EMDR Therapy serving Santa Clara

In-Person serving Santa Clara & Virtual Therapy Across California

Therapy couch and side table with plant and notebook in therapy office

We are all shaped by our experiences.

Some moments move through us and become part of our story without much weight. Others linger, quietly or loudly, in the body, in the nervous system, in the way we think, react, and relate to the world around us. Over time, these experiences can create patterns that feel difficult to shift, even when we understand them logically.

I offer EMDR therapy at my office, just a few blocks from Santa Clara proper, as a way to help you process those experiences so they no longer hold the same emotional charge in your present.

Whether you’re meeting with me in person at my office in San Jose or connecting virtually from anywhere in California, EMDR offers a structured and supportive path toward meaningful, lasting change.


What Is EMDR Therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy designed to help the brain process and integrate difficult or overwhelming experiences.

Originally developed for trauma and PTSD, EMDR is now widely used for a range of concerns, including anxiety, grief, panic, and distressing life events. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR focuses less on analyzing your experience and more on helping your brain reprocess how it is stored.

Through guided bilateral stimulation, such as back-and-forth eye movements, tapping, or auditory cues, we use EMDR to activate the brain’s natural capacity to heal and integrate unresolved experiences.

When starting EMDR therapy with me, clients often notice that memories or experiences that once felt intense begin to feel more distant, less emotionally charged, and easier to hold without overwhelm.


Clients often decide to start EMDR therapy to process experiences such as:

  • Childhood trauma or attachment wounds

  • Emotional abuse or neglect

  • Experiences of abuse or assault 

  • Accidents or medical experiences

  • Grief and loss

  • Major life transitions

  • Anxiety and panic

You don’t need to label something as “trauma” for it to matter. If an experience continues to affect how you feel, think, relate, or respond in your daily life, it deserves attention and care.

What Can EMDR Help With?

Nicole Bennet standing outdoors in front of a large tree trunk with textured bark.

How Trauma Can Present Itself

Even when something is technically “over,” your nervous system may still be responding as if it is happening now.

You may notice:

  • Intrusive memories or emotional flashbacks

  • Heightened anxiety or hypervigilance

  • Emotional shutdown or numbness

  • Negative beliefs about yourself that feel automatic

  • A persistent sense of unease, tension, or bracing

These responses are not signs that something is wrong with you. They are signs that your system is still working to process something that hasn’t fully resolved.

When starting EMDR therapy with a client, my goal is to help you gently reprocess these experiences in a space that is paced, grounded, and responsive to your needs.

EMDR Therapy for Anxiety and Grief

Many clients also seek EMDR therapy for anxiety and grief, because they find that talking alone hasn’t been enough to shift what they are experiencing internally.

  • Anxiety can feel like:

    • Racing or looping thoughts that won’t settle

    • Chronic tension or restlessness in the body

    • Difficulty relaxing even in safe environments

    • A sense of always anticipating something going wrong

    EMDR helps identify and reprocess the earlier experiences or beliefs that keep the nervous system in a state of activation, allowing for a more regulated baseline over time.

  • Grief and loss may arise from:

    • The death of a loved one

    • The end of a relationship

    • Identity shifts or life transitions

    • Unresolved or ambiguous loss

    Grief is not something to “get over.” It is something to move through with care.

    EMDR supports the grieving process by helping you process emotional intensity without disconnecting from the meaning, love, or connection tied to what was lost.

What to Expect in EMDR Sessions


EMDR therapy is a structured, phased approach designed to support both safety and change.

  • In the beginning, we focus on building a strong foundation. This includes:

    • Understanding your current concerns and patterns

    • Identifying experiences that may be connected to them

    • Developing grounding and regulation tools

    • Strengthening internal resources that support reprocessing

    This phase creates a foundation for effective reprocessing.

  • Once you feel ready, we begin reprocessing.

    During these sessions, you will be guided through short sets of bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or similar techniques) while gently bringing attention to specific memories, sensations, or beliefs.

    Between sets, we pause to notice what is shifting internally.

    Your experience leads the pace. The work is collaborative, supported, and carefully attuned.

    Over time, what once felt overwhelming may begin to feel more distant, more neutral, or more integrated into your broader life narrative.

The Difference Between EMDR and Talk Therapy

Many people come to EMDR after trying traditional talk therapy and feeling like something is still unresolved.

EMDR offers a different pathway, one that works directly with how experiences are stored in the brain and body.

Over time, clients may notice:

  • Reduced emotional intensity around past experiences

  • Shifts in long-held negative beliefs about self

  • Increased emotional regulation and calm

  • Greater flexibility in responding to stress

  • A stronger sense of internal stability

Healing is not about forgetting, it isabout changing how the past lives inside you now.

In-Person Therapy serving Santa Clara & Virtual Across California

I offer in-person sessions in my office near Santa Clara, as well as virtual EMDR therapy for clients across California.

Whether you prefer the grounded presence of in-person sessions or the accessibility of virtual work, the therapeutic approach remains the same: paced, thoughtful, and attuned to your emotional and nervous system needs.


Is EMDR Right for You?

EMDR may be a good fit if you:

  • Feel stuck in emotional or behavioral patterns that insight alone hasn’t changed

  • Experience ongoing anxiety, stress, or emotional overwhelm

  • Notice that past experiences still feel present in your daily life

  • Want a therapy approach that goes beyond conversation alone

You don’t need to have everything figured out before beginning. Therapy is a place to explore, understand, and begin again at your own pace.



Begin Your Healing Journey

If you are in Santa Clara and considering EMDR therapy, you are already taking a meaningful step toward change.

Working with an EMDR therapist like myself can support you in moving through experiences that feel stuck, overwhelming, or unresolved, so they no longer shape your present in the same way.

I invite you to reach out for a free consultation to explore whether EMDR feels like the right fit for you.

You don’t have to carry it alone.


Schedule Your Free Consultation Call

A consultation call is a 15 minute phone call for us to talk about working together towards your desired change, ask any questions you may have, and determine if working together feels like the right fit.