Specialism
EMDR therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma
EMDR Europe-accredited therapy that helps the brain reprocess what happened — online across the UK, or in person in Manchester.
When the past won't stay in the past
Something happened — one event, or years of difficult experiences that built up. And it keeps intruding: flashbacks, nightmares, feeling constantly on edge, going numb, or avoiding anything that brings it back. You might know logically that it's over, while your body reacts as if it's still happening.
That's not a character flaw. It's a memory stored in the wrong way — and it can be reprocessed.
How EMDR works
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is recommended by NICE for post-traumatic stress disorder. Instead of talking through the trauma in detail week after week, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements — while the memory is briefly held in mind. This helps the brain do what it couldn't at the time: file the memory as past, so it loses its grip on the present.
I'm accredited with EMDR Europe, and we only begin reprocessing once you feel stable and prepared — the early sessions build the ground first.
If you want the method itself rather than how I use it for trauma, my page on EMDR as a therapy walks through the eight phases, what it treats beyond PTSD, and what a session actually looks like.
What to expect
We begin with assessment and stabilisation — understanding your history and building coping resources. Reprocessing sessions then work through the memories at your pace. A single-event trauma can resolve in a handful of sessions; longer histories take longer, and we review progress openly throughout.
For EMDR, some people prefer the room for the reprocessing sessions — a settled, private space with someone present — and I offer that at Sanctuary Therapy Centre in Prestwich and Hebden Bridge. The preparation and review sessions work equally well online, so a course can be a mix.
Common questions
Do I have to talk about the trauma in detail? Far less than you might fear. EMDR doesn't require a blow-by-blow retelling — you hold the memory in mind while your brain does the processing.
Does EMDR work online? Yes — online EMDR is well established, with research showing outcomes comparable to in-person work. Screen-based bilateral stimulation works well.
Is EMDR only for PTSD? PTSD has the strongest evidence, but EMDR is also used for single-incident traumas, phobias and distressing memories that don't meet a formal PTSD diagnosis.
Can I do EMDR in person, and where?
Yes — at Sanctuary Therapy Centre in Prestwich, North Manchester or Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, both quiet, private rooms with a waiting area outside. EMDR works well online too; on the free call we can talk through which would suit you.
Can sessions be in Spanish? Yes — I offer EMDR in English and Spanish.
Related articles
Trauma: why your body reacts as if it is still happening
You know it is over. Your body does not. A traumatic memory stored in the wrong way keeps firing as present danger, and that is what EMDR is designed to change.
EMDR: what stabilisation means, and why we do not rush
People arrive wanting to process the memory in the first session. The early work is building the ground to process it from, and for long histories that takes longer. Here is why.
Trauma that does not meet the PTSD label
You might not have flashbacks or a diagnosis. You might have one memory that still lands, or years of experiences that shaped how you react. EMDR is not only for PTSD.
Do I have to talk about the trauma in detail?
The fear of having to narrate what happened, week after week, stops many people getting help. EMDR asks for far less retelling than you expect, and the early sessions are about stability.
Ready to take the first step?
A free 15-minute call to talk through what's going on and see whether working with Gisela feels right — no pressure, no obligation.
Send Gisela a message
A few lines about what's going on is enough — you don't need the right words for it. She reads every message herself and replies within one working day.