Daphne Rosales

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy that has been successful in helping people who suffer from trauma, anxiety, panic, disturbing memories, nightmares, etc. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) while the client attends to memories and triggers to decrease or eliminate emotional distress connected to the memory.

Brainspotting is a somatic therapy that helps clients access the subcortical (non-verbal) part of the brain, where trauma is typically stored. According to the creator of Brainspotting, David Grand, “Where you look affects how you feel.” Since our eyes give us access to the subcortical brain, Brainspotting uses the visual field as a way to help release stored memories.

Parts Work Therapy is an approach that helps individuals understand and heal from trauma by recognizing and working with the different “parts” of themselves that hold various emotions, memories, and coping strategies.

It is based on the idea that the mind naturally organizes itself into different aspects, or parts, especially in response to overwhelming experiences. These parts may hold pain, fear, or protective roles, and therapy helps integrate them into a more cohesive sense of self.

Grounded in the theory of structural dissociation, parts work is a non-pathologizing approach. It views symptoms as expressions of divided parts—not as signs of a flawed self, but as strategies shaped by trauma.

Dissociative disorders involve a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. They often stem from trauma and can manifest in various forms such as amnesia, fugue states, and identity fragmentation. Treatments include phases of establishing safety, processing traumatic memories, and integration or functional integration of identity parts.