EMDR & Somatic Trauma Therapy in Chapel Hill, NC

Advanced Trauma Resolution & Nervous System Healing

When you are living with the aftermath of chronic stress, developmental trauma, or a distressing life event, traditional talk therapy can often feel like it only scratches the surface. You may logically understand what happened, but your body still reacts with anxiety, panic, or protective shutting down. 

​True healing requires a dual approach that addresses both the psychological impact of trauma and its physiological footprint in your body. Trauma does not have to be the lens through which you experience yourself, others, and the world. Help is available.

Dual-Certified Trauma Specialization in Chapel HilL

Many clinicians incorporate introductory elements of trauma protocols into their work. In contrast, my practice, Mindful Awakening, PLLC, is anchored by full, multi-year post-graduate certification in the world’s two most respected, evidence-based trauma modalities.  As a fully licensed clinical social worker in North Carolina (License #C003625) with three decades of experience, I blend these advanced mind-body frameworks for adults seeking deep trauma resolution as a:
  • Certified EMDR Therapist:  possessing advanced, rigorous training to safely desensitize distressing memories, process target triggers, and rewire the negative core beliefs keeping you stuck in past events.
  • Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP):  As a fully credentialed Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, I guide you through a specialized, body-oriented framework to gently release the survival energy (fight, flight, or freeze) trapped in your nervous system from overwhelming experiences.
Is Your Trauma Showing Up as Chronic Stress or Anxiety?
Trauma may occur when an experience overwhelms your coping mechanisms or your ability to integrate the event. It can stem from a single incident (accidents, invasive medical procedures, sexual or physical assault, natural disasters, sudden loss, birth trauma) or ongoing hardships (emotional or physical abuse, childhood neglect, historical and systemic oppression, or persistent conflict).  These experiences can impair your well-being, reduce your sense of safety, and disrupt your ability to bounce back from daily stressors. We can directly address these common symptoms:
  • Physiological distress (chronic tension, body pain, or nervous system exhaustion)
  • Anxiety, irritability, anger, or feeling constantly on high alert
  • Intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, or nightmares
  • Emotional numbness, feeling disconnected, or sadness and depression
  • Concentration and memory problems or difficulty sleeping
  • Relationship problems (If trauma is impacting your partnership, you may also benefit from Couples Counseling services).​

How Somatic Experiencing® Regulates the Nervous System

Somatic Experiencing® is a body-oriented approach to healing trauma resulting from Dr. Peter Levine’s multidisciplinary study of stress physiology, psychology, biology, neuroscience, and medical biophysics.
  • Releases Traumatic Shock:  Key to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma.
  • Safely Reconnects You to the Body: Expands your capacity to notice, track, and tolerate body sensations, images, impulses, and emotions before engaging in higher-level cognitive processing.
  • Resolves the "Stuck" Stress Response: Assesses where you are caught in fight, flight, or freeze. SE® facilitates the completion of self-protective motor responses and releases thwarted survival energy bound in the body.
  • For more information, visit the Somatic Experiencing International Website.​​

How EMDR Processes Stuck Memories

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one of the most thoroughly researched psychotherapeutic approaches used to treat unresolved trauma.
  • Restores Information Processing: The brain's natural processing system can get interrupted during overwhelming events. EMDR uses guided bilateral stimulation (side-to-side eye movements or gentle tapping) to restart this system.
  • Reduces Emotional Intensity: Safely reprocesses traumatic memories, reducing their emotional vividness and distress.
  • Shifts Negative Core Beliefs: Rewires the thoughts associated with the trauma so your brain stop reacting as if you are still in danger. Research shows EMDR is highly effective for trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, and chronic pain.
  • More information and research reviews can be found through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).
How I Combine EMDR & Somatic Experiencing® for Deeper Healing
By combining EMDR and Somatic Experiencing®, we process the painful thoughts, beliefs, images, and emotions around your trauma while safely releasing the physical stress trapped in your body. Together, we build your internal strength and external resources so you can integrate past experiences into your life story. Your trauma is a part of your past, but it does not have to define your identity or your future.
Comprehensive Trauma Care Across North Carolina
  • In-Person Care: Conveniently located for individuals seeking a trauma specialist in Chapel Hill & the greater Triangle area.
  • Statewide Telehealth: Secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual trauma therapy available to residents anywhere in North Carolina.
  • Hassle-Free Out-of-Network Billing: I respect your time. While I am an out-of-network provider, I securely submit all of your electronic insurance claims for you through SimplePractice to help you maximize your reimbursement effortlessly.​

​Begin Your Healing Journey

​You do not have to navigate chronic stress, anxiety, or past trauma alone. Whether you prefer the convenience of online therapy from anywhere in North Carolina or an immersive, in-person clinical setting in Chapel Hill, specialized support is within reach.
​Mindful Awakening, PLLC | Kate Gotelli, LCSW, SEP
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (North Carolina License #C003625)
📍 Chapel Hill, NC & Telehealth Across North Carolina
📞 [919-525-1743] | ✉️ [[email protected]]
© 2026 Mindful Awakening, PLLC. All Rights Reserved.