EMDR therapy can help process distressing experiences that continue to affect how you feel, respond and relate in the present. I’m Jennifer Nurick, an EMDR practitioner and Master’s-qualified Clinical Psychotherapist with 21 years’ experience. I offer online EMDR therapy to adults across Australia and internationally.
I specialise in childhood trauma, complex trauma, anxious and avoidant attachment patterns and recurring relationship difficulties. My integrative approach combines EMDR with attachment-based therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic psychotherapy and trauma-informed relational work.
Therapy is carefully adapted to your history, current needs and capacity. The aim is to help you process unresolved experiences safely, reduce their emotional intensity and develop greater freedom in how you respond to present-day situations.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a structured trauma therapy developed by psychologist Dr Francine Shapiro to help people process distressing memories and experiences that have not been fully integrated.
When an experience is overwhelming, aspects of it may remain stored with the original emotions, bodily sensations, images and beliefs. A present-day situation can then activate this material, making your response feel far more intense than the current circumstances alone might explain.
During EMDR, you briefly focus on aspects of a distressing experience while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This may involve guided eye movements, alternating sounds or gentle tapping. The process supports your natural capacity to integrate the experience so that it feels more clearly located in the past.
You still remember what happened, but the memory may become less emotionally charged and less likely to control your present-day reactions.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
EMDR therapy follows a structured process that begins well before memory reprocessing. We first explore your history, current concerns, therapeutic goals and the internal and external resources available to support you.
Preparation may include learning grounding practices, strengthening emotional regulation, developing a sense of internal safety and identifying supportive resources. We also discuss how you respond when distressed and what may help you remain within a manageable emotional range.
When you are ready, we identify a specific memory, image, belief, emotion or bodily sensation to work with. Bilateral stimulation is then used in short sets while you notice what arises.
You do not need to describe every detail of an experience aloud. I guide the process while you remain aware of your internal responses and retain control over the pace. We can pause, slow down or return to stabilisation whenever needed.
Learn More About EMDR Therapy
If you would like to understand EMDR before deciding whether it feels right for you, you can listen to these episodes of the Psychotherapy Central Podcast:
- What Is EMDR Therapy? — An introduction to trauma from an EMDR perspective, bilateral stimulation and what happens during memory reprocessing.
- What to Expect in Your EMDR Therapy Sessions — A guide to the eight phases of EMDR therapy, including assessment, preparation, reprocessing and integration.
What Can EMDR Therapy Help With?
People seek EMDR therapy for a wide range of experiences, including:
- Childhood trauma and emotional neglect
- Complex trauma and post-traumatic stress
- Distressing memories that continue to feel present
- Panic attacks and anxiety linked to past experiences
- Shame, guilt or persistent negative beliefs
- Grief and painful losses
- Relationship trauma, betrayal or abandonment
- Fear of rejection and anxious attachment
- Withdrawal, shutdown and avoidant attachment
- Emotional or bodily reactions that feel difficult to control
- Experiences of bullying, humiliation or exclusion
- Specific fears or situations connected with earlier events
EMDR is not limited to a single dramatic incident. It may also be used to work with repeated relational experiences that gradually shaped how you see yourself, other people and the world.
How Can EMDR Help With Childhood Trauma?
Childhood trauma may involve experiences of abuse, neglect, loss, family conflict, emotional disconnection or living with caregivers who were frightening, unpredictable or unavailable.
A child may make meaning of these experiences through beliefs such as “I am not safe,” “I am unlovable,” “My needs do not matter” or “I have to manage everything alone.” These beliefs can continue to influence adult relationships even when you intellectually understand that the past is over.
EMDR can help process the experiences connected with these beliefs. As the emotional intensity of earlier memories reduces, more adaptive understandings can emerge. You may know not only intellectually, but also emotionally and physically, that you have more choice, support and capacity now.
Can EMDR Help With Anxious and Avoidant Attachment?
Attachment patterns are often shaped through repeated experiences of closeness, separation, responsiveness and emotional safety. These experiences can create powerful expectations about what will happen when you depend on someone or allow yourself to be vulnerable.
With anxious attachment, present-day distance or uncertainty may activate earlier experiences of abandonment, inconsistency or unmet needs. With avoidant attachment, intimacy may activate memories or sensations connected with engulfment, criticism, rejection or emotional overwhelm.
EMDR can help identify and process some of the memories underlying these responses. It may reduce the intensity of current triggers and support a greater capacity to remain grounded, communicate needs and make choices from your adult Self.
You can learn more about my work with anxious and avoidant attachment on my Attachment Therapy page.
How Do I Integrate EMDR With IFS and Somatic Therapy?
Trauma work often benefits from an approach that respects both the protective parts of the psyche and the body’s responses.
Internal Family Systems helps us understand the parts that want healing, the parts that feel afraid of change and the parts that work hard to avoid painful emotions. Listening to these protective parts before and during EMDR can help the process feel more collaborative and less overwhelming.
Somatic psychotherapy brings awareness to sensations, impulses, tension, numbness and other embodied responses. This can help us recognise when your system needs more support, a slower pace or a return to grounding.
I do not use one rigid process for every person. EMDR is integrated into a broader therapeutic relationship and adapted to your individual history, attachment patterns and needs.
What Is My Experience as an EMDR Therapist?
I am a trained EMDR practitioner, a Master’s-qualified Clinical Psychotherapist and a PACFA Clinical registrant. I have worked in private practice for 21 years, supporting adults and couples with attachment wounds, childhood trauma, complex trauma and relationship difficulties.
My additional training includes Internal Family Systems, somatic psychotherapy, attachment-based therapy and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. I am also the author of Heal Your Anxious Attachment.
This breadth of experience allows me to consider not only a particular traumatic memory, but also the protective patterns, bodily responses and relationship dynamics surrounding it.
Online EMDR Therapy in Australia and Internationally
I offer online EMDR therapy to adults across Australia and internationally. Bilateral stimulation can be adapted for online work using guided eye movements, alternating tapping or other methods suited to your circumstances.
Before beginning reprocessing, we assess whether online EMDR is appropriate for you. We consider privacy, your support system, your ability to regulate distress and whether you have a suitable space for sessions.
During an initial appointment, we discuss what you would like help with, your relevant history and whether EMDR or a more integrative approach is likely to suit your needs.
You can also view my Psychology Today profile for more information about my experience, qualifications and therapeutic approach.
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy
Do I need to talk about every detail of my trauma?
No. EMDR does not require you to give a detailed verbal account of everything that happened. We need enough information to understand what you are working with and support the process safely, but much of the reprocessing can occur internally.
Is EMDR only for PTSD?
No. EMDR is widely associated with post-traumatic stress, but practitioners may also use it with anxiety, panic, grief, shame, attachment wounds and distressing experiences that continue to affect present-day life. Suitability is assessed individually.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
The number of sessions varies considerably. A recent, single-event experience may require fewer sessions than longstanding childhood or complex trauma. Preparation, stability, current stress and the number of experiences involved also influence the timeframe.
Will EMDR make me feel overwhelmed?
EMDR can bring up emotions and bodily sensations, but the work should be paced carefully. Preparation, grounding and ongoing communication are essential. You remain in control, and the process can be paused or adjusted whenever needed.
Can EMDR therapy be done effectively online?
EMDR can be adapted for online therapy using several forms of bilateral stimulation. Online suitability depends on your circumstances, privacy, stability and support needs, which we assess before beginning reprocessing.
If you are looking for an experienced EMDR practitioner who understands attachment, childhood trauma and protective parts, I invite you to reach out.