EMDR Therapy

Natalie Mills San Francisco Psychotherapy and Coaching, San Francisco Counseling, San Francisco Therapy, San Francisco CA Therapists, San Francisco CA Therapist, San Francisco CA Couples Counseling, couples therapy san francisco ca, couples therapist san francisco ca, San Francisco Marriage Therapy, San Francisco Marriage Counseling, San Francisco Coaching, EMDR therapists in San Francisco, EMDR therapist in san Francisco ca, EMDR therapy in San Francisco CA, psychologist in san francisco, female psychotherapist san francisco, psychotherapist in san francisco, marriage and family therapist in san francisco, relationship therapy in san francisco, help with intimacy therapy san francisco, help with intimacy San Francisco, parenting issues san Francisco therapy, help for depression in san francisco, depression treatment san francisco, anxiety treatment san Francisco, help for anxiety san francisco, addiction treatment San Francisco, alcoholism treatment san francisco ca, help with substance abuse san francisco, eating disorders, help with anorexia san francisco, help with bulimia san francisco, help with binge eating disorder san francisco, learning self-care, EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, self-compassion therapy san francisco, family therapy san francisco, eating disorder therapist in San Francisco ca, eating disorder specialist san francisco, pre marital therapy san francisco, couples therapy san francisco, couples therapist San Francisco, pre marital counseling san francisco, recovering from an eating disorder san francisco, help with eating disorder san francisco, treatment for anorexia san francisco ca, treatment for bulimia san francisco ca, treatment for binge eating san francisco ca, addiction treatment san francisco ca, treatment for substance abuse san francisco, eating disorder treatment San Francisco, mental health san francisco, mental health therapist san francisco, mental health professional san francisco, healing from shame san francisco, recovering from infidelity san francisco ca, career counseling san francisco, trauma recovery san Francisco therapy ca, trauma treatment san francisco ca, mental health support in san francisco, treatment for shame san francisco, secual abuse specialist san francisco ca, treatment for sexual abuse san francisco therapy, trauma treatment San Francisco, PTSD therapist in San Francisco ca, therapy for PTSD in San Francisco ca, trauma specialist san francisco, PTSD specialist san francisco, treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder san francisco ca, anger management therapy san francisco, stress management therapy san francisco, help with communication san francisco, performance enhancement coaching san francisco, attachment-based therapy san francisco, attachment-based therapist san francisco, mindful meditation therapy san francisco, sex therapy san francisco, sex therapist san francisco, sexuality specialist therapy san francisco, treatment for sexual abuse san francisco, psychospiritual therapy san francisco ca, grief therapy san francisco ca, feminist therapy san francisco, treatment for Narcissistic personality disorder san francisco, treatment for borderline personality disorder san francisco, marriage counseling san francisco, attachment-focused therapy san francisco, internal family systems therapy san francisco, internal family systems therapist in san francisco, choosing a therapist in san francisco, choosing the right therapist in san francisco, how to choose a therapist san francisco, find a therapist in san francisco, female therapist in san francisco, finding the right therapist san francisco, ethical non-monogamy affirming therapist in san francisco ca, ethical nonmonogamy affirming therapist in san francisco ca, polyamory affirming therapist san francisco ca

What is EMDR Therapy?

But first, what is EMDR Therapy not? EMDR Therapy is not hypnosis. And it’s not a quick fix. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy, a somatic-based modality of Psychotherapy, is an evidence-based protocol which has been developed and refined by leading clinicians and researchers in the mental health field around the world.

Paying dual attention to 1) the memory, fear, phobia, or experience and to 2) bilateral movements (eye movements, taps, tones, vibrations) have been shown to activate the brain and body’s innate ability to resolve unfinished processing of a traumatic memory, fear, phobia, or experience. The brain gains a new understanding of the memory, event, fear, phobia, or experience and this is felt in the body. The basic principle is not to re-experience the trauma, but to reorganize thoughts, feelings, and experiences inside the brain and body.

Initially thought to be useful only for a select set of symptoms of very specific traumas, EMDR Therapy is now a proven effective treatment for a variety of traumatic symptoms such as phobias and fears, grief, anxiety, panic attacks and disorder, depression, addiction, and chronic pain. (This list is not exhaustive.) EMDR Therapy is a method used to help clients process a disruption in the nervous system that disturbs the way they experience themselves.

Based on in-depth, on-going studies, researchers have discovered that 1) the dual attention to the experience being processed and the present moment and 2) the bilateral stimulation allows the brain to respond in an adaptive way which was not previously possible for the brain to manage due to stress. This response creates the neurophysiological changes needed to resolve the symptoms.

For more information on EMDR Therapy or to see the research, please click here.

To make an EMDR appointment with me or if you have questions, please call me at (415) 794-5243 or email me at natalie@nataliemillstherapy.com.

I am a licensed mental health professional located at 870 Market St., Ste. 1055 San Francisco, CA 94102, and virtually in Portland, OR.