Robin Shapiro Shares Insights on EMDR, Spirituality and the Nervous System

I had the privilege of sitting down with one of my heroes, Robin Shapiro, the editor of EMDR Solutions I and II and a leading voice in trauma healing.

Robin shared deeply moving stories from her 20s, when she lived in a gay community and witnessed the AIDS crisis firsthand. That early encounter with mortality shaped her calling to help people heal their suffering.

Some highlights from our conversation:

 

Spirituality in Therapy: Robin brings meditation, intuition, and compassion into her EMDR practice—“God is love, and all beings need love.”

 

Attachment as the Foundation: The therapeutic relationship itself is the most healing force. Compassion and love are central to transformation.

 

Polyvagal Theory in Action: Helping clients, like children, learn “I can be sad and still lovable” builds regulation and safety.

 

Two-Handed Interweave: A brilliant way to explore inner conflicts and polarized ego states—using EMDR to integrate them.

 

Ego State & Parts Work: Trauma healing means bringing parts safely into the present, so no one is left “back there.”

 

Intergenerational Healing: Trauma can live in our cells across generations. Robin’s work invites us to clear what was carried before us.

 

Robin’s wisdom blends clinical brilliance with deep spirituality. She reminds us that in facing death and trauma, we actually discover how alive and connected we truly are!