Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is now accepted as the best therapeutic, evidence-based intervention to treat trauma.
We all experience small to big traumas, (Little T and Big T) in our lives, things that we get stuck on and keep reliving, things that negatively impact how we function in the world.
For most of us we had “good enough” parenting, however even with good parents there are moments when we felt unseen, unheard, emotionally neglected or bullied at school or the community. For others life was even more complicated, many people have experienced complex childhood trauma; neglect, sexual/physical abuse, addicted or absent parents.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (BLS) a therapeutic technique that uses rhythmic, alternating sensory input from left to right. This could be side to side eye movements, physical tapping on the knees, alternating auditory tones. The aim is to engage both hemispheres of the brain.
Attachment Informed EMDR (ai-EMDR) helps make the links to childhood or intergenerational burdens. Sometimes it can be a felt sense, tension in our bodies (pre-verbal) that we’re unable to shift or process. Ai-EMDR integrates traditional EMDR therapy with an understanding of early attachment experiences. It recognises that many present-day emotional struggles are shaped by the ways we learned to relate, trust, and feel safe in childhood. By combining EMDR’s structured trauma-processing approach with a focus on relational safety, ai-EMDR supports deeper healing for people whose difficulties stem from attachment wounds.
Why is an emphasis on early attachment important?
Most people naturally process difficult situations or singular traumas such as a car accident, loss of a job, relationship breakdown, however when we have childhood attachment issues and/or intergenerational burdens our lens on how we perceive the trauma is distorted. The trauma will be linked through our neural pathways to all other negative experiences compounding negatives feelings about ourselves. We might experience flashbacks, nightmares, sleep disorders, disassociation, hopelessness and suicidal thoughts.
Is ai-EMDR safe?
The beautiful thing about EMDR is that we don’t need to immerse ourselves in past trauma, it’s like going over an incident from afar. First sessions explore coping strategies, resourcing and stabilization, to strengthen internal safety, self-compassion and emotion regulation. We then move to processing memories and the integrating new healthier beliefs about self-worth and safety.
All sessions are paced to keep you safe, they can be stopped and adjusted at any time.
EMDR for Neurodiversity
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EMDR & Neurodiversity
As a mother of a neurodivergent adult and as a trauma counsellor I understand that many neurodivergent adults experience trauma differently — through sensory overload, shutdowns, masking, or feeling “too much” or “not enough” in the world. EMDR can be adapted to honour these needs, offering a structured yet flexible way to process overwhelming experiences without forcing verbal expression or eye‑contact‑heavy techniques.
In sessions, we work at your pace, using grounding, creative, or sensory‑friendly options such as tapping, visual anchors, imagery, or clay‑based symbol work. This approach supports your nervous system to settle, reduces the intensity of past experiences, and helps you build a clearer, more compassionate relationship with yourself.
EMDR for neurodivergence is about safety, choice, and respecting how your brain naturally works — not trying to change it but helping it heal.
Short videos to explain process:
