Emma Weston Online Neurodiversity Affirmative Therapy & Supervision
EMDR & Trauma Therapy
Neurodiversity-affirming EMDR and trauma-informed counselling for adults
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.
EMDR was developed in the late 1980s by American psychologist Francine Shapiro. She noticed that certain eye movements appeared to reduce the intensity of distressing thoughts and memories, and went on to develop this into a structured therapeutic approach. Initially developed for trauma and PTSD, EMDR has since become an established trauma therapy and has been adapted for a range of difficulties associated with distressing or overwhelming experiences.
EMDR is a leading, evidence-based psychotherapy for treating trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is officially endorsed by major health authorities like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). It is a psychological therapy that helps people process distressing memories and traumatic experiences. It’s commonly used for PTSD and can also help when difficult experiences continue to affect your wellbeing, relationships, sense of safety or ability to move forward.
When the past keeps showing up in your present, therapy can help you relate to it differently.
You might feel anxious, overwhelmed or constantly on alert. Intrusive memories, big emotions, relationship patterns, low self‑worth or a sense that something unresolved is still running in the background can all be part of this.
You may know, intellectually, that an experience is over, but your body and emotions still respond as if you’re back in it.
Or perhaps you’re beginning to explore autism, ADHD or AuDHD and noticing how a lifetime of masking, misunderstanding or feeling different has shaped your sense of self and your relationships.
You don’t need a formal PTSD diagnosis, a complete story or the “right” words before seeking support.
I’m a qualified, accredited therapeutic counsellor, psychotherapist and EMDR practitioner. I offer counselling and EMDR for adults living with the effects of trauma, anxiety and difficult life experiences. My work is neurodiversity‑affirming, trauma‑informed, collaborative and tailored to you.
What is trauma‑informed therapy?
Trauma can shape how we see ourselves, relate to others and experience the world.
After overwhelming experiences, memories can stay linked to intense emotions, body sensations, beliefs about ourselves or a felt sense of danger. You might know something happened in the past, yet still carry fear, shame, guilt, anger, sadness or a heightened sense of threat now.
Trauma‑informed therapy sees these responses as understandable. Rather than treating them as something wrong with you, we explore what they might be communicating and how they affect your life today.
The aim isn’t to erase memories or pretend things didn’t happen. It’s to help memories become less emotionally overwhelming, so the past feels more like something that happened rather than something that’s still happening.
Neurodiversity‑affirming EMDR for autistic, ADHD and AuDHD adults
Therapy that adapts to you
As a neurodivergent, neurodiversity‑affirming therapist, I know that traditional therapy doesn’t always fit the ways neurodivergent people communicate, process information or experience emotions.
I work with autistic, ADHD, AuDHD and other neurodivergent adults, diagnosed, self‑identifying or still exploring.
Being neurodivergent often means living in a world that often doesn’t accommodate neurodivergent needs, and this can take a real toll. You may have spent years:
- Masking or suppressing your natural ways of being
- Feeling misunderstood, criticised or “different”
- Experiencing bullying, rejection or exclusion
- Trying to meet expectations that didn’t account for your needs
- Managing sensory overwhelm or emotional exhaustion
- Struggling to have your experiences recognised or believed
- Hitting burnout after prolonged stress
These experiences aren’t automatically traumatic, but they matter when we’re understanding your history and how you experience yourself now. We can explore their impact without treating your neurodivergence as the problem.
How I adapt EMDR for neurodivergent clients
Neurodiversity‑affirming EMDR means adapting the therapy itself to your needs. That might include:
- Allowing extra processing time
- Adjusting communication and questions
- Attending to sensory needs and environmental comfort
- Using visual, creative or alternative ways to express experiences
- Recognising that emotions may be hard to identify or describe (alexithymia, masking, burnout)
- Working at a pace that feels manageable
- Making sure you understand and stay involved in decisions about your therapy
You don’t have to change who you are to fit the therapy.
EMDR for trauma, PTSD and difficult life experiences
Trauma doesn’t always come from one clear event. It can follow a single frightening experience, or develop through repeated or cumulative experiences that affect your sense of safety, trust or self‑worth.
I offer trauma‑informed support for adults experiencing difficulties linked to:
Childhood and developmental trauma
Early experiences of neglect, abuse, instability, criticism, emotional unavailability or feeling unsafe can continue to shape how you relate to yourself and others. You might struggle with trust, boundaries, self‑esteem, attachment or a persistent sense of not being enough.
Relationship and interpersonal trauma
Harmful or difficult relationships can affect how you expect closeness, conflict and emotional safety to feel. Therapy can help you explore the impact of controlling relationships, emotional abuse, betrayal, rejection or other experiences that left you hurt or unsafe.
Anxiety, panic and feeling constantly on alert
Persistent worry, panic, heightened sensitivity to threat or difficulty relaxing, even when there’s no immediate danger, can all be part of this. We can look at how your experiences may have contributed and explore ways to help you feel more grounded and supported.
Shame, guilt and self‑blame
Traumatic experiences can leave beliefs like: “It was my fault.” “I should have done more.” “There’s something wrong with me.” Therapy offers space to explore these with compassion and curiosity, not judgement.
Grief, bereavement and life‑changing experiences
Loss, illness, accidents and significant life changes can affect us in ways that are hard to process. I have experience supporting adults through grief, bereavement and life‑limiting illness, alongside other forms of emotional distress and trauma.
EMDR preparation: safety, trust and working at your pace
EMDR doesn’t start with processing difficult memories.
One of the most important parts of trauma work is building enough safety and support. Before considering EMDR processing, we take time to understand your experiences, current life, emotional responses and hopes for therapy.
We may also explore strategies to help you manage distress, recognise when you’re becoming overwhelmed and navigate difficult emotions more easily.
For some, preparation is relatively brief. For others, it takes longer and becomes a key part of the work. There’s no expectation that you should be ready to process trauma just because you’ve identified something difficult from your past.
We’ll decide together whether EMDR feels appropriate, and when. You can ask questions, express uncertainty, pause, slow down or change direction.
A personalised, integrative approach to trauma therapy
EMDR can be an important part of trauma therapy, but it isn’t the only way of working.
As an integrative therapist, I draw on person‑centred counselling, Transactional Analysis, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, trauma‑informed principles and EMDR. This lets us look not only at the experiences that may have contributed to your difficulties, but also at how they affect your relationships, identity, emotional wellbeing and everyday life.
For some, EMDR becomes a significant part of therapy. For others, talking therapy, developing emotional awareness, understanding patterns or exploring identity may fit better. There’s no single approach that works for everyone.
My role is to work alongside you, bringing my training and experience while respecting your autonomy, preferences and needs.
Why Work With Me?
Choosing a therapist is personal. You might want someone who understands trauma, but also recognises the importance of relationships, identity, neurodivergence and the wider context of your life.
I’m a qualified, accredited therapeutic counsellor, psychotherapist and clinical supervisor, with over 14 years’ experience supporting adults through a range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including:
- Trauma and difficult life experiences
- Anxiety, panic and low mood
- Grief and bereavement
- Life‑limiting illness and loss
- Neurodivergence and identity
- Relationship difficulties
- Emotional overwhelm and self‑esteem
- Personal and professional transitions
I bring specialist training, clinical experience and a warm, collaborative approach. I don’t believe therapy should be about telling you what to do or fitting you into a model. Instead, we work together to understand your experiences and develop an approach that feels right for you.
Is EMDR right for me?
EMDR may be worth exploring if you:
- Have experienced something distressing or traumatic
- Still feel affected by difficult experiences from the past
- Experience intrusive memories, distressing images or nightmares
- Feel anxious, overwhelmed or constantly on alert
- Struggle with shame, guilt or self‑blame
- Find certain situations trigger strong emotional or physical responses
- Experience difficulties with trust, relationships or boundaries
- Are exploring the impact of masking, bullying, rejection or longstanding invalidation
- Want to understand whether EMDR might help alongside other forms of therapy
EMDR isn’t right for everyone. We’ll consider your circumstances, needs and goals together before deciding how to proceed. You don’t need to know whether EMDR is the right treatment before contacting me.
Online EMDR and trauma therapy
I offer online counselling and EMDR for adults, using Zoom. Online therapy can be a comfortable, accessible way to engage in counselling from an environment that works for you. We can discuss your preferences, communication needs and any adjustments that help you feel more comfortable during sessions.
Fees and appointments
My fee is £100 per 50‑minute counselling or psychotherapy session and extended sessions of 90-minutes are £150.
Because EMDR is a focused, structured therapy, it can sometimes help people make significant changes in fewer sessions than traditional longer-term talking therapy. However, the number of sessions needed varies from person to person.
I usually begin with an initial discovery appointment, giving us a chance to discuss what’s brought you to therapy, what you’re hoping for and whether we might be a good fit.
If we decide to work together, we can talk about the most appropriate therapeutic approach and how to structure your sessions.
Taking the first step
You may have spent a long time trying to manage difficult emotions, make sense of your experiences or understand why certain situations still affect you.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before seeking support. Therapy can offer space to explore what’s happened, develop a greater understanding of yourself and consider what you need to feel more connected, supported and able to move forward.
If you’re looking for a neurodiversity‑affirming EMDR therapist or trauma‑informed counsellor in the UK, I’d be glad to hear from you. We can start by talking about what’s happening for you now and whether EMDR or another approach might help.
