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Out of the Woods Therapies Ltd
EMDR Therapy
​Unsticking the Past, Finding Your Way Home
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a research-backed therapy designed to help the brain process "stuck" memories. When we experience something distressing, our brain sometimes fails to file that memory away properly. Instead, it stays "live" in our nervous system, causing us to react to the present as if the past is still happening.
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EMDR helps your brain move a traumatic or difficult experience from a "current threat" to a "past event."
EMDR (The Neuro-affirming way)
How it Works
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn't require you to describe every detail of your story out loud. We use Bilateral Stimulation (BLS), which might be following my hand with your eyes, listening to alternating tones, or gentle tapping—to help your brain’s left and right hemispheres communicate.
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Dual Awareness: You keep one foot in the present (safe with me) and one foot in the memory.
The "REM" Connection: It mimics the natural processing your brain does during sleep.
Your Pace: You are always in the driver's seat. We go as fast or as slow as your nervous system allows
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Many neurodivergent (Autistic, ADHD, AuDHD) individuals find traditional talk therapy exhausting because of the heavy reliance on verbalising complex emotions or "masking" to fit the therapeutic social dynamic.
EMDR at Out of the Woods is different because it honours your specific brain wiring:
Low-Pressure Communication: You don’t have to find the "perfect words." If your brain processes in images, sensations, or patterns, EMDR works with that naturally.​
Sensory-First Safety: We choose the type of Bilateral Stimulation that feels best for you. Don't like eye movements? We can use tactile "tappers" or auditory tones.
Validating "Small-t" Trauma: For neurodivergent folk, trauma isn't always one big event. It’s often the "death by a thousand cuts"—years of sensory overwhelm, social rejection, and the exhaustion of masking. EMDR helps process the shame of "not fitting in."
Stimming as a Tool: We recognise that some forms of Bilateral Stimulation feel very similar to "stimming." We lean into this natural regulatory tool rather than pathologising it.
Healing the "Stuck" Moments
For many neurodivergent individuals, those with ADHD, Autism, AuDHD, or other processing differences, the world can often feel like it wasn't built with their blueprints in mind.
While "Big T" traumas (like accidents or disasters) are well-known, neurodivergent people often carry a heavy burden of "Small t" traumas. These are the subtle, repetitive, and ongoing experiences that, over time, accumulate and "stick" in the nervous system, affecting how you see yourself and the world today.
What are "Small t" Traumas in a Neurodivergent Context?
In the context of neurodivergence, "Small t" trauma often stems from chronic invalidation or a constant mismatch between your needs and your environment. Because neurodivergent nervous systems often process sensory input and emotions more intensely, these "small" events can be deeply impactful.
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Why Do These Memories Get "Stuck"?
The brain typically processes experiences and files them away as "past events." However, when an experience is overwhelming or confusing, it can get "locked" in the nervous system in its raw, original form.
For neurodivergents, this is often intensified. Because of differences in how the amygdala and prefrontal cortex communicate, a memory from t childhood—like being scolded for daydreaming, can feel just as intense and shameful today as it did then. When triggered, your brain doesn't just remember the event; it relives it.
How EMDR Helps: Rewiring the Narrative
EMDR is a powerful tool that helps the brain "digest" these stuck memories.
Instead of just talking about the trauma, EMDR uses Bilateral Stimulation (BLS) usually through guided eye movements, taps, or tones to kickstart the brain’s natural healing process.
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For the Neurodivergent Mind, EMDR Can...
Reduce the emotional "charge" of a memory. You’ll still remember what happened, but it will no longer trigger a full-body fight-flight-freeze-fawn response.
Shift core beliefs and help transform "I am a failure" (the trauma belief) into "I was doing my best with a different operating system" (the adaptive truth).
A neuro-affirming EMDR approach doesn't try to "fix" your ADHD or Autism; it aims to clear the trauma surrounding it so you can navigate the world with more self-compassion.
A Note on Neuro-Affirming EMDR
Healing isn't one-size-fits-all. In our sessions, we adapt the EMDR process to suit your specific needs, whether that means adjusting the type of bilateral stimulation, honouring sensory preferences, or allowing for longer processing times. We work at the pace of your nervous system.
The goal isn't to change who you are, it’s to remove the weight of the past so you can finally be who you’ve always been.
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EMDR and Autism
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For many Autistic individuals, trauma isn't always a single catastrophic event. Instead, it is often the "trauma of existing" in a world that can feel sensory-aggressive and socially confusing. This chronic stress can lead to a nervous system that is perpetually "on guard."
"Small t" Traumas Common in Autism
These experiences often get stuck as physical sensations or a deep sense of being "wrong":
Sensory Trauma: Repeated exposure to painful noises, textures, or lights that were dismissed by others. This can lead to a baseline of hyper-vigilance.
Social Camouflaging (Masking): The exhausting, constant performance of "acting neurotypical" to avoid bullying or isolation. Over time, this creates a trauma of self-betrayal. Many Autistic people have had experiences of teasing and bullying in education and workplaces.
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EMDR and ADHD
ADHD is more than just a struggle with focus; it is often a struggle with the emotional fallout of living with a brain that seeks dopamine in a world that demands order. For those with ADHD, "Small t" trauma is often the "Death by a Thousand Cuts" to one's self-esteem.
"Small t" Traumas Common in ADHD
These experiences often lead to "stuck" beliefs of inadequacy and failure:
The Shame of "Potential": Years of hearing, "You're so smart, if only you tried harder," which creates a core belief that you are fundamentally lazy or a disappointment.
Executive Dysfunction Trauma: The repeated, painful experience of "dropping the ball" on important tasks, leading to chronic anxiety and a fear of the next mistake.
Social Impulsivity: Ruminating on "stuck" memories of blurting things out or missing social cues, leading to social anxiety and withdrawal. Hello RSD!
Emotional Dysregulation Scars: Being shamed for having "big emotions" or being told you are "too much" or "too sensitive."
How EMDR can be adapted for ADHD
Because the ADHD brain can be prone to "ping-ponging" thoughts, we adapt EMDR by using faster or more varied bilateral stimulation to keep the brain focused on the processing. Managing tangents by gently anchoring the process so that the brain can follow a trauma thread to its resolution without getting lost in "side-quests."
Directly targeting the voice that says "I can't do anything right" and replacing it with "I have a brain that works differently, and I am capable."
