Client Experiences
In
order to provide a tangible sense of how I practice, I would like to share accounts volunteered by clients of mine. These clients expressed hope that their stories might assist others in understanding what is
possible through EMDR and the other treatment approaches I regularly utilize. I am greatly appreciative of their willingness to share their experiences in order to help others in the decision to pursue treatment.
From a burn victim, who has struggled with alcoholism:
"One
week ago I sat in a rental home in Bodega Bay, vacationing with my
sister. It was cold. I lit a fire in the fireplace. No big deal, right?
Something anyone would do? Not me. Not since January 17, 2009. January
17, 2009 a cooking fire left me with burns to over 20% of my body: right
hand, arm, and torso primarily. I lived alone and was not found for 2
days. I was not to survive. Hospitalized for five weeks, half of which I
spent in a coma, I was released with no use of my hand or arm and scars
that ran so deep, even the best surgeon and physical therapist were
unable to help.
At the insistence of family and friends, I reluctantly contacted
multiple therapists. Susie Morgan was the only one to return my call. I
signed on with her not knowing what to expect, and quite honestly
without much hope. I did so because Sophie (a beautiful lab mix)
participates in the sessions. The universe works in mysterious ways.
Susie introduced me to a process called EMDR (Eye Movement
Desensitization and Reprocessing). She explained that EMDR has been used
in PTSD with wonderful results. I didn’t care. I only wanted some small
moment in time where I was free from the night and day dreams of the
fire. I wanted to cook a meal without feeling sick. I wanted to forget.
Susie wasted no time and within weeks of signing on, I was
LOVING the process. As we worked through the memories of the fire and
its aftermath, I found myself counting on sessions with Susie to quiet
my mind. In the past 40+ years, I have been unable to find any relief
from an overactive, chattering mind. Nothing, that is, but alcohol. I am
a recovering alcoholic and have been an active member of AA. Still, the
mind chatters. We discussed the application of EMDR in recovery from
addiction. Today, I wonder how, after all the recovery, the rehabs, and
the pain, why have I not heard of this? I realize that there are as many
approaches to recovery as there are addicts, and I would never presume
to know what will work for another, but for me, EMDR is driving my
recovery.
EMDR is a process that one must experience to
understand. I trust in it, and yet am not entirely convinced I
understand it. Not that I care. Today I have no fear of fire. I have no
nightmares. I have few thoughts of drinking. I look forward to sessions
with Susie and Sophie. I have found the application of EMDR useful in so
many ways: trauma from the fire, addiction, quieting the mind, and now,
sorting through the memories and traumas of my past."
From a woman who experienced severe domestic abuse:
"
During seven years of my early adult life, from age 19
through 26, I was the victim of intense verbal, mental and physical abuse by my
partner. By the time I was able to escape him, I was paranoid, anxious,
depressed and barely functioning. I knew I needed help and was desperate to
return some normalcy to my shattered life. Through a series of coincidences, I
started reading Trauma and Recovery by
Judith Herman. It completely changed the way I saw myself, because it was the
first time I truly understood that I was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD). From there, I knew I needed not just talk therapy but trauma
specific therapy. I found Susie Morgan who is certified in EMDR, a therapy
designed for people who suffer from PTSD. By this time, I had met with about
six other therapists, each one saying the same thing; that my best bet was to
learn to live with and manage my PTSD. Susie, on the other hand was
enthusiastic about restoring my true self and healing my trauma. She also was
not intimidated by the intensity of my story.
When I was 19, I fell madly in love with a sociopath. He was
charming, smart, sophisticated and acted as if he wanted to give me the world.
Slowly, he started to break me down in order to control me. The process was
extremely gradual, and after about two years I was completely and utterly under
his control. He controlled when and what I ate, where I was at all times, and
eventually started sleep depriving me to make me even more of a robot. If and
when he did catch me sleeping, he would strangle me to wake me up. To keep me
in fear, he would rape me, put cigars out on me, or beat other women in front
of me. Eventually he was selling me to other men for sexual favors. The verbal
and physical abuse changed me into a scared, submissive girl who was walking on
eggshells constantly. The psychological torture was almost too much to bear.
After seven years, I knew I was at my breaking point; if I didn’t escape
somehow, I was going to end up dead or just plain crazy.
Starting therapy with Susie was refreshing compared to my
previous therapy experiences. She gently understood the magnitude of pain I was
living with and softly challenged me to stay inspired to heal. Each and every
session she met me where I needed her to, and we worked together as a solid
team, even on days when I bluntly told her I did not want to be there. EMDR is
difficult to describe. I went with an open mind and constantly asked if I was
doing it “right”. Susie was an excellent coach, helping to understand when I needed
to, but also pushed me to just go with the process when that was necessary.
After about two months working with her, I started to notice subtle shifts. My
pessimism almost would not let me believe I was actually starting to heal. I
kept going to see her, and the positive effects started to snowball. After
fifteen months of hard work together, my quality of life is beyond my wildest
dreams, because I believed I would never be able to live like a normal person.
As I sit and reflect, I am amazed to be able to say that I am done being
haunted by memories of my past, and I believe I have successfully completed
trauma therapy."
From a pre-teen struggling with anxiety, depression, and gender identity - about having Sophie, the therapy dog, in sessions:
" Sophie, (AKA: Sophie Dog) helps me to calm down when I'm angry. She also makes me laugh. When I'm at Susie's working on my problems, sometimes it can be hard and having Sophie around makes it easier."
And from his mother:
" I'm writing this letter regarding Susie Morgan's dog Sophie. In my son's circumstances Sophie has helped him by being a calming force when he is in therapy. My son feels very comfortable coming to therapy knowing that Sophie is always going to be there. At times when he has been feeling sad or frustrated, he has put his focus on Sophie and is laughing in no time at all. When my son has had a hard time opening up, Susie will take Sophie for a walk outside with him and he will just start talking.
For me, Sophie is just a calming spirit in the room. She has such a great personality and I really feel she gets to know each of Susie's clients personally. My son and I are already attached to Sophie, it is so wonderful to come into the waiting room and having Sophie come out of the office to get my son for his appointment. Sophie is definitely contributing to my son's therapy."
