EMDR approved consultant | Antonieta Contreras Therapist

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing)

EMDR Therapy: Transforming the Way the Mind Heals

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a powerful, evidence-based approach to healing that helps the brain process and integrate disturbing memories and emotional experiences. Originally developed for the treatment of trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), EMDR has since been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of mental health conditions—including anxiety, depression, phobias, grief, somatic symptoms, and more.

At the heart of EMDR is the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which proposes that many psychological symptoms are the result of unprocessed or maladaptively stored traumatic memories. When overwhelming experiences remain "stuck" in the nervous system, they continue to influence thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and even physical sensations in the present.

Through EMDR’s structured eight-phase, three-pronged protocol, we target:

Past experiences that laid the foundation for current difficulties
Present triggers that reactivate those memories or emotions
Future challenges to build resilience and adaptive responses

When the system is ready, EMDR allows these memories to be reprocessed in a way that alleviates emotional distress, restructures negative beliefs, and restores a felt sense of safety and control. Clients often report:

Reduction or elimination of emotional and physical symptoms
A more positive and accurate self-view
Freedom from persistent triggers and patterns
Greater clarity, calm, and confidence in their daily life

A Trauma-Informed, Client-Centered Approach

As an EMDRIA-approved consultant, I bring extensive training and years of experience to this work. My approach is highly attuned to each client’s nervous system and readiness. Not everyone is prepared to process traumatic memories immediately—and that’s okay. If your system is still dysregulated or your emotional tolerance is low, we start with stabilization and resourcing to help build the internal safety needed for deeper work.

EMDR is effective not because it pushes you to relive trauma, but because it gives your brain a chance to do what it was meant to do: adapt, resolve, and heal. The best part? It often works without needing to go into detail, without prolonged talk therapy, and without homework.

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BRAINSPOTTING

Brainspotting: Accessing the Brain’s Natural Healing Pathways

Brainspotting is a powerful, brain-based therapy that helps individuals process and release the emotional and physiological impact of trauma and deeply held distress. Developed by Dr. David Grand, Brainspotting is grounded in neuroscience and designed to access the parts of the brain where trauma and unprocessed experiences are stored—often beyond the reach of traditional talk therapy.

The technique is based on the observation that “where you look affects how you feel.” By identifying specific eye positions—called brainspots—that correlate with stored emotional and somatic pain, we can directly access the brain-body interface where traumatic or overwhelming experiences have been “frozen” in the nervous system.

How It Works

Brainspotting uses focused mindfulness, dual attunement, and neurobiological awareness to allow unresolved material to surface naturally—without forcing, reliving, or retraumatizing. It taps into the subcortical brain, the area responsible for survival, regulation, and implicit memory.

While you maintain gentle attention on a specific eye position, the therapist attunes deeply to both your nervous system and emotional cues, supporting the brain’s innate self-scanning and self-healing abilities. The process bypasses overthinking and allows deeper layers of healing to unfold—often revealing surprising insights and emotional resolution.

Clients often report:

A sense of deep release and relief
Reduction in symptoms such as anxiety, dissociation, or chronic tension
Enhanced emotional clarity and resilience
More coherent self-understanding and body-mind connection

A Body-Based Approach to Trauma and Beyond

Though highly effective for trauma, Brainspotting can also be used to address:

Performance anxiety
Creative blocks
Medical trauma
Somatic symptoms and chronic pain
Attachment injuries
Self-sabotaging patterns
Grief, phobias, and emotional overwhelm

What makes Brainspotting unique is its nonverbal, bottom-up approach. It allows the healing process to unfold from within—at the pace your nervous system can handle—without needing to explain or intellectualize every part of your story.

A Safe, Adaptive, and Profoundly Attuned Experience

As a trauma therapist with extensive training in Brainspotting and other somatic modalities, I tailor every session to your unique needs and level of readiness. Whether you’ve done years of therapy or are just beginning to explore your emotional landscape, Brainspotting offers a gentle yet powerful way to reconnect with your body’s wisdom and move toward lasting resolution.

You don’t have to relive the past to release it—you just need the right conditions for your brain to do what it naturally knows how to do: heal.