Why Rachel's EMDR clients stopped making progress
Rachel had been practicing EMDR for over three years when she noticed something strange.
She was doing good work.
Clients felt seen.
They cried.
They processed.
They said, “I’ve never told anyone this before.”
Like David*—who came in weekly, stuck with the work, processed early trauma, and truly trusted her.
And at first? He improved.
Some anxiety lifted.
He had fewer rage episodes.
The dissociation became less frequent.
But then...
He stalled.
The panic attacks came back.
Sleep stayed fractured.
Work stress sent him into shutdown.
Rachel wasn’t sure what she was missing.
She was certified.
She was using the tools exactly as trained. Her pacing was thoughtful. Her relationship with clients strong.
But with David—and others—she started to feel like she was hitting a wall with a foam paddle.
It wasn’t that the work was wrong.
It was that something deeper was being missed.
What Rachel hadn’t yet learned was how to read the nervous system with nuance.
Not just the protocol or the surface-level symptoms—
but the sequence.
> What comes first.
> What’s still fragile.
> What hasn’t yet been built internally.
Because most therapists (through no fault of their own) are working with trauma like they’re fixing a leaky roof—while the foundation is still cracked.
That’s what “trauma sequencing” is all about.
It’s not what technique you use.
It’s when, and how.
Once Rachel learned how to:
→ Map her clients’ nervous system states in-session
→ Spot subtle dissociation before it hijacked the work
→ Know when to pause and stabilize instead of pushing into memory
...everything started to shift.
Not overnight. Not perfectly.
But slowly, steadily—her sessions became more coherent.
Clients stayed present longer.
They felt more anchored after session.
And over time, they stopped circling the same painful loops.
David began sleeping through the night.
He stopped spiraling after conflict at work.
He reported, “Something feels different. Like I’m not so afraid all the time.”
Rachel hadn’t changed everything.
She just learned how to sequence what she already knew…
with deeper nervous system attunement.
This is what we teach inside the Trauma Training & Mentorship Program.
It’s a step-by-step clinical process that helps experienced therapists:
Understand what stage your client’s nervous system is truly in
Know when to regulate, when to revisit, and when to pause
Work more deeply without burning out or bypassing
Finally feel confident with complex trauma clients
If your clients are doing okay but not breaking through…
If you’re tired of wondering whether you’re actually making a lasting impact…
If you want to expand your skillset without losing what already works—
Book a free discovery call below.
We’ll talk through your specific caseload and see if this program is the right fit.
Warmly,
Esther
P.S. Rachel just opened hired her first associate. When you give your clients deep relief, referrals flow.