EMDR Therapy in Chandler, AZ - Heal & Grow Therapy
Maybe you're the one who kept it together for everyone else — the capable one, the peacekeeper. Or maybe you're a new mom who expected to feel joy, and instead feel like you're white-knuckling through the day. You've done the reading. You understand your patterns. But knowing isn't the same as feeling it in your body.
EMDR was designed for exactly that gap.
"I know this logically, but I can't seem to feel it" — this is one of the most common things I hear. EMDR is the approach that helps bridge that distance."
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed specifically for memories that have gotten stuck. When something overwhelming happens, your brain doesn't always get the chance to fully process it. That memory, along with the beliefs and body sensations attached to it, stays stored in a way that keeps triggering you — as if it's still happening.
Here's a simple way to think about it: when we experience something really stressful or traumatic, our brain can take a kind of screenshot — capturing the belief, the emotion, the body sensation, even the sounds and smells from that moment. Over time, memories that feel similar get stored in the same "folder." When present-day experiences feel familiar to that folder, it activates the whole file — and suddenly you're reacting from that old moment rather than from right now.
EMDR helps your brain reprocess those stuck memories so they become integrated, contextual — something that happened, rather than something still happening. Think of it like helping your brain file the memory away correctly, instead of it popping up like it's still happening.
EMDR is recognized by the American Psychological Association and the World Health Organization as one of the most effective treatments for trauma. It's what I work with every week — and it works in ways talk therapy alone sometimes can't reach.
A lot of the women I work with have spent years being the capable one — the high-functioning person who "shouldn't" still be struggling. EMDR isn't about reliving everything. It's about helping your nervous system finally catch up to the life you've worked so hard to build.
How EMDR works: the 8 phases
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase protocol, which makes it different from traditional talk therapy. Knowing what to expect can ease a lot of the anxiety about starting.
History-taking and treatment planning (1): We start with a thorough assessment — I listen for patterns, for the memories and present-day triggers that carry the most charge. Together we map out your pain points, your desired outcomes, and what we'll work toward. This is where I get to know your story.
Preparation (2): Before any processing begins, we build a foundation. You'll learn grounding techniques, safe-place imagery, and what bilateral stimulation feels like. We'll talk about trauma, what the process involves, and work through any fears. For some clients, this phase also includes parts work or inner child work — which can make the processing that follows much smoother. You won't be pushed into trauma work before your nervous system is ready.
Assessment (3): Together we identify the specific memory we're going to work with, the belief wrapped around it — "I am not safe" or "I am not enough" — and the belief you want to move toward. We also pay close attention to what comes up in your body when you bring the memory to mind. That information matters deeply.
Desensitization (4), installation (5), body scan (6), and closure (6): This is where the deeper work happens. Using bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements, but also tapping or audio tones — your brain begins to move the stuck memory from emotional reactivity into integrated memory. The intensity decreases. Your body begins to settle. New, more supportive beliefs start to feel more true. We always close each session with grounding. I sometimes describe this phase as moving through a dark tunnel: it can feel intense, but you can see the light at the end — and I'm with you the entire way, monitoring how you're doing and adjusting the pace as needed.
Reevaluation (8): Each session after begins with a check-in on what we processed before. We track progress together and identify new targets as the work continues.
What EMDR can help with
EMDR is one of the most extensively researched psychotherapy approaches for trauma — but its reach goes beyond single-event trauma. Many clients come to this work after years of talk therapy that addressed the narrative of their experience but couldn't shift the underlying emotional charge.
PTSD (accidents, sexual abuse)
Complex PTSD & childhood trauma
Anxiety (GAD, panic, social)
Perinatal mental health
Traumatic birth & pregnancy loss
Postpartum anxiety
Grief & complicated loss
Attachment wounds
Low self-worth & inner critic
Generational & relational patterns
Just like a cut heals when given the right conditions — your brain is wired to heal too.
What working with a certified EMDR therapist looks like
I'm an EMDRIA-certified EMDR therapist, which means I've completed training that goes well beyond a weekend workshop — including supervised clinical hours working specifically with EMDR. Certification reflects an ongoing commitment to continuing education, consultation, and deepening this work.
Sessions are held in my office in Chandler, Arizona, or via telehealth across Arizona. A free 15-minute consultation is available before your first appointment — a chance to ask questions about the process, talk about what you're hoping to address, and get a sense of whether this feels like a fit.
Is EMDR right for you right now?
EMDR isn't the right fit for every season — and that's okay. If you're currently in acute crisis, using substances in a way that affects emotional processing, or experiencing frequent severe dissociation, we'll prioritize stabilization first. That careful foundation is part of good care, not a limitation. If you have complex trauma or dissociative experiences, there is nothing wrong with you — we simply spend more time in the preparation phase, which is equally valuable work. Once we do get to processing, it tends to go more smoothly and be less destabilizing for it.
If you've done therapy before and understand your story but still feel stuck in your body, EMDR might be the missing piece — helping you respond from who you are now, rather than reacting from old survival wiring.
Find Out If We Are A Good Fit
Book a free 15 minute phone call with me.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and apply.
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EMDR was originally developed for PTSD, but its application has expanded substantially. It's now used for generalized anxiety, phobias, panic disorder, grief, prenatal and postpartum challenges, relational trauma, and negative self-beliefs rooted in early experience. Any memory or belief pattern that carries disproportionate emotional charge relative to your current circumstances may be a good candidate.
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EMDR accesses emotional and body-level memory directly — not just the cognitive story. When a stuck memory starts to move, it can surface emotions or physical sensations that have been stored for years. This can feel intense, but it's often a sign that processing is happening.
I always aim for you to have one foot in the room with me and one foot in the memory — I'm with you in every step of the process. The preparation phase exists specifically to equip you with the resources to navigate this. I monitor how you're doing throughout every session and can pause or adjust at any time.
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EMDR requires a degree of steadiness. It's typically not where we start when someone is in active suicidal crisis, actively using substances that significantly affect emotional processing, or living with severe dissociation that hasn't yet been addressed. In those situations, stabilization comes first. I do a thorough assessment before any processing begins — the goal is always to make sure the foundation is solid before we build on it.
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For clients who experience dissociation, I modify how we approach the work. I'm trained to recognize dissociative responses and adjust the pacing accordingly — which might mean slowing down, extending the preparation phase, or using gentler forms of bilateral stimulation. Dissociation isn't a reason to avoid EMDR altogether; it means we move more carefully and attentively. That kind of care is something I bring to all of this work.
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It really depends. After our initial 80-minute assessment, I'll be able to give you more clarity. Each person's history, strengths, trauma complexity, and response to EMDR varies widely. Some clients begin to feel more resourced and grounded within a few sessions. Others notice meaningful shifts connected to deeper roots in 6–12 sessions. Single-incident trauma often resolves faster than complex, developmental trauma. We'll track progress together throughout.
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This is something we'll clarify after your first intake session. If your symptoms are significantly affecting daily life, or you're wanting relief sooner, I recommend weekly sessions — though every other week can still be effective. We can tailor the frequency to your life and needs.
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This is completely okay — and really common. I take a client-centered approach. If something pressing comes up, we can pause EMDR and make space for what you're bringing in. That said, I do typically recommend staying with EMDR for a stretch of sessions so we can build some momentum and help you find relief from what you've been carrying. We'll find the rhythm that works for you.
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Sessions are typically 50 minutes. There's also an option to extend to 80 minutes — especially helpful if you'd like to spread sessions out or go deeper in a single sitting.
You don't have to figure it all out before you begin.
A free 15-minute consultation is available — just a conversation to see if this feels like a fit.