Phoenix Trauma & EMDR Therapy
Release the Past & Embrace the Future -
Find Trauma Healing Through EMDR Therapy
Find healing from past trauma, present triggers and future worries with counseling support
Trauma can be understood as anything that occurred in your life that was less than nurturing, that leaves a lasting imprint. Trauma is not the event itself but the individual's response to that event.
When seeking therapy, you may have awareness of specific events in your life that have resulted in trauma OR through our first few sessions, you realize that experiences you have had, have resulted in trauma. Because trauma is stored in the subcortical region of the brain, we don't have direct access to the impact it has on us and specialized therapy modalities are required to address it.
Types of Trauma Therapy Services
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing)
This therapy is a direct pathway to your body’s own ability to heal itself from trauma, blocking beliefs and disturbing emotions. We use bi-lateral stimulation (horizontal eye movements) to target specific traumatic memories and events in order to reduce the negative impact these traumas continue to have on your life.
EMDR is done in 8 phases. The target memories we identify will consist of an image, negative belief, emotion and body sensation. These elements are paired together in our memory networks and “targeting” them at one time creates space to reprocess them so they become “unstuck.” Read our therapy blog on EMDR to learn more.
EMDR therapy can be done within couples therapy as well. Raquel has been using EMDR for 7 years and is currently in the certification process.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems or “parts work” is a model that views an individual in terms of “parts” and that we all have different parts of ourselves that serve particular functions in our life. These parts can get stuck in extreme roles due to events in our life and these parts can conflict with each other; Cue the “inner critic.” There are no bad parts.. but let’s get to know your parts and find your way to healing by accessing self energy. Read our therapy blog on IFS therapy. Raquel is ‘IFS informed and in the process of obtaining Level 1 Certification.” See IFS in action with founder Dr. Richard Schwartz
EMDR & IFS together
It can be particularly helpful to integrate EMDR and IFS together to reprocess trauma that is attached to a specific part of your system. This approach involves bilateral stimulation and the use of language directly accessing parts of you. This can help release the burdens these wounded parts carry and achieve a more integrated role in your system which in turn provides relief of your symptoms.
The benefits of trauma & EMDR therapy
We are able to access the region of the brain where trauma is stored and “file it” in a more adaptive place in your brain
Events/memories that currently create disturbance in your life will become neutral to you after EMDR.
We not only reprocess trauma but also install a variety of resources for you to cope with your nervous system responses when activated such as visualizations, guided meditations, and aromatherapy.
New positive beliefs will emerge once an EMDR target is complete.
What to expect in your EMDR session
EMDR Therapy begins has 8 phases- NOTE: there are 3 phases before we begin to process trauma events. (We never dive right into trauma processing).
We will begin with understanding the presenting problem or symptom that you are struggling with. This could be about the past, present or future.
We will assess the history of this problem as well as mental health history overall to ensure EMDR is the best therapeutic fit.
We will then begin “target mapping" to find the memory or event that aligns with the presenting problem. If you dont have access to explicit memory, don't worry, I will help you through my specialized assessment.
We will then engage in appropriate resourcing to make sure you are prepared for trauma reprocessing.
Examples of resourcing: Calm Place Visual, Aroma, Sound Healing, Container Meditation
We will then use bilateral stimulation with handled buzzers or eye movements to reprocess the chosen target.
All roads lead to Rome- and the brain and body are designed to heal itself. So if one target doesn't land, your brain will naturally guide you to where it needs to go.
Once a target moves to a neutral disturbance ( we use a rating scale 0-10 ) we will then install a positive belief with this memory.
Once this feels fully installed we go through a body scan to ensure no lingering disturbance exists in the body.
We then implement a future template if there are any residual fears surrounding the future regarding this target.
I offer SOUND HEALING after all EMDR Therapy sessions: This includes crystal singing bowls, chimes, ocean drum. The instruments we use are your choice and this is always optional.
Clients often choose to process several targets. We will begin with one and continue with that until it is completed OR if we realize a pivot is necessary. If you have one specific target that you want to work through to complete your therapy goals, then we will address that target and contain it to that event.