Notice That

This is the launch of The Relational Thread , a free weekly essay series from Bridger Falkenstien and Jen Savage that tells the story of their forthcoming Routledge book, EMDR and the Therapeutic Relationship: Reclaiming the Relational Thread , and applies it to the room. Each essay is read aloud by its author — in our voice, not an AI narrator — and lives on Substack for anyone who'd rather read....

A client comes in with a population you've never worked with, and you feel it... the quiet "I'm not equipped for this." In the finale of our Back to Basics series, Bridger and Jen sit with what that feeling is actually made of. We close Francine Shapiro's foundational EMDR text on its last two chapters, selected populations and research, and land on the thesis humming under the whole show: EMDR is...

In this episode, Bridger welcomes Anastasia Soroka to Notice That for a one-on-one conversation about intersectionality, invisible identities, power, and complexity in the therapy room. Anastasia introduces herself as a trauma therapist specializing in complex trauma, relational dynamics, and interpersonal systems. She is also the host of the Insights with Us podcast and an author whose work explo...

In this episode of Notice That: An EMDR Podcast , we sit down with internationally respected clinician, trainer, and author Deb Wesselmann to explore the powerful intersection of EMDR therapy, attachment wounds, childhood trauma, parenting, and relational healing . Deb shares her decades of experience integrating attachment theory with EMDR therapy , including practical ways therapists can work wi...

In this return to our Back to Basics series, we’re diving into one of the most misunderstood—and often over-scripted—parts of EMDR therapy: interweaves . If you were trained to think of interweaves as something you “pull out of a list” when a client gets stuck, you’re not alone. But what if interweaves aren’t about saying the right thing … and instead about understanding what the system needs next...

What happens when one of the most meaningful seasons of life—pregnancy and early parenthood—collides with trauma, grief, and attachment wounds? In this episode of Notice That , we sit down with perinatal mental health specialist Bethany Warren to explore how EMDR therapy can be used safely and effectively with pregnant and postpartum clients—and why so many clinicians have been taught otherwise. T...

Becoming a parent is often described as one of life’s most joyful milestones. But what happens psychologically, relationally, and neurologically during the transition into parenthood is far more complex — and far less discussed — than many clinicians realize. In this episode of Notice That: An EMDR Podcast, Bridger and Jen sit down with psychologist and EMDR consultant Dr. Nirit Gordon to explore...

What happens when therapy stops being about techniques — and starts becoming about you ? In this deeply reflective episode of Notice That , Bridger and Jen are joined by therapist and trainer Jessica Downs for an intimate conversation exploring the inner life of therapists, professional identity, and the personal work that inevitably emerges beneath clinical practice. Together, they explore the hi...

What if resilience isn’t about “bouncing back,” but about the brain’s ongoing ability to adapt—moment by moment, across a lifetime? In this episode of Notice That , Bridger and Jen are joined by Laurel O’Neal Thornton , EMDR clinician, consultant, and educator, for a rich conversation on the neuroscience of resilience and what it actually looks like in EMDR therapy. Drawing from neuroscience, EMDR...

In this episode of Notice That , we dive into one of the most avoided—and most essential—topics in mental health: sex, pleasure, and sexual health . We’re joined by Cassie Krajewski , LCSW, AASECT-certified sex therapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, and co-founder of Iris Training Collective. Cassie brings a deeply integrative lens to sexuality—one that moves far beyond technique and into conceptu...

EMDR for Couples: Healing Together Through Simultaneous Processing A Conversation with Arilda Surridge, LMFT What happens when EMDR moves beyond the individual—and into the relationship itself? In this episode of Notice That , Bridger and Jen sit down with Arilda Surridge, LMFT , author and EMDR clinician, to explore how EMDR can be ethically, safely, and powerfully integrated into couples therapy...

In this special “take your learner hat off” episode of Notice That, Bridger and Jen sit down with Jennifer Ann Counseling —EMDR therapist and comedy content creator—for a playful, honest conversation about being a therapist and a human. This episode isn’t about teaching a specific technique. It’s about humor, authenticity, and why laughter belongs alongside depth in trauma work. We talk about how...

In this episode of Notice That: An EMDR Podcast , Jen and Bridger sit down with Dr. Arielle Schwartz —somatic psychologist, EMDR therapist, and author of EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology —to explore what really happens when EMDR and body-based work are woven together in the therapy room. Together, they dive into: How Arielle’s early training in somatic psychology shaped the way she learned and...

In this episode of Notice That , Bridger and Jen sit down with neurofeedback expert Leigh Povia, LCSW, RPT, BCN , founder of Center for Dynamic Growth , to explore how neurofeedback can strengthen, support, and accelerate trauma therapy. Together, they discuss: What neurofeedback actually is —beyond the buzzwords How brainwave training mirrors internal states and supports regulation Why neurofeedb...

In this episode, we wrap up our series on working memory theory in EMDR by sitting down with Sander, co-founder of WeMind—a digital platform designed to optimize bilateral stimulation, track real-time client engagement, and bring advanced working memory taxation into both virtual and in-person EMDR sessions. We explore: How WeMind adapts working memory load dynamically during sets Why random-inter...

Jen and Bridger finally sit down to share stories and reflections from the 2024 EMDRIA Conference — a few weeks (or months?) later than planned. From early-morning flights and beachside content shoots to laughter-filled dinners and deep professional reflections, this episode captures the whirlwind of being presenters, exhibitors, and community builders all at once. They talk candidly about what it...

In this episode, Bridger and Jen sit down with David Polidi , Bruce Hersey (Syzygy Institute), and Peggy Kolodny (Art Therapy Collective) to explore the forthcoming anthology IFS-Informed EMDR . Together, they unpack how EMDR’s eight phases can be enriched—not replaced—by Internal Family Systems (IFS), art therapy, and Jungian active imagination. You’ll hear: Why Bruce views the target as a part —...

The Mosaic Enneagram (Limited Series) A five-part companion to a six-month consultation cohort for therapists, this series reimagines the Enneagram as a living mosaic across the head, heart, and gut. Grounded in the Nurtured Nature Personality Framework (NNPF), we explore how agency, bonding, and certainty shape our strategies for belonging and becoming. Each episode blends story and theory—moving...

New EMDR therapists often feel a gap between basic training and confident, real-world practice . In this conversation, Carol Miles, LCSW-BACS (trainer, consultant, and leader in the South Louisiana EMDR community) joins us to unpack why clinicians drop off after training—and what actually keeps EMDR alive in agencies and private practice. We cover: The five reasons clinicians stall out after basic...

EMDR 2.0: A Conversation with Suzy Matthijssen & Ad de Jongh Recorded live at the EMDRIA conference, Bridger and Jen sit down with the developers of EMDR 2.0, Suzy Matthijssen and Ad de Jongh. Together, they explore how intensive trauma treatment, working memory taxation, and reconsolidation theory are shaping the next generation of EMDR. From four-sessions-a-day protocols to online innovation...

In this episode of Notice That , Bridger and Jen continue the Back to Basics series by exploring the ever-expanding landscape of EMDR protocols. Why are there so many? Do we really need a new protocol for every presentation, or are there deeper themes that connect them all? We discuss: The difference between the standard 8-phase protocol and the many specialized variations Common themes across pro...

In this episode of Notice That , Bridger and Jen reconnect after a summer hiatus, weaving personal updates with professional developments that have defined their recent months. Highlights include: Summer Life & New Beginnings – From extended family time and outdoor writing sessions to the surprise timing of Willa Jean’s birth during an EMDR basic training, they share stories that set the tone...

What happens when EMDR and play therapy collide? In this episode, Bridger and Jen sit down with Christine Mark-Griffin—EMDR child therapist, trainer, and author of The EMDR Workbook for Kids —to explore the art and science of bringing EMDR to children and families. Together they unpack the power of play as a language for healing, how to work with parents as co-regulators, and why case conceptualiz...

Why Does EMDR Work? A Dive into Network Neuroscience and the Brain’s Healing Potential Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has transformed trauma therapy, but an age-old question lingers: How does it actually work? For decades, the EMDR community has debated this question. Early theories focused on specific brain structures—the hippocampus for memory, the amygdala for fear, the pr...

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) has transformed the way clinicians approach trauma. But what exactly makes it so effective? Is it the bilateral stimulation? The eight-phase protocol? Or is there something deeper at play in the brain? In this blog post, we unpack one of the leading theories behind EMDR’s effectiveness: working memory taxation. Drawing from neuroscience, clinica...