Get in touch with us at shelbyflannery@willowandsagementalhealth.com
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Eye Movement Desensetization & Reprocessing
EMDR therapy, guided by the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, helps process traumatic memories by engaging both sides of the brain through bilateral stimulation, like eye movements, to "unstick" and reprocess memories, reducing their emotional intensity.
Shelby Flannery, LMHC, C-EMDR Therapist
As a licensed psychotherapist and certified EMDR therapist I aim to provide a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental space where individuals can explore their inner world, heal from past wounds, and move toward greater self-awareness, emotional resilience, and meaningful change. My goal is to facilitate measurable outcomes that promote long-term mental health and adaptive functioning. Currently accepting new clients for EMDR intensives and standard EMDR.
Services
Willow & Sage offers three different EMDR approaches
EMDR Intensive Therapy is an accelerated treatment format that provides multiple hours of focused therapy over one or more days, allowing clients to make significant progress in a condensed timeframe. Unlike traditional weekly sessions,
EMDR intensives reduce interruptions between sessions and create the opportunity for deeper, more sustained processing of traumatic experiences, attachment wounds, anxiety, and other emotional challenges.
EMDR intensives are particularly beneficial for individuals seeking faster symptom relief, those with busy schedules, clients traveling for specialized treatment, or individuals who have reached a plateau in traditional therapy.
We offer an innovative integration of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and NeuroVizr® to support nervous system regulation, trauma recovery, emotional resilience, and cognitive optimization. This approach combines the evidence-based trauma processing framework of EMDR with multisensory neuromodulation designed to enhance brain-body regulation and improve readiness for therapeutic work.
EMDR facilitates the adaptive reprocessing of distressing memories, negative beliefs, and unresolved emotional experiences. NeuroVizr complements this work by utilizing synchronized visual and auditory stimulation to influence neural networks involved in attention, regulation, and information processing. Together, these modalities create a comprehensive treatment experience that addresses both the psychological and neurophysiological aspects of healing.
A standard EMDR session typically lasts 50–90 minutes and follows a structured protocol based on the eight phases of EMDR treatment:
1. History Taking and Treatment Planning
The therapist gathers a comprehensive psychosocial history, identifies treatment goals, and assesses potential targets for reprocessing. These targets may include traumatic memories, current triggers, and future situations that evoke distress.
2. Preparation and Stabilization
Clients learn grounding, emotional regulation, and nervous system stabilization skills to ensure they can safely engage in trauma processing. This phase may include mindfulness, breathing techniques, safe/calm place exercises, and other somatic resources.
3. Assessment
The therapist identifies a specific memory to process and evaluates:
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The image representing the worst part of the memory
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Negative beliefs associated with the experience
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Desired positive beliefs
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Current emotional distress
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Associated physical sensations
Standardized measures such as the Subjective Units of Disturbance Scale (SUDS) and Validity of Cognition Scale (VOC) are used to track progress.
4. Desensitization
While focusing on the targeted memory, clients engage in bilateral stimulation. The therapist periodically checks in and guides the client through emerging thoughts, emotions, sensations, and insights. The goal is to reduce emotional activation and facilitate adaptive processing.
5. Installation
Once distress has significantly decreased, attention shifts to strengthening the positive belief identified earlier. Bilateral stimulation is used to reinforce this adaptive cognition.
6. Body Scan
Clients scan their body for residual tension, discomfort, or activation associated with the memory. Any remaining disturbance is processed until the body feels neutral or calm.
7. Closure
Each session concludes with stabilization and grounding techniques. If processing remains incomplete, the therapist ensures the client leaves feeling regulated and equipped with coping strategies between sessions.
8. Reevaluation
At the beginning of subsequent sessions, progress is reviewed and previously processed targets are reassessed. The therapist determines whether additional processing is needed or whether treatment can move to new targets.
EMDR Intensive Therapy
EMDR Intensive Therapy is an accelerated treatment format that provides multiple hours of focused therapy over one or more days, allowing clients to make significant progress in a condensed timeframe. Unlike traditional weekly sessions, EMDR intensives reduce interruptions between sessions and create the opportunity for deeper, more sustained processing of traumatic experiences, attachment wounds, anxiety, and other emotional challenges.
EMDR intensives are particularly beneficial for individuals seeking faster symptom relief, those with busy schedules, clients traveling for specialized treatment, or individuals who have reached a plateau in traditional therapy.
What an EMDR Intensive Includes
Prior to the intensive, clients participate in a comprehensive assessment and treatment planning process. This allows the therapist to identify treatment goals, determine readiness for trauma processing, and develop a personalized intensive plan.
A typical intensive may include:
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Comprehensive clinical assessment and history review
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Identification of treatment targets and therapeutic goals
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Resource development and stabilization training
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Extended EMDR reprocessing sessions
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Somatic and nervous system regulation interventions
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Breaks for integration and self-care
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Personalized recommendations for ongoing support and maintenance
Common Intensive Formats
Depending on clinical needs, intensives may be offered in several formats:
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Half-Day Intensive (3–4 hours)
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Full-Day Intensive (6–8 hours)
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Two-Day Intensive
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Multi-Day Intensive Programs
Treatment plans are individualized based on presenting concerns, trauma complexity, and client readiness.
Conditions That May Benefit from EMDR Intensives
EMDR intensives can be effective for:
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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
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Complex Trauma and Childhood Trauma
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Anxiety and Panic Disorders
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Phobias
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Attachment Injuries
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Grief and Loss
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Medical Trauma
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Chronic Stress and Burnout
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Performance Anxiety
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Life Transitions
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Distressing Memories That Continue to Impact Daily Functioning
Integrative Approach
At Willow & Sage Mental Health, EMDR intensives are often combined with evidence-based approaches that support nervous system regulation and whole-person healing. Depending on clinical need, treatment may incorporate:
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Somatic therapy interventions
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Attachment-focused treatment
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Neurofeedback training
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qEEG-informed treatment planning
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Mindfulness and grounding practices
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Personalized nervous system regulation strategies
This integrative approach helps clients process difficult experiences while simultaneously building resilience, improving emotional regulation, and enhancing overall well-being.
Benefits of EMDR Intensives
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Accelerated therapeutic progress
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Reduced disruption from weekly treatment gaps
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Increased continuity of processing
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Greater opportunity for nervous system regulation and integration
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Individualized treatment tailored to specific goals
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Enhanced focus on healing without everyday distractions
EMDR intensives provide a dedicated space for meaningful therapeutic work, allowing clients to move beyond symptom management and toward lasting emotional healing and improved quality of life.
EMDR
NEUROMODULATION INTEGRATION
EMDR and Neuromodulation Integration
At Willow & Sage Mental Health, we integrate Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) with evidence-based neuromodulation technologies to support more efficient trauma processing, nervous system regulation, and emotional healing. This comprehensive approach recognizes that psychological symptoms are often reflected not only in thoughts and emotions, but also in patterns of brain activity and autonomic nervous system functioning.
EMDR helps clients process distressing memories and experiences that have become maladaptively stored in the brain. Through bilateral stimulation and guided therapeutic processing, EMDR facilitates the brain's natural capacity to integrate and resolve unresolved experiences. While EMDR targets the psychological and emotional aspects of healing, neuromodulation can help optimize the neurological conditions necessary for effective processing.
How Neuromodulation Supports EMDR
Many individuals seeking trauma treatment experience nervous system dysregulation, hypervigilance, anxiety, emotional reactivity, sleep disturbances, or difficulty remaining within their window of tolerance during therapy. Neuromodulation interventions may help improve the brain's ability to self-regulate, creating a stronger foundation for EMDR work.
Depending on individual needs, neuromodulation may be utilized to:
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Improve emotional regulation
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Reduce physiological hyperarousal
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Enhance attention and focus
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Support stress resilience
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Improve sleep quality
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Decrease anxiety symptoms
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Increase nervous system flexibility
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Promote greater access to adaptive processing networks
Technologies We Utilize
Neurofeedback & Mindlyft
Neurofeedback is a non-invasive form of brain training that provides real-time information about brain activity. Through repeated training sessions, clients learn to improve self-regulation of brain function, often resulting in improved emotional stability, concentration, stress tolerance, and overall well-being.
BrainTap®
BrainTap combines guided mindfulness, light stimulation, and auditory entrainment designed to promote relaxation, improve cognitive performance, and support autonomic nervous system balance. Many clients utilize BrainTap before or after EMDR sessions to enhance regulation and integration.
NeuroVizr®
NeuroVizr utilizes multisensory stimulation through synchronized light and sound protocols designed to support cognitive performance, relaxation, and nervous system regulation. Sessions may be incorporated as part of a broader treatment plan to improve readiness for therapeutic processing and recovery.
Pulsetto® Vagus Nerve Stimulation
Pulsetto is a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation device designed to support parasympathetic nervous system activation. By promoting a physiological state associated with calmness and restoration, Pulsetto may help reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and enhance recovery following intensive therapeutic work.
Clinical Benefits of an Integrated Approach
By combining EMDR with neuromodulation, treatment addresses both the psychological and neurophysiological aspects of distress. Clients often report:
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Increased ability to engage in trauma processing
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Improved emotional regulation between sessions
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Reduced anxiety and physiological activation
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Enhanced resilience to stress
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Greater sense of safety within their body
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Improved sleep and recovery
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More efficient therapeutic progress
Personalized Treatment Planning
Every nervous system is unique. Treatment recommendations are individualized based on clinical assessment, symptom presentation, treatment goals, and, when indicated, quantitative EEG (qEEG) findings. Neuromodulation interventions are used as adjunctive tools within a comprehensive treatment plan and are integrated thoughtfully alongside psychotherapy to support optimal outcomes.
Through the integration of EMDR and neuromodulation, clients receive a whole-brain, whole-body approach to healing that supports both neurological regulation and lasting psychological change.