EMDR THERAPY GOLD COAST
Specialised support for trauma, PTSD & complex trauma
If you've been carrying the weight of painful experiences — feeling stuck, on edge, or unable to move forward — EMDR therapy may be the support you've been looking for.
At Coolangatta Psychology, our experienced team offers EMDR therapy for adults, young people, and neurodivergent clients across the Gold Coast and via telehealth throughout Australia. We provide a safe, compassionate space where healing happens at your pace.
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing — an evidence-based therapy that helps the brain process and integrate experiences that have become "stuck."
Our brains are naturally wired to make sense of what happens to us. Most of the time, experiences are processed and stored as memories of the past. But when something is particularly overwhelming or distressing, the nervous system can become flooded, and that natural processing doesn't quite get to finish.
When this happens, the distressing life experience — along with the thoughts, emotions and physical sensations connected to it — can remain frozen in time. Even when you logically know something is over, your body may still respond as though it's happening right now.
EMDR therapy helps to restart that natural healing process. Using bilateral stimulation — such as guided eye movements, tapping, or sounds — to support the brain in re-engaging its processing system. Over time, traumatic memories lose their intensity, and what once felt overwhelming begins to feel more manageable and firmly in the past.
At its heart, EMDR is not about something being "wrong" with you. It's about understanding how your experiences have shaped what's showing up today and gently supporting your brain to do what it was always meant to do: heal.
How does EMDR work?
Unlike traditional talk therapies, EMDR doesn't rely heavily on revisiting or analysing experiences in detail. Instead, it works more directly with how the brain and body store and process memory.
During the EMDR sessions, you're invited to bring a memory into awareness — including the images, thoughts, emotions, and body sensations connected to it — and simply notice what arises. You're not trying to force anything or reach a particular outcome. The bilateral stimulation runs alongside this, supporting the brain's natural capacity to process and integrate.
What many people notice is that things begin to shift quite naturally. Painful memories may feel more distant or less emotionally charged. New insights emerge. Over time, the memory starts to feel like something that happened in the past, rather than something you're still living in.
Importantly, you remain fully present, aware and in control throughout. EMDR is not hypnosis, and you can pause or stop at any time. It is often described as something unfolding from within, rather than something being "done" to them.
You don’t have to do this alone.
When you’re ready, we’re here to listen and help you find the support that fits.
What can EMDR help with?
While EMDR trauma therapy is recognised internationally as a leading treatment for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma, it is a highly adaptable approach that can support a wide range of ways it can present, including:
PTSD and post-traumatic stress disorder
Complex and developmental trauma
Childhood trauma and adverse early experiences
Anxiety and panic attacks
Depression
Grief and loss
Addictions
Eating disorders
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Dissociative disorders
Phobias
Sleep difficulties
Self-esteem and negative self-beliefs
Social and performance anxiety
Relationship difficulties
Our team is also highly experienced in neurodiversity-affirming EMDR therapy, particularly for clients who have received a later diagnosis of autism, ADHD or other neurodivergent profiles. Many people in this situation carry a layer of accumulated trauma — not from a single past event, but from years of navigating a world not designed for their brain.
EMDR can be a deeply meaningful path to shifting long-held beliefs like "I'm not good enough" or "I'm too much," and supporting clients toward a more grounded and compassionate understanding of themselves. If you're unsure whether EMDR is right for you, reach out to our team, and we will take the time to explore how EMDR, or other avenues, work and connect you with the right clinician to support your needs.
Who can benefit from EMDR therapy?
Who can benefit from EMDR therapy?
Adults navigating trauma, anxiety, depression or life transitions
Children and adolescents experiencing emotional or behavioural difficulties related to distressing experiences
People who have tried other therapies and feel they understand their traumatic experiences, but something still isn't shifting
Neurodivergent individuals — including those with autism, ADHD or other profiles — seeking affirming, specialised support
Clients referred by GPs, psychiatrists or other specialists for trauma-focused treatment
EMDR works particularly well for people who notice a gap between what they know and what they feel — where you logically understand something is in the past, but your body still reacts as though it's happening now. That gap is precisely where EMDR can help.
The EMDR process: eight phases
EMDR therapy treatment follows a structured eight-phase framework, though how this unfolds is unique to each person:
History taking and assessment
Getting to know you, understanding your background, and identifying what you'd like to work on.
Preparation & resourcing
Building safety, stability and coping skills before any processing begins. This phase is not a delay — it’s an essential part of the work.
Assessment of specific memories
Identifying the experiences, beliefs, emotions and body sensations to be targeted.
Desensitisation and reprocessing EMDR
Using bilateral stimulation to process the targeted memory, allowing the brain to integrate it more fully.
Installation
Strengthening more helpful, adaptive beliefs to replace the distressing ones.
Body scan
Checking for any remaining physical tension or emotional distress connected to the memory.
Closure
Ensuring you leave each session feeling grounded and stable.
Re-evaluation
Reviewing your progress and adjusting the direction of treatment as needed.
For more specific or single-incident experiences, processing can sometimes happen quickly — occasionally within a session or two. For complex or developmental trauma, the journey tends to be more gradual, with more time spent building safety and working through layers over time. There are no "shoulds" here, the pace is always guided by what feels right for you.
It's also worth knowing that it is completely normal to feel emotionally unsettled after a session. It’s often associated with ongoing processing and integration, or simply because we touched on meaningful subjects. Either way, we can always support you with strategies to take care of yourself between sessions.
Our EMDR therapists
Coolangatta Psychology is proud to have a dedicated team of EMDR psychologists and therapists offering EMDR across a range of specialties and client presentations. EMDR requires specialised training — typically over 30 hours of formal training followed by ongoing clinical supervision — and our clinicians bring both that training and genuine passion for this work.
Dr. Adi Papirany
Adi is the founder and Director of Coolangatta Psychology and she has a particular focus on attachment-based EMDR with complex trauma, and is deeply interested in the significant overlap between trauma and undiagnosed or late-diagnosed neurodivergence. Adi's perspective is grounded in the understanding that simply existing in a world not designed for your brain or your needs can be inherently traumatic — and that healing is possible.
Clinical Psychologist
Lily Shilkin
Lily has completed EMDR training and is actively working towards becoming an EMDRAA-Accredited Practitioner, bringing a dedicated commitment to evidence-based trauma therapy.
Clinical PsychologistDr Mahala Martin
Clinical Psychologist
Mahala's broad clinical experience — across neurodivergence, trauma, anxiety, depression and complicated grief —supports her warm, holistic approach to psychological support and EMDR therapy.
Puva Kurusamy
Puva deeply believes in the importance of neurodiversity-affirming practice and offers specialised EMDR adapted for neurodivergent individuals, combining evidence-based methods with a genuinely inclusive approach.
Registered Psychologist
Sathya Maniam
Sathya's practice is rooted in evidence-based methods, including EMDR trauma therapy, to help clients reduce distress and reprocess painful experiences. Her approach centres on compassion and meeting each person where they are.
Clinical Psychologist
Rachel Anthony
Eleanor brings a unique blend of trauma-informed clinical mental health and performance psychology to her EMDR practice, using it to help clients not just overcome challenges but build genuine pathways to growth. Her EMDR work is attachment-focused, and neurodiversity affirming, grounded in authentic connection and adapted to how each individual's brain works best
Mental Health Social WorkerDana
Our growing team also includes Dana (Psychologist).
Registered PsychologistRachel brings a holistic, trauma-informed approach to EMDR therapy. Drawing from both psychology and social work perspectives, she uses a compassion-focused and person-centered approach to supporting clients process difficult experiences and build a more supportive relationship with themselves.
Begin Your Healing Journey
If you're ready to explore EMDR therapy with a compassionate, experienced team, we'd love to hear from you. Whether you're dealing with trauma, anxiety, grief, or simply feeling like something is stuck — we're here to help you move forward.
Coolangatta Psychology offers EMDR therapy in person at our Gold Coast rooms and via telehealth across Australia. Appointments are available for individuals of all ages, including children, adolescents and adults.
Contact us today to book an initial consultation or find out more about whether EMDR is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
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EMDR therapy is not suitable for everyone straight away. Part of your initial assessment will involve exploring your readiness — including your capacity to manage strong emotions, your level of support, and how safe you feel within the therapeutic relationship. If EMDR isn't the right fit at this time, your therapist will work with you on building coping strategies, emotional regulation, or other therapeutic approaches first. Sometimes it's not a "no" — it's a "not yet."
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EMDR therapy works differently from traditional counselling or CBT. Rather than talking through experiences in detail or trying to think your way out of distress, EMDR works more directly with how the brain and body store memory. Many people come to EMDR when they already understand their experiences intellectually, but something still isn't shifting. EMDR can access and process what words alone sometimes can't reach.
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This varies significantly depending on what you're working through. For specific, single-incident experiences, shifts can happen in fewer sessions. For complex trauma, the process tends to be longer and more gradual. Your therapist will always discuss a plan with you and review progress along the way.
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Yes — EMDR therapy is available both in person at our Coolangatta rooms and via telehealth for clients throughout Australia. EMDR works just as well across telehealth, so you never have to worry about having lesser outcomes if you're participating from the comfort of your home.
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You don't need a referral to see us directly. However, if you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, you may be eligible for Medicare rebates on sessions with our registered psychologists. We also receive referrals from GPs, psychiatrists and other specialists, and welcome NDIS clients.
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Our EMDR psychologists and therapists have completed accredited EMDR training programmes — typically 30+ hours of formal training — and engage in ongoing supervision and professional development. Several of our team are working towards or hold EMDRAA (EMDR Association of Australia) accreditation.
Not sure what you need? 
Let’s figure it out together.
We’ll walk you through your options and help you take the next step that feels right.