Elena’s Blog
Trusting the Process vs. Abandoning Clinical Thinking
"Trust the process.” It's a phrase we hear often in EMDR....
The Difference Between a Map and a Maze
Therapists like maps. We learn theories, frameworks,...
Learning the Client’s Language
Every client walks into therapy with a language of their...
When More History Isn’t More Helpful
Here's something many EMDR therapists recognize: A client...
When the Therapist Isn’t Ready
Readiness for EMDR reprocessing is often framed as...
When Readiness Was Never Built
Not every nervous system arrives in therapy with the same...
When There Isn’t Room to Continue
EMDR doesn’t unfold in a single moment. It asks for space....
When Healing Threatens Identity
Not all hesitation around healing comes from fear of pain....
Why Rapport is Non-Negotiable in EMDR
1.The client needs to feel comfortable with the...
When the Environment Isn’t Safe
EMDR assumes something that often goes unspoken: that the...
When Clients Need to Think Instead of Notice
I hear this a lot, “My client intellectualizes everything....
When the Story Still Matters
There are moments in EMDR work when memory is not only...
Why Phase 7 Matters More Than You Think
This is something I hear from consultation groups from...
When Regulation Has Been Assisted
Substances often enter the clinical picture long before...
Let Them Reprocess
Let’s talk about interweaves. If you go in and try to...
When the Nervous System Works Differently
Not every nervous system processes information in the same...
Finding EMDR in Art
I believe EMDR is as much of an art as it is a science....
When More Containment Is Needed
There are moments in EMDR work when it becomes clear that...
What Does This Say About You?
I was watching an episode of Malcolm in the Middle: Season...
What the Body Has to Carry
EMDR is often described as emotionally intense, but it is...
Phil’s Clown Phobia
I was watching an episode of Modern Family recently:...
Who Holds the Client Between Sessions?
EMDR doesn’t end when the session does. That’s something...
Saying You Matter Isn’t Selfish
There was a client who was in Phase 4 of EMDR and got...
When the Present Isn’t Stable
There are times in EMDR work when the past is not the most...
Anxiety is My Friend Named Peace
I just finished an EMDR session with a client. Her Phase 5...
Capacity Before Regulation
There’s a difference between helping a client regulate and...
When Healing Gets Loud
Abreactions happen during EMDR reprocessing. There is a...
Safety Before Reprocessing
There’s a difference between having rapport with a client...
But That’s Not What Really Happened
Let’s talk when clients resist the positive adaptive...
EMDR Reprocessing Readiness: Clinical Considerations
Readiness for EMDR reprocessing is often talked about as...