EMDR Therapy for Trauma and Anxiety in California and Florida
For thoughtful, sensitive people who hold a lot together on the outside, but sense that something from the past is still shaping how they respond, second-guess themselves, or feel in relationships.
Based in Los Angeles, I work with clients across California (including the Bay Area and Southern California) as well as Florida. This is online EMDR therapy that fits in your schedule.
Your life may look stable—even successful. But internally, you notice patterns that feel harder to shift than they should be.
You might replay conversations, feel pressure to get things “right,” or carry a persistent sense of not quite being enough despite everything you’ve accomplished. You may second-guess yourself in relationships, find it hard to fully speak up, or fall into people-pleasing without meaning to.
Part of you knows you’re capable—but it doesn’t always feel that way. And even if your childhood is behind you, parts of it may still feel unresolved, wishing things had been different or wondering why it still affects you this much.
EMDR therapy helps your brain process experiences that are still emotionally unfinished, so they no longer have the same hold on your present. I offer online EMDR therapy for adults across California, working especially with thoughtful, sensitive, and often high-performing people who want to feel more grounded, confident, and at ease in themselves.
Trauma Isn’t Always Obvious
When people hear the word trauma, they often think of major events.
But many clients come to EMDR therapy saying things like:
“Nothing terrible happened, but I’m anxious all the time.”
“I overthink everything I say.”
“I’m successful, but I never feel like I’m doing enough.”
“I feel responsible for everyone else’s feelings.”
“I’m constantly trying to prove myself.”
Often these patterns are connected to earlier experiences such as:
chronic criticism or pressure growing up
emotional neglect or feeling unseen
family or cultural expectations
difficult relationships or school and work environments
experiences that shaped how you see yourself
Over time these experiences can influence the nervous system and the beliefs you carry about yourself — even when life has moved forward.
EMDR helps the brain update those older emotional patterns so they no longer run automatically in the background of your life.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a research-supported therapy designed to help the brain process difficult experiences.
When something overwhelming happens, the brain sometimes stores the memory in a way that remains emotionally unfinished. Even years later, certain situations can trigger the same emotions, beliefs, or body responses connected to that earlier experience. EMDR helps the brain complete the processing that didn’t happen at the time.
During EMDR therapy, guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation help activate the brain’s natural healing processes. As memories are reprocessed, they often become less emotionally charged and more integrated into your life story.
Many people notice that the memory itself doesn’t disappear — but it begins to feel less intense, less intrusive, and less connected to their sense of self today.
What EMDR Therapy Can Help With
EMDR therapy is widely known for treating trauma, but it can also help with many experiences connected to unresolved stress or difficult life events.
People often seek EMDR therapy for:
anxiety and chronic overthinking
perfectionism and self-criticism
burnout or work stress
people-pleasing patterns
relationship difficulties
painful memories that still feel emotionally present
lingering effects of childhood experiences
feeling stuck in recurring emotional patterns
As processing unfolds, many people experience greater emotional flexibility, self-trust, and a deeper sense of calm.
Signs EMDR Therapy Might Be Helpful for You
You may benefit from EMDR therapy if you notice patterns such as:
replaying conversations or situations long after they happen
feeling a strong emotional reaction that seems bigger than the situation
being highly self-critical or hard on yourself
feeling responsible for other people’s emotions
carrying memories that still feel emotionally charged
feeling tense, on edge, or hyper-aware of others’ reactions
understanding your patterns intellectually but still feeling stuck
These experiences often signal that the brain is still holding onto earlier emotional learning that hasn’t fully processed.
EMDR therapy helps your brain update those patterns so they no longer shape your present in the same way.
EMDR for High-Functioning, Sensitive People
Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, perceptive, and emotionally aware. They are often the responsible one in their families, relationships, or workplaces.
Because of this, they may have spent years thinking through their experiences logically while still feeling emotionally stuck.
EMDR works differently than traditional talk therapy. Rather than only analyzing the past, it helps the brain and nervous system process the emotional layers of those experiences so they stop influencing your present reactions in the same way.
For many sensitive and high-achieving people, this can bring a sense of relief that feels deeper than insight alone.
What an EMDR Session is Like
EMDR therapy always moves at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
Early sessions focus on understanding your experiences, identifying patterns you want to change, and developing tools that support emotional regulation.
When we begin EMDR processing, you’ll briefly bring attention to a specific memory or belief while also noticing guided bilateral movements such as eye movements or tapping. This allows the brain to begin processing the experience in a natural way. Many clients describe the process as feeling somewhat like watching thoughts or images move through the mind while new insights and connections begin to form. Over time, the emotional intensity connected to those memories often decreases, and new perspectives or beliefs emerge naturally.
EMDR can be powerful on its own, and it can also work beautifully alongside other approaches that support nervous system regulation.
Integrating EMDR with Somatic Therapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS)
While EMDR is a powerful therapy on its own, it can also be supported by approaches that help us understand how experiences live in the body and within different parts of ourselves.
In our work together, I sometimes incorporate somatic therapy techniques that bring attention to physical sensations and nervous system responses. This can help you notice how stress, tension, or emotional reactions show up in the body and support deeper regulation during EMDR processing.
My work is also informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS), a parts-based approach that helps us understand the different protective strategies we develop over time. These “parts” often formed in response to earlier experiences and can influence how we react to situations today.
Bringing awareness to both the body and these internal parts can support EMDR therapy by helping difficult experiences process more fully and safely.
Working With Me
My approach to therapy is warm, collaborative, and grounded. I aim to create a space where you can explore difficult experiences without feeling judged, rushed, or overwhelmed.
Many of the people I work with are thoughtful and introspective. They may be highly sensitive, emotionally aware, or used to being the capable one in their families, relationships, or workplaces.
My clients are often:
professionals, creatives, or entrepreneurs
navigating family or cultural expectations
used to holding themselves to high standards
successful in many areas of life but seeking greater ease and self-trust
In our work together, we focus not only on understanding patterns, but on helping you experience meaningful shifts in how you feel and relate to yourself.
I offer online EMDR therapy for adults throughout California, allowing you to engage in this work from the comfort and privacy of your own space. Many clients find that working from home helps them feel more relaxed and supported during the process.
"Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence."
— Peter Levine, Ph.D. and trauma expert
Frequently Asked Questions about EMDR Therapy
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EMDR is a unique, evidence-based therapy approach that addresses both the emotional and physiological aspects of trauma. Unlike traditional talk therapy or CBT, which often focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors through discussion, EMDR helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories directly, allowing you to release intense emotions and sensations associated with past experiences. It’s a gentle, guided approach that doesn’t require you to revisit every detail of painful memories, which often makes it a more comfortable process for those dealing with trauma. Many people find that EMDR can accelerate healing, helping them experience relief and positive changes more quickly.
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EMDR begins by identifying specific distressing memories or experiences and then using guided eye movements (or other forms of bilateral stimulation) to help the brain reprocess emotions and associations that are “stuck” in the nervous system. This reduces the intensity of negative feelings and often brings new insights. As a result, clients often feel calmer and more at ease with past experiences, reducing the lingering impact of trauma on their present and future well-being.
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Definitely. EMDR is highly effective in an online format, offering you the comfort of being at home while still engaging deeply in the process. Using secure video sessions, you will be guided through the same EMDR techniques and adapting them to your needs just as we would in person. Many clients find virtual EMDR just as powerful, experiencing meaningful changes in a familiar, safe space. With virtual EMDR, healing is flexible and accessible wherever you are.
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Absolutely! EMDR can be beneficial for anyone facing overwhelming or distressing emotions, even if they haven’t experienced a significant trauma. Many people find EMDR helpful for managing stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, or negative beliefs about themselves that might stem from difficult experiences or patterns over time. This approach can help you process and release emotional “stuck points” that keep you feeling weighed down, even if the source seems subtle or hard to pinpoint.
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Yes! An EMDR intensive is a series of focused, extended sessions designed to help you work through distressing emotions or memories more efficiently than weekly therapy. During an intensive, we’ll have the time and space to dive deeply into your concerns, allowing you to make progress in a shorter period without the disruption of weekly breaks. This approach is especially helpful if you’re managing a busy schedule or have specific issues you’d like to resolve more quickly. Throughout the intensive, you’ll have a safe, supportive environment where we can go at a pace that feels right for you.
Ready to take the first step towards healing?
Reach out to schedule a free 20-minute consultation.