
Online and In-Person EMDR Therapy
Heal Traumatic Memories & Find Lasting Peace
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is a powerful way for busy women like you to get real results, without spending years in traditional talk therapy.
You're used to keeping it all together and showing up for everyone. But right now, the weight is heavy.
Even with your strength, you might find yourself struggling with:
Intrusive images and flashbacks that steal your focus and interfere with your presence.
Exhaustion and restless fatigue that no amount of sleep seems to fix.
Feeling stuck, because "talking about it" feels useless, or even re-traumatizing.
Unexpected triggers that cause intense, unpredictable reactions, impacting your composure and leaving you off-balance.
Quietly shrinking your world, as you find yourself avoiding places or people that once brought you joy.
Hyper-vigilance and a constant sense of fear, keeping you trapped in the past and on edge.
Unexplained physical aches that lead to isolation and disconnection from the things you care about.
What is EMDR Therapy and Will It Work For You?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a highly effective, evidence-based therapy designed to help your brain heal from distress caused by difficult or traumatic memories.
When something upsetting happens, our brain can get "stuck," holding onto that memory with all its raw emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations.
EMDR gently guides your brain's natural healing process, similar to what happens during REM sleep.
Here's how it works in a simplified way:
During an EMDR session, you'll focus on a specific distressing memory while I guide you through a set of bilateral (side-to-side) eye or audio stimulations. This can be done online and in-person.
Through this set up, your brain reprocess the memory, moving it from a "stuck" and painful state to a more resolved and peaceful place.
The result?
Less emotional stress around upsetting memories.
A feeling of being more present in your daily life, instead of being pulled back to the past.
Reduced physical symptoms of anxiety and stress.
The ability to feel more in control of your reactions and emotions.
A quiet confidence in your ability to trust yourself and move forward.
EMDR can often help you achieve significant shifts and relief more efficiently than traditional talk therapy, which is a big relief for busy, action-oriented women.
EMDR can help you find freedom from the past, so you can fully live your life today.
EMDR is especially effective for:
Trauma
Processing and recovering from overwhelming experiences like violence, disaster, tragedy, accident or assault.
Traumatic Loss
Healing the impact of sudden or violent loss, including witnessing death, suicide, homicide, and child or infant loss.
Betrayal Trauma
The deep pain of betrayal, like infidelity, affair, divorce, broken trust or childhood abuse and neglect.
Complicated Grief
Navigating grief that has become stuck due to traumatic elements or overwhelming distress.
Loss of Belonging
Healing from the traumatic impact of rejection or abandonment by family, friends, or community.
Neurodivergent Grief
Specialized support for neurodivergent folks processing traumatic experiences or grief.
Is EMDR therapy right for you?
EMDR therapy could be for you if…
You’ve experienced an assault, injury, or sudden loss of a loved one.
Disturbing images of your trauma cause distress and panic.
You’ve tried CBT therapy or talk therapy with no improvement.
It’s been a long time since it happened but you have a feeling it’s affecting your current life.
You are ready to confront painful memories in a gentle, efficient way.
You can access the memory or memories that you’d like to address.
You intellectualize or logic away your hurt and you’re ready to actually get results.
EMDR might not be for you if…
You can’t yet access emotions or memories (“become activated”).
You are not yet able to self-soothe.
You are in active psychosis or bipolar mania, are under the influence of certain drugs or alcohol, or have uncontrolled dissociation or a plan, intent and means to kill yourself.
You have absolutely no support system outside of therapy.
EMDR Therapy: Virtual or In-Person Sessions
Both virtual and in-person EMDR sessions offer powerful opportunities for healing.
Virtual, intensive EMDR sessions provide:
Convenience and comfort: Engage in therapy from the privacy and familiarity of your own home, saving time and travel.
Accessibility: Receive specialized EMDR care from anywhere within California, Colorado, Florida, or Virginia.
Ease of integration: Fit sessions more easily into a busy schedule, supporting consistency in your healing journey.
In-person EMDR sessions provide:
A dedicated space: If you prefer a distinct, therapeutic environment free from home distractions.
Extended sessions: For thorough resourcing and preparation to help you process deep trauma.
Direct presence: If you prefer face-to-face interaction and want tactile bilateral stimulation.
Hi, I’m Carly ~
Your Expert EMDR Therapist
EMDR therapy begins with building inner resources, helping you address upsetting memories both in and out of session. We'll move at your pace - you’re always in control. We gently process memories during the 'desensitization' phase using bilateral stimulation like visual tracking, tapping, or audio.
Personally and professionally, I've seen EMDR bring rapid relief and lasting healing from both grief and trauma. Many clients experience positive shifts in about three sessions, with continued growth throughout therapy.
Whether you prefer in-person EMDR therapy sessions here in Steamboat Springs or the convenience of virtual therapy, EMDR offers a powerful path to well-being.
faq
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a powerful and evidence-based psychotherapy approach designed to help you heal from the emotional distress and symptoms resulting from traumatic or difficult life experiences.
It utilizes bilateral stimulation (alternating left-right stimulation of the brain) while you focus on specific memories, allowing your brain to process these experiences in a new and less distressing way.
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While the precise neurological mechanisms are still being explored, EMDR therapy is thought to facilitate the brain's natural processing of information, similar to what happens during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.
The bilateral stimulation (often eye movements, but also tactile or auditory) appears to help "unstick" traumatic memories that may be unprocessed or maladaptively stored. This allows for the emotional charge of the memory to reduce, new insights to emerge, and more adaptive beliefs to develop.
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EMDR therapy is a powerful and effective treatment for a wide range of challenges, including:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related disorders (single-incident, complex, childhood trauma)
Grief and loss (including complicated grief, traumatic grief, and unresolved grief)
Anxiety disorders (panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, generalized anxiety)
Depression and mood disorders
Disturbing memories and intrusive thoughts
Low self-esteem and negative self-beliefs
Body image issues
Performance anxiety
Chronic pain (as an adjunct treatment)
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Bilateral stimulation is a key component of EMDR therapy that involves alternating stimulation of the left and right sides of your brain.
This can be done a lot of different ways.
Eye Movements: Following the therapist's finger, a video, or a light bar with your eyes.
Tactile Stimulation: Holding small, vibrating pulsers (buzzies) in each hand that alternate vibrations.
Auditory Stimulation: Listening to alternating tones or sounds through headphones.
In my practice, I offer all three forms of bilateral stimulation (visual, tactile, and auditory) to tailor the experience to your comfort and processing style. I offer in person EMDR therapy at my Steamboat Springs office, and virtual EMDR therapy to adults anywhere in Colorado, California, Virginia or Florida.
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EMDR therapy typically follows an 8-phase protocol.
While the processing phase with BLS is central, the initial stages are crucial for safety and preparation:
History Taking: We'll discuss your history and the specific issues you want to address with EMDR.
Preparation: I'll explain the EMDR process in detail, answer your questions, and teach you coping mechanisms and grounding techniques to manage any potential distress.
Assessment: Together, we'll identify specific target memories, the negative beliefs associated with them, and the positive beliefs you'd like to embrace.
Desensitization (Processing): You'll focus on the target memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation. You'll simply notice any thoughts, feelings, images, or sensations that arise without judgment or trying to control them. We'll do several sets of BLS with brief check-ins.
Installation: Once the distress related to the memory significantly reduces, we'll work on strengthening and "installing" the positive belief you identified.
Body Scan: You'll bring the target memory and positive belief to mind and notice any remaining physical sensations. Further processing may occur if there's still disturbance.
Closure: Each session concludes with ensuring you feel grounded and stable. We'll discuss coping strategies for between sessions if needed.
Re-evaluation: In subsequent sessions, we'll review your progress and identify any new targets for processing.
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The number of EMDR sessions varies depending on the complexity and chronicity of the issues, the intensity of past trauma, and your individual processing style.
Some single-incident traumas may see significant improvement in 3 or fewer sessions, while more complex or multiple traumas may require a more extended course of therapy.
We will collaboratively assess your progress and adjust the treatment plan as needed.
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While processing difficult memories can bring up uncomfortable emotions, the goal of EMDR therapy is to reduce the intensity of that distress.
I will work with you at a pace that feels safe and manageable, and we will utilize grounding techniques to help you stay present and regulate your emotions.
You are always in control and can stop the processing at any time. The aim is to desensitize the memory so it no longer evokes the same level of emotional pain.
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Yes, I use EMDR therapy as part of my personal healing program.
EMDR therapy was very helpful for me through particularly challenging times of loss.
My training and ongoing consultation in EMDR therapy allows me to practice and ensure I am giving you the best EMDR therapy available.
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Yes, EMDR therapy is recognized as an effective and evidence-based treatment for PTSD and other conditions by numerous national and international organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Extensive research has consistently demonstrated its efficacy, both in-person and online.
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Following an EMDR processing session, some individuals may experience temporary after-effects such as vivid dreams, increased awareness of the processed material, fatigue, or mild emotional sensitivity.
These are usually short-lived (lasting a few hours to a day or two) and are often a sign that processing is continuing. Clients often report feeling very tired after EMDR, which makes sense as it is a powerful processing therapy that requires a lot of energy.
We will discuss potential after-effects and develop strategies for self-care and grounding to support you between sessions.
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Traditional talk therapy often involves discussing and gaining insight into your experiences.
While EMDR therapy also includes a therapeutic relationship and discussion, the key difference is the use of bilateral stimulation to directly facilitate the brain's processing of distressing memories.
This can sometimes lead to more rapid and profound shifts in emotional processing compared to talk therapy alone, particularly for trauma-related issues.
Additionally, we know that “talk therapy” that relies heavily on logic or challenging beliefs can be really unhelpful. I got trained in EMDR as I began to see folks with trauma and realize the “gold standard” CBT just doesn’t always cut it.
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Yes, EMDR therapy can be effectively adapted for online sessions using virtual bilateral stimulation (following a moving dot on your screen or using alternating auditory tones through headphones).
While in-person sessions in my Steamboat Springs office allow for the added benefit of tactile BLS, online EMDR offers greater convenience and accessibility for clients in Colorado, Florida, California, Virginia, and beyond.
We will discuss the pros and cons of each format to determine the best fit for you.
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I use a secure and HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform through Psychology Today.
For online EMDR therapy, I use a variety of videos that allow me to control the visual BLS.
The platform uses end-to-end encryption to ensure that your sessions are confidential and protected.
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My fees for online EMDR therapy are:
$300 - Intake session
$200 - Weekly or biweekly session
You can pay for counseling using Zelle, venmo, cash/check, credit/debit card, or HSA/FSA.
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No, I don’t accept insurance for EMDR therapy. If you have insurance with out-of-network benefits, you might be able to be reimbursed through Thrizer. Click here to learn more.
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In-person EMDR therapy in my office offers several advantages:
Tactile Bilateral Stimulation: The use of physical buzzies held in your hands can provide a more grounding and embodied experience, which some clients find particularly helpful for processing.
Precise Visual BLS: I can precisely control the pace, rhythm, and range of eye movements to optimize your brain's processing.
Real-Time Observation and Support: Being physically present allows me to observe your subtle physical and emotional responses in real-time, enabling immediate adjustments and tailored support throughout the session.
Dedicated Therapeutic Space: My comfortable and private office provides a focused and contained environment specifically designed for therapeutic work, minimizing distractions.
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If you're interested in learning more or scheduling EMDR therapy sessions (either online or in person in Steamboat Springs), you can click here to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.
I'm happy to answer any further questions you may have and help you take the first step towards healing.
I offer these free initial consultations to discuss your needs and determine if EMDR therapy is a good fit for you.
I’ll answer your questions about my approach and experience, and we will plan our first session from there.
