Move Beyond your past
EMDR Therapy in Walnut Creek
Cari Browning, RN, LCSW
Mind-body healing for traumatic stress, anxiety, and challenging life experiences
EMDR Therapy in Walnut Creek
I provide compassionate EMDR therapy to help you process painful experiences, calm your nervous system, and begin to heal from the inside out.
Many people seek EMDR not because they identify with the word “trauma,” but because they’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected. You may notice patterns in relationships that don’t make sense, feel on edge without knowing why, or find yourself having stress reactions that feel bigger than the moment in front of you.
Trauma can take many forms.
Trauma often comes from experiences that overwhelm your sense of safety or control — moments when life feels too much, too fast, or too alone to handle.
Even long after the event is over, your mind and body can stay stuck in survival mode, trying to protect you from something that’s no longer happening. You may feel persistently anxious or activated, distant from yourself or others, without fully understanding why.
Sometimes the ways we cope — like avoiding reminders or pushing the pain aside—help us get through the day, but over time, they can leave us feeling disconnected from ourselves and others.
Here’s the truth: none of this means something is wrong with you. These reactions are your nervous system’s response to overwhelming stress — a reflection of what you’ve been through, not who you are.
There is hope. EMDR therapy provides a safe, supportive space to release what’s been weighing you down and rediscover a sense of balance, relief, and inner calm.
Post-traumatic growth is possible.
Cari Browning, RN, LCSW
EMDR Therapy in Walnut Creek
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful and well-researched therapy proven to help with trauma, anxiety, phobias, and other distressing experiences. During EMDR sessions, you’ll focus on gentle back-and-forth movements or tapping while recalling an upsetting memory. This process helps your brain reprocess the memory, reducing its emotional intensity and allowing you to feel calmer and more in control.
Traumatic and distressing memories often carry a strong emotional charge that can leave you feeling stuck—unsafe, on edge, or reliving the painful experience. EMDR works to reduce the intensity of these emotions, helping you reconnect with your natural resilience and strength. It doesn’t require you to go into detail about the event, making it a more accessible and gentle option for processing trauma.
In my practice, I use EMDR to address traumatic stress, anxiety, panic, phobias, and other painful experiences. I often pair it with the Flash technique, a science-backed approach where you focus on a positive distraction or memory as we process the painful experience. Both methods help your brain activate its natural healing process, relieving symptoms and helping you move forward with greater ease, allowing you to leave the past in the past.
If you’re ready to heal from what’s been holding you back, EMDR therapy can help you process the past and feel more grounded and confident in the present.
Schedule a free consultation to learn how EMDR therapy can support your next step toward healing and growth.
EMDR Therapy in Walnut Creek
Cari Browning, RN, LCSW
Let me be your guide to post-traumatic growth.
Every person’s story is unique, and you are the expert on your life. My goal is to meet you where you are, with your comfort level guiding every step of our work together.
Using my background in nursing and therapy, I provide tools that calm your nervous system, build resilience, and help you focus on what truly matters to you. We can also explore how sleep, social connection, rest, or movement might be impacting your healing and overall well-being. If you'd like, you can learn more about my background and how I work on my About page.
Because no two journeys are the same, I draw from a variety of approaches—including EMDR-FLASH, ACT, DBT, Polyvagal Theory, and Attachment-based methods—to tailor therapy to your unique needs. Together, we’ll create a personalized path toward healing and growth that feels right for you.
Imagine a life where you…
Feel at ease in your life
Trust yourself & confidently overcome challenges
Enjoy improved relationships & self-esteem
Experience improved physical and mental health
Incorporate trauma healing into your life story in a way that highlights growth & transformation, rather than difficulty & hardship
I offer in-person EMDR and trauma-informed therapy in downtown Walnut Creek, along with virtual therapy throughout California.
Have questions about how EMDR works or what sessions are like? I’ve answered common questions here:
FAQs
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Trauma is an emotional response caused by a distressing or disturbing event or series of events that overwhelms our ability to cope effectively. Trauma can result from life-threatening, frightening or overwhelming experiences and can lead to a sense of helplessness, fear, or shock.
Trauma is a complex and deeply personal experience, and its symptoms can vary widely among individuals. Recognizing the signs and seeking appropriate support and treatment are essential steps toward healing from trauma.
Trauma is often broken down into different types of trauma including:
PTSDPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a (usually) single overwhelming, scary, or dangerous event. People experience a range of reactions after trauma and most people recover from the initial symptoms over time. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD.
C-PTSD/Complex trauma
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder refers to the presence of symptoms after experiencing prolonged, repeated trauma. Complex trauma often stems from trauma and chronic stress in childhood.
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The symptoms of trauma can vary depending on the individual and the type of trauma experienced. Common symptoms of trauma include:
Flashbacks, nightmares, persistent thoughts/memories about the trauma.
Avoiding reminders of the trauma
Emotional numbing
Persistent negative mood and thoughts
Difficulty concentrating
Sleep disturbances
Physical responses such as rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, headaches
Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD or severe symptoms. However, if symptoms persist or interfere with daily life, seeking professional help from a therapist trained in trauma treatment can be beneficial.
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Post-traumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive psychological changes that occur as a result of struggling with and overcoming adversity or trauma. PTG suggests individuals can experience personal growth, transformation, and positive changes following a traumatic event. PTG does not negate the distress or challenges caused by the trauma, but acknowledges that individuals can experience growth and positive outcomes alongside the negative effects.
Therapeutic interventions that focus on nervous system change, meaning-making, and developing resilience all facilitate the process of post-traumatic growth.
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Trauma can have a significant effect on the brain, particularly in areas involved in emotional management, memory processing, and the stress response.
Understanding how trauma affects the brain is a critical part of trauma-informed care. Therapeutic interventions such as Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), body-based approaches, mindfulness skills and compassion practices can help reduce the neurological impacts of trauma and promote recovery & healing.
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Trauma can be effectively treated and managed through various treatment approaches, leading to significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life for individuals affected by trauma. The goals of trauma treatment are tailored specifically to the individual's experiences, symptoms, and needs.
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I am dually trained in nursing and therapy, which provides me with a deeper understanding of general health issues, along with my passion for neuroscience and the potential impact on mental health.
My approach to trauma care focuses on body-to-brain and brain-to-body interventions for the most effective treatment. Together we will also explore whether sleep, social connection, restorative time, nutrition or movement may be impacting your trauma recovery.
My therapy approach is integrated, considering both physical and mental health factors and focuses on lasting change.
