Therapy Services
Individual Therapy
Darcie commonly addresses the following topics with individuals:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- TTC - preparing mind & body (ideally 3+ months before starting to try)
- Perinatal mental health (preparing for baby's arrival; adjusting to parenthood; understanding postpartum identity, including balancing work, motherhood, and self)
- Relationship issues (dating, partner/spouse, family friends)
- Life transitions (post-college, marriage, parenthood, new career, etc.)
- Grief and loss (including infertility, miscarriage, late-term loss, stillbirth, break-up, divorce, estrangement, and death)
- Trauma
- Parenting support
Couples Therapy
Darcie commonly address the following topics with couples:
- Communication
- Connectedness
- Physical and emotional intimacy
- Working better as a team
- Meeting each other's needs
- Preparing for and/or adjusting to parenthood
- Coping with infertility
- Healing for birth trauma and/or loss
- Pre-marital counseling
- Relationship maintenance (periodic check-ins to support proactive relational health)
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy that helps the brain heal from distressing or traumatic experiences.
When something overwhelming happens, the brain doesn’t always fully process it. Instead, the memory can become “stuck,” along with the emotions, body sensations, and negative beliefs that were present at the time (such as
“I’m not safe” or
“Something is wrong with me”). When this happens, present-day situations can trigger those old reactions—even when the danger is no longer there.
EMDR helps the brain do what it naturally knows how to do:
process and integrate memories so they no longer feel overwhelming.
What Happens in EMDR
In EMDR, you briefly focus on a distressing memory while also engaging in
bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or tapping. This back-and-forth stimulation activates both sides of the brain and helps the nervous system move out of a “stuck” state.
As this happens:
- The emotional intensity of the memory decreases
- New insights and perspectives often arise naturally
- Negative beliefs shift into more adaptive ones
- The body becomes calmer when the memory is recalled
Importantly,
you don’t need to go into graphic detail or relive the trauma to heal from it.
How EMDR Feels
Clients often describe EMDR as allowing the memory to move from something that feels
currently happening to something that feels like it’s
in the past. The memory may still exist, but it no longer has the same emotional charge or control.
Many people notice:
- Reduced anxiety or emotional reactivity
- Less distress when thinking about past events
- A greater sense of calm, clarity, and self-trust
Importantly,
you don’t need to go into graphic detail or relive the trauma to heal from it.
A Natural Healing Process
Think of EMDR like helping the brain “digest” an experience that never got fully processed. Just as the body knows how to heal a wound when given the right conditions,
the brain knows how to heal emotional wounds when given the right support.
EMDR is evidence-based and widely used for trauma, anxiety, grief, and other distressing life experiences.
EMDR Frequently Asked Questions
Is EMDR hypnosis?
- No. EMDR does not involve hypnosis or mind control. You are awake, aware, and in control the entire time
Do I have to talk in detail about my trauma?
- No. EMDR does not require sharing graphic details. We focus on what feels manageable and move at your pace.
What if I don’t like eye movements?
- That’s okay. EMDR can use other forms of bilateral stimulation, such as gentle tapping.
How long does EMDR take to work?
- This varies by person and by what you’re working on. Some people notice shifts quickly, while others experience gradual change over time.
Is EMDR only for trauma?
- No. While EMDR is well known for trauma treatment, it is also effective for anxiety, phobias, grief, performance blocks, and distressing life experiences.
Will I feel worse before I feel better?
- Some people notice temporary emotional or physical sensations between sessions as the brain continues processing. These usually settle and are discussed and supported in therapy.
Who Is a Good Fit For EMDR
EMDR can be a helpful option for people who feel impacted by past experiences and want relief from emotional distress, body-based reactions, or unhelpful patterns that feel hard to shift through talk therapy alone.
EMDR may be a good fit if you:
- Feel emotionally or physically activated by reminders of past experiences
- Have memories that feel “stuck” or continue to intrude in the present
- Notice strong reactions that don’t match the current situation
- Experience anxiety, panic, or chronic worry
- Struggle with grief, loss, or complicated life transitions
- Carry negative beliefs about yourself (such as “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not safe”)
- Feel disconnected from your body or easily overwhelmed by emotions
- Want a therapy that is structured but still collaborative and gentle
EMDR is commonly used to support:
- Single-incident trauma (accidents, medical procedures, sudden losses)
- Ongoing or developmental trauma
- Childhood experiences that continue to shape adult patterns
- Performance blocks, public speaking anxiety, or test anxiety
- Distressing relationship experiences
When EMDR Might Not Be The Right First Step
EMDR Intensives offer extended, focused therapy sessions designed to support deeper healing in a shorter period of time. Instead of spreading the work out over many weeks, an intensive allows us to create momentum and continuity, while still moving at a pace that feels safe and supportive.
I offer both
half-day (3-hour) and
full-day (6-hour) EMDR Intensives.
Structure of a Longer EMDR Session
Each intensive is thoughtfully structured and individualized, but may include:
Preparation and Grounding
- We begin by orienting to the day, reviewing your goals, and making sure you feel emotionally and physically resourced. This includes grounding practices, nervous system regulation, and establishing a sense of safety and choice.
Target Identification and Reprocessing
- We then move into EMDR reprocessing, focusing on specific memories, experiences, or themes connected to your goals. With extended time, there is space to follow the brain’s natural processing without feeling rushed. We pause as needed for rest, reflection, or regulation.
Integration and Meaning-Making
- Longer sessions allow time to integrate insights as they emerge; emotionally, cognitively, and in the body. New perspectives, beliefs, or felt shifts are gently reinforced so they can take hold.
Breaks and Pacing
- Intensives are not six hours of continuous processing. We build in intentional breaks for rest, hydration, movement, and nervous system settling. The pace is always collaborative and adjustable.
Closing and Aftercare Planning
- We end the session by helping your system return to a grounded, present state. We also discuss aftercare, what to expect following an intensive, and how to support continued integration in the days that follow.
Why Choose an EMDR Intensive?
Clients often choose intensives because they:
- Want to make meaningful progress without weekly scheduling constraints
- Feel ready to focus on a specific issue or memory
- Have found that weekly sessions don’t allow enough continuity
- Prefer immersive, focused work with ample support
Many clients report that intensives feel
contained, efficient, and deeply supportive, rather than overwhelming.
A Gentle, Collaborative Approach
While EMDR Intensives allow for deeper focus, the work is always guided by your nervous system. You remain in control at every step, and we adjust the pace based on what feels right for you.
Intensives are not about pushing through. They are about creating the conditions for your brain to do the healing it already knows how to do.