As I finished my day and sat down in my chair, I looked at my office. The colors are always soft and playful. But it looks different each time I leave. The office holds so many stories and secrets no one had heard before. These stories stay with me. At the end of each work day, I reflect on the day. Today it hit me differently. I am thinking about how tired I am, but it is not the regular exhaustion from doing a myriad of tasks. It is a pleasant feeling of accomplishment and growth. You see, everyday I witness my clients come in pain, hopeless, hanging at the end of their ropes. Some admit they were a holding razor blade the day before wanting to end it all. Some have not slept for years because of an excruciating pain they thought they had due to an illness. Some have not been able to get outside for years because of anxiety and phobias.
When I talk to other therapists, I always get asked how I am dealing with secondary trauma. This is something therapists get due to putting clients’ experiences through themselves. And don’t get me wrong, some of the stories are really traumatizing. But I do not deal with secondary trauma. I am free from it. Instead of witnessing my clients’ suffering, I watch them heal. Every. Single. Session. And it is all because of the type of therapy I do. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is such a powerful tool for change and healing. In our EMDR sessions we process and release all those stuck emotions, memories, and traumas that are keeping my clients from being their best selves. After EMDR they feel lighter, calmer, more forgiving, more at peace with themselves and others. They are able to see themselves, their relationships, and their life from a different perspective; one that is non-judgmental, compassionate, and accepting. EMDR helps to break the old patterns that are no longer serving you and to step into your power as the creator of your new life story.
My client who came in spiritually broken and not wanting to live is now apartment shopping and applying to schools. They found their voice and resilience. The client who came in with pain, is now sleeping through the night and is pain free. EMDR allows people to shed their old skin and spread their wings. Each day, I feel grateful to be able to witness this transformation firsthand and be part of their sacred journeys.
