EMDR Psychologist Encounter Bay
Experience a purposeful and targeted path through EMDR therapy.
Bloom Psychology & Yoga Therapy
Find a Path Forward with EMDR
The effects of past experiences may show up in many ways in your life, taking the form of depression, anxiety disorders, persistent stress, emotional overwhelm, or patterns that feel difficult to break. You might feel stuck, uncertain about how to move forward, or frustrated that previous attempts at therapy haven’t led to lasting change.
Through a structured process, EMDR therapy aims to help you work through challenging experiences, potentially reducing their emotional impact. If you’ve found traditional therapy ineffective or want an evidence-based approach that promotes lasting change, EMDR might be the right path for you.
Our EMDR therapy is catered to individuals throughout South Australia, and for those unable to attend in person, we also provide tailored online psychology services.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach that uses bilateral stimulation (in the form of eye movements, sounds, or body tapping) in an effort to activate the brain’s natural healing capacity. Adverse experiences tend to impact our wellbeing and psychological health because of what we believe the event says about us or the world we live in. EMDR aims to enable us to process these past events and arrive at more adaptive conclusions about what those events actually mean about us.
Research in neuroplasticity demonstrates that our brain has the ability to change, create new neural pathways, and produce new neurons. Because the brain has this ability to change, we have the ability to change our way of thinking and potentially improve our mood.
EMDR utilises our brains’ neuroplasticity to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections, which allows the brain to compensate for injury and adjust to new situations.
EMDR Therapy & Psychology in Encounter Bay, SA
How May EMDR Help Me?
EMDR addresses the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences. EMDR is not just for trauma; it may also support improving areas of life such as relationships, social connection, and work performance. It may be helpful in the treatment of a range of psychological conditions and experiences, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, OCD, anxiety, panic, phobias, addiction, eating disorders, dissociative disorders, and grief and loss, as well as associated symptoms including hyper-vigilance, intrusive thoughts or memories, and persistent feelings of guilt, anger, shame, or hopelessness.
EMDR may be used for processing single-incident traumatic events, often labelled ‘big T’ trauma (e.g. a major car accident, assault, or natural disaster). It also aims to offer support for ongoing, less overt traumatic experiences, known as ‘little t’ traumas, such as chronic stress from interpersonal conflict, attachment challenges, neglect, or financial pressures. A commonly overlooked aspect of ‘little t’ trauma is its cumulative nature– when these smaller stressors build up, they may overwhelm the nervous system and affect emotional functioning as deeply as a ‘big T’ trauma.
Growing research continues to highlight the effectiveness of EMDR therapy in addressing emotional trauma, adverse life experiences, negative thoughts and emotions, trauma-related imagery, and physical symptoms.
* Research links are found on the Resources page
Bloom Psychology & Yoga Therapy
Our EMDR Program
Traditional therapy isn’t the right fit for everyone.
Working with a psychologist commonly involves attending 50 minute sessions, often spaced out to a fortnightly or even monthly timeframe. This method requires a substantial overall treatment period, and it may often take a significant amount of time before you start to feel better. Progress may also be slowed by the focus shifting to dealing with the smaller concerns or crises that arise between sessions, which may distract from your core therapy goals.
To help you stay focused and potentially reach your goals faster, we now offer Bloom EMDR Intensives– an accelerated therapy model. The program starts with a month of in-depth client preparation, followed by an intensive schedule of two-hour sessions, three times per week. This approach is comparable to about 11 traditional therapy sessions, usually spread over five to 11 months.
By taking this intensive approach, we have an opportunity to work through the eight phases of EMDR treatment and target the root of an issue. This intentional approach helps to create efficiency in time and energy input, leading to more focused progress and improved well-being.
Bloom Psychology & Yoga Therapy
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a clinical psychologist, accredited EMDR therapist, and a certified yoga teacher and therapist. I bring over 20 years of experience in psychology, having worked with a broad range of clients, conditions and environments. I’m a full member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and The EMDR Association of Australia (EMDRAA).
I chose to focus my practice on EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) therapy after seeing the significant positive effects it had on my clients. Alongside this, I’ve completed advanced training in a range of psychological approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness, and neuropsychological-based therapies, which I draw on to enhance the EMDR approach. I now work exclusively with EMDR Intensive therapy– two-hour sessions scheduled close together– providing the opportunity to address core mental health concerns with fewer distractions from daily life.
I am passionate about sharing tools, techniques, and concepts to potentially help people work through psychological challenges and to support them in feeling better and more at peace in their lives.
Video Resources
Watch our videos to learn more about EMDR therapy at Bloom Psychology & Yoga Therapy.
Psychology in Encounter Bay & South Australia
Take the Next Step Towards Your Wellbeing
If past experiences are affecting your wellbeing, EMDR therapy offers a potential way to process and move forward with greater peace. To find out more or to book an appointment– in-person or online– get in touch with us today.