EMDR Isn’t Just for Big-T Trauma: How It Helps Moms Carry Less and Feel More
You’re the one who always holds it together. You show up. You take care of everyone. But lately, something feels off. You might feel stuck in cycles of guilt, exhaustion, or emotional reactivity—and you’re not sure why.
Here’s the truth: you don’t need a dramatic backstory to feel this way. You don’t need a diagnosis to be deserving of support.
Many women carry the weight of unspoken emotional wounds, perfectionism, and chronic stress. Motherhood has a way of shaking all of that loose. And while it’s common to think of EMDR therapy as something only for major trauma, the reality is that EMDR can be just as powerful for the quiet, cumulative ways life has left its mark.
At Reisinger Counseling, I work with women navigating this exact space—the not-quite-crisis, not-quite-okay seasons of life. And I want you to know: if you feel like you’re carrying more than your share, you’re not alone. And there’s a way through.
What Is EMDR, and Why Does It Work So Well?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a powerful, evidence-based therapy that helps your brain reprocess overwhelming experiences—so you’re no longer emotionally hijacked by them in the present.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require you to retell every detail of your past. Instead, we identify the beliefs, body sensations, and stuck emotions that are interfering with your life today—and then we use bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) to help the nervous system release those patterns.
You don’t have to have a “capital-T” trauma like abuse or a catastrophic event for EMDR to work. Some of the most impactful healing comes from processing:
Childhood emotional neglect or attachment wounds
Harsh self-criticism and perfectionism
People-pleasing patterns rooted in fear of rejection
Birth trauma, postpartum anxiety, or medical stress
Relationship dynamics that left you questioning your worth
The quiet grief of unmet needs or feeling unseen
These experiences may not be dramatic, but they’re deeply shaping—and you are absolutely worthy of healing them.
When Motherhood Reactivates Old Wounds
Many of the women I work with are high-functioning and successful on the outside—but feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or emotionally reactive on the inside.
Motherhood often pulls things to the surface you didn’t realize were still there:
A toddler’s meltdown triggers a disproportionate feeling of panic or rage
You feel like you’re never doing enough, no matter how hard you try
You avoid asking for help, fearing you’ll seem weak or needy
You can’t relax—even when nothing’s wrong
These aren’t just quirks. They’re clues. Often, they’re your nervous system waving a flag, alerting you to unfinished emotional business. EMDR helps you connect those dots—with compassion, not judgment—and create new patterns that feel more like you.
How EMDR Helps Moms Carry Less and Feel More
→ Release the Emotional Charge
Instead of white-knuckling through everyday triggers, EMDR helps you process the root cause so that those same situations no longer feel like emergencies. The yelling, the chaos, the mess—they might still happen, but they don’t send you into shutdown or shame.
→ Rewire How You See Yourself
EMDR helps shift internal beliefs like “I’m failing,” “I have to be perfect,” or “I’m too much.” These beliefs often took root long before motherhood, but now they show up in how you parent, how you relate to your partner, and how you speak to yourself. Therapy helps you rewrite those scripts.
→ Connect More Deeply—with Yourself and Others
When your body feels safe, you can actually feel again—joy, pleasure, playfulness. You can show up for your children and your relationships without sacrificing yourself in the process. You can access your intuition, not just your inner critic.
When Weekly Therapy Isn’t Enough
Sometimes, traditional therapy can feel like putting out fires instead of creating deep change. When your schedule is packed and your emotional load is overflowing, one 50-minute session a week might not be enough to move the needle.
That’s where therapy intensives come in.
I offer custom EMDR intensives for women who are ready for a deeper reset. Intensives compress weeks (or even months) of therapy into one immersive experience—designed to help you get unstuck, quickly and gently.
We’ll create a plan that honors your pace, your story, and your current season of life. Whether you’re working through postpartum anxiety, burnout, or long-standing emotional patterns, intensives allow you to slow down, go deeper, and leave feeling lighter.
Learn more about EMDR intensives here!
On the Other Side of Healing: More Ease, More You
Imagine waking up and actually feeling calm—not because everything is under control, but because your nervous system isn’t constantly on high alert.
You meet your child’s meltdown with presence, not panic. You ask for help—and don’t spend the rest of the day second-guessing it. You feel a quiet confidence that you’re doing enough, even when things are messy.
This is what many women describe after EMDR: a softening. A return to themselves.
They feel:
More settled in their bodies
More attuned to their own needs and values
Less reactive when life gets overwhelming
Able to set boundaries with clarity and care
Emotionally available—without constantly running on empty
They stop feeling like they’re just getting through the day, and they start feeling grounded, present, and real again.
And that’s the heart of this work: not to fix you, but to free you. So you can live from a place of wholeness—not survival.
You Deserve Support—No Matter What Your Story Looks Like
If you’re feeling maxed out, like you’ve hit your limit but still have to keep going—you’re not broken. You’re carrying more than anyone can see. And you don’t have to do it alone.
Whether you’re curious about EMDR or ready to dive into an intensive, I’m here to help you reconnect with your resilience, your body, and your sense of self.
You don’t need a diagnosis. You don’t need to hit rock bottom. You just need a space that’s made for you.
Looking for a therapist in Seattle who specializes in EMDR & intensives for moms?
Take your first step towards rediscovering clarity, capacity, and connection.
(Washington residents only)
About the author
Jen Reisinger, MA, LMHC is a licensed mental health counselor specializing in perinatal support and grief counseling. She offers in-person services in Gig Harbor, WA, and online throughout Washington state. She is trained in multiple modalities of healing, including EMDR, to best support clients who are looking to feel better faster.
