mean you can’t find moments of peace, laughter, or even joy on your own terms.
What is CPTSD VS PTSD?
It all begins with an idea.
Complex PTSD vs. PTSD: Understanding the Differences & Navigating Today’s Triggers
We’ve all heard of PTSD, but what about Complex PTSD? With today’s world feeling like a never-ending cycle of stress—news headlines, personal struggles, and societal pressures—it’s no surprise that many people are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. If you’ve ever found yourself reacting more strongly to current events than those around you, it might not just be everyday stress—it could be a trauma response.
So, what’s the difference between PTSD and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), and why do today’s events feel so triggering for those with a trauma history? Let’s break it down in a way that’s both informative and (yes!) lighthearted. Because healing doesn’t have to feel like another burden—it’s about understanding yourself, showing yourself compassion, and building stronger relationships along the way.
PTSD vs. Complex PTSD: What’s the Difference?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) typically develops after a single traumatic event—like an accident, natural disaster, or assault. Symptoms can include flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance of triggers, and emotional distress. PTSD is often associated with soldiers returning from war, but it can happen to anyone who has experienced a life-threatening or deeply distressing event.
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), on the other hand, develops due to prolonged exposure to trauma, often occurring in childhood or over an extended period of time. This could be due to childhood neglect, emotional abuse, toxic relationships, or ongoing high-stress environments. In addition to the typical PTSD symptoms, C-PTSD often includes difficulty with emotional regulation, deep-seated self-doubt, struggles with trust and relationships, and a persistent sense of guilt or shame.
Think of it this way: PTSD is like a bad storm that hits suddenly and leaves damage behind. C-PTSD is like living in an environment where storms are constant, making it difficult to ever feel truly safe.
Why Are Today’s Events So Triggering for Trauma Survivors?
We’re living in a time of uncertainty, fear, and constant change—all things that can be deeply unsettling for those with PTSD or C-PTSD. If you’ve noticed yourself feeling more on edge lately, you’re not alone. Here’s why recent world events might be activating old trauma wounds:
Unpredictability & Lack of Control – Trauma survivors thrive on predictability because uncertainty often meant danger in the past. Today’s ever-changing world can feel like an emotional minefield.
Social & Political Tension – Conflict, division, and instability can remind trauma survivors of past situations where they felt powerless or unheard.
Isolation & Disconnection – Many trauma survivors struggle with attachment wounds, and the isolation caused by world events can reinforce old fears of abandonment or rejection.
Financial & Job Stress – A history of trauma can make financial insecurity feel even more overwhelming, as it can trigger deep-seated fears of survival and stability.
So, What Can You Do?
Healing from PTSD or C-PTSD is not about “just getting over it.” It’s about recognizing your responses, learning new coping strategies, and building relationships that make you feel safe and supported. Here are a few ways to navigate today’s stressors with more ease:
✅ Name It to Tame It – If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remind yourself: “This is a trauma response. I am safe.” Identifying what’s happening can reduce its power over you.
✅ Create Predictability Where You Can – Build small daily routines that give you a sense of stability, even if the world feels chaotic.
✅ Limit Doomscrolling – Constant exposure to bad news can keep your nervous system in a state of hyperarousal. Give yourself permission to take a break.
✅ Lean Into Healthy Relationships – Trauma healing happens in safe relationships. Surround yourself with people who make you feel seen, heard, and valued.
✅ Seek Professional Support – Therapy, coaching, and support groups can offer tools and strategies to help you manage triggers and build resilience.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Alone
If today’s world feels overwhelming, know that your responses make sense—and you’re not broken. Whether you have PTSD or C-PTSD, understanding your trauma responses is the first step to healing. The good news? You don’t have to navigate this journey alone.
If you’re looking for support, guidance, or just a space to feel understood, I’m here to help. Healing is possible, and you deserve peace. ❤️
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