Approach
Something from your past is still running the show. Here's how we change that.
Trauma isn't always what you think it is. It doesn't have to be a war, a disaster, or a dramatic event. Sometimes it's small things that left a deep impression. Sometimes it's something that looked positive from the outside. The only thing that matters is this: something from your past is still running the show today.
Traumatic experiences have a way of leaving beliefs behind. About who you are, what you can handle, what you're allowed to want. Those beliefs made sense at the time. But they haven't been updated since, and now they're in the way.
That's where EMDR comes in.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. That's a mouthful, but the process is more intuitive than the name suggests.
Most trauma therapy focuses on the first part: desensitization. Making the memories less intense, reducing the emotional charge. That matters, and it works. But it's only half the job.
The part I care about most is reprocessing. During EMDR, your brain actively rewrites the narrative of what happened to you and what it means about who you are. This isn't something I talk you into. It's something your brain does on its own when given the right conditions.
There's solid neuroscience behind this: EMDR activates the parts of your brain responsible for meaning-making and integration.
The result? The memory is still there, but the story changes. It becomes the story of someone who went through something hard and came out different. Not broken. Different.
A session lasts about 50 minutes, online via video call. We start by identifying the memory, the emotions, and the beliefs attached to it. Then I guide you through the processing, which involves following a visual stimulus while your brain does its work.
It can be intense. I won't pretend otherwise. Some sessions bring up strong emotions, and that's part of the process. But everything about how I work is designed to keep you grounded through it. I'm calm, I'm direct, and I'll never push you further than you can handle in that moment.
The duration depends on what we're working with. A single clearly defined experience can resolve in a handful of sessions. Longer patterns from childhood take longer. On average, most clients see significant improvement within three months. The research backs this up: 90% of people who complete EMDR treatment report substantially fewer symptoms.
For some people, CPT is a better fit. Where EMDR works through the experience itself, CPT focuses on the beliefs that got stuck because of it.
We look at the beliefs you're holding onto that are standing between you and the life you want. Sometimes those beliefs need to go entirely. Sometimes they just need to soften. CPT is structured, usually around 12 sessions, and the evidence is strong: 90% of clients experience significant relief.
I'll help you figure out which approach makes the most sense for your situation. Sometimes we use both.
You don't need a diagnosis to reach out. Sometimes life just gets heavy. A difficult breakup, a job that's grinding you down, a persistent feeling that something is off. You don't need to have "been through something" to deserve support.
I also work with people dealing with burnout, depression, anxiety, or life transitions that feel bigger than they can manage alone. And if it turns out there's something deeper underneath? We'll find it together.
Or email me at tina@vivarta.be