Practical, gentle and effective. Eye movement therapies help the brain process stuck memories and sensations so the body can settle and the mind can move forward.

Safe. Supportive. Inclusive. Always judgement free

Masters-qualified counsellor. Registered with the Australian Counselling Association. First session free for introductions and questions.

What is EMIT

Eye Movement Integration Therapy uses guided sets of eye movements to help the nervous system find and resolve unprocessed memories, images and sensations. We begin with strong inner resources so you feel steady and supported. Then we work at your pace with clear targets and a simple rhythm that helps the brain link what happened with what you know now. Many people notice more space in the body and less overwhelm.

Highlights

• Strong focus on safety and resource building

• Targets can include images, sensations and beliefs

• Works well with creative approaches and parts informed work

What is EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is a structured approach that uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain move traumatic material from the raw unprocessed now to the safe finished then. Once the alarm system is no longer hijacking the body, the thinking brain can step in, calm the system and allow real change.

Highlights

• Eight phase framework with careful preparation

• Based on the Adaptive Information Processing model

• Flexible and integrative at every step

How these therapies help

• Soften trauma and anxiety
  Settle body sensations, reduce reactivity and quiet intrusive images.

• Untangle grief and loss
  Make room for memory and meaning without the same intensity.

• Shift stuck beliefs
  Move from I am not safe to I can handle this now.

• Ease somatic distress and pain
  Support the body to down regulate and recover.

• Improve performance and confidence
  Clear blocks that keep you from moving forward.

Understanding EMDR and EMIT: How These Therapies Help You Heal

When something traumatic or overwhelming happens, your brain and body go into survival mode. In that moment, the thinking part of your brain (the prefrontal cortex) goes offline, and the brain’s alarm system (the amygdala) takes over. Your brain doesn’t have time to sort out what’s happening or store the memory properly. Instead, the experience gets frozen in your nervous system - stuck in what we call trauma time.

That’s why, even years later, you might still react to things as if the danger is happening right now. A sound, smell, image, or feeling might trigger anxiety, panic, or emotional overwhelm. It’s not that you’re overreacting - your brain still thinks you’re in danger, because the trauma wasn’t fully processed.

For a memory to be stored in a safe, settled way, we usually need to feel supported, safe, and connected. We need time to feel and make sense of what happened. But if we were alone, overwhelmed, silenced, or pushed to “just get over it,” the brain doesn’t get the chance to do its job. The result? The memory stays raw, emotional, and active - as if it’s still happening.

How EMDR and EMIT Help

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) and EMIT (Eye Movement Integration Therapy) are evidence-based therapies that help the brain go back and complete what it couldn’t do at the time. Through the use of gentle, guided eye movements, the brain is supported to reprocess the stuck memory, file it away correctly, and bring the nervous system back into balance.

You don’t need to retell or relive every detail of the trauma. Instead, we lightly bring it to mind while using eye movements to help your brain sort through and resolve what’s still stuck. This helps shift the memory from the “raw now” into the “safe past.”

Most people report feeling calmer, clearer, and more in control after working this way. It can be a powerful, yet gentle process of healing - one that works with your brain’s natural ability to recover when the right conditions are in place.

What Else Can EMDR and EMIT Help With?

These therapies are not only useful for trauma. EMDR and EMIT are also helpful for many other issues that involve stuck emotions, distressing memories, or unhelpful patterns. They’re often used when talk therapy alone hasn’t shifted the problem.

Here are some of the other issues they can help with:

• Anxiety and Panic Attacks
  EMDR and EMIT can reduce the underlying emotional triggers that cause anxiety and panic. By identifying past events or beliefs that fuel the fear, the therapy helps calm the nervous system and change the body’s reaction to future stress.

• Phobias and Fears
  Whether it’s fear of flying, driving, needles, or public speaking, eye movement therapies can target the original experiences that created the fear response. This helps the brain release the stored fear and regain a sense of safety.

• Grief and Loss
  Sometimes grief becomes complicated or stuck. EMDR and EMIT can help people move through painful memories, say goodbye, or find peace without losing connection to the person they’ve lost.

• Low Self-Esteem and Shame
  Negative self-beliefs like “I’m not good enough” or “I always fail” often come from earlier life experiences. EMDR and EMIT gently uncover and reprocess the memories behind those beliefs, helping people reconnect with their strengths.

• Stress and Burnout
  For people carrying chronic stress or emotional exhaustion, these therapies can help release the weight of old emotional burdens and create space for new ways of coping.

• Performance Anxiety
  Whether it’s fear before an exam, job interview, performance, or creative project, EMDR and EMIT can clear the emotional blocks that get in the way of showing up with confidence.

• Chronic Pain with an Emotional Link
  In some cases, pain has a trauma component - especially if it began after an accident, surgery, or medical event. Processing the emotional layer can sometimes help reduce the body’s pain response.

• Medical or Dental Trauma
  Distressing experiences during medical treatment can leave behind lingering fear or avoidance. Eye movement therapy helps reduce the emotional intensity and make future treatment feel more manageable.

• Life Transitions and Emotional Overload
  Big changes - like separation, job loss, or major illness - can overwhelm the nervous system. EMDR and EMIT can help you stabilise and work through what’s happening without shutting down or feeling stuck.

If you’ve tried talking things through and still feel like something’s not shifting, EMDR or EMIT might be the next step. They work gently and effectively to help the brain do what it’s designed to do - heal.

Who is this for

Adults and adolescents who want a practical, respectful path through trauma, anxiety, grief, performance blocks or long standing patterns. Sessions are available in person in Bendigo or online. Inclusive and LGBTQIA plus affirming.

What to expect

1. Free first session
   Meet me, ask questions and explore what you need.

2. Preparation and resource building
   We create steady anchors, safe places and supports so you feel ready.

3. Target and reprocessing
   We choose a clear target and use eye movements to help the brain complete the unfinished processing.

4. Closure and follow up
   You leave grounded with simple practices to support your day to day life.

Fees

• 60 minute session – $143 (including GST)

• Extended EMIT session (90 minutes) – $214.50 (including GST)
  Eye movement therapy sessions vary in length depending on the approach used. We will discuss what feels right for you before we begin.

Payment can be made by card at the end of the session. Invoicing can also be arranged.

Why people choose to work with me

• Calm, steady presence with clear guidance

• Creative, person centred approach that fits who you are

• Experience with trauma, grief, anxiety, shame, identity and life transitions

• Gentle humour, plain language and a focus on practical change

Frequently asked questions

Will I need to retell my trauma in detail
No. We can work effectively with very little narrative if that feels safer. Your nervous system does the work while we keep you grounded and present.

How many sessions will I need
It depends on your goals and history. Some issues resolve quickly. Others need a paced approach over a season. We decide together and review often.

Is EMIT or EMDR safe
Safety comes first. We prepare well, move at your pace and close each session carefully. You can pause at any time.

Does it work online
Yes. With a stable connection and a private space, online sessions can be just as effective.

Do these therapies fit with parts work and solution focused therapy
Yes. We can include gentle parts work and solution focused tools to support clarity, choice and resilience.

Booking and location

In person sessions in Golden Square, Bendigo, near St John of God Hospital. Discreet setting with private parking and public transport nearby. Online sessions available across Australia.

Book your free first session
Call or text 0432 280 248
Email grantfinlay@collaborativeconnectionscounselling.com.au
Visit www.collaborativeconnectionscounselling.com.au