S.A.F.E. EMDR
for Attachment Trauma
(Somatic & Attachment Focused Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing)
At Two Lights Therapy Center, S.A.F.E. EMDR isn’t a separate service you need to request. Somatic & Attachment Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a part of how we work with anyone healing from complex trauma and attachment wounds. At our practice, we use S.A.F.E. EMDR with nearly every client healing from complex trauma or CPTSD. Whether you’re recovering from narcissistic abuse, exploring your own narcissistic traits, or working through harmful attachment learnings, this approach helps clients experience truly transformative trauma work.
SOMATIC & ATTACHMENT-FOCUSED EMDR THERAPY IN CHICAGO, IL
What Is S.A.F.E. EMDR?
S.A.F.E. EMDR makes EMDR therapy gentler, safer, and more attuned for CPTSD or complex trauma. It keeps the powerful healing potential of EMDR while adapting the pace and focus to honor the body’s protective wisdom and each client’s attachment history. If you’ve struggled to feel safe in therapy or felt stuck in the past, this approach can create a path forward that’s both effective and more aligned with your relational needs. This enhanced approach was created by Deborah Kennard and was designed specifically for clients who have a history of complex or relational trauma. While traditional EMDR can sometimes feel too activating or overwhelming early on, many clients find this version to be a better fit for them. At its core, S.A.F.E. EMDR keeps the fidelity of Francine Shapiro’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model (the foundation of EMDR) while weaving in additional somatic awareness (body-based safety), attachment theory, and mindfulness. This integration can help clients feel safer and more supported as they process painful memories.
ENSURING A TRAUMA-INFORMED EMDR APPROACH
Why S.A.F.E. EMDR Matters for Complex Trauma:
It emphasizes safety & examining attachment learnings before reprocessing, helping clients recognize & regulate survival responses to prevent retraumatization.
The approach integrates an attachment lens, exploring how early relational patterns created protective adaptations that now hinder healing and connection.
It introduces a framework for embracing and celebrating adaptive survival patterns. Honoring them allows processing to unfold without shame.
SAFE EMDR strengthens the therapeutic alliance, ensuring each step includes collaboration, consent, and a deep sense of safety.
NARCISSISTIC ABUSE RECOVERY AND TRAUMA THERAPY IN CHICAGO, IL
How S.A.F.E. EMDR Looks in Practice
Instead of rushing into trauma reprocessing, S.A.F.E. EMDR spends more intentional time in the history-taking and preparation phases. We work together to map strengths and resources, understand protective adaptations, and create enough internal and relational safety so that EMDR processing is less destabilizing and more effective. In sessions, this includes using a light bar for gentle bilateral stimulation while we track sensations, emotions, and meaning together at a pace that feels safe and grounded. Rather than forcing memories to surface, the light’s rhythm helps the system process slowly while new connections form naturally.
Even though our S.A.F.E. EMDR happens virtually, many clients find that doing this work from home actually enhances the sense of safety. You can wrap yourself in a blanket, sip tea, light a candle...whatever helps you feel grounded! I guide you through each step using the light bar, ensuring that the experience feels calm, connected, and attuned. Healing doesn’t have to happen in an unfamiliar office; it can unfold right where you already feel most at ease.
You can't pour from an empty cup.
More on Erika!
A CERTIFIED NATC IN CHICAGO, IL
Erika Koch-Weser is a licensed psychotherapist based in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in attachment trauma and complex relational patterns. Her work helps clients understand how early relationships shaped their current sense of safety, self, and connection. Through a trauma-informed, emotionally attuned approach, she helps clients build the capacity for secure attachment (both within themselves and in their relationships). Known for her thoughtful, steady approach, Erika helps clients feel safe enough to explore even the most painful patterns. Reach out today to explore whether therapy with Erika might be a good fit for you this season.
