EMDR Therapy in Fort Collins, CO
Lasting relief from trauma and anxiety
When the past won’t stay in the past.
A certain memory keeps coming up at inconvenient times. Something that happened long ago and yet continues to feel very present. Whenever you think of this event, you are transported back in time and get lost in the details. Finding your way back to the present takes work; often, it feels like walking through a foggy tunnel. When you arrive in the present, the grip of the past doesn't quite loosen.
Life in the present can be a sensory overload. Loud noises can be a shocking jolt. Emotions feel hard to locate, you feel frozen and a deep need to run at the same time. And still, there is nothing in this moment that seems to have caused all of this…except this recurring memory that arrives in the day, in your dreams, in your body, and you know that all of this has somehow changed you.
You've tried pushing the memories away, shoving the emotions down, accommodating your triggers in your surroundings so that nothing comes as a surprise. And…somehow…it's still there. Stuck like a stubborn splinter buried deep under the skin. You know that to get it out, there will be some pain; but avoiding it will only cause it to fester.
Can you relate to any of these?
Recurring disturbing memories and/or dreams
Avoiding people, places, or things that remind you of the event
Memories that feel like flashbacks, so immersive that you lose touch with your body or your surroundings
Excessive negative thoughts about yourself and/or others
Feeling stuck in fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame
Social withdrawal and loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
A sensitive startle response to everyday things
Problems or irritations that feel bigger than they really are
This is the way of trauma. A stubborn stuckness that coping can't manage. EMDR is often the therapy that happens after you've tried all the other kinds of therapy. It's the kind of therapy that can finally bring relief, and it's why so many Fort Collins clients who have experienced trauma are searching for a different way forward.
Questions about EMDR therapy? Send me a message!
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It mimics REM sleep, using the bilateral movement of the eyes to ground you in the present while revisiting the past. This type of therapy works on the premise that trauma is not just an annoying recurring memory: it lives in your body.
EMDR is grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which holds that your brain has a natural system for processing experiences and storing them as adaptive memories: information you can learn from and move past. When a trauma is too overwhelming for that system to process normally, the memory gets stuck, frozen with all the original sights, sounds, emotions, and body sensations still attached. That's why the memory can feel like it's happening now, even years later. EMDR helps your brain complete the processing it wasn't able to finish, so the memory can finally be stored the way other memories are: as something that happened, rather than something that is still happening.
What to Expect: The Eight Phases of EMDR
Treatment follows eight phases, moving at a pace that feels manageable for you. We'll start by gathering your history and building a foundation of trust and safety, including resourcing you with tools to stay grounded throughout the process. From there, we'll identify the specific memories to target and begin reprocessing them using bilateral stimulation, most often guided eye movements. As the memory is reprocessed, we'll work to install a more adaptive belief in its place and check in with your body to make sure the disturbance connected to that memory has fully settled. Every session closes with time to help you leave feeling grounded, and we'll always begin the next one by checking in on how things have felt since.
EMDR doesn't ask you to relive the trauma over and over, and it doesn't ask you to talk your way out of it either. Instead, it helps your brain finally finish what it couldn't complete in the moment the trauma happened: processing the memory and filing it away as something that occurred in the past, not something still happening now.
Life After EMDR
Over time, the memory changes. It doesn't disappear, but it loses its grip. You can think of what happened without your body reacting as though it's happening again. The fog lifts. The splinter comes out, and what's left behind is space where the pain used to live.
Imagine hearing a loud noise and simply noticing it, instead of bracing for impact. Imagine remembering something hard and feeling steady while you do. Imagine trusting your own body again. This is what EMDR makes possible, not by erasing your story, but by helping you finally close the chapter that's been left open for far too long.
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Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy
What is EMDR used for?
EMDR was originally developed for trauma and PTSD, but its use has expanded well beyond that. I use EMDR to treat anxiety, panic, complex trauma, grief, and the kind of stuck negative beliefs that talk therapy alone hasn't been able to shift. If you find yourself carrying an experience that still feels unresolved, no matter how much time has passed, EMDR may be able to help.
Does EMDR work if you don't remember the trauma?
Yes. You don't need a clear, detailed memory for EMDR to be effective. Trauma is often stored in the body and nervous system, not just in conscious memory, which is why you can feel triggered, anxious, or on edge without knowing exactly why. We can work with body sensations, emotions, or even a general sense of "something happened," and let your brain's own healing process do the rest.
How many sessions of EMDR will I need?
This varies from person to person, depending on the nature and number of experiences we're working through. Some people notice a shift in just a few sessions, while more complex or longstanding trauma may take longer. In our consultation, we'll talk through your history so you have a realistic sense of what treatment might look like for you.
Is EMDR painful or retraumatizing?
It's normal to feel some hesitation here, and it makes sense. EMDR is designed to help you process difficult memories without becoming overwhelmed by them. We move at a pace your nervous system can handle, and I'll make sure you have grounding tools in place before we ever begin reprocessing. Many people are surprised by how manageable the process feels, even when the material itself is hard.
Do you offer EMDR therapy in Fort Collins?
Yes. I provide EMDR therapy to clients throughout Fort Collins and the surrounding area, both in-person and online for Colorado residents. Whether you're local to Fort Collins or prefer the flexibility of online sessions, we can find an approach that works for you.
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD
THERAPY IN FORT COLLINS
A consultation is just a conversation. We'll spend about 20 minutes to see whether we're a good fit. There’s no pressure, no commitment, no need to have your whole story ready. Just you, willing to begin.
Book by clicking the scheduling link below or call me at 970-279-1164.
My Fort Collins, CO Office
333 W. Drake Rd.
Fort Collins, CO 80526
My office is located in the Drake Professional Park in mid-town Fort Collins. Looking for a more convenient option? I’m available for online therapy from your favorite private space at home or wherever.