Discover how starting EMDR therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
9 therapists available in Portage
Who you are is beautifully and uniquely crafted by your experiences in life and I am here to help you discover ways to improve you...
About
Who you are is beautifully and uniquely crafted by your experiences in life and I am here to help you discover ways to improve your quality of life and relationships.
Brandi Belcher is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 5 years of experience working in the mental health field. She is passionate about helping adults and couples navigate struggles within their daily lives/relationships in order to face unique challenges with strength, resiliency, and purpose. Brandi specializes in depression, anxiety, coping skills, family conflict, life transitions, mental stress, relationships, self-esteem, stress, substance use, women's issues, parenting, and pregnancy/postpartum-related concerns. She completed her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Western Michigan University.
Brandi’s knowledge of resources in the mental health community and her experience working with a wide variety of populations help her support and serve clients. She utilizes an integrative treatment approach that utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the Gottman method, motivation interviewing, person-centered planning, and solution-focused therapy.
In life, we are faced with challenges beyond our control that shape our outlook on life as well as our experience in it. Brandi can help you navigate that journey to discover ways to build resiliency, cope, and thrive. If you are ready to discover the best version of yourself, schedule an appointment with her today!
Education and training
View more therapists in Portage
As your therapist, I will provide a safe place to explore your story and create the change you deserve....
As your therapist, I will provide a safe place to explore your story and create the change you deserve.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 25 years of experience in the behavioral health field. I bring a compassionate, practical, and collaborative approach to therapy, specializing in helping adults navigate life transitions, relationship challenges, anxiety, and the lasting effects of trauma. My style is warm, down-to-earth, and focused on helping clients feel seen, supported, and empowered to make meaningful change.
I earned my Master’s in Counseling from Oakland University. I draw from evidence-based approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and strengths-based therapy, while tailoring each session to the unique goals and pace of my clients.
Whether you’re working toward greater self-confidence, healthier boundaries, or clarity in a new season of life, I’ll meet you where you are and help you move forward with purpose and hope. Together, we’ll focus on growth that feels authentic, achievable, and meaningful to you.
Cassie Watts is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Michigan. She has a passion for helping teens, adults, and...
Cassie Watts is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Michigan. She has a passion for helping teens, adults, and seniors to navigate the complications that arise from depression, grief, parenting, self-esteem difficulties, and life transitional issues.
Cassie received her Master's degree in Counselor Education from Western Michigan University. As a mental health professional, Cassie knows that assisting others with their mental health concerns and conditions requires a collaborative, personalized approach. That's why she's an exceptional choice for individuals who are looking to transition from one stage of life to another.
With Cassie's assistance, you can create an individualized treatment plan that addresses your concerns and helps you grow as an individual. Start moving forward—book a session with Cassie today.
Sometimes we all have difficulties in life, there is nothing wrong with reaching out for help....
Sometimes we all have difficulties in life, there is nothing wrong with reaching out for help.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a passion for helping people through difficult times.
I completed my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Southern New Hampshire University. With a lived experience with depression and anxiety, I use my passion and experience to help others cope, utilizing multiple treatment approaches including mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and motivational interviewing.
When faced with challenges in life, we sometimes need support. I am able to provide a listening ear, a different perspective, and help you learn coping skills. Schedule an appointment today!
I am a dedicated Nurse Practitioner with over 18 years of nursing experience, providing comprehensive care in psychiatric and fami...
I am a dedicated Nurse Practitioner with over 18 years of nursing experience, providing comprehensive care in psychiatric and family practice settings.
Marvelyn Thompson is a dedicated Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with over 18 years of experience in psychiatric and family practice settings. She is passionate about providing personalized, compassionate care for clients managing anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and life transitions. She creates a supportive, judgment-free space where clients feel heard, empowered, and equipped with practical tools to manage their mental health and improve daily functioning.
Marvelyn earned a Master’s in Nursing Practice from Liberty University. She uses a compassionate, client-centered approach to help clients manage anxiety, depression, and mood disorders, combining clinical expertise with empathy to support each individual’s path to healing and stability.
Marvelyn understands that seeking help takes courage and believes in creating a safe, supportive space where clients feel comfortable being heard without judgment. She is here to guide clients through life’s challenges, offering encouragement, compassion, and personalized care to support their journey toward improved mental health and wellness.
I am a caring and supportive individual that will help guide children and adults to learn the skills they need, while supporting t...
I am a caring and supportive individual that will help guide children and adults to learn the skills they need, while supporting them through their therapeutic journey.
I'm a Licensed Social Worker (LMSW-C) with over 5 years of experience. I enjoy helping children, adolescents, and adults through their challenges and stressors in life. I specialize in depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, PTSD, and trauma. I completed my Master's degree in Social Work at the University of Michigan. Throughout my career, I've worked with a wide range of individuals. This experience has equipped me with a profound understanding of the challenges and barriers faced by individuals.
I utilize an array of treatment approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and motivational interviewing.
Everyone has their own unique challenges in life. I look forward to walking alongside you on your therapeutic journey, providing guidance, support, and a listening ear every step of the way. Together, we can navigate the challenges that arise in life. Schedule an appointment with me today.
I graduated from Western Michigan University with a Masters in Couples, Marriage, and family Therapy. I am a Licensed Professional...
I graduated from Western Michigan University with a Masters in Couples, Marriage, and family Therapy. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Limited Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LLMFT). Life is full of transitions and challenges and counseling is way to help navigate your way through these difficult times in order to bring healing and growth. I have worked with a diversity of men and women, couples, and families in various settings. My specialties include but are not limited to working with people in recovery, with relationship problems, pre-marital, anxiety, and depression. I believe in a collaborative approach to therapy and that therapy is a process. I use and integrative approach to therapy that includes techniques and theories based on individual needs and desired outcomes. My desire is to provide a non-judgmental, empathetic, and warm environment that gives hope, and empowerment to reach your goals. I have been married for 20 years and have four children and two grandchildren.
As a female Veteran who has worked in mental health over 13 years, I understand the vast spectrum of life experiences that challen...
As a female Veteran who has worked in mental health over 13 years, I understand the vast spectrum of life experiences that challenge clients.
Meet Michelle Brown, a seasoned Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner passionate about mental health and delving into the rich tapestry of human experiences across diverse cultures. With 13 years of navigating the complexities of anxiety, depression, trauma, and neurodiversity, Michelle is like a seasoned explorer in the realms of the mind. Trauma, she knows, is a common thread that weaves through many lives. It's this understanding that fuels her specialization in trauma therapy, honed through her own journey in a military family and her heartfelt work with veterans and those facing life's toughest challenges.
With a Master of Science in Nursing from Maryville University, Michelle blends her therapeutic and holistic care background with medication management. Her arsenal of treatment modalities includes everything from cognitive behavioral therapy to solution-focused therapy and motivational interviewing, offering her clients a comprehensive toolkit for healing.
In Michelle's world, therapy isn't a one-way street; it's a collaborative journey where client and practitioner work hand-in-hand to unravel the mysteries that stand in the way of growth and fulfillment. With her guidance, clients embark on a voyage of self-discovery, charting a course toward a brighter, more empowered future.
My passion is to help people feel heard and empowered to live their best lives....
My passion is to help people feel heard and empowered to live their best lives.
Rhoda Hacker is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 20+ years of experience. She works with diverse populations, including active duty and veteran service members. Personal, cultural, and social conditions including negative life events (big and small) can lead to behaviors or characteristics which are not helpful. Rhoda works with those having difficulty adjusting to life transitions and those who have experienced domestic violence, sexual abuse, childhood abuse, combat, and other traumas. These experiences can increase the risk of depression, anxiety, anger, and aggression in relationships. Rhoda specializes in addressing these conditions.
By partnering with Rhoda, you will gain the confidence and tools to live your best life. Rhoda has an MSW degree from Grand Valley State University and is licensed in Michigan and Texas. She believes that understanding ourselves non-judgmentally and compassionately allows us to make changes to live our best lives. Rhoda's approach is trauma-informed and patient-led using multiple therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), EMDR, Gottman approach to couples counseling, and solution-focused therapies.
We all experience difficult situations and may have learned negative coping tools which interfere with our happiness and success. Change happens when we feel heard and supported, which leads to self-understanding and compassion. Rhoda uses a trauma-informed approach that empowers you to make informed choices in your journey to live your best life. Schedule an appointment today to begin your self-exploration to live your best life!
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
Not ready to book? Contact me
Look for a confirmation email in your inbox shortly. We'll help find you a provider and guide you through everything you should know about starting care at Thriveworks.
No membership fees or subscriptions
Evening and weekend sessions
Award-winning therapy & psychiatry
What support are you seeking?
You acknowledge that by submitting this form, you are providing what may be considered “sensitive data” and consent to Thriveworks Privacy Policy & Terms. By submitting this information, you consent to receive communication from Thriveworks about our services via automatic calls, artificial or pre-recorded messages, or texts at the phone number provided, or by email at the address provided. You have the option to opt out of communications.
We will contact you with availability updates based on the preferences you provided for up to six months.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a specialized psychotherapeutic approach that focuses on assisting individuals in processing traumatic memories, diminishing their emotional intensity, and facilitating the integration of the traumatic experience into their past, enabling them to progress in their lives. This process follows four steps: history-taking, preparing the client, assessing the target memory, and processing the memory and finding an adaptive resolution. After this, Thriveworks EMDR therapists in Portage will continue to help individuals process the memory and evaluate the results of the treatment to ensure its effectiveness.
EMDR is primarily employed to aid individuals who have endured trauma, including those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and who have experienced other distressing life events.
EMDR therapy is generally less suitable for individuals currently experiencing acute trauma or those who have not yet acquired fundamental coping and distress tolerance skills. To engage in EMDR therapy effectively, one must possess a certain degree of distress tolerance.
EMDR tends to be very effective in relieving the negative symptoms associated with trauma. In a study performed by Francine Shapiro called The Role of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy in Medicine: Addressing the Psychological and Physical Symptoms Stemming from Adverse Life Experiences (2014), results showed that after just three EMDR sessions, 84% of participants reported a remission of PTSD diagnosis. EMDR will often have a higher success rate for survivors of a single traumatic event than for those who have experienced repeated or multiple instances of trauma when EMDR is performed for the same amount of time. This is due to the increased intensity of the trauma and the need to process multiple events.
At Thriveworks, we accept most major insurance plans, allowing many clients to pay as little as $0–$50 per session with their co-pay. We also offer self-pay options for those out-of-network or without insurance. Self-pay rates for talk therapy range from $160 to $240 for intake sessions and $135 to $195 for follow-ups, depending on your state. For psychiatry services, self-pay intake sessions are $255–$375, with follow-ups ranging from $175–$300, also varying by state. More information on current self-pay costs is available on our pricing page.
If you’re looking for EMDR therapists in Portage, MI, you’re in luck. EMDR therapy at Thriveworks can be conducted both in person at one of our many offices around the U.S. and online via remote video conferencing. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
Generally, EMDR is a shorter-term therapy, typically encompassing multiple sessions. While some individuals may make substantial progress within just a few sessions, others may opt for an extended treatment period, particularly if dealing with complex or severe trauma or conditions.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing has similar goals to CBT—to help the client shift their thoughts from painful ones to calming, positive thoughts and beliefs. We do this in a deceptively simple way—by having the client shift their gaze back and forth while recalling the distressing events. Alternatively, we may tap or use a sound to accomplish the same goals. After a time, we will help you shift your thoughts to calming ones that can positively reinforce the mental state you’d like to experience. Each session lasts around 60-90 minutes.
Studies show that by recalling stressful events first and then shifting to calming thoughts while connecting a movement—such as shifting the gaze or tapping—can alter the way the brain processes those stressful thoughts. If you think you could benefit from EMDR therapy, reach out to Thriveworks to get started.
EMDR has eight phases:
This includes discussing the specific problem that brought the client in as well as the present situations that cause distress.
During this phase, the client will be prepared for what will occur during each session, but they will also be taught relaxation techniques they can begin to use immediately.
The therapist and client work together during this phase to select the representative memory to be targeted, as well as the negative belief stemming from that memory. Then, they will pick an appropriate replacement belief. At various points during therapy, the client will be asked to rank on a scale of 1-10 how true the replacement belief feels. It is the gradually increasing rank of that statement that helps evaluate whether the therapy is working.
During this phase, the targeted memory as well as tangential memories and feelings are addressed as they arise.
The focus of this phase is to fully cement the positive belief chosen in the Assessment phase.
Though at this point the patient may be feeling much better, it is now that the therapist will check in to determine whether the original event can be discussed without the client experiencing any tension in the body. If there is tension, it will be addressed.
At the end of each session, the therapist will walk the client through relaxation techniques that ensure the client leaves feeling better than when they came in.
At the beginning of each session, the therapist and client will visit briefly in an effort to determine whether the results seen so far have been maintained. From here, they can evaluate the appropriateness of the treatment and how it should proceed.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, pain, PTSD, substance abuse, or another challenge, consider EMDR therapy. Give Thriveworks Portage a call—we will evaluate you and your situation and help you determine if EMDR or another therapy will suit your needs. We offer evening and weekend sessions, and we accept most major insurances.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
Shown in ET
4 photos
Call us to book
Our team is happy to help you schedule your first session.
Book online
Find the right provider for you. Book your session online yourself in just a few easy steps.