"How am I ever going to get better?"

The question hung in the air between us.

This client had been coming to counseling for years - showing up faithfully, doing the hard work with quiet courage. Together we had walked through stories of deep pain and trauma, and had witnessed meaningful healing along the way.

And yet, here they were again. Sitting with familiar aches, old narratives stirring, standing before another door, heavy and familiar, wondering how many more looked just like it.

The marshmallows on top of the sweet potato casserole were in flames. I was able to attend to the problem with a compassionate chuckle, but there was a day when that would not have been my response. As someone with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), I find that harsh internal dialogue and big emotions can often strike during or after a mishap. Although practicing hospitality in our home has been one of the most consistent and enjoyable parts of my life, at times it has been a chaotic space.

If you've ever felt stuck in the painful stories connected to your past experiences, you are not alone. EMDR therapy can be a helpful, even sacred, place to begin gently unraveling those places that feel stuck--what's held in the body. As a therapist who works frequently with trauma, I have found EMDR to be an incredibly helpful modality to weave into talk therapy. I've seen it help people reconnect to their bodies in a deeper way, as they begin to experience and shift the meaning they've made in their stories.