Hey there, I've got a bone to pick with the state of mental healthcare these days. As EMDR therapists, we've seen the power of depth and attunement in therapy. We know that healing happens when we tailor our approach to each client's needs and build genuine therapeutic alliances. But let's be real: That's not the reality for far too many clinicians and clients today. Instead, what we're seeing is the steady creep of “-tion’s”: corporatization, commodification, medicalization, and...
13 days ago • 3 min read
What do you do when your go-to EMDR tools just aren't enough? Maybe you have a client with complex developmental trauma, whose sense of self feels shattered into a thousand pieces Or a client whose inner critic is so loud and relentless, it's hard for them to access the adaptive information needed for reprocessing. In these moments, what should you do? How can you help your clients break through the barriers keeping them stuck? Enter Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. If you’re not...
20 days ago • 4 min read
Hey there, If you’re like most EMDR clinicians I know, you came into this field because you believe in the power of healing. You’ve seen EMDR help people process trauma, rebuild lives, and uncover strengths they didn’t know they had. That’s the beauty of our work: we see transformation in real time. But here’s the challenge (forgive me as I hop on my soap box for a minute): as powerful as EMDR can be one-on-one, the system we work in isn’t built to sustain that transformation. Too often,...
27 days ago • 2 min read
Hey there, As EMDR clinicians, we tend to prioritize mastering protocols, techniques, and interventions. And while these skills are undoubtedly important, there's a more foundational element that can make or break the success of our work: Our ability to honor and navigate our client's inner world. At the center of every therapeutic encounter is a meeting of two subjective perspectives: The client's perspective You own perspective The client brings their unique history, perceptions, beliefs,...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
The EMDR Therapist Weekly aims to provide a weekly dose of insights, tools, and opportunities for EMDR therapists; designed to support your growth, sharpen your practice, and connect you with what's next. To achieve this, we like to invite subject matter experts as guest writers. This week I'm honored to introduce our next guest writer: Carol Miles, LCSW. Having served a term as President of EMDRIA, Carol remains an EMDRIA certified Therapist, Consultant, and Basic and Advanced Trainer. Owner...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hey there, You know EMDR works… But do you really understand why? Let’s talk about the AIP model. Developed by EMDR creator Francine Shapiro, the AIP model proposes that our brains have a natural ability to process and integrate information in an adaptive, health-promoting way. Just like the body knows how to heal from a cut, the brain is wired to move toward mental health (if its natural processing system isn’t blocked). But sometimes, this natural healing process gets disrupted: Unprocessed...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey there, As EMDR therapists, we've all seen firsthand the power of this modality for treating PTSD and other trauma-related issues. But here’s something a lot of clinicians don’t realize: EMDR is also effective in treating chronic pain. If you’re like many, you’re probably thinking: "Isn't pain a physical problem? What does it have to do with trauma and memory?" Turns out, a whole lot. The brain plays a huge role in how we experience and perpetuate pain. Over time, it can get stuck...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
The EMDR Therapist Weekly aims to provide a weekly dose of insights, tools, and opportunities for EMDR therapists; designed to support your growth, sharpen your practice, and connect you with what's next. To achieve this, we like to invite subject matter experts as guest writers. This week I'm excited to introduce another guest writer: Maureen Bethea, LMFT. Maureen owns Fairfax Integrative Therapy, a private practice in Fairfax, VA, and Integrative Resource Network, which offers live and...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Hey there, I think it's time to update you on how things are going with building Helicon. If you're just hearing that name, Helicon is the company we've formed to allow us to create an ecosystem that supports EMDR therapists. We're calling it an "EMDR therapist enablement platform". It's meant to empower you to grow your network, your skills, and your income. Really, it's everything I wish I had on my EMDR therapist journey and everything I've wished I could provide to the other EMDR...
2 months ago • 4 min read