EMDR Therapy In Washington: A Powerful Path to Healing Grief and Perinatal Trauma
When traditional talk therapy isn’t quite getting to the root of what you’re carrying, there could be a reason why. Let’s explore how EMDR therapy can be a powerful alternative and a game changer for those who find themselves not making the kind of progress they would like to in traditional therapy. EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based, transformational therapy modality that helps people process painful memories, resolve emotional distress, and shift deeply held negative self-beliefs into more adaptive and empowering truths.
In my therapy practice, I use EMDR to support many of my clients, including women navigating perinatal mental health challenges and complex grief. These are two areas where trauma often runs deep, and where clients are longing not just to feel better, but to truly feel free.
Let’s break down what EMDR is, how it’s different from other therapies, and why it’s especially impactful for those walking through the tender seasons of motherhood and loss.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps people heal from the emotional and psychological effects of trauma. Developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR does not rely on traditional talk therapy techniques like analyzing thoughts or assigning behavioral homework. Instead, it taps into the brain’s natural ability to process and integrate experiences.
At its core, EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which essentially reminds us that our brains are wired to heal. However, when we experience trauma (and, at the root, trauma simply means “wound”), that healing process can get blocked or stuck. Instead of being stored as a resolved memory of something that happened in the past, the experience stays stuck in our nervous system, along with all the emotions, body sensations, and negative beliefs that came with it.
EMDR helps reprocess those stuck memories using a process called bilateral stimulation. Bilateral stimulation is often done through guided eye movements, tapping, pulsing buzzers or auditory tones. Through these bilaterals, the brain begins to integrate the traumatic experience and negative beliefs in a healthier, more adaptive way.
EMDR is a powerful, evidence-based therapy.
EMDR helps reprocess those stuck memories using a process called bilateral stimulation, tapping into your brain’s ability to heal.
EMDR vs. Traditional Talk Therapy
In cognitive-based therapies, we often spend time examining thoughts, identifying distorted patterns, and challenging beliefs through discussion and reflection. This can be powerful and effective! And, for trauma, sometimes words alone aren’t enough.
Trauma responses activate our fight or flight stress response system, shutting down the prefrontal cortex of our brain which is responsible for critical thinking and logic. That’s why clients can logically understand something (“It wasn’t my fault,” “I did the best I could”) yet still feel otherwise. EMDR bypasses the need to “think your way out” of distress. Instead, it helps the brain resolve what it couldn’t make sense of in the moment, which can lead to lasting relief and a deep sense of resolution.
Clients often say things like:
“I didn’t realize how much that memory was still impacting me.”
“It’s like the emotional charge is finally gone.”
“I finally believe the things I’ve been trying to tell myself for years.”
EMDR for Perinatal Mental Health
The perinatal period (pregnancy through postpartum) is one of the most vulnerable and transformational times in a woman’s life—and also one of the most under-supported. Many of my clients reflect on how much prenatal care they received and then feel almost abandoned postpartum. Meanwhile, they are navigating a major life change which may have included birth trauma, miscarriage, NICU stays, breastfeeding struggles, unmet expectations, and identity shifts can all leave emotional imprints that go unprocessed.
Many women minimize their experiences, telling themselves “at least the baby is healthy” or “other people have it worse.” But these wounds matter, and they deserve healing.
EMDR can be used to:
Process traumatic birth experiences
Heal from pregnancy loss or infertility trauma
Address fears or anxiety around a current or future pregnancy
Explore identity and self-worth in the transition to motherhood
Shift internalized messages like “I’m not a good mom” or “My body failed me”
When we clear the emotional charge of these experiences, women are more able to show up for themselves and their families with clarity, self-compassion, and trust in their own inner wisdom.
EMDR for Grief
Grief is not a disorder—it is a natural, human response to loss. And sometimes, grief becomes complicated or overwhelming, especially when it’s layered with trauma, guilt, or unresolved pain.
In my work with grieving mothers—especially those who have experienced miscarriage, infant loss, or child death—EMDR offers a gentle yet effective way to untangle trauma from grief. It doesn’t erase the loss (nor should it), but it allows space for a mother to begin living forward without being held hostage by the past.
EMDR can support grieving clients by helping them:
Process the trauma of the moment they found out about the loss
Reclaim difficult memories that feel “stuck” or intrusive
Release guilt or self-blame
Connect with the memory of their loved one in a new, meaningful way
Anchor into beliefs like “I did the best I could,” “My baby mattered,” or “I can keep going”
Grief is a lifelong companion after loss, but EMDR helps make it a softer one.
EMDR in Therapy Intensives
While weekly EMDR sessions can be effective, many clients benefit deeply from EMDR therapy intensives—a model that offers extended, focused time for reprocessing and healing.
A therapy intensive might involve 3 to 6 hours in a single day or over the course of a weekend. This format is ideal for clients who:
Want to make significant progress in a short amount of time
Have experienced a recent traumatic event that is creating stress
Are feeling stuck in talk therapy
Are preparing for a major life transition (e.g., a new pregnancy after loss)
Have limited time for weekly sessions due to work, parenting, or logistics
In an intensive, we create a safe, contained space to explore your unique grief or trauma fingerprint, exploring how it’s showing up in your body, your beliefs, and your relationships. Then, using EMDR, we begin gently clearing those emotional wounds to make space for healing and clarity.
Clients often report feeling lighter, more grounded, and more themselves after an intensive. And because EMDR changes the way your brain stores the memory, the shifts tend to stick.
The Heart of EMDR: Rewriting the Story
Ultimately, EMDR is about moving from the self-beliefs that trauma wrote for you. “I’m not safe,” “I’m broken,” “I don’t deserve good things” shifts toward more truthful and empowering ones.
Beliefs like:
✨ “I did the best I could.”
✨ “I’m allowed to rest and receive.”
✨ “I am not alone.”
✨ “I can honor my loss and still have joy.”
✨ “I’m strong because I let myself feel.”
Whether you’re navigating the raw edges of early motherhood, carrying the weight of unspoken grief, or ready to take the next brave step in your healing, EMDR can help you get there.
Want to Learn More or Explore a Therapy Intensive?
If you're curious about how EMDR therapy in Gig Harbor or an EMDR intensive might support your healing, I’d love to connect. I offer both weekly sessions and custom intensives, either virtually or in-person in Washington State. You don’t have to keep holding it all alone.
Let’s help you live forward: anchored, empowered, and deeply cared for.
