I help adults process trauma, reduce anxiety, and rebuild trust in themselves through virtual sessions that feel safe, personal, and grounded.
I keep replaying the same moments over and over. My body tenses before I even realize what triggered it. I feel stuck in patterns I can’t seem to break, no matter how much I understand what happened. The past doesn’t feel past at all.
Many people long to feel steady again, to move through their days without constant vigilance, to experience relationships without the weight of old wounds. Online EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess memories so they lose their emotional charge, creating space to live fully in the present instead of being pulled back into the past.
The past doesn't have to keep defining your present. Online EMDR therapy helps you heal.
Online EMDR therapy in California may be a good fit if someone:
I follow the standard EMDR protocol, adapting the process to fit each person’s unique needs and responses. My work is grounded in creating safety first, then gently helping the brain reprocess memories that have been stuck.
EMDR follows a structured process that begins with building safety and resourcing before moving into memory reprocessing. We move through each phase at a pace that feels manageable for the nervous system.
This is how I’ll help:
Bilateral stimulation is the core tool in EMDR that helps the brain reprocess memories. In virtual sessions, we adapt these methods to work seamlessly through the screen.
This is how I’ll help:
Before we dive into trauma reprocessing, we spend time building an internal sense of safety and stability. This foundation makes the rest of our work feel more sustainable.
This is how I’ll help:
I weave mindfulness practices into EMDR work to help people stay connected to body and breath throughout the healing process. This integration supports deeper processing and lasting change.
This is how I’ll help:
Trauma doesn't have to be relived. EMDR helps process gently and heal deeply.
Trauma doesn’t always look like one big event. Sometimes it’s a series of smaller wounds, relational patterns, or experiences that shaped how someone sees themselves and the world. Online EMDR therapy addresses the ways trauma has taken root in life, whether through anxiety, relationship struggles, or a sense of being stuck in old patterns.
When someone has experienced ongoing trauma or multiple difficult events, the nervous system can stay in a state of high alert even when the danger has passed. There might be constant scanning for threats, feeling numb or disconnected, or struggling with intrusive memories that feel as real as the day they happened. Online EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess these experiences so they feel like memories rather than current experiences.
Sometimes anxiety doesn’t seem to have a clear cause in current life, but it makes perfect sense when understanding what the nervous system learned to protect someone from in the past. When experiencing panic attacks, constant worry, or a sense that something bad is always about to happen, these responses may be connected to earlier experiences that the brain is still trying to resolve. EMDR helps update the neural pathways that keep triggering these fear responses, creating space for the body to feel safer in the present.
The ways people learned to connect, or disconnect, in early relationships often show up in adult partnerships and friendships. Someone might push people away when wanting closeness, feel anxious about abandonment, or repeat patterns that don’t serve them. These aren’t character flaws but adaptive strategies developed to stay safe. EMDR can help reprocess the relational wounds underlying these patterns, allowing people to build connections that feel more secure and authentic through couples therapy and individual work.
Loss changes people, whether it’s the death of someone loved, the end of a relationship, or a major life transition that shifted sense of identity. Sometimes grief gets complicated when layered with trauma, regret, or unfinished emotional business. Someone might find themselves unable to move forward or feeling stuck in a particular stage of grieving. EMDR helps process the painful memories and emotions connected to loss, creating space to honor what’s been through while also finding the way back to living.
When past experiences of failure, criticism, or perfectionism get stored in the nervous system, they can create blocks that show up when trying to perform, create, or take risks. Someone might freeze during presentations, struggle with imposter syndrome, or avoid pursuing opportunities that matter to them. These blocks aren’t about ability but about old experiences that taught the brain to associate certain situations with danger. EMDR can help reprocess those earlier experiences, freeing people to show up more fully in work and creative life.
Phobias often develop after a frightening experience or through learned associations that the brain hasn’t been able to update. Whether struggling with fear of flying, driving, medical procedures, or other specific situations, these responses can feel overwhelming and limiting. The logical mind might know the fear is disproportionate, but the body reacts as if the danger is real and immediate. EMDR helps the brain reprocess the root experiences connected to these fears, reducing their intensity and helping people reclaim activities that matter to them.
I started working with people in 2015 and became a licensed marriage and family therapist in 2018. My background in somatic therapy and mindfulness shapes how I work. I believe healing happens when you feel truly seen and safe enough to explore what’s been difficult to face.
My approach includes:
The first session is about getting to know each other and understanding what brought you here. We’ll talk about history, what you’re hoping to work on, and whether EMDR feels like the right fit for where you are right now.
What to expect:
Trauma processing doesn't mean reliving it. EMDR creates space for gentle, lasting healing.
I offer online EMDR therapy, and I’m able to work with clients throughout California. Whether based in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Berkeley, or any other city in the state, people can access trauma-informed EMDR therapy from wherever feels most comfortable and private.
I’m available to provide virtual therapy to anyone in California. The flexibility of online sessions makes it easier to fit therapy into life, whether managing a demanding work schedule, navigating childcare responsibilities, or simply preferring the comfort of healing from home.
Yes, online EMDR therapy works effectively through secure video platforms. Research has shown that virtual EMDR produces similar outcomes to in-person sessions when the therapeutic relationship is strong and the technology is reliable.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a structured therapeutic approach:
The EMDR process helps the brain move stuck memories through to adaptive resolution:
Bilateral stimulation is the mechanism that facilitates EMDR’s effectiveness:
Eye movements remain a primary method of bilateral stimulation in online EMDR:
EMDR is recognized as an evidence-based treatment by major health organizations:
Virtual EMDR sessions use secure telehealth technology designed specifically for therapeutic work:
Each virtual EMDR session follows a structured yet flexible format:
The pace and length of EMDR treatment vary based on individual needs:
During remote EMDR sessions, bilateral stimulation happens using visual, auditory, or tactile methods adapted for online delivery:
The core elements that make EMDR work are all present in virtual sessions:
To ensure effective online EMDR sessions, people need:
Online EMDR therapy offers distinct advantages for California residents:
EMDR specifically targets how traumatic memories are stored and retrieved:
EMDR has proven particularly effective for post-traumatic stress disorder:
EMDR is a powerful treatment, but it’s not appropriate for everyone in every situation. There are specific circumstances where EMDR work needs to be delayed or where a different therapeutic approach should come first.
Some situations require stabilization before beginning trauma reprocessing work:
Certain medical conditions don’t necessarily rule out EMDR, but they require coordination with medical providers:
The question isn’t about qualifying for EMDR but about readiness and being resourced enough to engage with the process safely and effectively:
EMDR therapy requires working with a trained therapist. While there are self-help techniques inspired by EMDR principles, the actual EMDR protocol is a structured therapeutic process that needs professional guidance to be safe and effective.
EMDR involves accessing and reprocessing traumatic memories, which can bring up intense emotions and physical sensations:
Trying to process trauma memories independently can make things worse rather than better:
Emotional release during EMDR sessions is common and often part of the healing process, but it’s not required or universal. Some people cry, some feel anger or fear, some experience physical sensations, and others have quieter internal shifts that don’t show up as dramatic external responses.
EMDR processing isn’t about forcing emotions or dramatically reliving trauma:
There’s no right way to process trauma, and each experience is unique:
When emotions come up during EMDR, they typically move through and resolve rather than staying stuck or overwhelming:
EMDR follows an 8-phase protocol that ensures safety and thoroughness:
After EMDR sessions, the brain continues processing the material worked on, which means being gentle and avoiding adding unnecessary stress or intensity.
In the hours right after a session, the nervous system is still actively working with what was processed:
Certain activities can interfere with processing or feel more difficult when the nervous system is already engaged in healing work:
Instead of avoiding everything, focus on what actually helps the system complete the processing:
Most people feel some emotional tiredness or heightened awareness after EMDR, but these sensations usually settle within a day or two:
Setting yourself up for success before beginning EMDR:
Supporting your nervous system through the healing process:
EMDR is specifically designed to treat trauma and experiences that have been stored in maladaptive ways in the nervous system. It’s incredibly effective for those issues, but it’s not a universal treatment for every mental health concern or life challenge.
Some struggles require different therapeutic methods or additional support alongside EMDR:
Not every difficulty faced is rooted in trauma that needs reprocessing:
Sometimes EMDR is one piece of the healing puzzle rather than the whole picture:
EMDR often works most powerfully when combined with other therapeutic approaches:
EMDR can be adapted to support relational healing when trauma affects partnerships:
Unprocessed trauma often manifests in relationship dynamics:
During initial sessions, we’ll explore history, current concerns, and goals to determine whether EMDR is the most appropriate treatment:
Finding the right EMDR therapist involves more than just location. It’s about finding someone whose approach, training, and way of working feel like a good fit.
Not all EMDR practitioners have the same level of training or experience:
Selecting a qualified EMDR practitioner involves verifying training and fit:
San Francisco residents have unique advantages when accessing virtual EMDR care:
Virtual EMDR makes trauma therapy more accessible for those living throughout the Bay Area:
Most EMDR therapists offer brief consultation calls to assess fit:
Because I offer virtual sessions, people aren’t limited to therapists within driving distance:
Virtual EMDR sessions use secure video platforms designed for telehealth:
Yes, EMDR can effectively address anxiety, depression, and many other conditions, especially when these issues are rooted in unprocessed experiences or memories. While EMDR was originally developed for trauma, research shows it helps with a wide range of mental health concerns.
EMDR addresses anxiety by targeting the root experiences that taught the nervous system to respond with fear:
Depression frequently has roots in unprocessed grief, loss, or experiences that shaped negative self-beliefs:
Beyond trauma, anxiety, and depression, EMDR helps with:
EMDR is most effective for anxiety, depression, and other conditions when:
If you’re ready to explore whether online EMDR therapy in California could help you process trauma and move forward, I’d welcome the chance to talk. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to see if working together feels right, ask any questions, and learn more about how virtual EMDR sessions could support your healing.
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