EMDR
Many clients come to my practice after being in therapy for years with no relief. There are lots of reasons this can happen, but in my experience, the most common reason is that the client is holding unresolved trauma and their past therapy involved talking only. Trauma causes changes to the nervous system and memory that need to be addressed directly. EMDR is one of several ways to do so, and it is almost always the fastest path to relief. I have been using EMDR for over a decade now, and I still get excited every single time I get to take a client through the process, because I know they’re going to feel better, deeply better, very soon.
If you’d like to learn more about EMDR, you can schedule a free, 50-minute consultation at which I can answer any questions you have and explain the process more specifically. Just fill out the form at the bottom of this page, and someone will reach out within 48 hours.
A few of my clients share their experiences with EMDR:
SHERRI R.
Working with Renée has been life-changing for me. She has been an absolute lifesaver during some challenging times. Through multiple EMDR sessions and talk therapy—both in person and remotely—I’ve experienced more healing and growth than I could have imagined. Initially I was skeptical about doing EMDR remotely. I wasn’t sure it could be as effective outside of her office. But I can honestly say it was just as powerful. At one point, I remember telling her, “this shit really works”
Renée is smart, intuitive, compassionate, deeply insightful, and actually listens when I share things with her. At the same time, she isn’t afraid to be tough when I need it—and somehow always knows when I’m ready to hear it. That balance has made all the difference in my progress.
I feel incredibly grateful to have found Renée. Knowing she is there for me as her patient brings a sense of stability and trust that I don’t take for granted. I can’t recommend her highly enough.
DANNY F.
Before trying EMDR I personally found myself falling into a cycle in talk therapy of being frustrated week after week of being triggered and anxious about the same things no matter how many tools or mantras I had to calm myself down. I felt I completely understood the roots to my problems but I still couldn’t break through in the moment like I was “preparing” and working towards doing in talk therapy. I was so skeptical about EMDR because it seemed almost too good to be true but it’s no doubt been one of the most powerful experiences towards understanding myself and being comfortable confronting my anxiety. I have so many moments since where I’ve thought about how differently I would have handled a situation before EMDR, and now that I’ve come to terms with where that anxiety came from. I truly can’t thank Renee enough for being so generous in seeing me and really giving me exactly what I needed to take the next step in conquering my anxiety.
LAURA T.
Renée explained EMDR in a simple way that I finally fully understood how it works. It still seemed impossible, and quite frankly, terrifying. This is where Renée comes in! She’s informative and clear, but her ability to meet my very human emotions is what stands out. EMDR was difficult for me in many ways, but Renee guided me with compassion, honesty, patience, and even laughter. EMDR has helped me overcome past trauma, and even ‘side’ behaviors developed from the trauma. For example, I also used to have a terrible time sleeping and now I get both a better quantity and quality of sleep. I’ve noticed after a few sessions, I’m better at confronting triggers with a calmer and more objective manner. Most importantly, my trauma isn’t a constant repeat in my thoughts anymore. Renée knows what she’s doing, she’s good at it, and she genuinely cares for her clients. Thanks, Renée!
ALI G.
I have been seeing Renée for a little over six years. During my first year as her client, I was in a dissociative state and could not let go of my racing thoughts enough to
surrender control to the EMDR protocol. It took three or four years of structured talk therapy to get me to the point where I was open enough to give it another shot. Even so, although I trusted Renée, I was skeptical of my own ability to engage with EMDR. Thankfully, I felt a huge weight lift as I went deep into the process and let my mind do the healing work it had been aching to do.
The cognitions that we targeted were truly horrifying – I had internalized at an early age the notion that I am an evil, irredeemable person – and it took at least three sessions of focused EMDR to unravel these dark feelings. As we neared the finish line in that third session, and I felt my trauma explosively reframe itself. This was accompanied by a powerful feeling of relief, gratitude, and closure. Later, I shared with Renée that she had taken me much farther than I had any right to go, and she immediately reframed this by saying, “You took yourself there, I just supplied you with the tools.” I know of so many other people who never undertake this work, either because they don’t have the tools, or they are not cognizant of the need, and throughout their lives, they are haunted by the feeling that something vital is missing. I feel so, so lucky to be one of the clients who has been able to grow beyond this stage, and to have the rest of my life ahead of me to truly discover my passions and voice.
EMDR is an effective, evidence-based treatment tool for people suffering from trauma, and Renée is a skilled practitioner who sees success stories like mine all the time. I wholeheartedly encourage anyone looking to heal from trauma to seek her or another EMDR practitioner out, and to give the process the patience it needs to work.