EMDR Therapist for Trauma & Anxiety in Peoria, AZ
Arianna Saenz-Ochoa, LPC
Serving Adults + Teens
Maybe you're an adult carrying the mental load — the endless list running in the background, always anticipating what everyone else needs before they ask. Even when things look fine from the outside, the anxiety never fully quiets.
Or maybe you're a teen whose emotions feel bigger than the moment — reacting faster than you want to, your thoughts racing long after something happens, unsure how to slow everything down.
Or maybe it's something deeper. Memories surfacing unexpectedly, reactions that feel confusing even to you, and a sense that no matter how much you accomplish or push through, something still feels off inside.
You're not imagining it. And it doesn't mean you're broken.
It means your nervous system has been carrying more than it was meant to, and it's asking for support.
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Therapy for adults + teens
* Therapy for adults + teens
Who is EMDR therapy right for? Adults + teens in Peoria, AZ
I work with adults and teens (16+) who want to understand what's underneath the anxiety or emotional shutdown — not just manage it.
Many of my clients come in recognizing themselves somewhere in this list:
High-achieving adults and working moms who are exhausted by performing competence while quietly falling apart inside
People in helping professions (nurses, educators, first responders) who support others but struggle to receive care themselves
Teens whose emotions come on fast and strong — sometimes leading to shutdown, anger, or feeling misunderstood
Anyone who senses their anxiety, depression, or relationship struggles didn't start recently, and may be connected to experiences that were never fully processed
Individuals navigating grief, identity shifts, or life changes that have shaken their sense of who they are
"You've found ways to cope. You've survived things that were hard.
But the strategies that once protected you may now be keeping you stuck."
— Arianna Saenz-Ochoa, LPC
How I use EMDR for trauma + anxiety in adults and teens
EMDR is the foundation of how I work, but the way I apply it is shaped by who's sitting across from me.
For adults, I use it to get underneath the high-functioning exterior to what's actually driving the anxiety, the reactivity, or the numbness. Together we identify the experiences and nervous system patterns that still feel unresolved, allowing your brain to process them in a way it wasn't able to before.
For teens, I integrate EMDR with sand tray and attachment-based approaches so processing feels natural, not clinical — because younger nervous systems need safety before they need technique.
What makes my approach different is that EMDR isn't a standalone tool in my hands. It's part of a relational process — one where you feel genuinely understood before we begin. How safe you feel with me directly affects how deeply the work can go.
The goal was never just symptom relief. It's freeing you from the pattern underneath.
Therapy that works at the nervous system level — not just the surface
Many of the clients I work with have already tried to reason their way through what they're feeling. They understand their patterns intellectually — but the emotional responses are still there.
That's because some patterns aren't solved through insight alone. They live deeper in the nervous system.
Our work focuses on helping those patterns finally shift.
My work spans each of these areas — and in most cases, they're connected. Trauma doesn't stay in one lane, and neither does healing.
EMDR training, credentials + clinical background
I’m trained in EMDR through Francine Shapiro’s foundational model alongside the full clinical team at Inside Out, and I’m currently working toward EMDR certification with additional specialized training in dissociation and OCD.
I hold a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary and Special Education from Arizona State University — training that shapes how I support both adults and teens navigating complex emotional experiences.
My clinical work includes outpatient mental health settings serving diverse populations, including survivors of crime and individuals involved with the criminal legal system. Across these settings, I’ve provided individual, group, and psychoeducational therapy for a wide range of trauma and anxiety-related concerns.
A little more about me
Born and raised in Arizona, I'm at my best with an iced coffee in hand. My Spotify rotation is unapologetically eclectic — Taylor Swift, The Killers, and Garth Brooks in equal measure. Weekends are for comfort TV, intuitive movement, and my family's traditional Mexican recipes — the kind of cooking that slows everything down and brings people together.
Ready to take the next step?
If something on this page felt familiar, that’s often where the work begins.
You’re welcome to reach out and we can talk about what’s been weighing on you and whether working together feels like the right next step.
Common Questions About Working With Me
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Not at all. A lot of my clients come in describing anxiety, relationship patterns, or a general sense that something feels off — not a single traumatic event. Trauma doesn't have to look dramatic to be real, and we don't need a label to start doing meaningful work.
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Talk therapy helps you understand your experience. EMDR helps your nervous system actually process it. Rather than retelling the story repeatedly, EMDR works with how the memory is stored in the brain — so it loses its charge and stops running the show in your daily life. You can learn more about how EMDR works at EMDRIA.org.
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I work with teens as young as sixteen through adults. For younger clients I integrate EMDR with sand tray and play-based approaches so the work feels age-appropriate and safe — not clinical.
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That uncertainty is more common than you'd think — and it's not a reason to wait. Most of my clients weren't sure either. A consultation is just a conversation — no commitment, no pressure. The only way to know if it's right is to take one small step and see how it feels.