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 Wickenburggasse 3/11, 1080 Vienna

Licensed psychotherapist · 10+ years · EMDR · Lifespan Integration · Certified HeartMath trainer · English, German, Hebrew · Online, worldwide

How I work

EMDR therapy, online and in English

An evidence-based method for processing experiences that still affect you — without having to describe them in detail.

Book a first session

50 minutes, no commitment beyond it.

When knowing why doesn't help

Some experiences don't settle. Years later, something small — a tone of voice, a particular kind of criticism, a situation that rhymes with an old one — and your body responds as though it were happening now.

You may know exactly why. That tends not to help in the moment.

This is what EMDR is for. Not for understanding the experience — you may understand it perfectly well already — but for processing it, so it stops firing in the present.

The memory remains. What changes is its grip.

What is EMDR?

EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — is a structured psychotherapy method for processing traumatic and distressing memories.

It works through bilateral stimulation: guided eye movements, sounds or taps, alternating left and right, while you hold a distressing memory in mind. The prevailing model is that this supports the brain's own processing, allowing an experience that was stored in a raw, unintegrated form to be filed as something that happened rather than something still happening.

It does not require describing the experience in detail. For many people this is the decisive practical difference from talking therapy — particularly where the material is something you've avoided putting into words, or have already described many times without relief.

How well established is it?

EMDR is one of the more extensively researched psychotherapy methods, particularly for post-traumatic stress.

It has also been studied for anxiety, panic, phobias and depression, where the evidence is more mixed than for PTSD but still meaningful.

Recognised as effective by

  • World Health Organization
  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), UK
  • American Psychological Association
  • American Psychiatric Association
  • International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
  • US Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

What EMDR is used for

Anywhere a present-day response appears to be driven by something older — whether or not you'd call it trauma.

Commonly worked with

  • Post-traumatic stress, from single incidents or repeated experience
  • Specific memories that still carry a physical charge
  • Anxiety and panic
  • Phobias
  • Difficult childhood experiences
  • Persistent self-doubt and shame with an identifiable origin
  • Reactions to particular kinds of criticism, conflict, authority or rejection
  • Stress connected to loss, illness or major life transitions

What actually happens

1

Preparation comes first, and I don't rush it

Before any processing, we build the capacity to stay present with difficult material — using HeartMath coherence training and resourcing work. Processing without that capacity produces overwhelm rather than resolution, and a bad EMDR experience is worth avoiding. This is usually the phase people report having been skipped when previous trauma work went badly.

2

Then we identify a target

A specific memory, image or belief, and what it still produces in you now — physically, emotionally, and in what you conclude about yourself.

3

Then we process

Short sets of bilateral stimulation, with brief pauses in which you tell me only what you noticed. Not the story — just what shifted. Images, sensations, thoughts, sometimes nothing at all. We follow wherever it goes.

4

Then we close

Every session ends deliberately, with you settled, whether or not the material feels finished. You don't leave a session in the middle of something.

Sessions may run longer than fifty minutes when we're actively processing. We'd agree that in advance — see fees.

Does EMDR work online?

Yes. EMDR is routinely and effectively delivered by video, and it's how I do most of it.

The bilateral stimulation is achieved either with an on-screen moving target, with alternating audio through your headphones, or with self-administered tapping — you cross your arms and tap alternately on your shoulders. I'll show you the options and we'll use whichever suits you.

Everything else is unchanged: the same eight-phase protocol, the same preparation, the same pacing.

What online EMDR isn't suited to: acute crisis, active risk, or severe dissociation. In those situations you need in-person care with someone who can reach you, and I'll tell you plainly if that's my read.

What you'll need

  • A private space where you won't be interrupted
  • A stable connection
  • Headphones
  • A full hour, with nothing scheduled immediately afterwards

Poor experiences of EMDR usually trace back to processing beginning before enough stability was in place. That's the phase I won't rush.

Where EMDR sits in the work

EMDR belongs to the Integrate stage of how I work.

Before it: Regulate — building nervous-system capacity with HeartMath, so there's stability to process from. After it: Consolidate — making sense of what the pattern protected and translating the change into how you actually live.

I also use Lifespan Integration, which does a related job differently. Broadly: EMDR where there's a clear target; Lifespan Integration where the material is early, diffuse or attachment-shaped and there's no single memory to aim at. Often both, at different stages.

More on how I work → · Lifespan Integration →

CPTSD vs PTSD: why the type of traumatic experience can affect which method fits →

EMDR or Lifespan Integration

  • EMDR — a clear event or trigger you can point to
  • Lifespan Integration — early, diffuse or attachment-shaped material with no single target
  • Neither requires detailed retelling
  • EMDR has the larger research base; Lifespan Integration is generally gentler

Questions people ask

Does EMDR work online?

Yes. EMDR is routinely delivered by video using on-screen bilateral stimulation, alternating audio, or self-administered tapping. The protocol, preparation and pacing are unchanged. Research on remotely delivered EMDR generally finds it comparable to in-person work.

What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured psychotherapy method that processes distressing memories using bilateral stimulation — alternating eye movements, sounds or taps — while you hold the memory in mind. It's recognised as effective by the World Health Organization, NICE and the American Psychological Association among others, and doesn't require describing the experience in detail.

Do I have to talk about what happened?

No. EMDR doesn't require a detailed account. You need to identify a target — a memory, image or belief — but the processing happens without narration, and between sets you only report what you noticed rather than retelling anything.

How many sessions does EMDR take?

For a single contained incident, sometimes a handful. For repeated or developmental experience, considerably longer. Preparation also takes time, and I'd rather spend it than skip it. I'll give you an honest estimate once I understand what we're working with.

Is EMDR safe?

It's well established and widely used, with adequate preparation being the main determinant of how it goes. Some people feel tired or emotionally tender afterwards, and some notice material continuing to process for a day or two. Poor experiences of EMDR usually trace back to processing beginning before enough stability was in place — which is why that phase isn't rushed here.

What's the difference between EMDR and Lifespan Integration?

EMDR targets specific memories and has a substantially larger research base. Lifespan Integration works with your whole life timeline rather than isolated events, which suits attachment and early experience where there's no single incident to target. EMDR is more established; Lifespan Integration is gentler and often better tolerated.

Can EMDR help if my problem isn't trauma?

Often, yes. EMDR is best evidenced for PTSD, but it's also used for anxiety, panic, phobias, persistent self-doubt and disproportionate reactions to criticism or conflict — anywhere a present-day response appears to be driven by something older. Whether it's the right tool is something we'd work out together.

If you think EMDR might be what you need

You don't need to arrive with anything difficult prepared — we start by working out whether this is the right approach and whether we're a good fit.

Book a first session

Introduction to EMDR Therapy

How does EMDR therapy work? What is it like? How widely is it recognized? This short video has some answers. 

How Is EMDR Different from Other Therapies?

EMDR therapy does not require talking in detail about the distressing issue or homework between sessions. EMDR helps the brain resume its natural healing process. EMDR therapy is designed to process traumatic memories in the brain, so the person still remembers these memories but is no longer controlled by them. Part of the therapy includes alternating eye movements, sounds, or taps (bilateral stimulation). For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies.

EMDR therapy can be delivered in person or via virtual platforms.

EMDR Therapy: Healing Through a New Lens

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach designed to help individuals process and resolve trauma, distressing memories, and emotional challenges. It works by facilitating the brain’s natural healing processes, allowing you to reframe painful experiences and reduce their emotional impact.

How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR therapy focuses on reprocessing traumatic memories through a structured eight-phase approach. A key component involves bilateral stimulation—such as guided eye movements or tapping—while you recall distressing experiences in a safe, supportive environment. This helps your brain "reorganize" the memory, so it no longer triggers the same intense emotional or physical responses.

What Can You Expect in EMDR Sessions?

During EMDR therapy, we will work together to identify troubling memories or issues and explore how they affect your present life. The process is collaborative, empowering, and paced according to your readiness. EMDR does not require extensive discussion of the details of your distressing memories, making it a distinctive alternative to traditional talk therapy.

Who Can Benefit from EMDR?

While EMDR is well-known for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it can also be highly effective for:

  • Anxiety and panic attacks
  • Depression
  • Phobias
  • Traumatic Childhood Experiences
  • Low self-esteem and self-doubt
  • Stress related to life transitions

Potential Benefits of EMDR Therapy

  • Relief from emotional distress
  • Improved emotional regulation
  • Increased self-awareness and resilience
  • Improved relationships and communication
  • Greater clarity and confidence
  • Improved self-esteem
  • Reduction or elimination of trauma symptoms
  • Relief from anxiety
  • Improved quality of sleep

What does EMDR therapy look like? 

This short video explains the eight Phases of EMDR Therapy and what you might experience in EMDR therapy sessions.