A space to feel safe, understood, and grow in ways you never expected.

Therapy tailored for neurodivergent children, teens, adults, couples, and their families, located in Scotts Valley, California. Available via Telehealth throughout California.

Start with a no-obligation phone consultation →

Learn to respond to life with calm and confidence

I recognize the challenges of living in a world not designed for neurodivergent minds. Together, we make sense of what’s been getting in the way and support movement toward the life and ease you’re seeking.

Using EMDR and other evidence-based approaches, therapy with me can support you in strengthening coping skills, processing difficult experiences, and shifting unhelpful emotional patterns and beliefs.

Therapy grounded in respect for how your brain works, your experiences, and who you are

I approach care through a strengths-based, individualized, and collaborative lens. Together, goals are shaped to support nervous system regulation, somatic awareness, healing from past experiences, executive functioning support, and communication strategies.

EMDR is my most person-centered, neurodiversity-affirming, and strategic way of helping clients address the complexities of their experiences.

I work with:

I provide personalized treatment for:

Trauma with EMDR

I have found EMDR to be a powerful and effective tool for treating symptoms of anxiety, depression, sensory overwhelm, low self-esteem, and the lasting effects of painful experiences.

Individuals

I work with individuals using a collaborative, strengths-based approach that honors neurotype and lived experience while building skills that support greater self-understanding and helping life feel more manageable. Therapy is structured yet flexible, with a clear sense of direction, and focuses.

Couples

I bring over sixteen years of experience combining John Gottman’s evidence-based methods with Attachment-Based Therapy, offering couples a structured and effective approach to navigating relationship challenges. I find that the pragmatic approach is strategic, comprehensive and effective in working though the challenges couples face.

Children and Teens

With children and teens, we explore strengths and struggle areas through structured skill building using play and art processing, increasing emotional intelligence, nervous system regulation, somatic awareness and family collaboration.

EMDRIA Certified Therapist & Consultant-in-Training

I’m Rebecca Shultheis, an EMDRIA Certified Therapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant-in-Training and Assisting Faculty with Precision EMDR Academy. I’ve been using EMDR for over sixteen years. I specialize in neurodiversity, anxiety, depression, complex trauma and couples therapy. Whether you are a client or consultee, I bring intention, curiosity, and over a decade of experience in neurodiversity-affirming, person-centered care to each session.

Certifications and Specialties

EMDRIA Certified Therapist & Consultant-In-Training
ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider
Neurodiversity Specialist
Level 1 & 2 Gottman trained
Attachment & IFS-informed EMDR

My goal is for you to feel safe, fully seen, and supported as you gain insight and move toward meaningful growth—often in unexpected ways. My approach blends a gentle, steady presence with practical insight, a touch of quirkiness, and a direct, grounding communication style. I am deeply committed to my work and professionalism, and I welcome humor as a meaningful way to navigate life’s complexities.

What to Expect

Using EMDR and other evidence-based approaches, clients can process difficult experiences, reduce emotional overwhelm, and build better self-regulation skills.

1

Consultation

We’ll schedule a 15 minute phone consultation to make sure we are a good fit. I deeply want you to find the therapist that’s right for you!

2

History & Planning

Together, we do extensive history taking and treatment planning. Here, my clients often come to understand their patterns and make new discoveries about how their past is affecting their present and their relationships.

3

Skill Building

We increase self-trust, regulation skills, practical coping strategies, and greater capacity for change. When using EMDR, I prioritize readiness and safety at every step.

4

Processing

Together we work through difficult experiences, release old patterns, and build confidence while reducing nervous system activation. You’ll move toward increased emotional safety, steadiness, and a greater sense of calm.

Common Questions

I am just neurodivergent and don’t have any trauma. How can EMDR help me?

With EMDR, we can target emotions or thoughts that make symptoms such as procrastination or anger outbursts or neurodivergent meltdowns.

Neurodivergent folks often grow up knowing we are “different” from others. Furthermore, the rate at which we are criticized or scrutinized, or hide from the potential of it, far exceeds that of neurotypical folks. This causes distress but because this is our “normal”, we often do not realize that we carry wounds and hurts that EMDR can address. These are things that we sometimes think about but write off as silly or minor but often leave a lasting impact that EMDR can address.

EMDR helps regulate our nervous system so that we can move out of constant survival mode and into a calmer way of being where we can access a wide range of coping, increase self-compassion, self-esteem and capacity to live authenticity.

Do you work with people who aren’t neurodivergent?

I work with all neurotypes and bring a deep understanding of how both neurotypical and neurodivergent minds experience and navigate the world. My lived experience as a neurodivergent individual, partner, and parent of neurodivergent children informs and inspires my work with this community.

How long are EMDR sessions?

EMDR reprocessing sessions are best done in 80-110 minute sessions. This allows time for clients to more effectively process through distressing memories and be able to leave the office with greater regulation.

Your treatment plan will include a discussion about how to tailor treatment to needs.

Do you take insurance?

I am currently not paneled with insurance companies. I offer superbills that allow clients to pay upfront for services and do their own billing for reimbursement through their insurance company, for plans that allow that. Please check with your insurance company to consider if this is an option for you.

I don’t have any trauma. How can EMDR help me?

Adverse life events are experiences that put strain on your nervous system or sense of safety. They don’t have to be dramatic or life-threatening—things like chronic criticism, being misunderstood, or repeated stress can still leave a lasting impact and contribute to the symptoms or responses you’re experiencing.

EMDR can be helpful for people whose stress imprint doesn’t always look like a single, obvious event.