First Responders—firefighters, EMTs, police officers, 911/dispatch, military, veterans and others—face a unique kind of trauma. They witness the unthinkable, respond to crisis with composure, and are trained to compartmentalize their emotions in order to perform under extreme stress. Over time, this can lead to an accumulation of unprocessed trauma that lives in the body, not […]
You’re exhausted but can’t fall asleep. You feel so tired, but your body feels wired and “buzzing.” You drift in and out of sleep all night—worrying, thinking, ruminating, and feeling fearful, as if something bad is going to happen. You may even feel afraid to go to sleep because of frequent nightmares or night terrors. […]
Frequently Asked Questions About This Powerful Trauma Treatment Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) is a gentle yet powerful new therapy that helps people heal from trauma by going straight to where it starts—in the deepest part of the brain, the brainstem. This is where our body first feels the shock of overwhelming experiences, even before we […]
When we talk about trauma healing, we often think about processing emotions, memories, and thoughts. But what if healing begins even before all of that—at the level of the body’s very first response to threat? That’s the idea behind Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), a newer, neuroscience-informed therapy approach I’ve been deeply drawn to. Deep Brain […]
Vancouver EMDR Therapy, PLLC is a trauma-focused group practice dedicated to helping adults heal from PTSD, C-PTSD, and attachment trauma. Founded in 2009, our practice is known for its expertise in EMDR therapy and integrates other therapy modalities to help people alleviate suffering from trauma and thrive. With two convenient office locations in Vancouver, WA, […]
Our First Responder such as police, firefighters, 911/Dispatch Operators, EMT’s and Veterans/Military deserve our best care. In order to provide high quality and specialized care those that treat Fisrt Responders need to be culturally competent. Cultural competency goes beyond knowing the basics of the job description. It means spending years working with this population, taking […]
Complex PTSD Complex Trauma can also be referred to Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), relational trauma or developmental trauma. Complex PTSD is a result of exposure to repeated or prolonged instances or multiple forms of interpersonal trauma. Escape is not possible due to the age of the victim, psychological or financial constraints or social control. Some examples […]
Eye, Movement, Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a standard method for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as helping people recover from disturbing life experiences and subsequent symptoms such as; depression, anxiety and more. EMDR treatment consists of desensitization and reprocessing of trauma memories. The role of Bilateral Stimulation (BLS) or Dual Attention Stimuli (DAS) […]
One of the most interesting and innovative uses of EMDR therapy has been in performance enhancement by decreasing fear, stress and anxiety related to performance. EMDR therapy helps the brain to think in a healthier, more adaptive way by removing blocks (such as negative self-beliefs) and helping the person to tap into his or her […]
The 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy *Adapted from F. Shapiro (2001) Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols and procedures (2nd edition) New York: Guilford Press. 1. In the first sessions, the client’s history and an overall treatment plan are discussed. During this process the therapist identifies and clarifies potential targets for EMDR. […]
EMDR is a powerful supplement for traditional psychotherapy. I partner with therapists to help their clients resolve their traumatic material. When painful feelings about a single incident continue to intrude or interfere with the progress in therapy, EMDR is helpful in resolving these issues. EMDR is a powerful therapy that can help many people with […]
The Flash Technique was originated from EMDR and is a approach to reduce disturbing life events and distressing memories. The Flash Technique is a minimally intrusive intervention that does not require the client to consciously engage with the traumatic memory. This technique allows clients to process traumatic memories without feeling distress. It is useful in […]
I have been trained to use a special EMDR protocol called the Early Trauma Protocol (ETP) by Katie Oshea M.S. and Sandra Paulsen Ph.D. to work with individuals who experienced childhood trauma and were abused and/or neglected in early childhood between the ages of birth to 3. When we experience abuse and or neglect before […]
Addictions are created when a desired feeling and behavior become fixated together. For example, if the feeling of being a winner has become fixated with the behavior of gambling, the person gambles in order to feel like a winner. So when a intense desired feeling becomes linked with a positive event then a addictive fixation […]
We can no longer separate the mind and body. In order to have “good mental health” we must treat the whole person. Lemecia Lindsey is a Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider (CMHIMP). As a therapist she is looking for the root cause of my client’s emotional distress. From a trauma lens perspective, I am […]
Read about adaptogens for stress, the Limbic System, a poem to read and the power of being outside. This is a list of monthly “trauma recovery tips” from a trauma specialist to help you reduce the effects of trauma and chronic stress on your life so you can live from a place of healing, hope […]
