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EMDR for trauma survivors

EMDR Therapy

Your body has worked so hard to protect you. EMDR helps it set down what it's been carrying, on your timeline, with you in the driver's seat.

Request a free EMDR consultation

Online in FL, MO & CO · In person in Colorado Springs

What EMDR is, plainly

Some experiences never get filed away. A tone of voice, a hymn, a certain kind of silence, and suddenly your body is back there, reacting before your mind has caught up. That isn't weakness, and it isn't overreacting. It's your body doing its fiercely devoted job: trying to keep you safe from something it hasn't been able to finish processing.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) gives your brain the conditions to finish that work. While you hold a piece of the memory in mind, you follow gentle side-to-side eye movements or feel alternating taps. This bilateral stimulation helps the memory move from "happening now" to "something that happened."

What changes isn't the facts of what happened. It's the charge. Clients often describe the memory as further away, quieter, or smaller, and the beliefs it left behind ("I'm too much," "it was my fault," "I'm not safe") lose their grip. It isn't always tidy. Sometimes things feel messier before they feel clearer. That's normal, and we'll hold onto hope with you through it.

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“

The past affects the present even without our being aware of it.

Francine Shapiro, PhD · Originator of EMDR

How a course of EMDR unfolds

Eight phases. Most of them aren't about the memory.

EMDR has a clear structure, and much of it is about preparing, steadying, and closing well. Choose a phase to see what happens and what you're in charge of.

Phase 2 of 8

Preparation

You build resources before touching anything hard, whatever helps you feel grounded and steady in your body. You'll try bilateral stimulation on something pleasant first.

How we hold this work

A few promises we make to every client.

  • Your timeline.

    We'll never ask you to be anywhere other than exactly where you are. Preparation can take one session or many weeks, and stopping is always allowed.

  • Your voice leads.

    So much of trauma is losing your voice. Here, you choose what we work on, where we go, and what waits.

  • Your beliefs are yours.

    Faith, doubt, or somewhere in between, we won't impose ours. We'll help you get clear on what you actually believe, and live from it.

  • Respect and awe for your body.

    Your body has worked so hard to protect you. We listen to it with curiosity, never judgment, because that's often where the memory lives.

Is EMDR a fit?

An honest answer, both ways.

EMDR may help if…

  • Certain memories still feel like they're happening now: flashbacks, panic, or a jolt in your body.
  • You understand what happened, and talking about it hasn't loosened its grip.
  • You go numb, shut down, or feel exhausted in ways rest doesn't fix.
  • You've been told you're "too much," "too sensitive," or "too emotional," and part of you started to believe it.
  • Spiritual abuse or a controlling church, family, or relationship left you questioning what was real.

It may not be the first step if…

  • You're in crisis right now, or somewhere that isn't safe yet.
  • Daily life feels too unsteady to open anything up.
  • You'd rather build coping tools before touching the past.

None of these rule EMDR out. They just mean we start with steadiness and come to processing when you're ready.

Who offers EMDR here

Two clinicians, in their own words.

Kat and Colby are both trained in EMDR, and both know spiritual harm from the inside. Here's how each of them uses it.

Meet all clinicians →
How I use EMDR

“Our bodies are full of profound wisdom, and they've worked so hard to protect us. EMDR lets me listen to your body with curiosity and awe, on your timeline, with you choosing where we go.”

Kat WilkinsLMHC (FL) · LPC (MO, CO)
EMDR-Certified
Kat's full bio →
How I use EMDR

“I try to take the passenger seat. You drive; I'm right beside you, holding the map when you need it. EMDR lets us go one box at a time, and when things feel messy, I'll hold onto hope with you.”

Colby WilkinsRMHCI (FL)
EMDR-Trained
Colby's full bio →
Who offers EMDR here

Two clinicians, in their own words.

Kat and Colby are both trained in EMDR, and both know spiritual harm from the inside. Here's how each of them uses it.

Meet all clinicians →
How I use EMDR

“Our bodies are full of profound wisdom, and they've worked so hard to protect us. EMDR lets me listen to your body with curiosity and awe, on your timeline, with you choosing where we go.”

Kat WilkinsLMHC (FL) · LPC (MO, CO)
EMDR-Certified
Kat's full bio →
How I use EMDR

“I try to take the passenger seat. You drive; I'm right beside you, holding the map when you need it. EMDR lets us go one box at a time, and when things feel messy, I'll hold onto hope with you.”

Colby WilkinsRMHCI (FL)
EMDR-Trained
Colby's full bio →
Questions

What people usually ask before starting EMDR.

Short, honest answers. If yours isn't here, we're glad to talk it through.

Still have a question?

Bring it to a free 15-minute consultation. There's no commitment, just a conversation.

Request a consultation

Yes. EMDR can also help with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, phobias, addictive behaviors, low self-esteem, people-pleasing, and emotional dysregulation.

Not necessarily. EMDR is effective whether or not you put every detail of a memory into words. You can share as little or as much as you'd like, and we'll respect your pace and preferences.

A single event, like a car accident or natural disaster, often takes around 6–10 sessions. Prolonged or repeated experiences, like childhood abuse, intimate partner violence, or family trauma, usually take longer. We'll talk through your goals and session frequency at your consultation and revisit them as we go. But honestly, it genuinely varies from person to person, and there's no clock on your healing. We only move as quickly as is safe for you.

Yes. EMDR works well over secure video. We offer online sessions to adults living in Florida, Missouri, and Colorado, and in-person sessions are available in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Start by requesting a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk about what you'd like to work on, answer your questions, and help you decide whether EMDR is a good fit.

Questions

What people usually ask before starting EMDR.

Short, honest answers. If yours isn't here, we're glad to talk it through.

Still have a question?

Bring it to a free 15-minute consultation. There's no commitment, just a conversation.

Request a consultation

Yes. EMDR can also help with anxiety, depression, chronic pain, phobias, addictive behaviors, low self-esteem, people-pleasing, and emotional dysregulation.

Not necessarily. EMDR is effective whether or not you put every detail of a memory into words. You can share as little or as much as you'd like, and we'll respect your pace and preferences.

A single event, like a car accident or natural disaster, often takes around 6–10 sessions. Prolonged or repeated experiences, like childhood abuse, intimate partner violence, or family trauma, usually take longer. We'll talk through your goals and session frequency at your consultation and revisit them as we go. But honestly, it genuinely varies from person to person, and there's no clock on your healing. We only move as quickly as is safe for you.

Yes. EMDR works well over secure video. We offer online sessions to adults living in Florida, Missouri, and Colorado, and in-person sessions are available in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Start by requesting a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk about what you'd like to work on, answer your questions, and help you decide whether EMDR is a good fit.

When you're ready

You deserve the time and care it takes to heal.

Start with a free 15-minute consultation. Ask anything, get a feel for how we work, and decide together whether EMDR fits where you are. No commitment, just a conversation.

Request a free EMDR consultation