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I combine EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion.
Together, these methods help rewire the brain to shift long-standing patterns, reduce emotional reactivity, and foster a true experience of peace and calm.
For busy people, managing stress isn’t a luxury; it’s essential. I teach targeted stress management skills that fit into real lives and demanding schedules.
Guided Imagery Exercises to train your brain to access a sense of safety and ease and help your body relax.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy to explore and make changes to connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to more deeply process traumatic events and neutralize physiological reactivity.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy to explore and make changes to connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to more deeply process traumatic events and neutralize physiological reactivity.
These techniques help downregulate the amygdala, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote restorative rest so that you can feel calmer, think more clearly, and show up more fully in work and life.
Not Just Talk Therapy. CBT and EMDR Are Tools for Transformation.
Reach out today to get started.
CBT gives you practical tools to shift negative thinking patterns, end unproductive behaviors, and better regulate your nervous system.
CBT has been empirically validated as an effective treatment for depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, personality disorders, insomnia, anger, and stress. Given that we all have stress, the bottom line is that everyone can benefit from CBT!
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people recognize thoughts that lead to distress and cause unproductive behaviors. With CBT, you make conscious choices about new thoughts to practice. These new thoughts shift the connected feelings and behaviors.
You can also focus on changing specific behaviors and learn how acting differently influences your feelings and thoughts.
An example of CBT is to investigate how your interpretation of someone’s behavior influences you. If you think someone is curt with you because they find you irritating, you may feel anxious and withdraw.
If you think someone is curt with you because they are having a bad day, you may feel sympathy for them and joke around to lighten the mood.
CBT is fun, reach out if you would like to give it a try!
Still have questions? No worries. Visit our FAQ page to find answers to all your questions. Reach out today to get started
EMDR processes trauma at the root for deep and lasting change.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) is a multiphase and comprehensive therapy approach that helps the mind and body process memories of negative events, traumas, and related triggers. EMDR works using Eye Movements to jumpstart the brain’s natural processing ability when that process has been overwhelmed and stalled.
EMDR is by far the most effective approach to therapy that I have used during my career. Even with all of my experiences helping clients with EMDR, I am still amazed by how it works.
With normal memories, you can recall the event and remember the feelings that you felt at the time, but you don’t feel lost or significantly activated when you think about them.
EMDR shifts negative memories from active and overwhelming into a more normal state. With EMDR ,you can let go of the past and be more rooted in the present.
Originally developed and validated with PTSD, EMDR works well with all types of traumas, including assaults, accidents, and abuse.
EMDR is also very effective with anxiety such as: Generalized Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, and Claustrophobia.
EMDR is effective with events which do not meet the formal definition of trauma but are still disruptive and upsetting such as: bullying, excessive criticism, disappointments, harassment, discrimination, losses, indecision, procrastination, and failures.
The same basic EMDR process is used for any situation. I use my expertise and extensive training to adapt the processing to each unique stress or trauma.
Our brains have a natural adaptive processing system that gets stalled when overwhelmed. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation (BLS) to help the brain to more fully process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote adaptive resolution.
Over time, the memory becomes less charged, and a more positive and balanced view about yourself and the world is enhanced.
The EMDR processing of an accident would proceed from first processing the past event of the accident itself, then focus on present triggers, then create a future template of being able to drive with ease.
The first processing session would be focused on the accident. We would outline the images, negative thoughts, emotions, and body sensations associated with the accident and use the eye movements while thinking about the event to process it.
Once the accident feels neutral in mind and body, we would connect a positive thought with the memory of the accident, usually something like “I’m safe now.” Or “It is over. I’m OK.”
Finally, we would use the eye movements to process any leftover body activation.
The next portion of EMDR treatment for a car accident would focus on processing current triggering situations related to the accident. The process with triggers is the same as with the accident itself: decrease the negative emotions, connect to a positive thought, and release and end body activation in response to the trigger.
A final portion of EMDR for a car accident is establishing and rehearsing the way you want to be able to think and feel in the car in the future. This is also done with eye movements.
A Tool to Increase Emotional Stability
I have been a practicing Buddhist since 1988. I have attended many silent retreats and maintain a daily meditation practice. My direct experience with meditation and my study of Buddhism are integrated into my work as a therapist.
Mindfulness is the mental attitude of having conscious and curious awareness regarding what is happening in the present moment.
We can apply mindfulness to thinking, emotions, and bodily experiences. It requires making an effort to engage with the present moment without judgement.
Meditation is a more formal practice of sitting quietly with eyes closed and dedicating a specific amount of time to focusing on the breath as an anchor to the present moment.
Although often referred to within the Buddhist context, meditation can be separated completely from the Buddhist context and be used as a wellness tool on its own. Some apps I recommend if you want to learn meditation with a guide are Calm, Headspace, and Insight Timer.
Mindfulness has been found to be helpful for a large range of emotional and physical problems such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, high blood pressure and chronic pain.
Mindfulness helps people change multiple aspects of their functioning and is correlated to changes in the brain. Mindfulness helps people gain more control over their attention and focus, improves emotion regulation, and helps with the ability to shift perspective.
You might be wondering if EMDR is right for you, or whether your specific situation would respond well to this type of therapy. Perhaps you’ve heard about EMDR’s effectiveness but aren’t sure if it applies to your experiences, or you’re concerned about investing time and money into an approach that might not work for your particular challenges.
EMDR and CBT therapy in San Jose, California, works best for certain types of presentations and readiness levels. As an EMDRIA-certified therapist with over 15 years of experience providing EMDR therapy, I can help you determine if EMDR is a good fit for your needs.
You’re likely a good candidate for EMDR if:
You have identifiable traumatic memories or distressing experiences:
Originally developed and validated with PTSD, EMDR works well with all types of traumas, including assaults, accidents, and abuse. The same basic EMDR process is used for any situation, and I use my expertise and extensive training to adapt the processing to each unique stress or trauma.
Your anxiety seems connected to past experiences:
EMDR is also very effective with anxiety, such as Generalized Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, and Claustrophobia. Many people don’t realize their current anxiety stems from unprocessed traumatic memories that keep their nervous system on high alert.
You’ve tried talk therapy without lasting results:
EMDR is by far the most effective approach to therapy that I have used during my career. Even with all of my experiences helping clients with EMDR, I am still amazed by how it works. Many clients come to my San Jose practice after years of traditional therapy that didn’t address their trauma at its root.
You’re dealing with events that don’t meet the formal definition of trauma but are still disruptive:
EMDR is effective with events that do not meet the formal definition of trauma but are still disruptive and upsetting, such as bullying, excessive criticism, disappointments, harassment, discrimination, losses, indecision, procrastination, and failures.
Specific situations where EMDR works well:
For professionals in Silicon Valley and the South Bay:
I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students … who need effective treatment that addresses root causes without years of therapy.
You’re a good candidate if:
What makes EMDR processing possible:
Emotional stability in daily life:
You don’t need to be completely symptom-free, but you should have the basic ability to:
Willingness to engage with difficult memories:
Ability to commit to the process:
With normal memories, you can recall the event and remember the feelings that you felt at the time, but you don’t feel lost or significantly activated when you think about them. EMDR shifts negative memories from active and overwhelming into a more normal state. With EMDR, you can let go of the past and be more rooted in the present.
This transformation requires:
Signs you might need preparation before EMDR:
Some people benefit from CBT skill-building before beginning EMDR processing:
The good news is that I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes. We can start with CBT to build coping skills and stabilization, then move into EMDR processing when you’re ready.
How EMDR works for different trauma types in San Jose:
For childhood trauma:
Negative events from your past still affect everything you do. Childhood and young adult trauma can shape people in unhealthy ways. Sometimes, even though you have tried, you can’t shake the enduring negative impact of the past.
EMDR is particularly effective for childhood trauma because it processes the original experiences and the negative beliefs formed during that time … improving self-confidence, increasing your sense of security, and helping you learn healthier patterns.
For relationship and sexual trauma:
Negative relationship events have left you insecure, confused, and unable to trust yourself or the important people in your life. Sexual trauma has left an imprint that you didn’t choose, but that you live with every day.
EMDR helps you process these violations and betrayals, reducing emotional reactivity and helping you reclaim your sense of safety and autonomy.
For health-related trauma:
Acute health emergencies, chronic pain, and significant health problems can create anxiety that is hard to manage. EMDR processes medical trauma and helps you cope better with all aspects of health-related stress.
Assessing your candidacy:
During our initial sessions, we’ll discuss:
For more information about how EMDR processes traumatic memories, visit my trauma therapy page. To understand how EMDR helps with anxiety presentations, see my anxiety therapy page.
Accessing EMDR therapy in Willow Glen:
My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128, in the Willow Glen neighborhood. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area.
Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents, making specialized EMDR and CBT therapy accessible throughout the Bay Area.
For questions about session costs and treatment logistics, visit my FAQ page.
You might be struggling with anxiety that feels overwhelming and constant, wondering if EMDR could help when you’ve been told anxiety just needs to be “managed” rather than resolved. Perhaps you’ve tried medications or traditional therapy for anxiety without lasting relief, or you’re curious whether EMDR … which you’ve heard is for trauma … could actually address your anxiety symptoms.
EMDR is also very effective with anxiety, such as Generalized Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, and Claustrophobia. As an EMDR and CBT therapist in San Jose, California, I’ve seen remarkable results using EMDR to address anxiety at its root … not just managing symptoms but resolving the underlying causes.
How EMDR addresses anxiety:
The anxiety-trauma connection:
Many people don’t realize that chronic anxiety often stems from unprocessed traumatic experiences. Your brain learned to stay on high alert based on past events, and that vigilance continues even when you’re objectively safe now.
Anxiety can be unmanageable and sometimes feels like it’s controlling your life. Anxiety about work, family, health, money, and life’s daily challenges can lead to chronic fear and worry. If anxiety has narrowed your life, continually saps your energy, and makes you avoid things you used to enjoy, EMDR can address the root memories fueling this pattern.
What happens in the brain:
Our brains have a natural adaptive processing system that gets stalled when overwhelmed. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain more fully process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote adaptive resolution.
Over time, the memory becomes less charged, and a more positive and balanced view of yourself and the world is enhanced. This neurological shift reduces the anxiety that was being triggered by unprocessed traumatic material.
Types of anxiety EMDR treats in South Bay:
Generalized Anxiety and Chronic Worry:
That constant sense of dread and worry about multiple areas of life … often rooted in early experiences of unpredictability, criticism, or instability. EMDR processes the original experiences that taught your nervous system to stay perpetually vigilant.
Panic Attacks:
Sudden overwhelming fear with physical symptoms … often connected to specific traumatic memories or a series of stressful events that overwhelmed your system. EMDR processes both the original triggering events and the panic attacks themselves.
Phobias:
Intense fear of specific situations or objects … frequently linked to frightening experiences, even if you don’t consciously remember them. EMDR accesses and processes the memories that created the phobic response.
Social Anxiety:
Fear of judgment or embarrassment in social situations … commonly rooted in experiences of bullying, harsh criticism, rejection, or humiliation. EMDR processes these formative experiences, reducing their power over current social situations.
Performance Anxiety:
Anxiety about work presentations, evaluations, or high-stakes situations … often connected to past experiences of failure, harsh judgment, or perfectionist expectations. Common among professionals in Silicon Valley who face constant performance pressure.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:
Intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety … are frequently linked to experiences of feeling out of control or unsafe. EMDR can process underlying trauma while CBT provides tools for managing symptoms.
Claustrophobia and Agoraphobia:
Fear of enclosed spaces or leaving safe environments … often rooted in experiences of feeling trapped, helpless, or unsafe. EMDR processes these foundational experiences.
Health Anxiety:
Excessive worry about illness or physical symptoms … is frequently connected to medical trauma, witnessing serious illness, or experiencing frightening health events. EMDR processes both the original medical trauma and the anxiety it created.
How EMDR resolves anxiety differently from other approaches:
Traditional anxiety treatment:
Most anxiety treatment focuses on managing symptoms … breathing techniques, cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, or medication. These can be helpful but often provide only temporary relief because they don’t address the root traumatic memories fueling the anxiety.
EMDR’s unique approach:
EMDR goes to the source. Instead of just managing anxiety symptoms, EMDR processes the traumatic experiences that created the anxious response in the first place. When those memories are fully processed, the anxiety often diminishes significantly or disappears.
With normal memories, you can recall the event and remember the feelings that you felt at the time, but you don’t feel lost or significantly activated when you think about them. EMDR shifts negative memories from active and overwhelming into a more normal state. With EMDR, you can let go of the past and be more rooted in the present.
Combining EMDR with CBT for anxiety:
I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion.
CBT provides immediate tools:
While EMDR addresses root causes, CBT gives you practical strategies for managing anxiety in daily life … understanding triggers, challenging anxious thoughts, developing coping skills, and facing avoided situations.
EMDR creates lasting change:
As we process traumatic memories with EMDR, you’ll notice anxiety symptoms decreasing without having to constantly use coping techniques. The anxiety loses its grip because we’ve resolved what was driving it.
Together, these methods help rewire the brain to shift long-standing patterns, reduce emotional reactivity, and foster a true experience of peace and calm.
What anxiety relief looks like with EMDR:
The transformation clients experience:
Before EMDR processing, you might feel:
After EMDR processing, clients report feeling:
Real results clients notice:
Clients who work with me often find that:
Examples of anxiety-trauma connections:
Childhood experiences creating adult anxiety:
Recent traumas triggering anxiety:
Chronic stress becomes anxiety:
Even experiences that don’t seem “traumatic enough” can overwhelm your system and create chronic anxiety … ongoing workplace stress, caregiving demands, financial instability, or cumulative disappointments.
EMDR is effective with events that do not meet the formal definition of trauma but are still disruptive and upsetting, such as bullying, excessive criticism, disappointments, harassment, discrimination, losses, indecision, procrastination, and failures.
Who benefits from EMDR for anxiety in Silicon Valley:
I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students … whose anxiety often connects to perfectionistic expectations, fear of failure, or chronic high-stakes stress.
Timeline for anxiety relief:
Many clients notice some reduction in anxiety within the first few EMDR processing sessions, with continued improvement as we address additional memories and triggers. The exact timeline depends on:
For more detailed information about anxiety presentations and treatment, visit my anxiety therapy page. To understand how trauma underlies many anxiety symptoms, see my trauma therapy page.
Accessing EMDR for anxiety in Willow Glen:
My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area (95128 and surrounding zip codes).
Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents, making specialized EMDR and CBT therapy for anxiety accessible throughout the Bay Area.
You’re probably wondering if EMDR actually works before investing your time, energy, and money into this approach. Maybe you’ve heard impressive claims about EMDR but want to know the real success rates, or you’ve tried other therapies that didn’t help, and you’re skeptical about whether EMDR will be different.
The research on EMDR therapy success rates is encouraging. Studies consistently show that EMDR is highly effective for trauma and anxiety, with success rates comparable to or better than other evidence-based approaches … and often achieving results more quickly.
Research-backed success rates
For PTSD and trauma
For anxiety disorders
Compared to other therapies
What “success” means with EMDR
For trauma processing
With normal memories, you can recall the event and remember the feelings that you felt at the time, but you don’t feel lost or significantly activated when you think about them. EMDR shifts negative memories from active and overwhelming into a more normal state. With EMDR, you can let go of the past and be more rooted in the present.
Success means:
For anxiety reduction
Anxiety can be unmanageable and sometimes feels like it’s controlling your life. If anxiety has narrowed your life, continually saps your energy, and makes you avoid things you used to enjoy, EMDR success means reclaiming your life from anxiety’s control.
Success means:
Factors that influence EMDR success rates
Type and complexity of trauma
The same basic EMDR process is used for any situation. I use my expertise and extensive training to adapt the processing to each unique stress or trauma.
Your engagement and consistency
Therapist training and experience
I have been EMDRIA Certified in EMDR and have been providing EMDR therapy since 2009. EMDR is by far the most effective approach to therapy that I have used during my career. Even with all of my experiences helping clients with EMDR, I am still amazed by how it works.
Support system and current stability
My clients’ success with EMDR in South Bay
I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students … who need evidence-based treatment that creates real, lasting change.
The transformation clients experience
Before EMDR processing, you might feel:
After EMDR processing, clients report feeling:
Real outcomes clients notice
Clients who work with me often find that:
Why EMDR works when other approaches haven’t
Many clients come to my San Jose practice after years of traditional therapy that didn’t create lasting change. EMDR works differently because:
It accesses the whole brain
It resolves trauma at the root
Our brains have a natural adaptive processing system that gets stalled when overwhelmed. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain more fully process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote adaptive resolution.
Over time, the memory becomes less charged, and a more positive and balanced view of yourself and the world is enhanced.
It works with your brain’s natural healing.
EMDR doesn’t require you to analyze, understand, or verbally process every detail. The brain makes its own connections and insights during processing, often more efficiently than talk therapy alone.
Combining EMDR with CBT increases success.
I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion.
CBT provides
EMDR provides
Together, these methods help rewire the brain to shift long-standing patterns, reduce emotional reactivity, and foster a true experience of peace and calm.
Realistic expectations for your EMDR journey
Timeline varies based on complexity.
Success isn’t always linear
Different presentations respond differently
For childhood trauma, relationship trauma, sexual trauma, and health anxiety … EMDR addresses each presentation effectively, though the timeline and approach adapt to your specific experiences.
Visit my trauma therapy page to learn more about processing various trauma types, or my anxiety therapy page to understand how EMDR resolves anxiety at its source.
Accessing evidence-based EMDR in Willow Glen
My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area (95128 and surrounding zip codes).
Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents, making specialized EMDR and CBT therapy accessible throughout the Bay Area.
You might be wondering if your experiences qualify as “trauma” worthy of EMDR therapy, or whether EMDR only works for severe PTSD from combat or major disasters. Perhaps you’re minimizing your own difficult experiences because they don’t seem “bad enough,” or you’re curious whether EMDR can address the specific type of trauma you’ve experienced.
Originally developed and validated with PTSD, EMDR works well with all types of traumas, including assaults, accidents, and abuse. Additionally, EMDR is effective with events that do not meet the formal definition of trauma but are still disruptive and upsetting, such as bullying, excessive criticism, disappointments, harassment, discrimination, losses, indecision, procrastination, and failures.
As an EMDR and CBT therapist in San Jose, California, I use EMDR to treat the full spectrum of traumatic experiences … from single overwhelming events to complex developmental trauma to distressing experiences that might not seem “traumatic” but continue to affect you.
Types of trauma EMDR addresses
Childhood trauma and developmental experiences
Negative events from your past still affect everything you do. Childhood and young adult trauma can shape people in unhealthy ways. Sometimes, even though you have tried, you can’t shake the enduring negative impact of the past.
What childhood trauma includes
How EMDR helps
In trauma therapy, I will help you overcome the destructive impact of the trauma, abuse, or neglect that occurred while you were growing up. Trauma therapy using EMDR and CBT will improve your self-confidence, increase your sense of security, and help you learn healthier communication patterns so that you can improve your relationships and live a happier and more peaceful life.
Relationship trauma and interpersonal violations
Negative relationship events have left you insecure, confused, and unable to trust yourself or the important people in your life. Relationship trauma, such as assault, verbal abuse, infidelity, or manipulation, can leave you hypervigilant, confused, and over-reactive to even small events between you and your loved ones.
What relationship trauma includes
How EMDR helps
In relationship therapy, I will help you process relationship hurts and violations. You will develop the capacity to live more fully in the present. I will help you become clearer, more authentic, calmer, and more assertive in your relationships.
Sexual trauma and assault
Sexual trauma has left an imprint that you didn’t choose, but that you live with every day. After sexual trauma, certain moments, places, or even a casual touch can trigger anxiety, fear, or dissociation. You may feel disconnected from your body, your relationships, and even your sense of safety.
What sexual trauma includes
My experience
I have many years of experience helping people successfully process all different kinds of sexual trauma. I am passionate about this work. I’m confident that I can help you face these negative events and move forward. It is my privilege to be a part of this special healing journey.
How EMDR helps
EMDR therapy for sexual trauma will help you process what happened and point the way toward a life less impacted by your past, one in which you can reclaim yourself and your body.
Medical and health-related trauma
Acute health emergencies, chronic pain, and significant health problems can create anxiety that is hard to manage. The mental and emotional impact of health problems adds extra stress on top of an already challenging situation.
What health trauma includes
How EMDR helps
Sometimes, worries about being unwell and what will come next can overtake the reality of your situation. In health anxiety therapy, we will process negative medical events and help you find ways to cope better with all aspects of your medical stress so that you can enjoy your life more fully.
Recent traumatic events
EMDR processes both recent and long-standing trauma effectively. Recent traumatic events often respond quickly to EMDR before they become deeply entrenched patterns.
What recent trauma includes
Workplace and professional trauma
Common among the professionals I work with in Silicon Valley and the South Bay:
“Small t” trauma that still impacts you
EMDR is effective with events that do not meet the formal definition of trauma but are still disruptive and upsetting. You don’t need to have experienced severe abuse or life-threatening situations for EMDR to help.
Examples of “small t” trauma
These experiences may not sound “traumatic,” but if they continue to affect how you see yourself, how you relate to others, or how you function in life, EMDR can help process them.
How EMDR works across different trauma types
The same basic EMDR process is used for any situation. I use my expertise and extensive training to adapt the processing to each unique stress or trauma.
The core EMDR approach
Our brains have a natural adaptive processing system that gets stalled when overwhelmed. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain more fully process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote adaptive resolution.
Over time, the memory becomes less charged, and a more positive and balanced view of yourself and the world is enhanced.
Adapting EMDR to your specific trauma
When trauma presents as anxiety
EMDR is also very effective with anxiety, such as Generalized Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, and Claustrophobia. Many people don’t realize their anxiety stems from unprocessed traumatic experiences … EMDR addresses both the trauma and the anxiety it created.
Who I work with in South Bay and Silicon Valley
I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students … who often experience workplace trauma, performance failures, or chronic high-stakes stress that qualifies as trauma even if it doesn’t fit the stereotypical definition.
Comprehensive trauma treatment
I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion.
With the evidence-based methods of EMDR and CBT, I effectively promote your healing from trauma and help you establish patterns of long-term resilience.
For more detailed information about specific trauma presentations, visit my trauma therapy page. To understand how trauma fuels anxiety symptoms, see my anxiety therapy page.
Accessing trauma-informed EMDR in Willow Glen
My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area (95128 and surrounding zip codes).
Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents throughout the Bay Area.
You might be worried about whether EMDR therapy will be too overwhelming or retraumatizing, especially if you’ve spent years trying to avoid thinking about painful memories. Perhaps you’re concerned that focusing on trauma will make things worse before they get better, or you’re wondering if you’ll be able to handle the emotional intensity of processing.
EMDR can bring up difficult emotions and memories … that’s part of how it works … but it’s designed to be a controlled, manageable process. As an EMDRIA-certified EMDR and CBT therapist in San Jose, California, I take careful steps to ensure processing feels safe and that you have the resources to handle what comes up.
Understanding what “triggering” means in EMDR
Processing activates memories intentionally
Unlike being triggered unexpectedly in daily life, EMDR processing happens in a controlled therapeutic environment where you’re prepared and supported. We deliberately activate traumatic memories so your brain can process them … but we do this carefully and at a pace you can handle.
Our brains have a natural adaptive processing system that gets stalled when overwhelmed. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain more fully process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote adaptive resolution.
Temporary activation leads to lasting relief.
Yes, you may feel emotionally activated during and immediately after EMDR sessions. This is actually a sign that processing is happening. However, this temporary discomfort is different from being traumatized … it’s your brain working through stuck material so it no longer has power over you.
Over time, the memory becomes less charged, and a more positive and balanced view of yourself and the world is enhanced.
How do I minimize overwhelming activation?
Preparation before processing
Before we begin EMDR processing, we establish:
I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion. We build these stabilization skills first.
Titrated processing
Ongoing assessment
Throughout processing, I monitor:
Pacing based on your capacity
The same basic EMDR process is used for any situation. I use my expertise and extensive training to adapt the processing to each unique stress or trauma … including adjusting pace and intensity to what you can handle.
What activation during EMDR feels like
During sessions
This is your brain doing the work of processing. It can be uncomfortable, but it’s productive discomfort that leads to resolution.
After sessions
These are normal signs of processing, not retraumatization. With normal memories, you can recall the event and remember the feelings that you felt at the time, but you don’t feel lost or significantly activated when you think about them. EMDR shifts negative memories from active and overwhelming into a more normal state.
When EMDR might not be appropriate right now
Current crisis or instability
If you’re currently in an actively unsafe situation or experiencing a severe crisis, we may need to establish more stability before beginning trauma processing. We can use CBT to build coping skills first.
Severe dissociation
If you tend to disconnect significantly from present reality, we’ll need to work on grounding and staying present before processing traumatic memories.
Limited support or resources
EMDR works best when you have adequate support between sessions and relative stability in your daily life.
Recent significant loss or trauma
Sometimes, very recent trauma needs some initial stabilization before processing.
In these cases, we don’t skip EMDR entirely … we just prepare more carefully before beginning processing work.
Managing activation between sessions
Tools you’ll learn
Support structures
Why is the activation worth it
The transformation clients experience
Before EMDR processing, you might feel:
After EMDR processing, clients report feeling:
The temporary discomfort of processing leads to lasting freedom from trauma’s grip.
Different from being retraumatized
For different trauma types
The level of activation varies:
For all trauma types, we adapt the approach to keep processing productively without becoming retraumatizing. Visit my trauma therapy page or anxiety therapy page for more about specific presentations.
Who handles EMDR well in South Bay?
I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students … who often bring strong coping skills and resilience to the EMDR process.
Many high-achieving professionals worry about being overwhelmed, but their capacity for managing difficulty actually serves them well in EMDR processing.
Accessing carefully paced EMDR in Willow Glen
My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area (95128 and surrounding zip codes).
Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents throughout the Bay Area.
You might be trying to figure out what kind of time commitment you’re looking at, especially if you have multiple traumatic experiences or a history of childhood trauma. Perhaps you’re concerned about the cost and time investment, or you want to know if there’s a realistic endpoint rather than years of open-ended therapy.
The timeline for EMDR therapy with complex trauma varies significantly based on the number and intensity of traumatic experiences, but most clients see meaningful progress within 6-12 months of consistent weekly work. As an EMDR and CBT therapist in San Jose, California, with over 15 years of EMDR experience, I provide efficient, focused treatment with clear goals … not endless therapy.
Understanding complex trauma
What makes trauma “complex”
Complex trauma typically involves:
Negative events from your past still affect everything you do. Childhood and young adult trauma can shape people in unhealthy ways. Sometimes, even though you have tried, you can’t shake the enduring negative impact of the past.
Why complex trauma takes longer
Realistic timeline expectations
Phase 1: Assessment and preparation (4-8 sessions, 1-2 months)
I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion. We build these foundation skills first.
Phase 2: Processing key memories (12-30 sessions, 3-8 months)
The same basic EMDR process is used for any situation. I use my expertise and extensive training to adapt the processing to each unique stress or trauma.
Phase 3: Integration and closure (4-8 sessions, 1-2 months)
Total estimated timeline
Most clients with complex trauma see substantial improvement within 6-12 months of consistent weekly work. Some finish in this timeframe, others continue for 12-18 months to process additional layers thoroughly.
Factors that affect the timeline
Number and severity of traumatic experiences
Co-occurring conditions
EMDR is also very effective with anxiety, such as Generalized Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, and Claustrophobia. When anxiety or other conditions co-occur with complex trauma, we address them simultaneously, which may extend the timeline slightly but creates more comprehensive healing.
Your responsiveness to EMDR
Consistency of attendance
Current life stability
Complexity of symptoms
What progress looks like along the way
Early months (1-3 months)
Middle phase (3-8 months)
Later phase (8-12+ months)
Clients who work with me often find that:
How EMDR resolves complex trauma
Our brains have a natural adaptive processing system that gets stalled when overwhelmed. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain more fully process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote adaptive resolution.
Over time, the memory becomes less charged, and a more positive and balanced view of yourself and the world is enhanced.
For complex trauma specifically
With normal memories, you can recall the event and remember the feelings that you felt at the time, but you don’t feel lost or significantly activated when you think about them. EMDR shifts negative memories from active and overwhelming into a more normal state. With EMDR, you can let go of the past and be more rooted in the present.
Combining EMDR with CBT for efficiency
With the evidence-based methods of EMDR and CBT, I effectively promote your healing from trauma and help you establish patterns of long-term resilience.
CBT provides
EMDR provides
Together, these methods help rewire the brain to shift long-standing patterns, reduce emotional reactivity, and foster a true experience of peace and calm.
For professionals in Silicon Valley with complex trauma
I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students.
Many high-achievers with complex trauma ask: “How can I be successful professionally but still struggle personally?” Complex childhood trauma often creates patterns of overachievement alongside internal struggles. EMDR addresses the trauma while honoring the strengths you’ve built.
Different complex trauma presentations
In trauma therapy, I will help you overcome the destructive impact of the trauma, abuse, or neglect that occurred while you were growing up. Trauma therapy using EMDR and CBT will improve your self-confidence, increase your sense of security, and help you learn healthier communication patterns.
For relationship trauma, sexual trauma, or other complex presentations, visit my trauma therapy page for more details. If anxiety is a significant part of your presentation, see my anxiety therapy page.
Accessing comprehensive trauma treatment in Willow Glen
My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area (95128 and surrounding zip codes).
Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents throughout the Bay Area.
You might be trying to decide which therapy approach to pursue, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with PTSD or have significant trauma symptoms. Perhaps you’ve heard conflicting opinions about which is more effective, or you’re wondering if you should choose one over the other for your treatment.
Both CBT and EMDR are evidence-based, effective treatments for PTSD … research shows comparable success rates for both approaches. The question isn’t which is universally “better,” but rather which approach … or combination … best fits your specific situation and needs. As an EMDR and CBT therapist in San Jose, California, I use both methods and can help you determine the optimal approach for your healing.
How CBT addresses PTSD
What CBT for PTSD involves
Trauma-focused CBT typically includes exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and skill-building. You gradually face trauma memories and triggers while learning to challenge trauma-related thoughts and develop coping strategies.
Strengths of CBT for PTSD
How it works
CBT helps you understand connections between trauma memories, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You learn to challenge distorted beliefs created by trauma and develop healthier perspectives and responses.
With the evidence-based methods of EMDR and CBT, I effectively promote your healing from trauma and help you establish patterns of long-term resilience.
How EMDR addresses PTSD
What EMDR for PTSD involves
Originally developed and validated with PTSD, EMDR works well with all types of traumas, including assaults, accidents, and abuse. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation while you focus on traumatic memories, allowing your brain to process them more completely.
Strengths of EMDR for PTSD
How it works
Our brains have a natural adaptive processing system that gets stalled when overwhelmed. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain more fully process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote adaptive resolution.
Over time, the memory becomes less charged, and a more positive and balanced view of yourself and the world is enhanced.
Research comparing CBT and EMDR
Success rates
Patient preference matters
Studies show treatment success improves when patients receive their preferred approach. Neither method is universally superior … effectiveness depends partly on fit with your preferences and needs.
Key differences in experience
CBT feels more:
EMDR feels more:
When CBT might be preferred
You might benefit more from CBT if:
CBT works particularly well for:
When EMDR might be preferred
You might benefit more from EMDR if:
EMDR works particularly well for:
EMDR is by far the most effective approach to therapy that I have used during my career. Even with all of my experiences helping clients with EMDR, I am still amazed by how it works.
Why combining both approaches is powerful
I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion.
The integrated approach
Together, these methods help rewire the brain to shift long-standing patterns, reduce emotional reactivity, and foster a true experience of peace and calm.
What this looks like in practice
Early treatment
Start with CBT to build coping skills, understand triggers, and establish emotional regulation tools. This creates stability for deeper processing work.
Middle phase
Use EMDR to process key traumatic memories while continuing to apply CBT skills between sessions. The combination often produces faster, more complete healing than either alone.
Later treatment
Continue EMDR for the remaining memories while using CBT to address any lingering thought patterns or behaviors. Build future templates and resilience.
For different PTSD presentations
Single-incident trauma
Both work well. EMDR often achieves results slightly faster (3-6 sessions vs 8-12 for CBT).
Complex PTSD from childhood
A combination approach is typically most effective. CBT builds a foundation, EMDR processes developmental trauma layers.
PTSD with significant avoidance
CBT exposure therapy is helpful for systematic facing of triggers, combined with EMDR for memory processing.
PTSD with comorbid conditions
EMDR is also very effective with anxiety, such as Generalized Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety, and Claustrophobia. When PTSD co-occurs with these conditions, integrated treatment addresses all simultaneously.
Transformation is possible with either or both
Before treatment, you might feel:
After treatment, clients report feeling:
Real outcomes clients notice:
Clients who work with me often find that:
With normal memories, you can recall the event and remember the feelings that you felt at the time, but you don’t feel lost or significantly activated when you think about them. Both CBT and EMDR aim to shift traumatic memories into this more integrated state.
For professionals in the South Bay with PTSD
I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students … who often appreciate the efficiency of EMDR combined with the practical tools of CBT.
For more about trauma treatment approaches, visit my trauma therapy page. To understand how these methods address anxiety alongside PTSD, see my anxiety therapy page.
Accessing integrated PTSD treatment in Willow Glen
My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area (95128 and surrounding zip codes).
Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents throughout the Bay Area.
You might be worried about investing time and resources into EMDR only to have it not work for you, or perhaps you’ve heard success stories but wonder what could prevent you from having the same results. Maybe you’ve tried EMDR before without success and want to understand what went wrong, or you’re trying to determine if potential obstacles might interfere with your treatment.
While EMDR has strong success rates for trauma and anxiety, certain factors can slow or block the processing. As an EMDRIA-certified EMDR and CBT therapist in San Jose, California, with over 15 years of experience, I know how to identify and address these blocks so processing can move forward effectively.
Common blocks to EMDR processing
Insufficient preparation
EMDR works best when you have basic emotional regulation skills and sufficient stability. Jumping into processing too quickly without adequate preparation can overwhelm your system.
What helps:
I combine EMDR with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness strategies to help you make meaningful changes, let go of the past, and embrace the present with awareness and self-compassion. We build these foundation skills before processing traumatic memories.
Ongoing trauma or unsafe current situation
If you’re currently in an abusive relationship, dealing with active threats, or facing severe ongoing stress, your brain stays focused on survival rather than processing past events.
What helps:
We prioritize establishing current safety first, whether through practical steps in your life or sufficient emotional distance from ongoing stressors. Sometimes we can process older trauma while managing current difficulties, but active danger typically needs addressing first.
Avoidance during processing
EMDR requires engaging with traumatic memories rather than avoiding them. If you disconnect, distract yourself, or intellectualize during processing, the bilateral stimulation can’t access the stuck material.
What helps:
The same basic EMDR process is used for any situation. I use my expertise and extensive training to adapt the processing to each unique stress or trauma … including helping you stay present and engaged without becoming overwhelmed.
Blocking beliefs about change
If part of you believes you don’t deserve to heal, that healing isn’t possible, or that letting go of trauma means something negative, processing can stall.
Common blocking beliefs:
What helps:
We identify and address these blocking beliefs directly, often processing them like traumatic memories. EMDR can target the experiences that created these beliefs, making space for processing to proceed.
Secondary gains from symptoms
Sometimes PTSD or anxiety symptoms serve a function … protecting you from something scarier, getting needs met, or avoiding difficult situations. If symptoms have benefits (even unconscious ones), your system may resist letting them go.
Examples:
What helps:
We explore what needs symptoms might be meeting and find healthier ways to meet those needs, so your system feels safe letting symptoms resolve.
Insufficient resources or support
EMDR activates difficult emotions and memories. Without adequate support between sessions … from relationships, stability, or internal resources … processing can feel too risky for your system.
What helps:
Building internal and external resources before and during processing. This might include therapy more frequently than weekly during intensive phases, developing stronger support systems, or creating better self-care structures.
Dissociation during processing
If you disconnect from present awareness during processing (going blank, spacing out, feeling detached), the bilateral stimulation can’t help your brain integrate the traumatic material.
What helps:
Grounding techniques, slower pacing, and sometimes addressing dissociation as its own target before processing trauma. I help you stay present enough for processing while not being overwhelmed.
Incorrect targets
Sometimes processing stalls because we’re not targeting the right memories or aspects of memories. The memory we think is most important might not be the one driving symptoms.
What helps:
My experience and training help identify which memories need processing first. Sometimes we need to process earlier experiences before later ones make sense, or address seemingly “smaller” memories that actually hold the key to larger patterns.
Inadequate bilateral stimulation
If the bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, sounds) isn’t adequate or the right type for you, processing may not engage fully.
What helps:
Adjusting the type, speed, and intensity of bilateral stimulation to what works best for your nervous system. Some people respond better to eye movements, others to tapping or auditory stimulation.
Life circumstances interfering
Frequent session cancellations, inconsistent attendance, major life changes, illness, or other disruptions can interrupt processing momentum.
What helps:
Committing to consistent weekly sessions during active processing phases, scheduling sessions far in advance, and communicating about obstacles to attendance.
Medication or substance use
Some medications or substances can interfere with EMDR’s effectiveness by dampening emotional processing or numbing awareness.
What helps:
Coordination with prescribers when possible, awareness of how substances affect processing, and sometimes adjusting medication timing around sessions.
Wrong therapist fit
EMDR requires trust in the therapeutic relationship. If you don’t feel safe with your therapist or the approach doesn’t match your needs, processing won’t move forward effectively.
What helps:
Finding a therapist you feel comfortable with who has proper EMDR training. I’ve been EMDRIA Certified in EMDR and have been providing EMDR therapy since 2009. EMDR is by far the most effective approach to therapy that I have used during my career.
When processing seems stuck
What we do
With the evidence-based methods of EMDR and CBT, I effectively promote your healing from trauma and help you establish patterns of long-term resilience.
How EMDR is designed to overcome obstacles
Our brains have a natural adaptive processing system that gets stalled when overwhelmed. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain more fully process distressing memories, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote adaptive resolution.
The bilateral stimulation helps overcome many natural obstacles to processing … but we still need to address external blocks and ensure conditions are right for your brain’s natural healing to occur.
Over time, the memory becomes less charged, and a more positive and balanced view of yourself and the world is enhanced. When blocks are identified and addressed, processing typically moves forward successfully.
Success despite obstacles
Most blocks can be overcome with proper identification and adjustment. Very few people are unable to benefit from EMDR … it’s more common that processing just needs modification to work effectively.
The transformation remains possible.
Before successful EMDR processing, you might feel:
After addressing blocks and completing EMDR, clients report feeling:
With normal memories, you can recall the event and remember the feelings that you felt at the time, but you don’t feel lost or significantly activated when you think about them. EMDR shifts negative memories from active and overwhelming into a more normal state. With EMDR, you can let go of the past and be more rooted in the present.
For professionals in Silicon Valley
I specialize in working with people in high-pressure situations … Software Engineers, Product Managers, Program Managers, Executives, Engineering Managers, Lawyers, Doctors, Teachers, Business Owners, and College Students.
Common blocks for high-achievers include:
These blocks are addressable, and many professionals find EMDR particularly effective once they can engage with the experiential process.
Accessing expert EMDR treatment in Willow Glen
My office is located at 2020 Forest Avenue, Suite 3, San Jose, California 95128. I serve clients throughout South Bay, Silicon Valley, Santa Clara County, and the greater San Jose area (95128 and surrounding zip codes).
Both in-person and online appointments are available for California residents throughout the Bay Area.
