Meet

Irena Stjepic

Woman with short gray hair, wearing a white blouse, sitting on a chair against a dark background.

About Me and Reset Self

My name is Irena Stjepic, though many clients simply call me “E.” For more than 17 years, I’ve worked with individuals and families navigating trauma, overwhelming experiences, and patterns that can be difficult to change.

Many of the people I work with have been struggling for a long time. Some are coming to therapy for the first time, while others have already done a great deal of work to understand themselves. Either way, they may find themselves overthinking, shutting down, feeling overwhelmed, or repeating patterns they don’t fully understand or know how to change.

After training in EMDR, I became fascinated not only by what I witnessed in my clients, but by what I experienced personally. I began to see just how much capacity for healing exists within us—and how naturally the mind and body can move toward greater freedom when given the right conditions.

That understanding became part of the inspiration behind Reset Self.

We often hear that “the key is within you.” I believe there is truth in that, but I also believe something important is missing from that idea. We don't always know how to access what is already within us, especially when our experiences have taught us to protect, disconnect, or simply keep going.

For me, the missing pieces are curiosity and compassion. When we begin meeting our patterns and protective responses with curiosity rather than judgment, we can better understand why they developed and what they have been trying to do for us. With that understanding, the mind and body can begin to recognize that those old responses may no longer be needed in the same way.

That is what Reset Self means to me—not becoming someone new, but creating the conditions for the capacity already within you to emerge.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) providing therapy in Tennessee and Arizona, as well as an EMDRIA-Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA-Approved Consultant.

My Approach

I specialize in Somatic Attachment-Focused EMDR, integrating EMDR with attachment work, nervous-system awareness, and somatic therapy.

EMDR is much more than bilateral stimulation or reprocessing. Our work begins by understanding the patterns and protective responses that developed around your experiences while building greater regulation and awareness.

From there, we can work more deeply with the memories, emotions, body sensations, beliefs, and relationship patterns that continue to shape how you experience yourself and the world today.

Outside the Therapy Room

Outside of my clinical practice, I stay actively involved in the broader EMDR community through both humanitarian work and clinician training.

I serve as a Board Member with Disability Rights Tennessee and volunteer with the EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP) as the Coordinator for the Trauma Recovery Network of Middle Tennessee (TRN of Middle TN). In this role, I help coordinate EMDR support for individuals and communities affected by critical events in Middle Tennessee. I also provide pro bono EMDR therapy to those impacted by critical incidents, both individually and in group settings.

I also work with the Personal Transformation Institute (PTI), where I assist with Basic EMDR trainings for clinicians. Supporting other therapists as they develop their understanding and practice of EMDR has become another meaningful part of my professional work.

These experiences allow me to contribute to trauma recovery beyond my private practice—through direct service, community response, and supporting clinicians as they develop their skills in EMDR.

In my personal time, I enjoy being outdoors—taking long walks, practicing hot yoga, hiking, and backpacking. I also enjoy traveling, reading, music, exploring different cuisines, and spending time with my family and friends, including my two beloved cats, Jack Nicholson and Polly Shelby.