EMDR & Parts Work

In my practice, I often weave together EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and parts work to help clients process painful experiences, build self-compassion, and find more ease in their day-to-day lives. These are both powerful methods for working with trauma, attachment wounds, and the ways we get stuck in patterns that no longer serve us.

What is EMDR?

EMDR is a trauma-informed therapy that helps people process distressing memories and experiences that may still be “stuck” in the nervous system. These might be big, obvious traumas—or smaller, cumulative experiences that have shaped how you see yourself and the world.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) to support your brain’s natural healing processes. As we revisit past experiences, EMDR helps you move from overwhelm or shame toward a more integrated, grounded understanding of what happened and how it’s affected you.

Clients often say EMDR feels different from traditional talk therapy—it can be deep, focused, and sometimes surprisingly gentle. We go at your pace, always keeping your sense of safety and choice at the center.

What is Parts Work?

Parts work is a way of understanding ourselves as made up of different “parts”—inner voices, emotions, or patterns that have developed to protect us. You might recognize some of these parts already: the inner critic, the people-pleaser, the anxious planner, the shut-down protector.

Rather than trying to get rid of these parts, we learn to get curious about them. What are they trying to do for you? What are they afraid of? How old do they feel? And what would happen if we could listen with compassion instead of judgment?

I draw from Internal Family Systems (IFS) and other parts-based models to help clients build relationships with their inner world and move toward a more cohesive, self-led life.

How I Integrate EMDR and Parts Work

For many clients, combining EMDR and parts work creates a powerful pathway for healing.

Parts work gives us language and insight to understand what’s happening internally—who’s showing up, what they’re trying to do, and what they need. EMDR then helps us process the memories and beliefs these parts are carrying so they no longer have to work so hard to protect us.

In practice, this might look like:

• Preparing for EMDR by working with protective parts who are unsure about revisiting the past

• Checking in with younger parts of you before or after a session to make sure they feel supported

• Using EMDR to help resolve the emotional burdens certain parts have been carrying for years

Together, these approaches help us create space for healing—not by forcing change, but by making room for your system to reorganize itself in safer, more connected ways.

Is This Approach Right for You?

Whether you’re navigating trauma, burnout, anxiety, parenting struggles, or relationship challenges, EMDR and parts work can support deeper, more lasting change. If you’ve felt stuck in patterns you can’t talk your way out of, or like your reactions don’t always make sense to your current life, this integrative work may be a good fit.

You don’t need to have experience with EMDR or parts work to begin. I’ll guide you through it step by step, with lots of space to ask questions and tailor things to your pace.