EMDR therapy
You know where the pain comes from. Real healing is finally possible.
EMDR therapy offers a powerful, evidence-based path to healing from trauma, painful memories, and the lasting effects of difficult life experiences. If you're a woman in your 30s, 40s, or 50s who has built a successful life but still feels held back by wounds from the past, I want you to know that healing is possible. I'm a licensed therapist serving clients throughout California through secure online sessions, and I specialize in helping women break free from patterns rooted in childhood family dynamics and unresolved trauma.
EMDR therapy works differently than traditional talk therapy because it addresses trauma at its root, in the way your brain stores and processes painful experiences. Perhaps you've tried therapy before and gained helpful insights, but the emotional weight still feels heavy. You might notice that certain situations trigger reactions that feel out of proportion to the present moment. These responses make sense. When painful events happen, especially during childhood, they can become stuck in your nervous system. Your brain freezes these memories in their original, distressing form. Through EMDR, we can help your brain finally complete the healing it couldn't do at the time.
How EMDR Therapy Works
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. During sessions, I guide you through a structured protocol while you focus on a disturbing memory or negative belief. At the same time, you'll follow bilateral stimulation, typically my fingers moving back and forth across your screen. This process activates your brain's natural healing mechanisms, similar to what happens during REM sleep.
One of the most relieving aspects of this approach is that you don't need to describe your trauma in extensive detail. You don't need to relive every painful moment. Instead, you briefly access the memory while your brain does the reprocessing work. Most clients describe watching the memory from a distance as the emotional charge gradually fades.
My Approach to Healing
I integrate EMDR therapy with Polyvagal theory and psychodynamic perspectives to create a personalized healing experience tailored to your unique story and needs. Polyvagal theory helps us understand why your body might still react as if danger is present, even when you intellectually know you're safe. Psychodynamic work helps us explore how early relationships shaped the beliefs you carry about yourself, such as "I'm not good enough" or "My needs don't matter."
As a Jewish therapist, I bring cultural sensitivity to my work and can integrate relevant perspectives when desired. For all clients, I bring deep compassion and genuine hope, because I've witnessed remarkable transformations when women commit to this healing journey.
Who I Work With
I specialize in working with motivated women in their 30s through 50s who are ready for meaningful change. The women I help often share certain experiences:
You recognize that patterns from your past are still affecting your present. Maybe you grew up with a critical parent, emotional neglect, or unpredictable caregiving. These early experiences shaped your sense of self-worth and your ways of relating to others in ways that persist into adulthood.
You may be processing grief or loss. EMDR therapy is remarkably effective for moving through grief in a healthy way, whether you're mourning a death, the end of a relationship, or losses related to illness.
You may be facing or recovering from cancer. I offer specialized cancer counseling and understand the unique trauma of diagnosis, treatment, and the ongoing anxiety that can follow.
I also offer mother-daughter therapy for pairs ready to heal relational wounds and build a healthier connection together.
What to Expect
Getting Started
Everything begins with a free 20-minute consultation where we can connect and see if we're a good fit. This is simply a chance to ask questions and share a bit about what brings you to therapy.
If we decide to work together, you'll complete intake forms, and we'll begin meeting weekly. In our early sessions, we'll build a foundation of coping skills and ensure you feel resourced before processing deeper material.
The Healing Process
As we move into EMDR processing, you'll notice shifts in how you think and feel about past events. The memories that once triggered intense distress become something you can recall without being overwhelmed. You remember what happened, but it no longer feels like it's happening now.
Between sessions, healing continues naturally. Homework isn't workbook exercises. It's about noticing what's shifting and putting new coping skills into practice, whether that's setting boundaries, trying new ways of responding, or simply being gentler with yourself.
Online Therapy That Works
All sessions are conducted online through a secure video platform. Research shows that online EMDR therapy is just as effective as in-person treatment, and many clients find that being in their own comfortable environment actually supports the healing process. Whether you're in Culver City or anywhere in California, you can access compassionate, effective care without the commute.
Taking the First Step
If something is stirring in you as you read this, a readiness for change, a hope that healing is possible, that feeling is worth honoring. You don't need to meet any threshold of suffering to deserve support. If your past is affecting your present in ways you don't want, you deserve the chance to heal.
I invite you to schedule a free 20-minute consultation to explore whether we might be a good fit. For information about scheduling and rates, please reach out directly. I would be honored to support your healing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy
-
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help your brain reprocess traumatic memories. This approach often produces faster results and doesn't require you to describe experiences in extensive detail.
-
The timeline varies based on your unique situation. Some people experience significant relief from single-incident trauma in just a few sessions, while healing from complex childhood trauma typically requires longer. I'll provide a personalized estimate based on your specific goals.
-
Yes, research shows online EMDR therapy is just as effective as in-person treatment. Many clients find that being in their own comfortable space actually helps them feel safer during processing work.
-
No. You'll briefly access the memory, but you don't need to recount every detail out loud. This is one of the most relieving aspects of EMDR for many clients.
-
Absolutely. EMDR can help you process painful aspects of loss while preserving meaningful connections to what you've lost, allowing grief to soften into something you carry with you rather than something that overwhelms you.
-
You'll follow my fingers with your eyes as they move back and forth across your screen while focusing on a target memory. You remain fully conscious and in control, and we proceed at a pace that feels manageable for you.
-
Responses vary. Some people feel tired, while others feel lighter or relieved. Processing often continues between sessions, with new insights or shifts emerging naturally.
-
EMDR is well-suited for people who have experienced trauma, are motivated for change, and want deeper healing than insight alone provides. A free consultation is the best way to determine if this approach matches your needs.
-
Before processing traumatic memories, I ensure you have solid tools for emotional regulation. This preparation phase creates a foundation for healing that feels safe rather than overwhelming.
-
Yes. Many women I work with experienced ongoing patterns of difficulty during childhood rather than single events. EMDR is highly effective for healing these deep-rooted experiences and the core beliefs they created.