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EMDR Therapy

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Do you get easily triggered by things that other people don't think are a big deal? Are you more emotional in some situations than others, or more detached and numb in situations where other people are visibly upset? Do you have terrible things that happened to you from the past, that never got resolved?

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is not the only outcome that can come from traumatic incidents, but it can be very hard to cope with. It can make you feel like the past is still happening, even though you realize at a cognitive level that things are different now. At a deeper level, you might still feel helpless, scared, angry, or powerless over what happened. 

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If you're tired of being jumpy, getting sick more easily because you're always stressed, having trouble sleeping, eating, digesting, or relating to the important people in your life, maybe it's time to work through some of those traumatic incidents from the past. You don't want to have these events hold you captive forever, do you?

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Luckily, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR therapy) can help you resolve your traumatic experiences and it doesn't have to take forever.

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White woman in beanie reaching through pine tree branches; Image by Khashayar Kouchpeydeh

Trauma can leave you feeling anxious all the time, easily angered, feeling numb and detached, and feeling like your life is not real. About 5-10% of people develop PTSD as a result of a traumatic incident.​ 

 

Not everyone who experiences a traumatic will develop PTSD. But for those who do develop it, EMDR therapy can be very helpful in freeing yourself from the emotional, psychological and physical leftovers of trauma.

 

These incidents can be emotionally and psychologically overwhelming:

  • Interpersonal violence;

  • Natural disasters;

  • Sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one;

  • War and combat;

  • Childhood abuse and neglect;

  • Accidents;

  • Medical trauma; and

  • Terrorist attacks.

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Fortunately, EMDR can help you restore your sense of normalcy and help you regain a sense of safety and stability. You can learn to manage your emotions, resolve past traumatic events, and see your trauma as something that happened to you, not who you are. 

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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR therapy) is a very effective, evidence-based trauma therapy that I’ve been using with for PTSD treatment for over 15 years. I also use Flash Technique and sometimes combine EMDR with clinical hypnosis to help you resolve your traumatic incidents. I customize your trauma therapy to your specific needs and preferences. Together, we can help you feel safe, calm and connected again.

Face Gems

What is EMDR Therapy and How can it Help you?

EMDR therapy helps change the way you remember and experience traumatic memories. Francine Shapiro developed it in the 1980's, based on the Adaptive Information Processing model. It helps you get unstuck from painful events in your past by fully processing the memory and integrating all the parts of the memory that were scattered before. This helps you release negative self-ideas, emotions, and body sensations that have been trapped in your body since the incident.

 

My clients often feel freer and lighter after the events are cleared. They don't need to keep feeling like the event just happened. This helps them get rid of old coping styles that helped them when the trauma occurred, but don't work anymore.

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I have used EMDR for many years and have been certified by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) as an EMDR Therapist since 2008. This certification, plus my years of experience doing EMDR therapy, ensures a level of quality that EMDRIA enforces through requirements for group and individual consultation and continuing education. I also provide Flash Technique for trauma resolution.

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​​​Flash Technique can also reduce the intensity of post traumatic memories.

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Phil Manfield, PhD developed the Flash Technique many years after EMDR therapy. It's primarily used in the treatment of trauma-related disorders, particularly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I've seen it rapidly reduce the emotional distress associated with traumatic memories. For more info about Flash Technique please see this blog post.

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​​I love seeing how people can release things that have bothered them for years, with lasting results. The joy and freedom of living in the present can be yours!

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I also offer a self-help video program and workbook for adult trauma survivors to aid your healing.

 

If you think it would be helpful for you, I would love to hear from you. 

Close Up on Eyes

Where to Find Me

Where to Find Me

 

 

Providing online/virtual psychotherapy only in the state of California

Lisa S. Larsen, Psy.D.
(she/her/hers)

Appointments can be made by calling the office or submitting the contact form. Thank you, and I look forward to speaking with you soon!

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