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Emdr therapy in San francisco, CA

Recovery is Possible.


Trauma makes it feel like you can’t let go of your past.

Can you relate?

  • You always feel alert and anxious.

  • It feels impossible to not blame yourself for what happened.

  • Trusting and getting close with others is difficult.

  • You’re not sure who you are anymore.

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PTSD Therapy San Francisco. Baker Beach image.

For all of us, unprocessed memories are generally the basis of negative responses, attitudes and behaviors. Processed memories, on the other hand, are the basis of adaptive positive responses, attitudes and behaviors.
— Francine Shapiro
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About EMDR Therapy in San Francisco, CA.

We are born into an unpredictable world where we cannot always control what happens to us. Especially when we are young, we are vulnerable to abuse and neglect. Even the experience of not feeling seen or heard by our caregivers can have a lasting impact.

 As we go through our lives, most of us experience accidents, assaults, or betrayals at one point or another. All these events can impact your worldview, warping how you see yourself and others around you.

This leads to your nervous system stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. You may experience troubled sleep and night terrors. Your body may fatigue from always being “on.” It might feel like trauma reminders haunt you, and you may even find yourself avoiding triggering people or places.

Ultimately, the most debilitating impact of trauma can be its impact on self-worth. You may blame yourself for the trauma or think you don’t deserve love and safety. Perhaps you’ve never even experienced true love and safety. For many, this can lead to a downward spiral of self-injury, disordered eating, or substance abuse.

But this does not need does not need to be the end of the story. That’s where your local San Francisco EMDR therapist comes in.

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My Approach to EMDR in the Bay Area.

Imagine what it would feel like to not obsess over the past? Imagine feeling revitalized, peaceful, and confident? You would finally be developing your unique identity and establishing a healthy support network. You would be able to help others and make a positive contribution to the world.

I will help you prepare for reprocessing trauma memories through a process called resourcing. Resourcing is developing coping skills based on your strengths and positive experiences. Many of these coping skills use visualization to regulate your nervous system.

Then, we will move into reprocessing the memories. You do not have to talk in depth about a traumatic memory to reprocess it. I will ask you to identify an image that represents a memory, along with the thoughts and feelings it evokes. Then we will begin bilateral stimulation.

Bilateral stimulation is back and forth movement. Most often, I have people watch my hand while I wave it right to left. While watching my hand, I’ll encourage you to think about the memory. We will take regular breaks to see how you are doing and how the memory might be shifting.

This technique makes traumatic memories feel less intense. Imagine your worst moments feeling far away. When traumatic memories are finally processed, your body and mind can experience peace. If you’re ready for healing, contact me to schedule a complimentary consultation.

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ABOUT KARINA WESTRICK, LPCC

Hi, my name is Karina, and I’m an EMDR therapist in San Francisco. Experiencing trauma can make you feel isolated, but you are not alone. I understand the ways trauma can manifest in the mind and body.

The human nervous system is incredibly resilient when given the opportunity to recover. EMDR is a neurobiological tool for addressing trauma symptoms. If you’re ready to start your healing journey, schedule a complimentary consultation today.

GET TO KNOW ME BETTER


Getting Started Is Easy

01.

Book a free 15 minute consultation.


02.

Schedule a time for your first session.


03.

Begin therapy, start healing!



EMDR Therapy San Francisco FAQS

  • EMDR was initially developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can also help people who have disturbing memories or anxiety. In fact, EMDR treats a host of mental health concerns, including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and addictions.

  • EMDR is a structured approach to therapy where we move through several stages and steps. Talk therapy for trauma is more open-ended. Oftentimes, I combine elements of both in my work. For example, a healthy therapeutic relationship is critical for EMDR to be effective.

  • If an insurance plan covers outpatient psychotherapy, EMDR is covered is as well. I am currently in network with United Healthcare and Aetna. I help potential clients understand their benefits at the outset of therapy, including any potential costs such as copays.

  • People currently engaged in risky coping skills may need to engage in an extended resourcing process. This is because EMDR can be triggering, and safety is important. Examples of risky coping skills include substance abuse and self-harm. Resourcing will help develop healthier coping skills.

    Similarly, people with high levels of dissociation may need extra support at the beginning of therapy. Dissociation is a common trauma symptom where a person feels separate from their body or the world around them. At the beginning of therapy, we will complete an assessment to determine if this is something you might be struggling with.

    EMDR can be adapted to accommodate a wide range of physical limitations. For example, blind people might engage in bilateral tapping instead of back-and-forth eye movements.

  • EMDR is an evidence-based treatment for trauma. Many research studies have found that it helps reduce symptoms of PTSD.

    Although we know EMDR works, we currently don’t know how EMDR works. Several hypotheses exist. For example, bilateral stimulation may mimic the eye movements that happen during REM sleep. REM sleep is when our memories are consolidated. Therefore, it’s possible bilateral stimulation in therapy helps consolidate memories as well.

     


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You Deserve Healing. Get In Touch Today.

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