Attachment Focused EMDR Therapy — Healing at the Root
Some things can't be talked through. The memories, beliefs, and emotional wounds that drive our most painful patterns aren't stored in the thinking part of the brain — they live deeper, in the body and nervous system, where words alone can't always reach.
AF-EMDR is a powerful, evidence-based therapy that works at that deeper level. It doesn't just help you understand your pain. It helps you release it.
What is AF-EMDR?
EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — is one of the most extensively researched and validated therapies in existence. Originally developed to treat trauma and PTSD, it has since been shown to be effective for anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, and a wide range of other challenges.
AF-EMDR — Attachment-Focused EMDR — is an evolution of standard EMDR developed by Dr. Laurel Parnell, one of the world's leading EMDR clinicians and trainers. Dr. Parnell's approach integrates attachment theory into the EMDR framework, making it especially effective for people whose early experiences with caregivers — neglect, inconsistency, emotional unavailability, or abuse — have shaped the way they relate to themselves and others.
In practical terms, AF-EMDR works by reducing the emotional charge stored in painful memories and beliefs. When a difficult memory loses its charge, it no longer drives your behavior, your relationships, or your sense of self in the same way. You can remember what happened without being hijacked by it.
How does it work?
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — typically eye movements, vibration, taps, or tones — to activate both sides of the brain simultaneously while you briefly focus on a difficult memory or belief. This process mimics what happens naturally during REM sleep, when the brain consolidates and integrates experience.
What makes AF-EMDR different is its emphasis on the therapeutic relationship and attachment repair. Rather than moving immediately into processing difficult material, we first build internal resources — inner figures of safety, compassion, and strength — that support you through the work. This makes the process feel safer and more contained, especially for people with complex or developmental trauma.
Sessions are collaborative and paced to what feels right for you. You're always in control of what we work on and how deeply we go.
AF-EMDR can help with:
Trauma and PTSD — including childhood trauma, relational trauma, and complex PTSD
Addiction and compulsive behavior — addressing the underlying wounds that drive addictive patterns
Anxiety and panic
Depression and low self-worth
Grief and loss
Relationship patterns that keep repeating
Shame and self-criticism
Life transitions and identity struggles
Training and ongoing consultation
I was trained in AF-EMDR directly by Dr. Laurel Parnell — the clinician who developed the approach and one of the most respected EMDR trainers in the world. More than training, I have been in ongoing consultation with Dr. Parnell for eight years.
That kind of sustained, direct consultation is rare. It means the AF-EMDR work I do with clients is continuously informed by the most current thinking from the field's leading practitioner — not just a foundational training I completed years ago.
For clients considering EMDR therapy, who your therapist trained with and whether they maintain active consultation matters. It directly affects the quality and depth of the work.
Is AF-EMDR right for you?
AF-EMDR isn't the right fit for every client or every moment in treatment. Some people benefit most from talk-based approaches first. Others are ready to go deeper right away. We'll discuss whether AF-EMDR makes sense for you during our initial consultation — there's no pressure to commit to any particular approach before we've had a chance to talk.
What I can tell you is that for many people, AF-EMDR reaches places that years of talk therapy couldn't. If you've done a lot of work on yourself and feel like something is still stuck — this may be worth exploring.
Ready to take the first step?
The first call is free — no commitment, no pressure. Just a conversation about where you are and how I might be able to help.