Michelle Nosrati, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Trauma has a way of leaving deeper imprints that can be hard to move through, even when you’re fully committed to healing. Often, clients doubt their experiences as trauma, yet persistent thoughts, anxiety, and depression persist despite traditional talk therapy. I work with individuals who’ve experienced this exact frustration—the sense of spinning your wheels, despite wanting real change. In these cases, EMDR is an evidence based treatment approach that heals at the core. If you’ve grown up in a family environment where manipulation or emotional abuse was present—particularly from someone with traits of a personality disorder, like narcissism or borderline personality—it can deeply shape how you relate to others. You may find yourself walking on eggshells, constantly adjusting your behavior to avoid conflict. This pattern of hyper-vigilance and people-pleasing often extends to other relationships, leaving you feeling anxious, drained, or uncertain about your own needs. Many of my clients struggle with setting healthy boundaries or asserting their needs, feeling compelled to prioritize the emotional demands of others, as they learned to do in childhood. However, through psychoeducation, we explore how these survival behaviors shape your beliefs about yourself and the world. Understanding where these patterns come from can be the first step in healing. In addition to psychoeducation, I use EMDR to help shift these survival strategies. EMDR can be highly effective in processing and healing past trauma, allowing you to build self-worth, strengthen your ability to set boundaries and develop healthier ways to relate to yourself and others. Together, we can work toward reclaiming your sense of self and creating more fulfilling, balanced relationships.