Why Virtual Therapy Works

It's one of the questions I'm asked most often.

Yes—EMDR and somatic therapy can be thoughtfully and effectively provided online.

Meaningful trauma therapy doesn't depend on sitting in the same room. What matters is creating a therapeutic relationship where you feel supported, connected, and able to work at a pace your nervous system can manage.

During our sessions, I'll guide you through EMDR and body-centered approaches adapted for virtual therapy. We'll slow down when we need to, pay attention to what your nervous system is communicating, and make adjustments along the way.

Because my work is body-oriented, I may occasionally invite you to adjust your camera or environment so I can better see and respond to the subtle ways your nervous system communicates.

And there can be some unique advantages to doing this work from home.

You're in your own environment, with familiar comforts and resources nearby. When our session ends, there's no drive home or immediate need to transition back into the outside world. You can give yourself time and space to settle and integrate.

When the pandemic began, I started receiving EMDR and somatic therapy online while also completing my formal somatic therapy training virtually over the next three years.

I wasn't sure at first how meaningful therapy through a screen could be.

I was surprised by how deeply I was able to engage in the process.

For me, being at home—and even having the small sense of distance a screen provided—helped me feel safe enough to stay with experiences I might have pulled away from in person.

That won't be everyone's experience.

But it changed the way I understood virtual therapy and gave me greater confidence in offering it to my own clients.

I've experienced this work from both sides of the screen.

People sometimes assume that somatic therapy means hands-on bodywork.

It doesn't.

Somatic therapy means we're paying attention to your body's experience—sensations, movement, breath, protective responses, emotions, impulses, and the subtle shifts that happen within your nervous system.

You don't need to know how to do that before you come to therapy.

I'll teach you how.

The screen doesn't prevent us from working with your body. In some ways, being in your own environment gives us an opportunity to help your nervous system discover new experiences of regulation and safety right where you live your everyday life.

If you're interested in this kind of therapy but still wondering whether virtual work will feel right for you, you don't have to talk yourself into it.

We can be curious together.

You can experience what it's like to work this way and decide whether it feels supportive and connected enough for you.

You may be surprised, just as I was.

Virtual therapy can work very well for many people—but it isn't the right setting for every person or every situation.

Together, we'll consider whether it's a good fit for you.

Virtual therapy may not be the best choice if:

• You don't have a reliable internet connection that allows us to stay connected throughout your session.
• You don't have access to a private space where you can speak openly and comfortably.
• Your current needs would be better supported in another setting or with a different level of care.

Occasionally, someone's symptoms, safety needs, or circumstances call for in-person therapy or a higher level of support. If that's the case, I'll talk with you about it honestly and help you consider your options.

Many people are uncertain about virtual therapy before trying it for the first time.

Some discover that they really appreciate being in their own space, without the commute and transition that come with an office appointment.

Others discover that they simply prefer being in the same room with their therapist.

Both are okay.

My goal isn't to convince you that virtual therapy is the right choice.

It's to help you determine whether this way of working allows you to feel supported, connected, and able to engage meaningfully in your therapy.

You don't have to know before you try. We can be curious together.