Hilary Brown, LICSW

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a treatment method designed to help desensitize and reprocess traumatic/upsetting memories. EMDR works by the client focusing upon a specific memory. Then the therapist helps the client reprocess this memory through eye movement. The eye movement taps into the brain’s natural healing system of REM that occurs during sleep. With EMDR, the therapist is able to help the client access this healing system while they are awake and have the therapist as guide in case they get stuck or overwhelmed. EMDR has been shown to be very effective in treating numerous disorders such as anxiety, depression and PTSD.

NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) is a way of helping clients work through presenting issues via a strong therapeutic relationship. NARM focuses upon the present and how the client is falling into unhealthy patterns that often originate in childhood. NARM gives the client space to work through these patterns and move towards internal health and balance. NARM is focused upon helping clients develop awareness of their unhealthy patterns as well as giving them the space and ability to shift out of these patterns emotionally, physiologically and behaviorally.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) helps client’s identify and change the behavioral and cognitive patterns that are leading to current mental distress. I see CBT as giving clients a roadmap to change both their thinking and behaviors to help improve their mental health as well as their life circumstances. CBT is focused upon identifying dysfunctional thought and behavioral patterns and helping clients develop more adaptive ways of thinking and behaving.

Ego state work also known as Internal Family Systems (IFS) or parts work is focused upon helping clients identify the different parts of the self and working with these parts to meet therapeutic or life goals. Ego state work is an effective therapeutic method for many mental health disorders but is the main modality I use for clients with dissociative abilities or dissociative disorders such as DDNOS or DID. Clients with these disorders often have dissociative barriers in place that prevent overwhelming or highly traumatic information from flooding their overall system. However, this can lead to mental health symptoms that the client does not understand such as memory blackouts, intense feelings incongruent with present day life, lack of continuous life experience, or feeling that they are being “edged out” by another part of the self. Ego state work helps clients work with parts of the self holding highly upsetting memories, emotions or roles in a safe way that does not overwhelm the system with traumatic material. The goal of ego state work is to increase cooperation, communication and present day awareness of parts of the self in order to reduce upsetting symptomatology, improve day to day functioning and/or stabilize clients in order to do future trauma work - usually ego state driven EMDR. In ego state driven EMDR, the client and therapist gain permission from all parts of the self to access a highly traumatic memory. Then the memory is reprocessed with all parts of the self that hold the memory as well as the therapist as a guide through EMDR.

All the above modalities is how I facilitate healing with clients. I primarily work with clients who have experienced traumatic events or clients who have experienced something that they are having a difficult time moving past. Everyone’s healing journey looks different and I often utilize an eclectic approach. Some problems are best addressed with CBT, others EMDR etc. I believe in therapeutic partnership: I know how to utilize the above modalities, clients are the experts on their lives and if something is working for them. If you have more questions or are interested in what I have to offer, please email me and we can set up a 15 minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.