Introduction to EMDR Therapy
Learn about how EMDR therapy works, what it is like, and how widely it is recognized.
Healing Trauma-EMDR Patients Tell Their Stories
Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence—the body keeps the score.
Why Are Gay Men Avoidant of Therapy
There are many reasons why gay men may enter into therapy: coming out, internalized homophobia, substance abuse, health concerns, lack of support from family, feelings of isolation, and not feeling accepted within their own community. (https://www.talkspace.com/blog/2016/06/the-mental-health-issues-gay-men-deal-with/) But many men have experiences that have dissuaded them from therapy. There are men who have had therapists that have […]
Emotional and Physical Regulation in Trauma Recovery
A key aspect for people experiencing trauma is difficulty with emotional and physical regulation. Clients with trauma often find themselves feeling overwhelmed and intensely emotional. They might feel out of control with intrusive body sensations or memories of traumatic events. They can also feel too low, shut down, disconnected from themselves and others. They can feel […]
What Is Your ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Score?
The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study is one of the largest scientific research studies of its kind, with over 17,000 mostly middle income Americans participating. The focus was to analyze the relationship between childhood trauma and the risk for physical and mental illness in adulthood. Over the course of a decade, the results demonstrated a […]
Angi Smith, LMHC
Congratulations to Angi Smith, LMHC who has started the process of working towards her EMDR Certification! Angi is going above and beyond the basic training requirement for therapists trained in EMDR. Although, Angi has been a licensed therapist for the last 12 years and a trained EMDR therapist for 9 years she will be taking her […]
Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples is a Perfect Fit for Trauma Recovery
As EFT trained therapists with a specialty in trauma recovery we enjoy working with couples where one or more partners have experienced trauma or who have PTSD. At Vancouver EMDR Therapy we specialize in helping people recover from trauma. EFT for Couples is a perfect fit in this recovery process. Once clients feel like they […]
EMDR Therapy and PTSD
Channel 2 News Report- This video of a Channel 2 News report shows the use of EMDR therapy on PTSD. It also gives the viewer a better understanding of the EMDR process and the reviews and research which supports its effectiveness.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Couples Can Soothe the Brain
We are innately designed to attach to others, to seek safety and connection to those that we love the most. This type of connection helps us to feel more confident and empowered in our personal lives. Unfortunately, in life there are times when couples get caught in cycles of disconnection. During these key moments couples […]
A Veteran’s Guide to Coping with 4th of July and the Science of PTSD
A couple years back I was having a conversation with a family member about how triggering fireworks can be this time of year for people suffering from PTSD. He stated that, while sympathetic, he didn’t understand how someone could be startled or scared by the loud, sometimes shrill, sound of fireworks exploding if they logically […]
EMDR Therapy Helps those Suffering
Trauma in young children is stored in a “baby state” in which there are no images or thoughts about the trauma, just a felt sense of terror, abandonment, hurt or shame that never seems to go away. Babies absorb everything around them including their mother and environment.
Veterans and EMDR Therapy
As we celebrate Memorial Day we remember those men and women who have lost their lives serving in the armed forces. But we also feel gratitude to those who survived. Sometimes surviving a military experience can be very difficult. The startle response, nightmares, anger and survivor guilt are just a few of the symptoms that […]
Adults With Trauma Can Feel Isolated
Adults with trauma can feel isolated and alone. There are many reasons why people isolate after trauma. Here are a few: Many people who have experienced trauma in their lives feel that others will not understand what they are experiencing. And sometimes they don’t share with others because they want to protect the other person […]
Accepting New Clients
Angi is very down to earth, with a kind and compassionate heart for those who are hurting, and an experienced EMDR therapist. She has worked as a therapist for mental health agencies in the Portland/Vancouver area for the last 12 years. We are happy to have her join Vancouver EMDR therapy as she starts her private practice. She has been using EMDR to treat clients for the last 6 years. She specializes in working with the LGBTQQIA population, grief and trauma, geriatrics and end of life issues, and trauma related to medical issues and permanent disabilities.
Why EMDR is so Effective at Healing the Shame of Childhood Abuse
Sexual abuse or child abuse survivors often report experiencing shame. If you are a victim of childhood abuse; physical, sexual abuse or neglect then you know about shame. A hallmark of shame is the negative thoughts and feelings that people are left with even after the abuse is over. Often times survivors think that they […]
EMDR Therapy – A Documentary
A film by Michael Burns- This film is made for the clinician and lay person alike and chronicles EMDR therapy from inception to refinement. This film depicts the history, practice and potential of EMDR therapy.
