EMDR therapy
for what talk therapy hasn’t been able to reach
Trauma has a way of living in the body long after the mind has tried to move on. You might understand exactly what happened and why it affected you, and still find your nervous system bracing, reacting, carrying something your thoughts can't seem to reach. That's not a failure of insight. It's how trauma works.
EMDR is one of the most effective, evidence-based approaches for processing what's been stuck. I'm a certified EMDR therapist based in Boulder at Path of Purpose, and this work is built for exactly that: helping your nervous system finally complete what it couldn't at the time.
what EMDR actually does
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It uses bilateral stimulation, typically guided eye movements, to help your brain reprocess experiences that got lodged in your nervous system rather than fully integrated. The result isn't forgetting. It's that the memory loses its charge. What once hijacked your body starts to feel like something that happened, rather than something still happening.
This isn't about revisiting the past in detail or building a narrative around it. We're working at the level of the nervous system, helping it complete an interrupted process. Most people are surprised by how differently they feel in their body once that processing happens.
EMDR has decades of research behind it and is recognized by the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association as a first-line treatment for trauma. In my sessions, it doesn't stand alone. It's woven into a broader, whole-person approach.
what to expect in an EMDR session with me
We don't begin with bilateral stimulation on day one. The early sessions are about building safety, understanding your nervous system's patterns, and making sure you have the internal resources to move through the work without becoming overwhelmed. That foundation matters.
When we do begin active EMDR processing, I'll guide you to bring a specific memory or activation to mind, notice what arises in your body, and follow a set of bilateral movements while staying present with whatever surfaces. My role is to stay close, track what's happening, and adjust based on what your system needs in the moment.
Sessions run 50 to 55 minutes. Some people move quickly through a specific memory. Others work with layered or complex trauma that unfolds over time. I follow your pace, not a script.
start with a free 15 minute consultation
Discover your path forward...your next chapter starts here
EMDR and the body - how I integrate these approaches
One of the things that sets my work apart is that I hold certifications in both EMDR and Somatic Psychotherapy. These two approaches speak the same language. Both are built on the understanding that trauma lives in the body, not just the story we tell about it.
In practice, this means I'm tracking your body throughout our sessions, not just the content of what you're saying. If I notice you holding your breath, bracing, or going somewhere else, we slow down and work with that directly. Your body's responses aren't interruptions to the process. They are the process.
I also draw from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma, which gives me additional tools for working with the physical expressions of activation and shutdown. For many of my clients, this is where the deepest and most lasting shifts happen.
who I work with
I work with adults who are carrying something their nervous system hasn't been able to release on its own. That often includes complex trauma rooted in family or relational experiences, single-incident trauma, and the kind of chronic anxiety or depression that has a clear origin but hasn't responded to insight-based work alone. EMDR tends to reach people who have already done a significant amount of therapy and are ready to work at a different level.
I've worked with high-caliber artists and creatives whose trauma lives in the body and shows up in their creative process, and with adults involved in the criminal justice system navigating histories that talk therapy alone hasn't been able to touch. It's the kind of client base you'd expect in a city like Boulder, high-achieving, often carrying real pressure to have things figured out, and used to being the one everyone else leans on. My practice is trauma-informed, justice-centered, sex-positive, shame-free, and proudly LGBTQIA+ affirming.
If you have a strong inner critic, or if you're carrying something that insight alone hasn't been able to move, this work tends to reach it.
training and credentials
I completed my EMDR certification through the Maiberger Institute in 2023, one of the most respected EMDR training bodies in Colorado. My graduate training comes from Naropa University, where I earned a Master's in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling, training that's deeply rooted in the contemplative, mind-body tradition Boulder is known for. Naropa shaped how I think about healing at a fundamental level, not just which techniques I use.
Beyond that, I hold certifications in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma, Integrative Gestalt Therapy, Existential Psychotherapy, and Somatic Psychotherapy. That depth is what allows me to meet you where you are and shift approaches based on what your system actually needs.
sessions and pricing
I'm private pay only, which means our work is never shaped by insurance timelines or approval requirements. Sessions are $140 for 50 to 55 minutes. A free 15-minute consultation is available before any commitment.
start with a free 15 minute consultation
Discover your path forward...your next chapter starts here
EMDR therapy
this might be right for you if...
You understand what happened but your body still reacts as if it's happening now
You've talked about the trauma enough and are ready to actually process it
Certain situations, sounds, or people trigger a response that feels out of proportion
You've tried other therapy and the needle hasn't moved on the trauma piece
You feel stuck between knowing and shifting, like insight isn't enough
You shut down, freeze, or disconnect in moments that should feel safe
Sleep, concentration, or daily functioning is still affected by something from the past
You're ready to work at the level of the nervous system, not just the story
-
Most people describe it as less intense than they expected. You're not asked to relive the experience in detail. Instead, you bring it to mind lightly while following the bilateral movements, and notice what arises in your body and thoughts. Many clients feel a kind of release or settling as the processing happens, though responses vary. I stay close throughout and we go at your pace.
-
No. EMDR was developed for trauma, but it's effective for a wide range of experiences including anxiety, depression, grief, relational wounds, and the kind of chronic activation that doesn't have a single clear source. If something feels stuck in your nervous system, EMDR is often worth exploring.
-
That depends on what you're working through and how your system responds. Some people notice real shifts within a handful of sessions. Others work with layered or complex trauma over a longer period. I don't operate on a fixed timeline. We move at the pace that's right for you.
-
My standard session is 50 to 55 minutes and costs $140. I'm private pay only. That keeps the shape of your care entirely between us, without a third party involved in treatment decisions.
-
You can reach me by calling (720) 663-0334, emailing jacqui@pathofpurpose.org, or booking a free 15-minute consultation through the website. That conversation is the starting point. From there we schedule your first full session. Path of Purpose is located at 1895 Bluff Street, Boulder, CO 80304, with telehealth available for Colorado residents throughout the state.