Making the decision to start trauma therapy is a massive step. If you are a high-achieving professional in Northern Virginia looking into EMDR, you aren’t just looking for a standard checklist approach to mental health. You want a specialist who understands that human complexity cannot be solved by simply reading from a manual.

While EMDR is structurally an 8-phase treatment, the best therapy is an art form. As an EMDRIA Certified Therapist and Approved Consultant, I do not offer rigid, cookie-cutter EMDR. Instead, I blend deep clinical science with intuitive, creative adaptation to match your unique nervous system.

Here is a transparent look at what actually happens inside a customized EMDR session at my practice.

The Preparation Phase & Ego-State Integration

We never dive blindly into trauma on day one. Your early sessions are entirely focused on preparation, but my approach goes a layer deeper than standard EMDR. (On a side-note, if you practitioner dives into EMDR Phase 3 on day one, please find another EMDR practitioner. This is not only against protocol but potentially disruptive to your mental health.)

Alongside traditional grounding techniques, I actively integrate ego-state therapy (often called “parts work”). Trauma frequently causes us to feel fractured—part of you wants to move forward, while another part feels completely stuck in the past or fiercely protective of your vulnerability. By identifying and working with these different inner “states” or parts of yourself first, we build a foundation of safety that standard EMDR alone often misses. This makes the upcoming processing smoother, safer, and far more profound.

If you have researched trauma therapy, you might have heard of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and wonder how it differs from Ego-State work. While both approaches recognize that we are made up of different “parts” (like the part of you that wants to rest versus the part of you driven to achieve), they handle these parts differently. IFS is a highly structured, standalone therapy model that categorizes your inner world into specific, rigid roles (Managers, Firefighters, and Exiles) orbiting a core “Self.” Ego-State Therapy, however, is much more fluid and adaptable, making it the perfect companion to EMDR. It focuses directly on the distinct “states of being” or neural networks you developed to survive past challenges. Because Ego-State work is dynamic rather than rigid, I can weave it seamlessly into your EMDR processing. We don’t have to pause the EMDR to follow a strict IFS script; instead, we can actively soothe and integrate the specific, younger parts of you holding the trauma exactly when they surface during our work together.

The Reprocessing Phase: Where Science Meets Artistry

When you are ready, we begin the active reprocessing phase using EMDR bilateral stimulation (guided eye movements, gentle tapping, or auditory tones; I can even integrate art, knee tapping, dance or movement, or an emotional support animal for BLS).

Standard EMDR therapists are trained to follow a strict script. But because I train and consult other therapists in this modality, I approach reprocessing like an artist. I track your subtle shifts in real-time, modifying the pacing and integrating advanced interweaves when you hit a roadblock.

• Targeting: We pinpoint the root distressing memory and the exact negative belief driving your current anxiety (e.g., “I must be perfect to be safe”).
• Fluid Processing: You focus briefly on the memory during a 5-to-30-second set of bilateral stimulation. (We figure out what you need, not what protocol trains us to think you need.)
• Dynamic Pivots: Rather than letting you get stuck in a loop, I use creative, ego-state informed prompts to help your brain bridge the gap between historical pain and present-day relief.
• Resolution: We repeat and adapt this process until the old memory completely loses its emotional charge and physical grip on your body.

Why an Out-of-Network Certified Psychotherapist and Consultant Makes the Difference

The deep, transformative work of blending EMDR with ego-state therapy cannot be rushed. Standard insurance-mandated therapy sessions are rigidly capped at 45 to 55 minutes. Stopping a profound breakthrough simply because an insurance company’s clock ran out is jarring and counterproductive.

Because my Northern Virginia practice is shifting to an entirely out-of-network model, we are completely free from these bureaucratic time limits. We can schedule extended sessions or tailored intensives, giving us the spaciousness required to do high-level, artistic trauma work without watching the clock.

To help offset your investment, my practice provides comprehensive superbills (detailed medical receipts). If your insurance policy includes out-of-network benefits, you can submit these documents for direct reimbursement. This allows you to bypass the restrictions of standard managed care and invest in a master-level specialist who custom-tailors your healing journey. I also partner with Thrizer, should you prefer to pay a small fee they will front part of the Out of Network reimbursement to me, saving you money. Check them out here.

You deserve care that is as nuanced and sophisticated as you are. Reach out today to schedule your consultation.