EMDR Therapy for Anxiety, Perfectionism, and Trauma

What Is EMDR Therapy?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR therapy) is an evidence-based treatment that helps your brain fully process distressing memories and experiences so they stop triggering the same emotional and physical reactions.

EMDR is widely used to treat:

• Anxiety

• Trauma and PTSD

• Childhood emotional neglect

• Perfectionism and chronic self-criticism

• High-functioning anxiety

Instead of talking about the same patterns for years, EMDR therapy works directly with the nervous system and the way distressing experiences are stored in the brain and body.

EMDR helps process:

• Nervous system activation

• Trauma stored in the body

• Core beliefs like “I’m not enough” or “I have to get it right”

When these experiences are fully processed, they begin to feel resolved instead of repeatedly triggered.

While EMDR is a central part of my work, I integrate it with other evidence-based therapies when helpful so treatment is tailored to your needs.

Therapy for High-Functioning Anxiety and Perfectionism

I specialize in working with adults who experience:

• High-functioning anxiety

• Perfectionism

• Chronic overthinking

• Self-criticism

• Pressure to perform or achieve

Many of my clients are capable, driven, and successful on the outside, but internally feel exhausted or constantly “on.”

Often they grew up in environments that included:

• Emotional neglect

• High expectations or criticism

• Instability or unpredictability

• Pressure to perform or be “the responsible one”

If you feel stuck in fight-or-flight mode, therapy can help your nervous system finally settle.

Why EMDR Therapy for Anxiety and Perfectionism?

Perfectionism is rarely just about having high standards.

It often develops as:

• A protection strategy

• A way to avoid criticism or failure

• A way to stay emotionally safe

Traditional talk therapy can increase insight, but

Additional Approaches: I-CBT for OCD

In addition to EMDR, I also use Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT).

I-CBT is a specialized treatment used for:

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Chronic doubt and overthinking

• Mental checking and reassurance seeking

Rather than focusing only on the content of anxious thoughts, I-CBT helps identify when the mind shifts away from present-moment evidence into imagined possibilities that create doubt and anxiety.

This approach helps clients:

• Recognize when doubt is driven by imagination rather than reality

• Reduce compulsive overthinking

• Reconnect with present-moment information

• Strengthen confidence in their own judgment

I take an integrative approach, drawing from EMDR, I-CBT, and other evidence-based therapies so treatment fits the individual.

What to Expect in EMDR Therapy Sessions

EMDR therapy sessions typically include:

• Identifying present triggers for anxiety or distress

• Understanding the experiences connected to them

• Using bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess distressing memories

• Strengthening healthier beliefs and self-trust

Sessions are 60 minutes and paced carefully so you feel supported and stable throughout the process.

You remain in control at all times.

Why Work With Me?

As A EMDRIA Certified Therapist™, I focus on helping high-functioning adults resolve the underlying drivers of anxiety and perfectionism

I am a certified EMDR therapist through the EMDR International Association. EMDR certification involves additional training, consultation, and clinical experience beyond standard EMDR training requirements.

My approach is:

• Structured but compassionate

• Direct but warm

• Insight-oriented and nervous-system informed

Therapy should feel productive, not endless.