Trauma & EMDR Therapy in the Santa Clarita, CA area
There is hope on the other side of this—and you don’t have to get there alone. Sessions available in-person in Valencia and online across CA.
When the past still feels too present, it’s time for a different kind of help.
Trauma isn’t just about what happened—it’s about how your body and mind had to adapt in order to survive. Even long after something painful has passed, your nervous system might still be reacting—through flashbacks, nightmares, panic, emotional numbness, or a constant sense of being on high alert. Trauma can show up as overthinking, shutting down, or getting unexpectedly triggered by reminders of what happened. And while talk therapy can offer relief, some wounds live deeper than words can reach.
Maybe you’ve tried everything to “feel better,” but it hasn’t made a real difference. You’re still carrying the impact of what happened, you still feel stuck, anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected. You’ve tried talking it through, but it hasn’t gotten to the root. That’s where EMDR can help.
What trauma can look like:
Getting easily triggered by situations that don’t seem to make sense
Feeling numb, checked out, or disconnected from yourself
Current stress feels bigger than it should—like it’s stirring up something old
Difficulty trusting others or forming close relationships
Constant self-doubt, shame, or blaming yourself for what happened
Avoiding certain places, people, or situations because they bring it all back
Feeling like there are “parts” of you constantly at odds—one part wants to move forward, another feels frozen
Flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts you can’t control
What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful, research-backed method for helping people heal from trauma. It doesn’t require you to talk about the hardest moments in great detail, unless you want to or feel the need to—instead, we use bilateral stimulation (like eye movements, gentle tapping, or hand buzzers) to help your brain reprocess what happened and finally store it in a way that feels less activating or triggering.
The result: Those memories no longer feel as vivid, distressing, or present. It’s not about forgetting, it’s about being able to live without those painful experiences running the show.
HOW It works
Our first few sessions are focused on building safety and connection.
I’ll get to know your story, your symptoms, and what you hope to get out of therapy. Together, we’ll identify which memories or themes feel unresolved or painful—those will become our “targets” for EMDR.
Before we begin any sort of reprocessing, we’ll spend time developing strong coping tools and internal resources (things like calming imagery, grounding practices, or supportive self-talk) to make sure you feel steady and supported. Then, when you’re ready, I’ll guide you through the next steps of EMDR, which include choosing a form of bilateral stimulation (like eye movements, hand-held buzzers, or gentle sounds) that feels most comfortable for you.
From there, we’ll begin reprocessing the target memories, helping your brain and body resolve them in a way that feels less emotionally charged and more adaptive.
Most people describe feeling like the memory shifts from vivid and distressing to something more distant, less emotional, and no longer in control of their life.
Throughout the process, I’ll be checking in often—your comfort and sense of safety are always my top priorities. Some weeks might lean more into talk therapy, while others focus on EMDR. It’s a flexible, collaborative process shaped by what feels most supportive to you in the moment. You’ll never be rushed, and you’ll always have a say in the pace and direction of our work.
EMDR therapy can help you…
Feel less triggered by memories that used to overwhelm you.
Reconnect with your life instead of reliving the past.
Let go of shame and begin to feel self-acceptance.
Sleep better, feel lighter, and think more clearly.
Build healthier relationships with others—and with yourself.
Talk about what happened, in a space that can hold it.
You can learn to feel safe in your body and trust in your future.
FAQS
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Trauma doesn’t always look like one big event. Sometimes it’s the buildup of smaller, painful experiences—especially ones that left you feeling unsafe, unseen, or unsupported. If you’re noticing patterns like anxiety, emotional numbness, shame, reactivity, or difficulty trusting others, there may be trauma beneath the surface. You don’t need a diagnosis or a certain type of trauma to start healing. If something feels too heavy or stuck, that’s reason enough to reach out.
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No. One of the benefits of EMDR is that you don’t have to walk through every detail out loud for it to be effective. You’ll always have control over what you share—and I’ll be there to support you every step of the way.
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That’s something we’ll decide together. We’ll start with safety, grounding, and resourcing. When both of us feel confident that you’re ready, we’ll move forward. And if you ever need to pause or shift gears, that’s always okay.
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That’s okay. We’ll spend as much time as needed building coping tools and a strong foundation first. And if EMDR ever feels like too much, we can use gentler trauma techniques like FLASH or EMDR 2.0. You never have to push past what feels safe.
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EMDR 2.0 is a more recent, gentle variation of standard EMDR. It’s designed to reduce distress quickly and make reprocessing feel less intense or overwhelming. We focus on your current goals and emotions while keeping the process light and manageable. For some clients, it’s a great alternative when traditional EMDR feels too heavy or activating. We’ll talk about your options and choose the approach that feels best for you.