Trauma-Informed Therapy & EMDR in Fort Collins, CO
A gentle space to process the past and release what’s keeping you stuck.
SOUND FAMILIAR?
Trauma doesn’t always come from one defining event—whatever your story, this is a space to begin making sense of it, at your own pace.
You may be noticing…
Feeling stuck in old, unhelpful patterns that no longer fit—but unsure how to shift
Anxiety, panic, or overwhelm that feels disproportionate and hard to explain
Deep exhaustion from always holding it together
A sense of numbness, disconnection, or feeling like you’re going through the motions
Never feeling able to relax, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Difficulty trusting yourself and others
Feeling disconnected from your body
That past experiences—medical, relational, or emotional—still echo through your daily life
HOW THERAPY CAN HELP
Whether you’re carrying the weight of something recent or long-held—you deserve care that honors your full story.
Together, we’ll gently unfold the patterns and beliefs that have taken root over time—shaped not only by past wounds but also by the changing seasons of life, shifting roles, and the pressures of of everyday life.
Using trauma-informed practices like EMDR, Written Exposure Therapy, and more, we’ll support your nervous system in releasing the emotional weight of past experiences. These processes help to reframe painful memories, easing their intensity and creating space for new, more helpful perspectives. Together, we will help you build compassionate tools for trust, confidence, and connection.
Over time, you may start to notice….
Less emotional overwhelm, allowing you to feel more present and grounded.
Greater ease in your body, with reduced tension.
Shifts in long-held beliefs about yourself and your worth, making space for greater self-compassion and hope for the future.
Improved relationships, as old patterns begin to soften and you are able to connect more authentically.
More clarity as you navigate change—so you can move forward with greater confidence.
A deeper sense of safety and self-trust, empowering you to meet yourself and others with greater curiosity and understanding
How Trauma-Informed Therapy Works
When we begin working together, we’ll spend time getting to know your story and what feels most important to you right now. There are many ways to process and heal from difficult life experiences, including the approaches listed below, but we’ll explore together and decide what feels like the best fit for you.
Along the way, we’ll also integrate other techniques as they become helpful, always moving at a pace that feels safe and manageable. The focus isn’t on rushing through the emotional pain, but on gently making room for relief, healing, and new connections.
Types Of Trauma Support
There are many ways to process and heal from difficult life experiences. Below are two structured approaches that can be very helpful, but we’ll explore together and decide which feels like the best fit for you.
EMDR Therapy
Helps the brain reprocess memories that feel frozen in time or like they’re stuck on a hamster wheel in your mind. The memory doesn’t disappear, but it loses its emotional intensity, allowing you to step off the “hamster wheel” your brain has spent so much energy and focus on.
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We’ll first spend time building trust, grounding skills, and a sense of safety before moving into any specific memories.
Once you feel ready, I’ll guide you to bring a memory or experience to mind while engaging in gentle bilateral stimulation — usually following my hand with your eyes, listening to alternating tones, or holding small buzzers that vibrate left and right. You won’t need to go into detail or tell the full story unless you want to.
Instead, the process allows your brain to notice whatever comes up — thoughts, feelings, or body sensations — and gradually reprocess the memory so it feels less charged.
I’ll also check in regularly, and you’ll always have the ability to pause, slow down, or stop if needed.
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EMDR can be especially supportive if you feel like the past keeps showing up in the present — through flashbacks, triggers, or heightened reactivity. It may not be the best first step if you’re in acute crisis or don’t yet feel ready to touch into difficult memories. If EMDR isn’t the right starting place, we’ll explore other approaches together.
Written Exposure Therapy
A gentle approach that invites you to put your experiences into words in a guided, step-by-step way. Writing can support you in understanding your story in a new way and at your own pace, helping your mind and body make new sense of what happened.
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During our time together, I’ll provide clear prompts and structure while you do the writing in session. This therapy does not require you to read what you’ve written out loud.
Your brain does the work to reprocess the experience through the process of writing. Reflecting on the experience afterward with me is not necessary, though might feel helpful once you’ve gone through the process.
I’ll check in throughout, and we’ll take breaks as needed to make sure the process feels manageable and supportive.
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Written Exposure Therapy can be a good fit if you appreciate clear structure, find expressing yourself easier through writing than other forms of expression, or want a shorter-term option for processing trauma.
It may not be ideal if sitting with written memories feels overwhelming, or if you’d like a slower-paced, more flexible path. If this approach doesn’t feel right, we’ll look at other options together.
GET STARTED
Healing takes time, but you don’t have to figure it out all at once—or all on your own.
FAQ
I know that starting therapy can feel like a big step, and it’s normal to have questions about how it all works. Here, you’ll find answers to some of the most common questions I hear from new clients.
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No. There are many ways to heal from experiencing something distressing or traumatic. EMDR and Written Exposure Therapy require someone to think about and communicate around a difficult experience, but there are other ways to address the effects of living through something traumatic without getting into the nitty-gritty details.
We can spend time building coping strategies, understand how these experiences are processed in the brain, and connecting dots between the present and the past without focusing so much on the details of the traumatic experience.
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The number of sessions depends on your unique experiences and goals, as well as the approaches we use—whether EMDR, Written Exposure Therapy, or a blend of other techniques. Some people find significant relief within just a few sessions, while others benefit from ongoing work that addresses deeper or more complex patterns. We’ll regularly check in to tailor the process to your needs.