Tag: EMDR Therapy

Thoughtful Black woman sitting in a bright, naturally lit room with a light gray couch and greenery. Text reads, “You’re Hitting Those Vision Board Goals. But Is Your Healing Keeping Up?” highlighting the importance of emotional healing, mental wellness, and self-care alongside personal and professional success.

Anxiety Confidence EMDR Therapy Self Care Therapy Trauma Women empowerment Anxiety • EMDR intensive • EMDR Therapy • high-achieving women • Long Island therapist • self-doubt • trauma therapy November 3, 2026 By AMANDA FLUDD 0 Comments

You’re Hitting Those Vision Board Goals. But Is Your Healing Keeping Up?

The life you’re building deserves a version of you who feels as good as she looks on paper.

There’s something about watching a woman step into her own. She’s making moves, opening doors, taking chances on herself, and finally seeing some of those vision board goals become her actual life.

And I love that for her.

But I’ve also been thinking about the parts of ourselves that don’t always keep up with the lives we’re building.

You can be a powerhouse in your own right. The person who handles things, leads the team, builds the business, figures out the next move. You know how to get things done.

But you also know when something in your gut doesn’t feel safe.

When your confidence disappears in a particular room. When someone’s words stay with you longer than they should. When you find yourself questioning a decision you were perfectly comfortable with yesterday.

And then there’s the stuff you don’t even talk about.

The deep doubts. The trauma you haven’t found the words for. The relationship you never fully processed. The things that hurt so much you’ve learned to live around them instead of addressing them.

I’m not even talking about the things you can clearly see. I’m talking about the stuff in that back closet.

You know the quiet things I’m talking about. I see you.

The place where you’ve tucked away everything you didn’t have the time, energy, or emotional capacity to deal with. You closed the door, straightened yourself up, and went right back to being the woman everyone knows you to be.

And for a while, that works, until one day, something happens.

A comment. A disappointment. An unexpected loss. A relationship that brings up something familiar. Maybe even an incredible opportunity that suddenly has you questioning whether you’re good enough.

And that one thing sets off a flood of emotions you thought you had under control.

They weren’t resolved. They were just sitting in the closet.

Being Busy Can Become a Convenient Reason Not to Heal

I know how much you have going on. And I know that finding time for yourself isn’t always as simple as moving a few things around on your calendar.

But I also think we have to be willing to ask ourselves some uncomfortable questions.

How long have you been telling yourself you’ll get to your healing when things slow down?

How many times have you said I’m good, because explaining what you’re really feeling would require a conversation you don’t have the energy for?

And how much of what you’ve been calling ambition is actually pressure you’ve carried so long you don’t know how to put it down?

Because there’s a difference between being driven and being driven by fear.

There’s a difference between wanting to do excellent work and feeling like one mistake will prove you’re not good enough.

There’s a difference between being responsible and believing everything will fall apart if you stop holding it together.

And there’s a difference between choosing to move forward and staying in motion because slowing down would mean feeling something you’ve been avoiding.

Avoidance is not a cure.

It may have helped you get through a difficult season. It may even have been necessary at the time. But that doesn’t mean it has to remain your way of coping.

Sometimes being busy is about having a full life. Other times, it gives us a very convincing reason not to open that closet.

The problem is that we don’t always get to decide when something inside it comes spilling out.

You’re Doing Amazing Things. But How Do You Actually Feel About Yourself?

In my work as a trauma therapist, I spend a lot of time with highly driven women who are doing amazing things. Women with careers, businesses, families, big ideas, and responsibilities that matter.

One thing I’ve noticed is that how they show up for the world isn’t always how they feel about themselves.

Someone else may see a confident leader, while inside she’s questioning every decision.

She can negotiate a contract, manage a team, and handle difficult conversations at work. But when it comes to setting a boundary in her personal life, suddenly she’s wondering if she’s asking for too much.

She knows she’s qualified for the opportunity, but her body responds as though she’s about to be exposed.

And sometimes that’s the hardest part to explain.

Because intellectually, you know better.

You know you’ve earned your place. You know that relationship wasn’t healthy. You know one person’s opinion doesn’t define you.

But knowing something and feeling safe enough to believe it are not always the same thing.

That’s why I love the deeper work we do in trauma therapy.

As an EMDR-trained therapist, one thing I appreciate about this approach is that we can go beyond talking about these patterns and start addressing the experiences and beliefs connected to them.

We can get curious about where that I’m not enough belief came from. Why your body reacts so strongly to certain situations. Why an experience from years ago can still shape how you feel about yourself today.

Not everything we work through has to be a major traumatic event, either. Sometimes it’s anxiety, persistent self-doubt, a painful relationship, an experience of rejection, or a belief about yourself that has followed you into every new chapter.

Those experiences may be part of your story. They don’t have to keep shaping every decision you make.

What If Relief Didn’t Have to Take So Much From You?

I think one of the things that keeps women from seeking therapy is the idea that healing is going to require so much from them.

More time. More emotional energy. Another standing appointment. Another responsibility added to an already full calendar.

And listen, healing does require something of us. I’m not going to pretend otherwise.

But it doesn’t always have to look the way you’ve imagined.

Sometimes it’s less about finding endless amounts of time and more about being intentional with the time you decide to give yourself.

Part of my work as a trauma therapist is curating healing experiences that make sense for the person sitting in front of me. That includes understanding your goals, what you’ve been carrying, how ready you feel to address it, and what kind of support will help you move through the process.

It’s also why I offer EMDR and trauma intensives as part of my practice.

An intensive gives us a dedicated block of therapeutic time instead of relying only on weekly sessions.

And I know how much you value your time.

Maybe taking an hour out of your workweek every Tuesday feels impossible right now. Maybe you’ve started therapy before but struggled to keep the momentum going between appointments. Or maybe you’re carrying something specific, and you’re finally ready to give it your attention.

An intensive creates space for us to do just that.

And it doesn’t have to be about what you’d traditionally call trauma. We may be addressing anxiety, self-doubt, a painful experience, or that not enough belief that keeps showing up no matter how much you accomplish.

Have You Ever Considered an EMDR Intensive?

Here’s what I especially love about this approach.

We don’t have to spend every session getting back into the work, only to wrap up just as we’re getting somewhere meaningful.

With an intensive, we have more continuous time to explore what comes up, work through distressing experiences, and notice the shifts happening along the way.

Depending on your needs, that might look like a few 90-minute sessions.

Or my personal favorite: a Saturday morning where we set aside three to six hours for focused therapeutic work.

For some people, that uninterrupted time can create meaningful progress that might otherwise be spread across several months of weekly appointments. Of course, that varies from person to person, and an intensive doesn’t guarantee faster results.

We also don’t jump straight into processing without preparation. We take time to make sure you feel grounded, supported, and ready for the experience.

I recently added sound healing to my practice as another way to support relaxation and create a more intentional therapeutic experience when appropriate. I’m excited about what that can add to the work.

Because I want healing to feel like something you’re choosing for yourself, not another obligation you’re trying to squeeze into your life.

It’s dedicated time to address what you’ve been carrying.

Time to be supported.

Time to consider what might become possible when you aren’t responding to everything through the lens of something that hurt you years ago.

But How Do You Know If EMDR Is Actually Working?

This is one of the questions I get most, and it’s a good one.

Because EMDR doesn’t always feel like what we expect therapy to feel like.

Sometimes memories come up in pieces. Sometimes you notice sensations in your body. Sometimes your mind makes connections you weren’t expecting.

And sometimes you leave a session wondering whether anything happened at all.

In a recent video, I talk about this very question after an EMDR experience where the person wasn’t sure at first that the session had worked. But as we explored what she noticed afterward, she began to recognize that her relationship with something that used to cause her significant anxiety had changed.

That matters.

Because healing isn’t always about some dramatic emotional breakthrough.

Sometimes it’s realizing you can approach a situation without the same dread.

That you can remember something painful without feeling like you’re reliving it.

That the thing that once made you question yourself doesn’t have quite the same hold on you anymore.

I also share my own experience with EMDR and how it changed my emotional response to a car accident I’d been carrying for years.

The memory didn’t disappear.

My relationship with it changed.

And sometimes that’s what creates room for us to move forward differently.

Watch: What Does EMDR Feel Like When It’s Working?

In this video, I break down what EMDR can feel like, how to recognize progress, why the changes aren’t always obvious at first, and what makes intensive sessions different from traditional weekly therapy.

You Are Worth the Time

Here’s what I want to leave you with.

I’m not asking you to stop pursuing your goals, slow down your ambition, or make your life smaller.

Please, keep going after the things you want.

But as you update that vision board, make those investments, and plan your next chapter, I want you to think about the woman who gets to experience all of it. Not just what she’s accomplishing, but how she’s feeling. How she’s showing up in her relationships. Whether she trusts herself. Whether she can enjoy what she’s created without constantly bracing for something to go wrong.

And whether there are still parts of her that need some attention.

You are worth the time it takes to explore those parts.

You’re worth investing in an experience that is just for you.

And you’re worth finding out what a more healed version of you might feel like as you move through this world.

You don’t have to wait for the closet door to burst open before you decide to look at what’s inside.

If you’ve been putting your healing aside, maybe this is your invitation to reconsider what making time for yourself could look like.

And if an EMDR intensive sounds like something you’d like to explore, I’d love to help you figure out whether it’s the right fit.

Explore EMDR Intensives at Kensho Psychotherapy Services →

Reads You Might Like

Trauma & Anxiety Therapy for the Strong Ones
For the woman who’s always been the dependable one but carries more emotionally than people realize.
Girl, How Long Are We Going to Keep Talking About the Same Thing
What Is an EMDR Intensive? How It May Help With Anxiety
The practical follow-up if you’re curious about EMDR and whether an intensive might fit your life.

Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R, is a trauma therapist and Executive Director of Kensho Psychotherapy Services in Lynbrook, New York. She specializes in EMDR therapy and offers focused therapy intensives for adults ready to address the experiences, beliefs, and emotional patterns that may be holding them back.

Podcast — Grace, Growth & Business: https://gracegrowthandbusiness.buzzsprout.com · EMDR Intensives: https://amandafludd.com/therapyintensive/ · Contact: amanda@amandafludd.com · amandafludd.com/individual-therapy

EMDR EMDR Therapy Mental Health Trauma Women empowerment Amanda Fludd • Black Trauma Therapist • EMDR intensive • EMDR intensives • EMDR Long Island • EMDR Lynbrook NY • EMDR New York • EMDR Therapy • high-achieving women • intensive trauma therapy • Kensho Psychotherapy • Nassau County therapist • therapy for women • trauma therapist Long Island • weekly therapy vs EMDR intensive October 8, 2026 By AMANDA FLUDD 0 Comments

EMDR Intensives vs. Weekly Therapy: What If You Gave Yourself More Time to Heal?

Because understanding what hurt you and finally moving differently are two different things.

Girl, How Long Are We Going to Keep Talking About the Same Thing?

You know the pattern. You’ve talked about it, journaled about it, prayed about it, and maybe even spent months unpacking it in therapy.

Yet somehow, the same situations still trigger you. The same doubts creep in. You’re still overthinking, overgiving, or carrying responsibilities that were never yours to begin with.

And just when you’re getting to the good stuff in therapy, opening up, or things are starting to come together, your therapist says, “Well, we’re almost out of time.” Until you come back again next week, barring any life crisis or holidays, we start again.

Sound familiar?

If I can be honest, sometimes you don’t need another week of talking around the issue. You need more time to actually work through it.

And if you’re anything like me, you appreciate getting to the heart of things. Not rushing the process, but getting intentional about what really needs your attention instead of getting lost in the background noise.

That’s where EMDR intensives come in.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy approach that helps your brain process distressing experiences so they no longer carry the same emotional intensity.

EMDR intensives give you dedicated time to work on specific experiences, beliefs, or emotional patterns without having to squeeze everything into a traditional weekly appointment. This time lets your nervous system stay in the therapeutic work without that weekly reset, life distractions, procrastination, and avoidance. It’s room to finally focus on you.

ASK ME DIRECTLY ABOUT AN EMDR INTENSIVE

EMDR Intensives vs. Weekly Therapy: What’s the Difference?

Weekly EMDR therapy and EMDR intensives both offer opportunities for meaningful healing. The difference is how we use our time together.

Weekly therapy gives you consistent support over time. You get to explore what’s happening in your life, build coping skills, and work through experiences at a gradual pace.

EMDR intensives offer longer, focused sessions where we intentionally set aside time for the work you’ve been wanting to do. The therapy happens in a condensed period of time, like a 3-hour block; typically, these treatments occur on a Friday or weekend. It’s an opportunity to address an old hurt, a belief that’s been holding you back, a feeling, or a trigger that keeps showing up in your life. One or two intensive sessions can match months of traditional weekly therapy.

Neither approach is better for everyone. It’s about finding what fits your life and your needs.

What If You Didn’t Have to Keep Carrying It All?

Think about the things you’ve learned to live with.

The need to be everything for everybody. The voice that tells you you’re not doing enough. The hurt you’ve tucked away because life kept moving. The triggers that catch you off guard, even when you thought you were past all of that.

Imagine creating space to work through those experiences instead of continually working around them.

Not because an intensive can magically erase your past or guarantee a faster healing journey, but because you deserve uninterrupted time to explore what’s been weighing on you.

“Sometimes what we need isn’t another thing on our schedule. It’s dedicated space to finally focus on ourselves.”

— Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R

An intensive can help you loosen the grip of old experiences, challenge beliefs you’ve carried for years, and start responding to life from a different place.

Less feeling like you’re constantly bracing for something.

More room to breathe, make choices, and show up as the woman you’re becoming.

And that is worth making time for.

So, What Actually Happens During an EMDR Intensive?

First, we’re not throwing you into hours of difficult memories and hoping for the best.

There’s intention and care behind the process.

Consultation. We start with a conversation to see whether an intensive is right for you.
Preparation. We prepare together, identify what you want to focus on, and choose a time when you can be fully present.
Your intensive. We practice grounding techniques, get comfortable with EMDR’s eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation, and work toward your agreed-upon goals, with breaks along the way.
Closing and next steps. We help you feel grounded, reflect on the experience, and plan your next steps.

This is your time. We honor your pace, your needs, and your readiness throughout the process.

Sometimes the Work Is Worth Taking a Chance On

“I was so scared to do it.”

— Sandra Bullock, speaking about EMDR therapy on Red Table Talk

Even Sandra Bullock has spoken about being nervous to try EMDR.

And that makes sense. The idea of revisiting difficult experiences can feel intimidating, especially when you’ve spent years figuring out how to keep going despite them.

You don’t have to have everything figured out before beginning. You just have to be open to exploring what support could look like.

And sometimes, hearing from someone who has experienced EMDR themselves makes all the difference.

“Amanda Fludd literally helped me heal. I am so grateful. It was beautiful and profound.”

— Sara Jane Wellock, Google review of Kensho Psychotherapy Services

Healing is deeply personal. No two people experience it exactly the same way, but stories like these remind us that change is possible.

Three Questions You Might Be Wondering About EMDR Intensives

1. Is an EMDR intensive worth it if I’ve already tried therapy?

It can be. Especially if you’ve gained insight into your experiences but still feel stuck in the same emotional reactions.

EMDR works differently from traditional talk therapy by helping you process distressing experiences and their emotional impact. An intensive provides a longer, focused treatment window.

It’s not a guarantee of faster results, but it may be another way to approach work you feel ready to address.

2. Can I do an EMDR intensive if I already have a therapist?

Absolutely worth exploring! You may be able to continue seeing your regular therapist while working with an EMDR clinician on a particular concern.

With your permission, we can discuss how the work fits with your existing treatment and coordinate care when appropriate.

3. What happens after an EMDR intensive?

You might feel lighter, tired, reflective, or notice emotions continuing to surface. Everyone processes differently.

That’s why we prepare before treatment, incorporate grounding during the session, and discuss aftercare and follow-up.

You won’t be expected to figure out your next steps alone.

Want to Hear More About EMDR Intensives?

Sometimes hearing a real conversation helps you decide whether something is worth exploring.

Maybe It’s Time to Make Room for You.

You’ve made room for your career, your family, your responsibilities, and everybody else’s needs.

What would it look like to give yourself that same level of intention?

I’m Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R, trauma therapist and founder of Kensho Psychotherapy Services in Lynbrook, New York.

I work with women who are tired of being held back by old experiences, familiar patterns, and the pressure to keep it all together.

Through EMDR therapy and intensives, we create space to work through what’s been weighing on you, with care, intention, and a plan that fits your needs.

We offer in-person EMDR intensives in Lynbrook, Long Island, and virtual options for eligible New York residents. Even if you are not in NY, you can fly in, and we’ll curate a weekend healing experience for you.

Not sure which format makes sense for you? That’s exactly what the consultation is for.

You don’t have to keep making peace with patterns you’re ready to change.

BOOK YOUR EMDR INTENSIVE CONSULTATION

Kensho Psychotherapy Services | Lynbrook, NY
Written by Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R

Individual experiences vary, and EMDR intensives are not appropriate for everyone. Treatment recommendations are based on clinical assessment, readiness, and individual needs.

Podcast — Grace, Growth & Business: gracegrowthandbusiness.buzzsprout.com · About EMDR Intensives: amandafludd.com/therapyintensive · Contact: amanda@amandafludd.com

Anxiety EMDR anxiety therapy • EMDR for anxiety • EMDR for Black women • EMDR intensive • EMDR intensive Long Island • EMDR Lynbrook NY • EMDR Therapy • Kensho Psychotherapy • trauma therapy September 10, 2026 By AMANDA FLUDD 0 Comments

What Is an EMDR Intensive? How It May Help With Anxiety

There are lots of different ways to heal, and one type of therapy that I don’t think is talked about enough is EMDR. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It was originally developed to help people heal from trauma, but we are also seeing how EMDR may help people work through other concerns like anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and some of the negative beliefs we have about ourselves.

I think this is especially important for Black women because we can get really good at pushing through things. You may know all the coping skills, know that you are capable, and even understand where some of your patterns come from, but still have this feeling of I’m not enough or I have to get everything right.

Sometimes knowing something logically doesn’t necessarily change how it feels in your body or how you react when something triggers you.

There is also growing research looking at EMDR beyond PTSD. A 2026 meta-analysis looked at 40 randomized controlled trials with 2,064 participants and found that EMDR was associated with reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms (Ajele, Ramonkga, & Idemudia, 2026). The researchers also noted considerable differences across the studies, and EMDR’s advantage over other established psychotherapies remains less certain.

This research is important because people often hear EMDR and automatically think it is only for major trauma, when people may also be dealing with anxiety and emotional reactions that continue to get in their way.

What Is an EMDR Intensive?

An EMDR intensive is a more concentrated, focused way of doing EMDR therapy, and it can be a magical experience when done with a trained EMDR Therapist. Traditional EMDR might happen once a week or every other week, and sessions may be around 45–60 minutes. With an intensive, we have more time to really focus on the issue you came in to work on. I like to think of it like going to the gym. Yes, you can go to the gym for 45 minutes once a week and still see some results, but when you go consistently, or have the opportunity to take a focused class that asks more of you, maybe has more guidance, or is so dialed in to an area that you see better results.

It’s similar to what happens with an intensive. Instead of spreading the work out over many shorter sessions, you get a longer block of time to stay focused on the issue you’re trying to address.

At Kensho Psychotherapy, we might do several 90-minute sessions closer together, a three-hour intensive, six hours, or even create a more retreat-style experience over a few days. It really depends on the needs of the individual and what makes sense for them.

How Is an EMDR Intensive Different From Weekly Therapy?

One of the things I really like about the intensive format is that we don’t lose as much time to all the other fires that can happen in weekly therapy as you navigate life.

Maybe you couldn’t make therapy last week, something happened at work this week, or now there’s a family situation you need to talk about. All of that is important, but before you know it, you haven’t gotten back to the original thing you wanted to address, like why do I keep sabotaging my progress, the feeling of “stuckness,” despite being in therapy, or the fears that quickly activate as you step into challenging situations. Sometimes the busyness of life can become distractions.

With an intensive, we already know what we’re coming in to focus on, and we’ve taken the time to prepare you for the work. That gives us more uninterrupted time to stay with the issue instead of having to stop and come back to it another week and hope to spend some time on it.

That focused time is one of the things that makes intensives different from doing EMDR or traditional weekly therapy.

Can EMDR Intensives Help With Anxiety?

You may already know how to challenge an anxious thought, practice grounding, take a breath, or remind yourself that you’re capable. But when something triggers you, those tools can suddenly feel much harder to access.

EMDR may help us look at some of the experiences, emotional reactions, or negative beliefs underneath that response. For example, the anxiety you feel before making a mistake at work may be connected to a deeper belief such as If I get this wrong, I’m a failure, This will go horribly wrong, or I have to be perfect to be safe or accepted.

Sometimes you can’t affirm your way out of an emotional experience or tell yourself to stop being anxious or worried. Your system just won’t respond. It needs a heavy duty approach to work with the experiences and reactions connected to those beliefs driving your anxiety.

So yes, EMDR can help with anxiety, not just trauma or PTSD. It can also support people struggling with anxiety, overwhelm, overthinking, perfectionism, or similar negative beliefs about themselves.

Are EMDR Intensives for Everyone?

EMDR intensives aren’t for everyone. It’s a good idea to start with a consultation so a provider can help you assess where you are emotionally, what you want to work on, and whether this is the right approach for you. Remember, there is more than one way to heal, and we want to find what is right for you.

The good thing about intensives is that you don’t have to be in regular therapy with us to do an intensive.

For example, you might already be working with a CBT therapist and have really good tools for managing anxiety, but find that when you get triggered, it is still really hard to access those tools. An intensive may focus on some of the experiences or beliefs underneath that reaction and reduce the reactivity there. That emotional space the work creates often makes work with other providers or modalities more accessible. It’s a good adjunct to that work, if you will.

If you already have a therapist you trust, you don’t have to switch therapists to work with us. You can come to Kensho specifically for the EMDR intensive and continue working with your regular therapist afterward.

Have more questions? In the video below, I answer what people ask most before booking: whether an EMDR intensive is worth it, how it differs from weekly therapy, whether you can keep your current therapist, who it tends to be a good fit for, and why focused, dedicated time can work well for busy professionals working through anxiety, trauma, and patterns that keep getting in the way.

EMDR Intensives at Kensho Psychotherapy Services

At Kensho Psychotherapy Services, we offer EMDR therapy and EMDR intensives in different formats. We only schedule a limited number of intensives each month and start with a free consultation so we can learn more about what you want to address and determine whether an intensive may be a good fit.

We offer EMDR in person in Lynbrook, Nassau County, New York, and online for clients throughout New York State. We can also talk with you about a more customized intensive experience if you are traveling in to NY for the work.

If you’re curious about EMDR or feel like you’ve done a lot of talking and understanding but something still isn’t shifting, an intensive may be worth exploring.

Learn more about individual therapy and EMDR services at Kensho Psychotherapy Services: https://amandafludd.com/therapyintensive/

Contributor: Amanda Fludd, LCSW-R, EMDR Therapist

Reference

Ajele, K. W., Ramonkga, B. N., & Idemudia, E. S. (2026). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing outcomes in depression and anxiety: Evidence from a meta-analysis. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 20, Article 0033. https://doi.org/10.34133/jemdr.0033

EMDR Therapy Therapy Black Therapist in NYC • Black Women & Mental Health • EMDR Therapy • overthinking • Therapy for Anxiety • trauma therapy April 1, 2026 By AMANDA FLUDD 0 Comments

Why Old Wounds Still Hurt (Even When You Thought You Moved On)

Life spoiler alert.

You can be doing well in your life—career, family, responsibilities—and still find yourself reacting in ways that don’t make sense… aka, acting an emotional fool.

You get triggered.
And suddenly it feels big, emotional, and hard to control, like the world has wronged you, or you’re the one in the wrong and now don’t deserve the best out of life.

It’s like a full throwback moment—everything activating at once like Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
Your thoughts, emotions, old beliefs, overwhelm… all combining like:

“By your powers combined… we are your childhood wounds.”

All of that… from one moment.

Not because what just happened was that serious…
But because something deeper got activated.

When It’s Not Just About What Happened

Here’s what most people don’t realize:

When you’re triggered, you’re not just reacting to what’s happening in that moment; instead, it could be that your mind is reaching for the difficult things you carry that no one sees, but your brain still remembers.

Your reactions have deep stories.

Something in the moment feels familiar, like the tone of a supervisor, the judgmental look of your partner, the way someone responded, or even the feeling of being dismissed. And before you can catch what is happening, your nervous system connects to those older experiences, and unexpected things resurface.

It’s subtle, but powerful.

All of a sudden, it’s not just about the conversation you’re having. It starts to feel like something bigger is at stake. Like you’re not safe. Like you’re about to be embarrassed. Like you’re not enough, your needs don’t matter, or you don’t belong.

And that’s the part that catches people off guard.

Because on the outside, the moment might seem small. But internally, your body is responding to something that feels much more significant. Your brain is pulling from a stored memory—not just the present moment.

That’s a trauma response, friends, and it’s happening more than you realize. That’s why your reaction can feel so strong, so fast, and sometimes even confusing.

How Most People Handle Triggers

Most people fall into one of two patterns:

1. Avoidance

“I don’t want to go there.”
“I’m not dealing with that.”

You avoid the conversation, the feeling, or the person. Sometimes you may even freeze, where you lose your thoughts or words, disconnect from the moment and hardly feel present in your body, or get so overwhelmed with panic, you can’t show up the way you want.

And honestly—this makes sense, because triggers are uncomfortable. However, when you avoid the trigger, you also avoid the healing connected to it.

2. Confronting (but without support)

Some people say:

“I’m ready. I just need to deal with it.”

And that matters.

But going back alone can feel overwhelming or lead to reliving the experience rather than resolving it. You really need a good set of resources to help you emotionally and with the logistics of resolution.

Why You Go From 0 to 100 So Fast

This is the part that’s hard to understand.

Why do I feel like this?
Why did I react like that?
This wasn’t even that serious.
Why can’t I handle this better?

It’s the moment panic creeps in before a meeting.
When it suddenly feels like people are against you.
When you look up and realize it’s been years since you’ve moved toward what you actually want.

And you can’t quite explain how you got there.

Your body responded. Quickly. Quietly. Automatically.

But it wasn’t random.
It was your system pulling from something deeper—an older imprint, a familiar feeling, a moment your body hasn’t fully let go of yet.

So no, you’re not doing too much. You’re responding to more than what’s visible. And when you begin to understand that, something shifts. The question moves from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What is this connected to?” That’s where healing begins. That’s where you start showing up not just as the version of you that copes, but as the version of you that feels grounded, clear, and fully in control of herself again.

Why EMDR Therapy Can Help

And this is the work.

Not just understanding yourself, but actually having the space and support to work through what’s underneath those reactions so they don’t keep showing up the same way.

Because insight alone doesn’t always change the response. You can know exactly why you feel the way you do and still find yourself reacting the same way in the moment.

EMDR therapy helps your brain process what’s been stored, so those triggers don’t hit as hard or take over as quickly. You’re not just talking about it. You’re actually helping your system understand and release it. This is the freedom so many of our clients experience.

When you begin to answer that deeper question, things don’t land the same. You feel more grounded, confident, clear, and more like yourself again.

If you’re ready for that kind of work, we’d love to support you.

Work With Us – Kensho Psychotherapy (Lynbrook, NY)

At Kensho Psychotherapy, we specialize in working with high-functioning adults who feel:

Stuck in overthinking
Emotionally overwhelmed
Reactive in ways they don’t fully understand

We offer:

📍 Located in Lynbrook, NY
💻 Virtual therapy available across New York State

We currently have in-person and virtual therapy openings available.

If you’re ready to stop managing the same patterns and actually work through them, you can reach out to get started.

Common Questions

Who is EMDR therapy for?

EMDR is helpful for individuals dealing with anxiety, trauma, overthinking, self-sabotage, perfectionism, emotional triggers, and patterns that feel hard to break—even when you understand them logically.

Do you offer regular therapy or only intensives?

At Kensho Psychotherapy, we offer both. Many clients work with us for anxiety, stress, relationship challenges, and life transitions through ongoing therapy or choose intensives for more focused work. EMDR is where healing can happen in a shorter period of time.

Do you only work with women?

We primarily work with high-functioning women—especially Black and Brown professionals—but we also see men, couples, and some teens and young adults navigating anxiety, identity, and life in the practice. It’s best to give us a call, and we can discuss your situation and best fit.

Where are you located?

We are based in Lynbrook, NY, and serve clients across Nassau County, Valley Stream, and nearby NYC. We also offer virtual therapy throughout New York State.

Do you accept insurance?

Kensho Psychotherapy accepts insurance for ongoing therapy, including plans such as Aetna, 1199, Northwell Direct, Oxford, UHC, Optum, Cigna, and Lyra. We also work with clients who choose to pay privately.

EMDR intensives are not covered by insurance due to the specialized format and extended session times. These sessions are designed to go deeper in a shorter period of time and are offered as a private pay service.

Current EMDR Intensive rates:

$300 for 90 minutes
$600 for 3 hours
$1200 for 6 hours or a full-day intensive

If you’re unsure what makes the most sense for you, we’re happy to walk you through your options when you reach out.

Want to Learn More First?

If you’d rather understand how EMDR Intensives work before reaching out, you can watch the full video where I break this down in more detail.

👉 What Happens When Your Past Has A Grip On Your Present

If you are ready to book a therapy appointment, just leave your details HERE.

Amanda Fludd is a licensed trauma therapist, executive coach, and the founder of Kensho Psychotherapy in Lynbrook, NY, where she works with high-functioning women navigating anxiety, overthinking, and emotional overwhelm. Her work blends trauma-informed therapy with practical, real-life insight to help clients move beyond coping and into clarity.

She offers EMDR intensives through Kensho Psychotherapy, while her team also provides ongoing therapy for anxiety, stress, relationships, and life transitions.

Book now!!

NYC Therapist Personal Growth Therapy Trauma EMDR Therapy • Is it trauma? • therapy for Black women • trauma and perfectionism • trauma therapist near me • trauma therapy January 13, 2026 By AMANDA FLUDD 0 Comments

trauma-therapy-intensive-nyc-and-long-island

Trauma & PTSD Therapy in NYC, NY & Long Island, NY Heal the past, settle into the present, and reclaim your life.

Trauma therapy for adults dealing with trauma, performance anxiety, overwhelming stress, growing up the oldest, Caribbean parents, or with PTSD. Therapy for trauma is offered in person in Lynbrook, NY, and online across New York City and New York State, and EMDR Trauma Intensives.

I’m Ready.

Feeling stuck?

Living with trauma can feel like you’re trapped in a cycle your mind understands, but your body won’t let go of.

You may be doing “all the right things” — praying, journaling, talking it out, even going to therapy — and still feel triggered, overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally shut down. That’s because trauma doesn’t only live in your thoughts. Trauma lives in the nervous system.

And when your nervous system is still on alert, it can feel like you’re always bracing for something — even when nothing is happening.

This is why trauma symptoms often show up as:

chronic body tension or pain
anxiety or panic responses
difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
feeling constantly on edge or emotionally shut down
irritability, reactivity, or sudden overwhelm
feeling disconnected from yourself or others

Book an appointment

Many people don’t realize they’re dealing with trauma symptoms because it doesn’t always look like flashbacks or start with the typical events like sexual abuse or physical abuse.

It can look like:

people-pleasing, perfectionism, or over-functioning
feeling numb, disconnected, or emotionally “flat”
trouble sleeping, nightmares, or waking up tired
chronic tension in the body (tight chest, jaw, shoulders, stomach)
feeling unsafe in relationships — even when someone hasn’t done anything wrong
intrusive memories or racing thoughts
trouble with authority or communicating needs without hurting others

You may look “high-functioning” on the outside, but inside, you feel exhausted. On edge. Guarded. Or like you’re only half-living.

You deserve more than survival mode.

If you’ve been searching for trauma therapy near a trauma therapist who understands the mind-body connection, or me, growing up Caribbean or the black experience, you’re not alone, and support is available with our practice, Kensho Psychotherapy Services, with virtual and in-person therapy available. Healing doesn’t require reliving the past. It requires the right approach, good coping tools, at the right pace, with the right support. Whether it is traditional psychotherapy or EMDR therapy, which changes your relationship to trauma.

Trauma therapy and EMDR Intensives in Long Island, NY, help you change that relationship and feel more in control of your life.

For details on booking your next therapy session, start here.

Additional Reads:

What Got You This Far, Can’t Carry You

Dear Self, It’s Not Time to Panic Journal

How EMDR Therapy Helps Untangle These Patterns