CERTIFIED EMDR THERAPIST
EMDR Therapy in San Diego and online in California
Heal what’s been getting in the way of your relationships—including the one with yourself.
Does this sound familiar?
You’ve spent so long navigating tension in your life and relationships that it almost feels instinctive now.
A lot of the responses you have—overthinking, shutting down, people-pleasing, or just feeling more reactive than you want to be—didn’t come out of nowhere. They were learned in situations where you had to figure out how to get through something or keep things steady.
EMDR can help us revisit those experiences-not to relive them, but to reprocess them-so that the meaning you carry from them can shift. As that happens, the way you see yourself, and the way you show up in difficult moments, begins to change in a way that feels more natural and aligned with who you are (and who you want to be).
You’ve spent a long time doing what you needed to survive. EMDR helps you move through life with less protection and more possibility.
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can help your mind and body process experiences that are still impacting you.
Over the years, your body learned how to keep you safe. It often reacts automatically, based on a perceived threat, even when the situation in front of you is different. You might notice moments where you wonder why you reacted the way you did, especially when it leads to guilt, frustration, or shame afterward.
Whether or not you would call those experiences “trauma,” they’re moments your mind and body learned something important from—and those lessons can still feel active in the present. In EMDR, we activate your brain and body’s natural ability to heal and reprocess them.
This allows those earlier experiences to be processed in a different way—so in the present, your body can feel more at ease and respond more appropriately (and in a way you’re proud of) to what’s actually happening, rather than reacting based on the past.
Working with Michelle has been incredibly impactful. Her trauma informed approach—blending EMDR, IFS, and narrative—has helped me make real, lasting change. She’s direct in a grounded, respectful way and always asks permission to challenge me, which has expanded my perspective and helped me grow. I’d highly recommend her to anyone looking for a skilled, thoughtful therapist who both supports you and pushes you in the best way.
— EL
Disclaimer: The image shown is a stock photo and does not depict an actual client. These testimonials reflect the unique, subjective experiences of former or current clients regarding their personal growth and the therapeutic relationship. They are shared with permission. These reflections do not guarantee, warrant, or predict identical experiences or outcomes for future clients. Every individual’s therapeutic journey and process of self-understanding is unique.What becomes possible with EMDR therapy
You’re not always bracing for something, and you feel calmer in your body
You respond in your relationships with more intention, not just habit
You trust yourself more, instead of constantly second-guessing
You feel more grounded in your own sense of self and what actually matters to you
You’re able to show up with more confidence and still have compassion for others
You give yourself more care and grace, especially in moments that used to feel overwhelming
You can tell what you actually want apart from what you were taught to expect of yourself
How It Works
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Before we approach any memory, we make sure you have inner resources you can reach for: ways to feel steady and supported, so you can meet these experiences from a brave space.
We start with what your body can tolerate and gently expand that capacity over time, at a pace that’s yours to set. Nothing moves forward until you feel ready.
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Much of what we go through stays with us—not just because of what happened, but because of what we learned from them about ourselves, relationships, or what we needed to do to keep going through life safely and successfully. Sometimes those memories are obviously painful. Other times, they seem “small,” but the meaning your mind and body took from them was significant.
When you’re ready, we take on those experiences one memory at a time, allowing your brain and body to finally begin processing them.
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While briefly bringing a memory to mind, we use bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sound) to activate your brain and body’s natural ability to reprocess the experience.
From there, we let your nervous system take the initial lead. Sometimes things move through naturally, and other times it can feel like looping or getting stuck for a bit.
That’s a normal part of the process. I’ll help guide things along when needed—sometimes helping “wiggle” the memory just enough makes it possible for the reprocessing to continue.
Memories often work like building blocks. As we process one experience, the new understanding and perspective that comes from it begins to integrate into related experiences as well.
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With each session, we begin crafting a new meaning from the same experience. The goal isn’t to erase what happened, but to change how it lives in you. Over time, you may notice yourself feeling more grounded, meeting situations with more choice, or having more space and breath in moments that once felt overwhelming. Instead of dropping into stress, you’re able to respond with more flexibility and ease.
Release pain from the past and show up in a way that reflects who you are now.
Got questions?
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No. EMDR doesn’t require you to tell the whole story or walk me through every detail. You only need to bring enough of the memory to mind for your brain and body to begin processing it, and what you share beyond that is up to you.
Many people find this a relief, especially if you’ve spent a lot of time explaining, analyzing, or talking around things in past therapy. We go at a pace that feels manageable, and you’re always in the lead.
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It depends on what you’re working through. We focus on one memory or experience at a time, and each one can take more or less time to process. Over time, those shifts build on each other. This isn’t a quick fix, but over time, the work may help you relate differently to these experiences.
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We don’t separate your experiences from your context. Family expectations, cultural values, and identity all play a role in how you learned to respond and what felt safe or acceptable. I don’t assume I already know what those mean for you. I’m curious, and you’re the expert on your own story. We take those into account throughout the process, so the work feels relevant to your life, not disconnected from it.
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A lot of the experiences we work with don’t always look like what people think of as trauma. Sometimes it’s repeated moments—feeling dismissed, responsible, or not able to express yourself—that shaped how you respond today. If something still affects how you feel, think, or show up, it’s worth working with.
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I integrate EMDR with approaches like Narrative Therapy and parts-based work. That means we’re not just reprocessing memories—we’re also:
Understanding the beliefs that came from them
Exploring how they show up in your relationships
Making sense of the cultural and relational context around them
Clients often tell me this helps the work feel more connected, more flexible, and more applicable to their daily lives.
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That’s actually very common, especially for people who have spent a long time functioning in “go mode” or focusing on taking care of everyone else first.
EMDR doesn’t require you to perfectly explain every feeling or sit in emotions for long periods of time. It works for you and can be tailored to whatever you need. We work at a pace that feels manageable, and part of the process is helping your mind and body gradually feel safer, slowing down, and paying attention to what’s happening underneath the surface.
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Yes, as long as you’re located in California during our session. Many clients find online EMDR a good fit. We use on-screen eye movements, audio, or self-tapping for the bilateral stimulation, and I’ll walk you through each one before we begin.
Part of our early work is making sure you have a private, comfortable space and the grounding tools you need to feel safe during and after sessions. If it helps, we can talk through the setup together during your consultation.
Your next step starts here
Sessions available in-person in San Diego and online across California