Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR therapy) and Brainspotting therapy are both brain-based psychotherapies used to treat trauma and other mental health issues. A brain-based therapy differs from traditional talk therapy in that brain-based therapies guide clients into an experiential process where thoughts, images, memories, emotions and somatic feelings stored in the body are accessed in order to heal the effects of trauma or disturbing experiences.

Your 40s can bring about significant transitions and challenges—some anticipated, others less so. You might be navigating perimenopause, caring for aging parents, or watching your children leave home for the first time.

These transitions may feel like too much all at once, tapping into deeper questions about identity, purpose, and what comes next.

For decades, women have been led to believe they can “have it all.” A thriving career, a happy family, meaningful relationships, and even time for themselves. But what often gets left out of this promise is the hidden cost of trying to juggle it all.

The truth is, “having it all” often feels less like empowerment and more like an unrelenting pressure to prove your worth.

For many women over 40, stress feels like a constant companion—woven into the fabric of daily life. It can show up subtly, like tension in your shoulders or jaw, or in more overt ways, such as migraines or stomach upset. You might find it hard to relax, unwind, or step away from the things causing stress.

It’s common to feel shame around accessing therapy for stress. I am here to explain why you shouldn’t feel this way, and what we can do about it.

You’ve spent decades being everything to everyone—partner, parent, caretaker, professional, problem-solver. You’ve handled the endless to-do lists, met countless demands, and kept things running smoothly. But somewhere along the way, you may have found yourself thinking: “How did I get here?”

It’s not uncommon to feel this way. Find out why in latest blog.

On the outside, you’re the one everyone counts on—steady, competent, the glue holding it all together. But on the inside, there’s a quiet ache: “I just want to relax.” Or maybe, “When do I get a break?” Or even, “I’m so tired.”

Read my latest blog post on my Gen X women are struggling, and what we can do about it.

Numerous therapists, myself included, are choosing to provide therapy intensive programs that utilize skills such as EMDR and/or Brainspotting. These intensive programs feature extended therapy sessions over a short duration, concentrating specifically on one or two main issues that you wish to explore. Because therapy intensives go beyond the structure of traditional weekly sessions, they offer a range of advantages to the client.

If you’re a woman over 40, and you’ve been curious about brain based therapies, like EMDR and Brainspotting, I have outlined here 5 of the more common circumstances under which you may look to start therapy and how EMDR and Brainspotting can help.

Brainspotting is a neuroexperiential model for psychotherapy, where it uses the connection between your visual perception and the brain’s subcortex in order to process emotional experiences, trauma and distress. Brainspotting can also be used for performance enhancement.

You’ve heard of EMDR therapy, and perhaps most recently have been hearing about EMDR therapy intensives. You’re curious and have done some research, but want to know more about what happens in an EMDR therapy session. In this article, I will explain the EMDR therapy framework step by step so you know what to expect when you go for EMDR therapy.