Frequently Asked Questions
How can we do EMDR, parts work, and somatic therapy all at once? Won't it feel overwhelming?
Not at all. We do not force these tools together rigidly; they flow naturally based on what your nervous system needs in the moment. Psychoeducation gives us a roadmap, somatic tools keep your body anchored and calm, parts work honors the different feelings showing up, and EMDR clears the root pain. Think of them as a collaborative toolkit. We only use the tool that serves you best at that exact moment in your session.
What exactly is a "part," and does everyone have them?
Yes, absolutely. Having "parts" is a completely normal, healthy human experience. Have you ever said, "A part of me wants to go out tonight, but another part just wants to stay home and rest"? That is a perfect, everyday example. In trauma therapy, we simply look at how past experiences may have caused certain parts—like an inner critic, a people-pleaser, or an anxious part—to work overtime to protect you. We treat these parts with deep curiosity and respect, not as symptoms to be eliminated.
Do I have to relive my entire trauma history out loud?
No. One of the greatest benefits of combining parts work and EMDR is that you do not have to detail every painful story out loud for the therapy to be effective. EMDR focuses on how your brain and body currently hold a memory, and parts work allows us to speak for a feeling rather than forcing you to relive the whole event. Your protective parts control the pace, and we want to honor what feels safe for your system.
How long does this type of integrative therapy take?
Because this is deep, root-cause healing rather than a temporary behavioral band-aid, there is no single timeline. Some clients experience significant shift and relief from specific triggers within a few months, while others utilize this space for deeper, long-term self-discovery and ancestral healing. During our first few sessions, we will collaborate on a pacing plan that aligns with your specific goals.
I struggle to feel anything in my body. Can I still do somatic therapy?
Yes, this is incredibly common. Experiencing numbness, disconnect, or a floating sensation is actually a brilliant defense mechanism your body uses to survive overwhelming experiences. If you feel "disconnected from the neck down," we don't force you to feel something you can't. Instead, we gently get to know the part of you that is keeping you numb, thanking it for its protection, and slowly building safety to reconnect with your physical body at your own pace.
I experienced long-term, ongoing trauma, not just one single event. Will this approach still work for me?
Yes, this approach is specifically designed for what is known as complex trauma (C-PTSD). Unlike a single isolated incident, complex trauma happens over time, often during childhood or within relationships where you felt chronically unsafe or dismissed. Traditional trauma treatments can sometimes struggle with C-PTSD because the wounds are layered. By combining psychoeducation (to understand your nervous system's long-term survival adaptions), parts work (to meet the different survival strategies you developed), and somatic tools, we can safely untangle these layers without overwhelming your system.
Sometimes I feel like I have totally different versions of myself depending on the day. Is this normal?
What you are describing is called fragmentation, and it is a very common, highly brilliant response to trauma. When a person experiences overwhelming or prolonged distress, the mind protects itself by dividing the experience up, compartmentalizing the pain so you can keep functioning in daily life. This can leave you feeling fragmented, like your emotions, behaviors, and thoughts belong to completely different people. Parts work treats this fragmentation not as a disease or a broken mind, but as an organized internal system that kept you alive. We work to bring compassionate communication to these fragmented pieces, helping them slowly integrate so you can feel like a whole, unified person.