When you know why, but your body hasn't caught up
Many people who come to me for EMDR have already done a lot of work. They can explain where their anxiety comes from, name their patterns, and connect the present to the past. And still, a tone of voice, a conflict, or a memory sends their body into the same reaction it had years ago.
That gap between understanding and feeling is where EMDR and Brainspotting can help. Both work with the brain and body together, so an experience that has stayed emotionally or physically charged can be processed rather than only talked about.
What EMDR therapy is
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It's a structured, well-researched trauma therapy that uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds, while you briefly hold a memory, belief, or body sensation in mind.
The aim is to help your brain finish processing experiences that got stuck. People often find that afterwards the memory is still there, but it no longer carries the same charge, and the beliefs attached to it ("I'm not safe," "It was my fault," "I'm too much") start to loosen.
EMDR doesn't require you to describe every detail of what happened. Before any processing, we spend time on preparation: getting to know your history, building resources, and making sure your system has enough support to do this work.
What Brainspotting is
Brainspotting grew out of EMDR. It uses where you look to help access what your body is holding. We find an eye position that connects with the activation you feel, and then stay with it, with mindful attention to sensation, emotion, and whatever comes up.
Brainspotting can be gentler and less structured than EMDR, which some people find helpful when words are hard to reach or when a memory isn't clear. I often use the two together, alongside parts work and somatic tools, depending on what your system responds to.
How I use EMDR and Brainspotting
I'm an LCSW and trauma therapist in Asheville, trained in EMDR (with EMDR certification expected by December 2026) and Brainspotting. I don't follow a rigid protocol. I pay close attention to how your body is responding in the moment, and we go at a pace that feels right for you.
Some sessions focus on building a greater sense of safety and capacity. Others focus on processing. Parts work (IFS-informed) helps when a part of you feels hesitant or protective, and somatic and polyvagal tools help your nervous system settle along the way.
What EMDR and Brainspotting can help with
- Childhood and developmental trauma
- Sexual assault and sexual abuse
- Medical trauma
- Anxiety, perfectionism, and people-pleasing
- Depression and burnout
- Shame and harsh self-criticism
- Masking and overwhelm for late-identified neurodivergent adults
- Patterns that stayed stuck after years of talk therapy
Weekly sessions or intensives
EMDR and Brainspotting can be part of weekly 50-55 minute therapy, or done in longer formats. 90-minute extended sessions and 3-hour intensives give more time to settle in, process, and integrate without watching the clock. Intensives are also available as an adjunct if you already have a therapist and want focused EMDR or Brainspotting work alongside it.
All of this is available in person at my office on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville, or online for adults anywhere in North Carolina. If you'd like to talk about whether EMDR or Brainspotting fits what you're going through, let's start with a free 15-minute consultation.
