EMDR and Somatic Experiencing…

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a well-researched, evidence-based therapy approach developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. This treatment is used to help people process distressing or traumatic experiences that continue to affect them in the present. When you experience a trauma, your memory can stay "frozen" with all the original intensity, like it's still happening.  You may be easily triggered, emotionally intense, or experience strong body reactions.

During EMDR, you are guided to focus on parts of a disturbing memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as side-to-side eye movements, tapping, or sounds. This process helps the brain do what it naturally knows how to do: integrate and organize experiences so they feel less overwhelming and more distant over time. It helps your nervous system finish processing what it couldn't at the time, so the memory becomes something that happened rather than something that is still happening to you.

Many people notice that memories become less emotionally charged, physical reactions soften, and new perspectives begin to emerge. EMDR does not require you to go into graphic detail about what happened, and the work is done gradually, with careful attention to safety and readiness.

Somatic Experiencing, developed by Dr. Peter Levine, is a body-oriented, trauma-informed therapeutic approach that focuses on the regulation of the nervous system. It is based on the understanding that traumatic stress is often held not just in thoughts or memories, but in physical sensations, tension, and patterns of activation in the body, leading to symptoms such as hyperarousal, shutdown, anxiety, panic, or chronic tension.

Rather than talking in detail about past events, Somatic Experiencing gently brings attention to present-moment body sensations—such as breathing, muscle tension, or subtle shifts in feeling. When stress or trauma has kept the body in patterns of fight, flight, or freeze, this approach works gently to help the nervous system release stored stress and trauma and learn that it is safe to settle again.   Over time, many people experience greater regulation, a stronger sense of grounding, and more ease in their bodies and daily lives.

Somatic Experiencing is collaborative and paced to your comfort. The work is gradual and paced, allowing change to happen without forcing or reactivating distress. Over time, this can support more ease in daily life, improved stress response, and a stronger capacity to feel present and connected.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is a compassionate and effective approach to psychotherapy that helps people understand the different “parts” of their inner world. Developed by psychologist Dr. Richard C. Schwartz, IFS is based on the idea that the mind is made up of multiple parts—each with its own feelings, beliefs, and protective roles.

Rather than trying to eliminate difficult thoughts or emotions, IFS therapy helps you understand why these parts exist and what they are trying to protect. At the center of this approach is the belief that everyone has a core Self—a calm, confident, and compassionate inner leader capable of guiding healing.

How IFS Therapy Helps

IFS therapy helps you:

• Understand the inner patterns behind your emotions and behaviors

• Develop greater self-awareness and self-compassion

• Heal past emotional wounds

• Reduce internal conflict and stress

• Build healthier relationships