Lila had been in therapy on and off for years…
She was articulate, insightful, and could talk about her trauma in a way that even impressed her past therapists. But no matter how much she processed aloud, her body told a different story. Panic attacks still woke her in the night. She flinched when touched unexpectedly. Her relationships were strained by triggers she couldn’t explain.
It felt like she understood her trauma intellectually but couldn't shake it emotionally. Her body was still in survival mode.
That’s where EMDR came in. And not just EMDR as a standalone tool, but as an integrated, relational process woven into traditional therapy. A process that could meet her nervous system exactly where it was, while still allowing room for reflection, connection, and support.
When Lila found integrative EMDR, something shifted. Her therapist helped her slow down and drop beneath the surface of her narrative. Rather than analyzing the trauma, they worked with how it lived in her body. With EMDR interwoven into their sessions, Lila was finally able to release the old survival responses that talking alone hadn’t touched. She didn’t have to choose between body-based healing and verbal processing. She could have both.
Our approach to EMDR isn’t rigid or formulaic
What Is Integrative EMDR?
We believe healing happens best when the modality matches the person—not the other way around. That’s why we offer Integrative EMDR: a flexible, trauma-informed process that allows EMDR to be used in conjunction with psychodynamic therapy, somatic work, and a strong therapeutic relationship.
EMDR is a powerful, evidence-based modality designed to help people reprocess and release traumatic memories stored in the nervous system. But on its own, EMDR can sometimes feel too directive, too fast, or disconnected from the therapeutic relationship. That’s why we slow it down.
In integrative EMDR, we interweave this trauma-processing technique within a deeper, relational, and narrative-based therapy framework. We do not rush to reprocess traumatic memories. Instead, we take the time to understand your history, build emotional safety, and help you feel grounded in your body. From there, we gently begin to access the trauma in a way that your system can tolerate.
By combining EMDR with traditional talk therapy, we support the whole person. We hold space for the inner child, the critical parts, the protector parts, and the deeply wounded places that have long needed to be seen. We use talk therapy to build awareness and insight—and EMDR to gently shift the stuck energy beneath it.
Trauma lives both in our stories and in our bodies.
“Every traumatic event is personal and unique”
Each session is personalized. Some sessions may focus on grounding, narrative exploration, or inner parts work. Others may include bilateral stimulation to help process a specific traumatic memory or belief. Your therapist will always move at your pace. We may spend several sessions preparing your nervous system to tolerate the work. There is no rush.
Because trauma lives in the body, we approach EMDR through a somatic lens. We pay attention to breath, posture, muscle tension, and energetic shifts. Your therapist will help you build internal resources to stay regulated during EMDR work, including grounding techniques, body-based awareness, and mindfulness practices. You’ll never be asked to push through or “just keep going.” Consent and pacing are central to how we work.
By including the body in the healing process, we ensure that your system can integrate the changes EMDR initiates. This leads to more sustainable healing—where trauma doesn’t just feel distant but truly resolved.
An integrative EMDR session might involve:
Exploring a recent trigger and how it connects to early trauma
Identifying negative beliefs or somatic responses that arise
Using EMDR to process the root experience behind the reaction
Reflecting on how your system shifts afterward—what feels different, more open, or more integrated
You do not have to re-live the trauma to heal from it. EMDR helps you access the emotional imprint of trauma without being overwhelmed by it.
Healing cannot happen in isolation
“At Integrative Trauma Collective, we believe that trauma healing happens in relationships and connections. ”
At ITC, we bring a deeply relational lens to our EMDR work. We know that trauma is often rooted in relationships. Relationships that were unsafe, neglectful, abusive, or abandoning. So, it makes sense that healing also needs to happen in the context of relationship.
That’s why we don’t just use EMDR as a protocol; we use it within the context of a deeply attuned, human connection. Our therapists don’t just guide you through EMDR—they are with you in it. Attuned, present, and responsive. We take time to understand your story, your strengths, and the ways you’ve survived. We don’t push past your defenses; we collaborate with them.
We understand that EMDR can activate intense emotions, so we work carefully and compassionately to help you stay grounded and empowered throughout the process. Your therapist will walk alongside you every step of the way, helping you feel seen, safe, and empowered.
This is not about fixing you. It’s about helping you return to yourself—the self that existed before the trauma, and the self that is still here, waiting to be reclaimed.
Healing is not impossible
This Approach May Be Right for You If You:
Have been in talk therapy but still feel stuck in trauma responses
Experience anxiety, flashbacks, or dissociation
·Want to access deeper healing beyond intellectual understanding
Are ready to engage both mind and body healing
Long for a slower, relational, and more attuned trauma therapy process
EMDR can be profoundly helpful for a wide range of concerns, including:
PTSD and complex trauma
Childhood abuse or neglect
Sexual assault
Anxiety or panic
Grief and loss
Chronic shame or self-criticism
Medical trauma
Sudden impact trauma
Intergenerational trauma
If you’ve felt like you’ve “talked about it” but something still feels unfinished—this work might be what your body has been asking for.
We know it takes courage to revisit painful memories. Our job is to help you do it in a way that feels safe, supported, and empowering. You don’t have to rush. You don’t have to go it alone. We’ll walk with you—step by step—toward a future where the past no longer holds power over your present.
Your story isn’t over. Let’s begin this next chapter together.