Observed & Experiential Integration

Many clients notice a rise in emotional intensity (e.g. anxiety, fear, tension), especially when the dominant eye is open. With early or complex trauma, the pattern may not be predictable, and that’s okay. In session, I attend to your nervous system — slowing, grounding, and co-regulating — so that activation becomes a pathway for integration, not overwhelm.

Your safety and regulation always come first. If activation increases during a session, we immediately slow down, ground, and work with your body’s signals rather than pushing through.

OEI is highly adaptable — we can pause eye movements, switch techniques, or shift focus to resourcing and stabilization until your nervous system feels calm again. This gentle, titrated approach helps ensure that processing never becomes retraumatizing, and that each session ends with you feeling more integrated and steady.

That’s perfectly okay. OEI can be guided in a forward-facing way: we anchor into something you want to create or embody, then notice what arises (body, emotion, thought) as interference or “stuck” patterns. This often leads us naturally to the source without forcing you to relive it. Your pace and safety always come first.

You’re not alone — many trauma experiences, especially in early childhood, get imprinted without clear memory. In OEI we shift focus to what you do feel in your body — sensations, emotions, images, or even fragments. Processing happens through those present signals, which often leads to clarity or release, with or without exact autobiographical recall.

Yes. OEI is particularly helpful for experiences of dissociation, fragmentation, or “blank spots” in memory. These responses are natural protective mechanisms of the nervous system.

Through gentle eye-movement and visual field techniques, OEI helps re-establish communication between parts of the brain that became disconnected during trauma. Over time, this can restore a greater sense of presence, embodiment, and inner cohesion — without forcing memories to surface before you’re ready.

Every person’s healing journey is unique, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all timeline. Many clients notice meaningful shifts within 3–5 sessions, especially when focusing on specific memories or symptoms.
For deeper or more complex trauma, the process can take longer — typically 8–12 sessions or more, depending on your nervous system’s pacing and readiness.

The goal isn’t to rush, but to create lasting integration at a pace that feels safe and sustainable. You’ll always have space to check in and decide what feels right for you along the way.

Yes — OEI can be done online, and many clients learn self-practice techniques (e.g. switching, release points) to use between sessions. That said, complex or highly activated material is safest with a trained therapist’s guidance. In virtual sessions, we slow more, use shorter sequences, and check the bounds of activation — always prioritizing your stability.

It’s common to feel daunted when many “glitches,” interruptions, or stuck patterns surface. But in OEI you don’t need to overtly “fix” everything. You will learn self-regulation and tracking skills so many shifts continue between sessions. Some material will resolve quickly; other parts may integrate over time. We co-pace according to your system’s tolerance.

Yes — though the research is still emerging. In a Traumatology (2014) pilot study, ten participants received three OEI “switching” sessions. Before treatment, all met PTSD criteria; afterward, nine out of ten no longer did (measured by CAPS and IES-R). A two-year follow-up showed ongoing benefit.

https://www.ovid.com/journals/trmtlgy/abstract/10.1037/h0099401~a-randomized-clinical-trial-of-observed-and-experiential?utm_source=chatgpt.com&redirectionsource=fulltextview

(Study reference: Bradshaw, Cook, & McDonald, 2014, Traumatology)

OEI, EMDR, and talk therapy each offer valuable paths to healing, but they work different ways.

Talk therapy relies on story, insight, and connection — healing through words, reflection, and the therapeutic relationship.

EMDR uses structured bilateral stimulation to help the nervous system reprocess distressing memories. Clients often hold images, beliefs, or sensations in mind while the brain integrates what was once overwhelming.

OEI, by contrast, focuses on nonverbal, experiential switching — gently guiding the nervous system through visual and sensory pathways without requiring narration.

While OEI and EMDR share common ground — both using bilateral and visual stimulation to support nonverbal processing — they differ in structure and feel. EMDR has a substantial research base, including multiple meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showing strong outcomes for PTSD, anxiety, and depression. OEI draws on similar mechanisms of sensory awareness, bilateral integration, and emotional processing, but uses shorter, often nonverbal “switching” sequences that many clients find grounding, gentle, and immediately regulating.

You can think of OEI as part of a new generation of trauma therapies — approaches that integrate body and mind to access deep, embodied healing. This growing movement is supported by research into EMDR, somatic, and experiential modalities.

Because OEI directly engages the body, brain, and nervous system, it can complement talk therapy or EMDR beautifully — or serve as a stand-alone approach for those who find talking or reliving trauma difficult or overwhelming.

While initial results are promising, OEI research is still limited to smaller pilot studies. Larger, multi-site trials would help map its long-term effects and clarify how it compares with established therapies such as EMDR. Future research may explore how OEI influences physiological regulation (heart rate, brain activity) and how it supports recovery from complex or developmental trauma.

You don’t need to do anything special to prepare. Simply come as you are, with curiosity and openness to the process.
It can be helpful to:

• Wear comfortable clothing and bring water.
• Avoid scheduling something stressful immediately after your session so you have time to integrate.
• If you’d like, jot down a few notes about what you’ve been experiencing — symptoms, triggers, or areas you’d like to shift — but it’s not required.
   

OEI works with whatever arises in the moment, so preparation is less about “getting it right” and more about showing up gently and allowing the process to unfold.