From 9/11 Survivor to EMDR Therapist in Pasadena, CA: Turning Trauma into Healing
There are moments that split life into before and after.
For me, one of those defining moments was September 11, 2001.
That morning, I was working inside the World Trade Center for Fidelity Investments as a 401k specialist. The chaos, the sounds, the sense of vulnerability left a deep imprint on my mind and body—one I didn’t have language for at the time. Like many survivors, I pushed forward believing that time would heal the wounds.
But as the years passed, I realized that trauma isn’t only stored in memory—it’s stored in the nervous system. Anniversaries brought flashbacks. The sound of a plane overhead made my body tense. I felt my heart race at things that “shouldn’t” scare me anymore. I was still carrying that day inside me, even as life went on.
Everything changed the day I found EMDR therapy.
Discovering EMDR Therapy as a Client
When I first heard of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), I was skeptical. How could something as simple as guided eye movements or gentle bilateral tapping help with something as heavy as PTSD?
Still, I was willing to try.
During my first EMDR session, something shifted. As my therapist guided me through bilateral stimulation, I began to revisit memories I’d avoided for years—without being overwhelmed. It felt as though my brain was finally able to do the healing work it had always tried to do.
Session by session, the jagged edges of those memories softened. I slept better. The anniversary dates lost their grip on me. I wasn’t erasing the past, but I was no longer controlled by it.
EMDR gave me my life back.
That personal experience lit a spark in me that would change the course of my career.
Turning Pain into Purpose With EMDR Therapy
The healing I found through EMDR revealed something powerful: I didn’t want to just recover from trauma—I wanted to help others do the same.
I thought of the countless people silently carrying their own heavy stories: first responders, veterans, survivors of violence, those living with the invisible injuries of trauma. I knew EMDR could change their lives the way it had changed mine.
So after many years working in various leadership roles in social media advertising, I made a change in my life and went back to school, became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and dedicated my practice to EMDR therapy here in Pasadena, CA.
Today, when I sit across from a client at Thomas Blake Therapy, I bring not only clinical expertise but also the empathy of someone who has been in their seat. I know how lonely trauma can feel. I know how courageous it is to face it. And I know the deep relief of realizing healing is possible.
The Reward of Guiding Trauma Healing
Being an EMDR therapist is profoundly rewarding.
I’ve had the honor of walking beside people as they reclaimed their lives from trauma and PTSD.
I think of the client who avoided bridges for years due to panic attacks and now drives them freely with confidence. I think of the first responder who finally slept through the night after years of hypervigilance.
EMDR therapy is unique because it doesn’t require you to retell every detail of your trauma. Instead, it activates the brain’s natural ability to reprocess and integrate difficult memories so the body can finally let go of its fight-or-flight response.
This is the kind of transformation that fuels my passion for this work.
From Survivor to EMDR Therapist: Healing Others in Pasadena
Looking back, it feels almost poetic that the very experience that once caused so much pain is now the reason I do what I do.
The trauma I endured on 9/11 became the driving force behind my mission to help others heal. EMDR therapy didn’t just change my life; it gave me a purpose—to help others transform pain into resilience and peace.
That’s what I mean when I say I turned my pain into medicine for others.
An Invitation to Begin Your Healing Journey
If you’re living with the weight of a traumatic experience—whether from a single incident or years of accumulated stress—I want you to know: healing is possible.
Trauma may shape you, but it doesn’t have to define you.
Start Working With an EMDR Therapist in Pasadena, CA
At Thomas Blake Therapy in Pasadena, CA, I offer EMDR therapy to help clients move beyond trauma and reconnect with their authentic selves. EMDR helped me heal as a client, and now I’m honored to guide others on their own journey. You can start your therapy journey by following these simple steps:
Schedule a free, 15-minute consultation to see if EMDR Therapy best for you
Meet with Thomas Blake, a skilled EMDR Therapist
Start reconnecting with yourself and finding lasting healing!
Other Services Offered at Thomas Blake Therapy
At Thomas Blake Therapy, I understand that you may be struggling to overcome more than one issue. So, in addition to EMDR Therapy, I’m happy to also offer LGBTQ Affirming Therapy to support and advocate for the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals, Narrative Therapy where I will work collaboratively with you to dissect the problematic story of your life and reshape that dialogue, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy to accelerate healing in patients who have struggled to heal from chronic emotional pain due to treatment resistance. If any of these services resonate with you, please reach out. My online therapy services are offered in California and New Jersey. For more about me and my services, check out my Bio and Blog today!
