Sonya Peretti-Hull

About Me – EMDR Certified Therapist

Hi, I’m so glad you’re here.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been carrying something heavy for a while. Maybe it’s anxiety that won’t quiet down, memories that keep popping up uninvited, or just this nagging feeling that you should be over something by now—but you’re not.

I get it. And I want you to know: healing isn’t supposed to take forever.

Why I Do This Work

I’ve been a therapist for over 25 years, but honestly? I didn’t fully understand what real healing could look like until I went through EMDR myself.

During COVID, I was suddenly parenting solo while helping my aging parents. My old "just push through" coping style became overwhelmed. I felt stuck. EMDR changed that by helping my brain and body finally let it go.

That experience brought me back to practice after taking time off to raise my kids and run a family business. Now, I’m here with one focus: helping you find freedom from suffering.

A Little About My Background

My foundation started with a Bachelor's in Psychology from Randolph-Macon College, followed by a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the College of William & Mary—where I was honored to receive the Helen C. Hopper Award for my dedication to family counseling and family life education.

Over the years, I've worked in a range of settings: private practice, lecturing across the U.S. on the Stress Model, and providing family therapy to at-risk teens and their families. More recently, my focus has deepened into EMDR therapy and its powerful effectiveness for trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

I've also spent 20 years owning and managing a business—so I understand firsthand how stress shows up not just in our personal lives, but in our professional ones too. That blend of clinical depth and real-world experience shapes my approach.

How I Work (and Why It’s Different)

I partner with clients to move from “managing” symptoms to moving through them - so they stop running the show.

Here’s what that looks like in our work together:

1. We start with your nervous system.
I’ll help you notice what’s happening in your body—not in a scary way, but in a curious one. We’ll track things like:

When you feel calm and connected
When you’re spinning into anxiety or panic
When you go numb or shut down

You’ll learn to read these signals and gently guide yourself back to safety—without forcing it.

2. We get curious.
Ever feel like a part of you is panicking while another part is totally checked out? That’s normal. I use Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help you relate to those parts with compassion, not judgment. And we bring in somatic (body) awareness so you can actually feel what’s happening—not just think about it.

3. We use EMDR to go straight to the source.
Instead of circling around old stories for years, we target the memories that are still stuck. People are often surprised by how quickly things shift—sometimes in just a few weeks. Whether you’re dealing with a single traumatic event or a lifetime of complex stuff, EMDR meets you where you are.

And because my early training was in family systems theory, I naturally hold space for the bigger picture too—how your family dynamics, past and present, shape your inner world. It all connects, and we'll look at it together.

How You’ll Know It’s Working

You’ll notice it in small, real ways:

You’ll feel lighter—like the weight you’ve been carrying isn’t so heavy anymore
You’ll notice old triggers, but they won’t knock you off balance
You’ll have those "aha" moments where your mind and body finally agree on what’s true

So, What’s Next?

If any of this resonates, and you’re ready to:

Feel better faster (without years of talk therapy)
Understand your reactions without piling on more shame
Build real, lasting resilience from the inside out

…Let’s hop on a quick (free) 15-minute call—no pressure, just a conversation to see if we’re a good fit. Book Your Free 15-Minute Consultation - I look forward to meeting you