Releasing Baggage You Didn’t Even Know You Were Carrying: EMDR in Carmel-by-the-Sea
If you’ve ever walked through life with a low-grade sense of dread, tension in your chest, or relationships that feel harder than they should — there’s a chance you’re carrying more than you realize.
Not just thoughts or memories, but chronic states of needing to protect and defend yourself.
And if talk therapy hasn’t helped you release them, that’s not your fault.
Insight alone doesn’t create nervous system shifts — somatic (body-based) work does.
What Is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a nervous system-based therapy that helps you rewire old emotional and behavioral patterns — not just talk about them.
It’s a process that allows the brain to:
Complete unfinished stress cycles
Reprocess memories that were stuck in fight, flight, or freeze
Release patterns that don’t belong to the present version of you
But here’s the thing — you don’t have to relive the past.
With a skilled practitioner, EMDR allows you to work at the pace of your body, not just your mind — creating real change from the inside out.
Learn more about EMDR therapy.
Why EMDR Works When Talk Therapy Doesn’t
Traditional therapy focuses on insight, but that mostly happens from the neck up.
If your nervous system is still on high alert, stuck in freeze, or patterned toward people-pleasing — your body hasn’t caught up with your mind.
EMDR works directly with the brain’s processing system through bilateral stimulation — like eye movements, tapping, or sound — to help you:
Feel less reactive in relationships
Unhook from beliefs like “I’m not enough” or “I can’t trust people”
Reconnect with a sense of safety in your own body
In-Person EMDR in Carmel-by-the-Sea
My therapy office in Carmel-by-the-Sea is designed for deep nervous system work — a space that invites calm, reflection, and embodiment.
You’ll find:
A peaceful setting just minutes from the ocean
Somatic-informed EMDR sessions that integrate breath, music, and sensation
An environment that supports grounding and post-session integration
Whether you’re coming from Monterey, Santa Cruz, Big Sur, or nearby, in-person sessions offer something hard to replicate on Zoom — presence.
The kind your body can feel.
What Makes My Approach Different
I work with high-functioning, intuitive women — creatives, entrepreneurs, and deep feelers — who are ready for more than talk therapy.
We weave together:
EMDR for reprocessing subconscious patterns
Somatic therapy to restore connection with your body
Psychedelic preparation and integration support to deepen insights and support lasting shifts
Safe and Sound Protocol, a sound-based listening therapy that helps regulate the vagus nerve and calm the nervous system
Helping your nervous system feel safe, open and trusting again isn’t a quick fix.
It’s a reclamation of who you are underneath the layers of protection.
You Don’t Need to Stay Stuck in the Loop
When your nervous system feels safe, your entire experience shifts:
You stop walking on eggshells
You stop overthinking every interaction
You remember your worth without effort
If you’re ready to feel more like you — less weighed down, more free — integrative therapy might be the missing piece. Reach out or book a consultation today.
Disclaimer
This blog is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Results from therapy may vary.
Ashley K. Whelan is a holistic psychotherapist in California offering EMDR, somatic therapy, the Safe and Sound Protocol, and psychedelic integration for women seeking mind-body-spirit healing in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey, Big Sur, and Santa Cruz.