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How EMDR Therapy Can Prevent PTSD (Rather Than Treat It)
EMDR, Trauma, Healthy Coping, Diagnosis Laurel van der Toorn EMDR, Trauma, Healthy Coping, Diagnosis Laurel van der Toorn

How EMDR Therapy Can Prevent PTSD (Rather Than Treat It)

Something happened. Maybe it was a car accident. A medical emergency. A sudden breakup. A traumatic birth. A natural disaster.

You keep thinking about it.

Your body feels jumpy. You’re not sleeping well. You replay certain moments. Loud sounds feel louder. Your nervous system feels… off.

And you might be wondering: Do I just wait this out? Or is there something I can do now?

There is.

EMDR therapy, when used early and strategically, can help prevent acute stress from becoming long-term PTSD.

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Does EMDR Therapy Work for Everyone?
EMDR, Trauma Laurel van der Toorn EMDR, Trauma Laurel van der Toorn

Does EMDR Therapy Work for Everyone?

EMDR therapy is often described as transformative. And for many people, it is. It’s gained a solid reputation for helping with trauma, anxiety, and distressing memories. But you might be wondering: Does EMDR therapy work for everyone?

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EMDR Therapy for Trauma: Why the Body Holds More Than the Mind
EMDR, Trauma Laurel van der Toorn EMDR, Trauma Laurel van der Toorn

EMDR Therapy for Trauma: Why the Body Holds More Than the Mind

You understand what happened. You can tell the story clearly. You know it was not your fault. You’ve read the books. You’ve done the insight work.

And yet.

You still have reactions that don’t fit the situation you’re in. Logically, you know you are safe. Your body does not.

This is one of the most confusing parts of trauma: the mind can move forward while the body remains vigilant. And this is why EMDR therapy can be so powerful.

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Using The Enneagram in the Workplace: Dos and Don’ts
Communication, Enneagram Therapy Laurel van der Toorn Communication, Enneagram Therapy Laurel van der Toorn

Using The Enneagram in the Workplace: Dos and Don’ts

The Enneagram isn’t just a fun personality typing system; it’s a dynamic, trauma-informed model. It can create real transformation at work when used intentionally. Whether you’re a leader, team member, or just someone looking for personal growth, using the Enneagram can deepen relationships and improve communication.

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When Love and Money Collide: How To Smooth Over Differing Financial Beliefs That Create Relationship Stress

When Love and Money Collide: How To Smooth Over Differing Financial Beliefs That Create Relationship Stress

Money is one of the most common sources of conflict in relationships. It's not just about how much you earn or spend. More often, it's about the meaning you assign to money: safety, freedom, control, power, love, or worth.

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Am I Doing EMDR Therapy Wrong?
EMDR, Trauma Laurel van der Toorn EMDR, Trauma Laurel van der Toorn

Am I Doing EMDR Therapy Wrong?

If you’ve ever sat in an EMDR therapy session wondering, “Am I doing this right?” you’re in good company. This is one of the most common concerns people bring up, especially early on in the therapy process.

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Closure Is an Inside Job: Why You Don’t Need One More Conversation to Feel at Peace With a Relationship Ending
Attachment, Grief Laurel van der Toorn Attachment, Grief Laurel van der Toorn

Closure Is an Inside Job: Why You Don’t Need One More Conversation to Feel at Peace With a Relationship Ending

“I just want closure.”

We hear it all the time from clients in therapy after a breakup, friend estrangement, or loss of a relationship that once mattered deeply.

But most of the time, when someone says they want closure, what they really want is something else. A second chance. A satisfying explanation. The other person to finally understand. One more meaningful moment. One last spark that maybe—just maybe—could reignite the flame.

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Help! My Sibling Is Emotionally Overwhelming: How to Set Boundaries Without Cutting Them Off
Communication, Boundaries, Friendship, Codependence Laurel van der Toorn Communication, Boundaries, Friendship, Codependence Laurel van der Toorn

Help! My Sibling Is Emotionally Overwhelming: How to Set Boundaries Without Cutting Them Off

Sibling relationships are lifelong in a way that can make them uniquely complicated. Maybe your sibling leans on you constantly for emotional support, calls or texts multiple times a day, or shares their distress in ways that leave you feeling drained, anxious, or even resentful. You love them, but you find yourself thinking: I can’t be their therapist… I’m exhausted.

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Holiday Burnout: Tips for Prevention and Response from a Burnout Recovery Therapist
Boundaries, Holidays, Burnout Laurel van der Toorn Boundaries, Holidays, Burnout Laurel van der Toorn

Holiday Burnout: Tips for Prevention and Response from a Burnout Recovery Therapist

For many people, the holidays aren't the most wonderful time of the year, they're the most exhausting. Between family obligations, packed calendars, travel, and end-of-year work pressure, it’s no surprise that so many people hit a breaking point by December. If you're already feeling stretched thin, or want to avoid getting there, this guide is for you.

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What Else Can EMDR Therapy Be Used For Besides Trauma?
EMDR, Trauma, Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Attachment Laurel van der Toorn EMDR, Trauma, Anxiety, OCD, Phobias, Attachment Laurel van der Toorn

What Else Can EMDR Therapy Be Used For Besides Trauma?

When most people hear about EMDR therapy, they think of trauma recovery, and for good reason. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) was originally developed to treat PTSD and has decades of research supporting its effectiveness in healing trauma. But that’s not all EMDR can do.

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What No One Tells You About Being a Family Cycle Breaker
Communication, Boundaries Laurel van der Toorn Communication, Boundaries Laurel van der Toorn

What No One Tells You About Being a Family Cycle Breaker

If you're the one in your family who’s decided this stops with me, congrats! Choosing to break painful intergenerational patterns like emotional neglect, codependency, abuse, enmeshment, or chronic avoidance is a brave and life-changing decision. But what no one often tells you is that it’s not just hard, it’s complicated, lonely, and sometimes even painful. As therapists who work with adult children of dysfunctional families, here’s what we want you to know.

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Why EMDR Therapy Works So Well for Teenagers
EMDR, Trauma, Teens Laurel van der Toorn EMDR, Trauma, Teens Laurel van der Toorn

Why EMDR Therapy Works So Well for Teenagers

We’ve seen something remarkable in our work offering therapy for teenagers: many of them respond to EMDR therapy incredibly quickly. We call clients whose brains seem to rapidly make sense of and heal from difficult experiences during EMDR therapy "super-processors." And teens seem to do this at higher rates than older therapy-goers.

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We offer individualized teletherapy for a wide range of mental health and relational issues. Our San Francisco & Los Angeles therapists can help with anxiety, trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, LGBT gay and lesbian therapy issues, holistic therapy, enneagram therapy, therapy for lawyers, couples therapy, therapy for burnout, and therapy for teenagers. We serve many people in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Los Angeles, as well as throughout California and Florida. Our team is anti-racist, body positive, LGBT and trans affirming and sex positive. You deserve to feel good!