Approach
Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR
EMDR that listens to the body and honors the relationships that shaped you. It's the way I was trained to practice EMDR, and it shapes how carefully we move.
Most descriptions of EMDR focus on memories: identifying a distressing moment and using bilateral stimulation to help it lose its charge. That's an important part of the work. But trauma isn't stored only as memories. It also lives in the body, and in the patterns we learned in our earliest relationships.
I completed S.A.F.E. EMDR training through the Personal Transformation Institute. S.A.F.E. EMDR is a somatic and attachment-focused approach, which means we pay close attention to what your body is doing and to the relational wounds underneath, not only to the memory on the surface.
The somatic piece
Listening to what the body holds.
In somatic and attachment-focused EMDR, the body is a guide throughout. Before, during, and after reprocessing, we notice sensations, posture, breath, and shifts in your nervous system. That attention helps us track whether you're within your window of tolerance, and it often reveals what words can't.
Sometimes the body moves before the mind catches up. A tightening in the chest, a wish to turn away, or a sudden heaviness can all be meaningful. Rather than pushing past those signals, we slow down and get curious about them, because they often point to what the memory still means to your nervous system.
This approach fits naturally with somatic therapy and with my Level 1 training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, both of which treat the body as a full partner in healing.
The attachment piece
Healing in relationship.
Some of the experiences that shape us most happened in relationships, especially early ones: not being comforted, not feeling safe, or sensing that love depended on being a certain way. These experiences don't always show up as a single traumatic memory, but they can shape how you see yourself and others for decades.
An attachment-focused lens means we attend to those relational patterns directly. Our relationship in therapy matters too. A steady, attuned connection can become part of what helps your system feel safe enough to process what it has been holding. This is especially relevant to childhood and developmental trauma.
Safety first
More preparation, gentler reprocessing.
S.A.F.E. EMDR places strong emphasis on resourcing before reprocessing. We build internal and external resources, practice coming back to steadiness, and get to know the protective parts that may need reassurance before deeper work can begin.
We only move into reprocessing when your system has the resources for it. You stay in charge of the pace, and we can always pause, slow down, or return to resourcing. In practice, that can mean:
- Longer preparation when trauma is complex or developmental.
- Frequent check-ins with your body during sessions.
- Working with smaller pieces of a memory at a time.
- Weaving in parts-centered work when a protective part steps forward.
How it fits
One tool, chosen with you.
EMDR is one approach among several I use. Whether we use it, and when, depends on what you're bringing and what feels right for you. If you're weighing different approaches, the guide comparing EMDR and somatic therapy explains how they differ and how they work together.
Sessions happen in person at my Doylestown office or by secure telehealth, since bilateral stimulation adapts well to video. You can read more about my training on the About page, or start with a free consultation.
Common questions
What people ask.
- How is S.A.F.E. EMDR different from standard EMDR?
- It follows the core EMDR process while adding focused attention to the body and to attachment. That means more emphasis on resourcing, on tracking sensations and nervous system states, and on relational patterns, alongside the memories themselves.
- Is this approach a good fit for childhood trauma?
- It can be a thoughtful fit. Because it attends to early relational experiences and to how the body holds them, it lends itself to developmental trauma. We'd talk together about whether it suits your history and goals before beginning.
- Will I have to describe every detail of a memory?
- No. EMDR doesn't require detailed retelling. We often work with a small piece of a memory, a feeling, or a body sensation, and you decide how much to share out loud.
- What training do you have in EMDR?
- I completed S.A.F.E. EMDR training, which is somatic and attachment-focused, through the Personal Transformation Institute. I'm also trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy at Level 1 and hold the Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP-II) credential.
Take the next step
Ready when you are.
Reach out to talk about fit and fees. Consultations are a low-pressure conversation — we'll see if working together feels right.
New clients begin with a free initial telehealth consultation. Brave Embers Wellness serves adults 21 and older.
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