Therapy to Overcome Emotional Difficulties

Trauma Treatment

When something traumatic happens the brain does not process the experience. The trauma gets stored in the Limbic System of the brain and plays on a loop. The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioral and emotional responses, especially when it comes to behaviors we need for survival: feeding, reproduction and caring for our young, and fight or flight responses. You see life through your trauma and when something "triggers" the trauma, it is as if you are dealing the past trauma and the current event simultaneously, which is why there is an overreaction and struggle to manage that reaction.

At Briones Counseling Services, Michele is trained in EMDR Therapy and will work with you in confronting the memories or traumatic events until they are no longer disturbing. Many prefer EMDR to talk therapy regarding trauma because less talk is necessary. Your brain is doing the work, Michele facilitates the process for you. You can talk about trauma for years and not much progress can be made because of the way your brain has stored the trauma in the limbic system. EMDR is effective virtually.

Michele was trained through the EMDR Institute created by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., who is the originator and developer of EMDR, which has been so well researched that it is now recommended as an effective treatment for trauma in the Practice Guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association, and those of the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

Return to a Normal Life

EMDR helps resolve the troubling thoughts and feelings related to the distressing memories so you can return to your everyday life without being triggered by the disturbance. EMDR can help to strengthen feelings of confidence, calmness, and mastery.