Services
Trauma & EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing alongside other trauma-focused approaches, in person or via telehealth.
Trauma doesn’t only live in memory. It shows up in how your body reacts, how you sleep, what you avoid, and how quickly you move from calm to overwhelmed. EMDR works with that directly rather than asking you to talk your way through it.
The goal isn’t to erase what happened. It’s to change your relationship to it, so the memory stops setting the terms of your present. Most people find they can hold more, react less, and recognize themselves again.
Shayla uses EMDR among other trauma-focused approaches, chosen to fit what you bring rather than applied from a template. You’ll never be pushed to revisit something before you’re ready.
This may be a good fit if
- Something from your past still shapes how you react today
- You feel activated or shut down without always knowing why
- Talk therapy has helped, but only to a point
- You’re carrying a single event, or years of accumulated stress
- You want structure rather than open-ended conversation
What the work looks like
The first session or two is history and groundwork rather than processing. We map what you’re carrying, what sets it off, and what already helps. Nothing gets opened before there’s something steady to come back to.
Then we build resourcing skills — practical ways to bring your body back down when it spikes. That part is not filler. It’s what makes the rest of the work safe, and plenty of people notice things easing before any memory is touched.
Processing itself is more ordinary than people expect. You hold a piece of the memory in mind while following a repeating left-right cue, usually eye movements, taps or tones. You aren’t asked to narrate it. Sets are short, we pause often, and you can stop at any point.
Over sessions the memory tends to lose its charge. It doesn’t disappear and it isn’t rewritten. It stops arriving as if it’s happening now. We close every session deliberately, so you leave settled rather than opened up.
Practical details
| Format | Individual, 50 minutes |
|---|---|
| Where | In person or telehealth, anywhere in Colorado |
| Insurance | In-network with Aetna, United Healthcare and Cigna |
| First step | A free 15-minute consultation |
Who you’d see: Shayla Martinez-O’Brien, LPC. Read her profile.
Common questions
Do I have to describe what happened in detail?
No. EMDR is one of the few trauma therapies that doesn’t require a full account. You need enough of an image or felt sense to hold in mind. Many people process things they’ve never said out loud.
How many sessions does EMDR take?
A single recent incident can settle in a handful of sessions. Trauma that runs through years, or that started early, usually takes longer. We’ll give you an honest read after the first few sessions rather than a number on day one.
Is EMDR evidence-based?
Yes. It’s recommended for post-traumatic stress by the World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association, among others, and has been studied for more than thirty years.
Does EMDR work over telehealth?
It does. The bilateral cue is delivered on screen or with self-tapping. The main requirement is a private space where you won’t be interrupted.
What if I get overwhelmed during a session?
That’s what the resourcing work is for, and it’s why sets are short. You can stop at any moment. Sessions are always closed down properly before you leave, never mid-process.
Ready when you are.
Book a free 15-minute consultation, or call (303) 736-9822.