EMDR Therapy in Salt Lake City, Utah
Heal the trauma. Stop playing small. Start living the life you want.
What if your past didn't have to keep deciding your future?
Maybe you want to ask for the promotion, start the business, fall in love, or finally share your creativity with the world. You know what you want.
But when the moment comes, you freeze. You overthink or decide it's safer not to try.
Sometimes that's not a lack of motivation. Sometimes it's trauma teaching you to stay small.
I'm Alex Runolfson, MA, CMHC, an EMDR-trained trauma therapist at Bloom Recovery in Salt Lake City, Utah.
I help adults process trauma and loosen old beliefs so they can stop abandoning their dreams and pursue what matters.
What dream of yours is ready to be born?
In-person in Salt Lake City | Online EMDR therapy throughout Utah
Trauma Doesn't Just Affect Your Past. It Can Shape Your Future.
Trauma isn't always terrifying flashbacks or nightmares. Sometimes it sounds like: Don't speak up. Don't ask for more. Don't trust anyone. Don't risk being seen.
Those messages may have helped you get through difficult experiences. Years later, they can still influence your choices.
Maybe you undercharge because asking for money feels selfish, avoid dating because rejection feels unbearable, or say yes to everyone while abandoning your needs.
Or perhaps your dreams live permanently in the category of "someday". You want to write the book or change careers, but fear stops you.
Not every obstacle comes from trauma. But when painful experiences are contributing to these reactions, we can work with them.
The patterns that once protected you don't have to make every decision about your future.
What Is EMDR Therapy & How Might It Help?
Have you ever understood "why" you feel stuck but still couldn't change how you react?
You know you're capable, yet criticism makes you feel worthless.
You know you're safe, but your body seems unconvinced.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It's an evidence-based therapy, for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Anxiety, Depression and other disorders, that helps people process distressing memories and the beliefs, emotions, and body sensations connected to them.
Using different forms of bilateral stimulation, we work with specific memories in a structured, collaborative way.
The goal isn't to erase your history, but to make those memories less disturbing today.
An old belief like "I'm not good enough" may begin to lose its hold. You might remember what someone said to you without continuing to treat it as the "truth" about who you are.
EMDR doesn't guarantee the promotion, the relationship, or the dream. But it does help reduce trauma-related barriers that have made pursuing them so difficult.
Beyond Surviving: What Could Change?
Relief from flashbacks, anxiety, and emotional triggers matters. So does what you can begin doing with the space that relief creates.
From Self-Doubt to Self-Trust
You may find it easier to speak up, recognize your worth, and pursue opportunities without old criticism dominating the conversation in your head.
From People-Pleasing to Boundaries
Instead of automatically keeping the peace at your own expense, you may feel more able to express your needs and tolerate someone else's disappointment.
From Fear of Rejection to Connection
You may become more comfortable with vulnerability, honest conversations, and relationships that don't require you to disappear to be loved.
From Perfectionism to Action
Maybe you finally share your art, ask for the raise, start the business, or take one imperfect step toward a long-held dream.
These changes take practice, and everyone's experience is different. The goal isn't to become someone else. It's to have more freedom to be yourself.
My Approach: EMDR, Medicine, and a Little Magic
After nearly 20 years working in psychology, I've become interested in more than what people need to recover from. I'm fascinated by what they might create when their past isn't taking up so much space.
I believe everyone carries what I call their "Medicine": their creativity, wisdom, gifts, values, and unique way of contributing to the world.
Trauma can teach us to hide that Medicine.
If being visible once meant humiliation, you may stop sharing your gifts.
If having needs once meant conflict, you may become an expert at abandoning yourself.
EMDR helps us address the painful experiences that may be fueling those patterns.
And the "Magic"? That's when something once impossible begins to feel possible: setting a boundary, choosing a healthier relationship, or pursuing a forgotten dream. It's serendipity, flow, and possibilities.
Not shooting fireballs or summoning lightning—I'm talking about meaningful changes that once felt impossible. Now that's Magical.
EMDR is the foundation of my trauma work. When appropriate, I may also integrate somatic approaches, parts-informed work, ACT, guided imagery, or hypnosis.
We don't just explore what you need to heal from. We also make room for what you want to heal toward.
EMDR for PTSD, Childhood Trauma, and Complex Trauma
At Bloom Recovery, I work with adults navigating PTSD, childhood and developmental trauma, complex trauma, trauma-related anxiety and shame, relationship wounds, and distressing experiences involving grief or loss.
Some people come after one overwhelming event. Others carry years of criticism, neglect, instability, or feeling unsafe.
We consider your history, current needs, and readiness to decide whether EMDR is a good fit.
We don't rush into painful memories but spend time helping you feel connected and teaching you skills needed to face them.
As a queer man myself, I'm an LGBTQ+-affirming clinician, and I particularly enjoy working with thoughtful, sensitive, creative adults who want more than symptom management.
Practical Details
I offer 90-minute private-pay EMDR sessions for $300, with room for thoughtful preparation, processing, and integration.
Bloom Recovery is also in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, PEHP, and Lyra Health for eligible services; coverage and session formats vary by plan.
Sessions are available in Salt Lake City and online throughout Utah for eligible clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
YES! EMDR is a well-supported, evidence-based treatment for PTSD. Many people experience reduced trauma-related distress, though results and treatment length vary.
It can. When avoidance, shame, or negative self-beliefs are connected to painful experiences, EMDR can help us address those memories. We don't assume every difficulty is caused by trauma.
No. that is the beauty of emdr. EMDR generally doesn't require you to recount every painful detail. We still gather enough history to plan treatment thoughtfully, and you can pause or slow down as needed.
That depends on your experiences, goals, and current symptoms. We'll discuss a treatment plan and revisit your progress together.in general more complex trauma requires more sessions.
EMDR is the foundation of our trauma work. What makes my approach different is that I don't stop at symptom reduction. I want to understand how trauma has affected your confidence, relationships, creativity, and dreams. When appropriate, I integrate somatic practices, parts work, or hypnosis. For clients interested in spirituality, there's also room for personal meaning and spiritual exploration. The goal isn't just to help you feel better, but to help you reclaim more freedom in your life.
yes, Sometimes the biggest obstacle to pursuing your dreams isn't a lack of ability. It's the fear, shame, or negative beliefs you learned through painful experiences. EMDR can help process memories connected to those patterns, potentially making it easier to take risks, trust yourself, and pursue meaningful goals. We work on healing the past so it doesn't have to make so many decisions about your future.
Absolutely, especially when these patterns are connected to past experiences. Trauma can teach us that success is dangerous, money creates conflict, or we're not worthy of having what we want. EMDR can help process the memories and beliefs behind these fears, making it easier to trust yourself, take meaningful risks, and pursue your dreams. Sometimes healing isn't just about letting go of the past. It's about giving yourself permission to create a different future.
Absolutely. I believe healing can involve questions about identity, creativity, spirituality, and purpose. If those things matter to you, they're welcome in our work. EMDR remains our clinical foundation, but we can also explore meaning-making, personal symbolism, or spiritual experiences when appropriate. You don't need to share my beliefs—or have any spiritual beliefs at all—to work with me.
Absolutely. Psychedelic experiences can bring powerful emotions, memories, insights, and sometimes unresolved trauma to the surface. EMDR can be a valuable tool for preparing for and integrating those experiences.
Before a psychedelic experience, we can explore your intentions, identify fears or trauma-related patterns, and develop grounding resources. Afterward, EMDR may help you process difficult material that emerged and integrate meaningful insights into your everyday life.
My goal isn't just to help you understand what you experienced. It's to help you turn those insights into meaningful, lasting changes.
Your Past Is Part of Your Story. It Doesn't Have to Write the Rest.
Maybe you've already done plenty of work understanding your past. Now you're ready to find out what life could feel like with less fear making the decisions.
Let's talk about what you're carrying, what you've been postponing, and whether EMDR is right for you.
Alex Runolfson, MA, CMHC | Bloom Recovery
EMDR & Trauma Therapy | Salt Lake City, Utah
In person and online throughout Utah