Honestly? It depends. Every woman's experience is different, and healing doesn't happen on a rigid timeline. Some women find significant relief after a few EMDR sessions, especially if they're addressing a single traumatic event. Others benefit from several months of work if they're processing multiple losses or layered trauma. We'll work at a pace that feels right for you, and I won't rush you through your healing just to check boxes.

Nope. One of the benefits of EMDR is that you don't have to narrate every detail of your trauma out loud. While I need to understand generally what happened so we can identify targets for processing, during the actual EMDR work, your brain does the processing. You just notice what comes up. This can be particularly helpful if talking about your trauma feels overwhelming.

If you're still struggling with anxiety, intrusive thoughts, disconnection, or any of the symptoms we've talked about, your experience counts. Trauma is defined by how you experienced it, not by what happened objectively or whether others think it was "bad enough." Your feelings are valid, and you deserve support regardless of how your experience compares to anyone else's.

Absolutely. Many of my clients are navigating therapy while managing the demands of caring for an infant. We'll work with your schedule and needs. Online sessions can be especially helpful for new moms since you can attend from home without worrying about childcare for travel time.

 If your previous therapy was primarily talk therapy without specialized trauma treatment, then yes, EMDR and IFS offer something different. These approaches work directly with how trauma is stored in your brain and nervous system. I've worked with many women who felt stuck after traditional therapy and found that trauma focused approaches finally helped them move forward.

Yes. I offer both online sessions throughout Minnesota and in person sessions in St Paul. EMDR and IFS can be effectively conducted in online sessions, and research shows that online trauma therapy is just as effective as in person sessions. You can choose what works best for your situation.

You're always in control during EMDR. We can pause or stop at any time if you need a break. Before we begin processing trauma, we'll make sure you have tools to manage difficult emotions. I'm also trained to recognize when processing is productive versus when it's becoming overwhelming, and I'll help regulate the pace. The goal is effective but manageable healing, not to overwhelm you.

 No. EMDR and trauma therapy do not erase memories. What they do is help your brain store them differently so they no longer feel so overwhelming or immediate. You'll still remember what happened, honoring your experience is important, but the memory won't carry the same emotional intensity or feel like it's still happening to you.

 It doesn't matter if your traumatic experience happened last month or ten years ago. Trauma doesn't have an expiration date, and your brain doesn't care how much time has passed. If the memory still feels stuck, if it still affects how you move through the world, trauma therapy can help. I've worked with women processing birth trauma from years ago, pregnancy losses that happened decades back, and infertility experiences that are long "over" but still impacting their lives. Your healing isn't less valid because time has passed.

 The best way to know is to have a conversation. We'll start with a genuine discussion about what you're going through, and you can get a sense of whether my approach feels like a good fit. You deserve a therapist who understands perinatal trauma specifically and who uses approaches that actually work with how trauma lives in your nervous system. If after our initial conversation you don't feel like we're a good match, that's okay too. The most important thing is that you find the right support for your healing journey.