Specializing in Emetophobia
Emetophobia is the intense fear of vomiting, or of seeing, hearing, or being around someone who might vomit. At its core, emetophobia is an anxiety disorder in which the brain begins treating vomiting as a threat that must be prevented or escaped. You may logically understand that vomiting is unpleasant but not dangerous, yet your nervous system responds as though you are in danger. This can create a cycle of fear, monitoring, avoidance, and reassurance-seeking that keeps the phobia going.
Emetophobia isn’t just a phobia—it’s a cycle. The more you try to avoid or control the possibility of getting sick, the stronger the fear becomes. Your brain learns that the world isn’t safe, and your body stays stuck in a constant state of hypervigilance.
I specialize in working with adults who struggle with emetophobia through compassionate, evidence-based therapy. This is a misunderstood and often misdiagnosed phobia, and many of my clients come to me after years of feeling dismissed or being told: “no one likes throwing up”.
If you are struggling with this phobia, you may feel trapped — constantly scanning your body for signs of nausea, avoiding certain foods, travel, social situations, or places where you fear you couldn’t easily leave. Many clients tell me, “I feel like I will have this phobia for the rest of my life.”
That does not have to be the case.
I have witnessed powerful transformations and clients getting their lives back. With the right approach, it is possible to reduce panic, quiet intrusive thoughts, and rebuild trust in your body. Clients move from fear-driven avoidance to greater freedom, flexibility, and confidence.
I combine lived experience with advanced training in EMDR, Brainspotting, I-CBT, and IFS-informed therapy. I understand both the internal experience of emetophobia and how to treat it effectively. Together, we work to reduce distress, untangle obsessive fear patterns, and help you reclaim your life.
I offer virtual therapy for adults in Washington and Idaho.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Emetophobia is an intense fear of vomiting, which leads to severe anxiety, panic attacks, and avoidance behaviors.
While it’s true that no one enjoys vomiting, this is different. If you have emetophobia, even the thought of becoming sick can cause strong body sensations and panic attacks. Individuals will do almost anything to avoid becoming ill and this avoidance consumes much of their life and thoughts. This phobia negatively impacts nearly every aspect of the afflicted person’s life.
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That depends on you. Each emetophobia case is different. Some are rooted in traumatic experiences that happened in childhood or witnessing someone being sick. Sometimes this phobia overlaps with, or is a manifestation of, OCD. I have a varied therapeutic toolbox to pull from to address your specific needs.
I used EMDR to heal the traumatic experiences. I incorporate parts work and IFS to build connection to the parts of you that work hard to protect you from becoming ill. To address intrusive thoughts, I use I-CBT to reduce the confusion between possibility and reality. I also incorporate a variety of grounding skills to help you feel more comfortable in your body.
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I have seen many clients who have tried ERP for emetophobia and it didn’t work for them. ERP is an evidence-based approach for OCD and phobias. While it is helpful for reducing fear and anxiety, disgust (which is a major component of emetophobia) requires a different approach. I don’t start with ERP, but it can be incorporated later after distress is reduced. And, this is always optional.
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In part what makes me different is my lived experience. Yes, I’ve had emetophobia, which helps me truly understand how it feels to be in a body that fears physical sensations and the thought of being sick invokes panic. I know what it’s like to be on the other side of this phobia and to have your life back!
I’m very driven in finding the modalities and interventions that actually work! While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to this phobia, there are a variety of tools that can help you go from stuck to finally getting your life back.
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While I use structured approaches, I show up authentically and my sessions have an organic flow to them. We do deep, challenging work, but I aim to make the therapy process as pleasant as possible. And hopefully, we can share some laughs along the way.
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Getting started is simple. Contact me via the website contact page. Ask questions… I’m always happy to talk about this phobia, other phobias, and address any fears or concerns you might have.