Private trauma therapy from a calm garden practice in Billingham village, for people across Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Teesside.
Does part of you still feel stuck in what happened?
I am Rachel Selmes, professionally known as Rachel Hillerby, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, an EMDR Europe Practitioner and HCPC Registered Occupational Therapist. I offer specialist EMDR therapy for trauma, PTSD, anxiety and panic attacks from a quiet private practice in Billingham village, which is in Stockton-on-Tees, near Middlesbrough.
A clinical background, offered in a gentler setting
Many people who come to see me have been holding things together for a long time. They may still be working, caring, parenting or keeping life moving, while inside their body feels tense, alert, shut down or overwhelmed.
My Occupational Therapy background means I look at the whole picture. Not only what happened in the past, but how it is affecting your sleep, work, relationships, confidence, routines and sense of safety now. My health coaching training also helps us look forward, towards the life you want to move back into.
What people often want to know first
Specialist EMDR therapy in Stockton-on-Tees
EMDR therapy can help when the mind and body have not been able to fully process something distressing. You may notice flashbacks, nightmares, panic attacks, shame, numbness, anger, a feeling of being on edge, or a sense that a memory still has too much power.
My main clinical specialism is EMDR therapy for trauma and PTSD. The other areas I support often connect back to trauma, stress, loss, attachment, anxiety or the nervous system being under too much pressure for too long.
People often search when they are wondering…
- Why do I still feel anxious when nothing is happening?
- Can trauma affect the body years later?
- Do I have to talk about everything in detail?
- Can EMDR help panic attacks or flashbacks?
- Why do I feel stuck even after talking therapy?
When trauma and stress show up in different ways
EMDR remains the centre of my clinical work. These related therapy pages help people find the support that best matches what they are living with.
Complex PTSD
Support for long-term or repeated trauma, chronic survival mode and emotional overwhelm.
Childhood Trauma
Therapy for early life adversity, attachment wounds and patterns that still affect adult life.
Anxiety & Panic Attacks
Nervous system support when panic attacks, dread, hypervigilance or constant tension are taking over.
Traumatic Bereavement
Support after sudden, complicated or traumatic loss, where grief and shock feel tangled together.
Relationship Trauma
Therapy for attachment wounds, unsafe relationships and relational distress.
Executive Burnout
Support for leaders, business owners and professionals whose stress load has become too heavy.
Workplace mental health support for organisations
Workplace Mental Health is a separate service for organisations, teams and employers. This may include a morning session, full-day support, staff wellbeing input, resilience training or specialist support after workplace pressure or difficult incidents.
My approach is rooted in over 20 years of NHS clinical experience and Occupational Therapy practice, with a focus on practical support that helps people stay well at work.
Holistic support at Believe
Reiki remains an important part of Believe. It offers a softer, restorative space for people who want calm, balance and nervous system rest alongside, before, or separate from therapy.
Intuitive card readings are also available for people who meet me through wellbeing or clairvoyance events and are looking for reflective guidance rather than clinical therapy.
How the work begins
This is not the EMDR eight-phase protocol. It is simply what the first contact with me can feel like before we decide what support is right.
A gentle first conversation
You can tell me a little about what is happening and ask anything you need to know before booking therapy.
Understanding what you need
We look at what feels most difficult now, what you want to change, and whether EMDR or another form of support is the right fit.
A pace that respects you
If we work together, we begin with safety, preparation and choice. Trauma work should feel held, not forced.
About Rachel Selmes
I am Rachel Selmes, professionally known through my NHS, HCPC and EMDR work as Rachel Hillerby. I am an EMDR Europe Practitioner and HCPC Registered Occupational Therapist with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. Before opening Believe EMDR, I spent more than 20 years working in NHS mental health services as a Senior Occupational Therapist.
That clinical experience matters, but so does how you feel when you arrive. Believe EMDR has been created to feel calm, grounded and human: a clinical sanctuary rather than a hospital space.
Based in Billingham, supporting people across Teesside
The practice is in Billingham village, which is in Stockton-on-Tees, near Middlesbrough. People using Google Maps or AI search often want to know exactly where therapy takes place and whether the journey feels practical, with clients travelling from across Teesside and Hartlepool.
Questions people often ask first
Do I need a diagnosis to start EMDR therapy?
No. You do not need a formal diagnosis before getting in touch. We can start with what you are experiencing now and whether EMDR feels like the right next step.
Can EMDR help if I feel anxious but I do not know why?
Sometimes anxiety is linked to experiences the mind and body have not fully processed. We would explore this carefully and decide together whether EMDR is appropriate.
Will I have to talk through everything in detail?
No. EMDR does not require you to describe every detail of what happened. You stay in control of what you share, and we work at a pace that feels manageable.
Is the practice easy to reach from Middlesbrough, Yarm or Wynyard?
Yes. The practice is based in Billingham village, which is in Stockton-on-Tees, near Middlesbrough, with clients travelling from Yarm, Wynyard, Ingleby Barwick and wider Teesside.
When you are ready, we can begin gently
You do not have to explain everything perfectly. A short first conversation is enough to start.