How I work
EMDR therapy
I am trained in EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
What it actually is
When something overwhelming happens, the memory can get stored differently than an ordinary memory: kept raw, with the original feelings and body sensations still attached. That is why a smell, a tone of voice, or a date on the calendar can drop you straight back into it.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (usually side-to-side eye movements, sounds, or taps) while you hold a piece of the memory in mind. Over time the memory tends to settle into something you can recall without it taking over. The event does not change. Its grip does.
What a session is like
We don’t start with the hardest thing. Early sessions build resourcing, which means ways to steady yourself, before we go near anything difficult.
You are in control the whole time, and you can stop at any point. You also do not need to describe the memory out loud in detail; people are often surprised by that.
Note
EMDR online
EMDR works over video. We use on-screen bilateral stimulation or self-tapping. If you are anywhere in Wisconsin, you can do EMDR with me.
Get started
Curious about whether we could be a good fit?
Schedule a free 15 minute consultation. No pressure, and no need to explain everything up front.
Prefer to write? Email sunflowerstridescounseling@gmail.com. I reply within two business days.
Also
Other ways I work
-
Trauma and PTSD
Old wounds that still shape how today feels.
-
Anxiety
A nervous system that won’t stand down.
-
Depression
When everything takes more than it should.
-
Life transitions
Divorce, loss, a career ending, becoming a parent.
-
Stress and burnout
Running on empty long enough that empty feels normal.
-
Self-esteem
The voice that got installed early and never left.
-
Brainspotting
A gentle, body-based way of processing what talking alone hasn’t reached.
-
Internal Family Systems
Getting curious about the conflicting sides of yourself instead of being at war with them.
-
Walk & talk therapy
Sessions outdoors, walking side by side rather than sitting across a desk.
-
Online therapy
Anywhere in Wisconsin, from a place you already feel safe.