in person throughout los angeles
online across ca

EMDR Therapy

Compassionate and skilled in-person and virtual EMDR
therapy for trauma

EMDR Therapy for trauma online in CA

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based, mind-body treatment for trauma that can release the emotional charge from traumatic life experiences. Traumatic life experiences include general life experiences both small and large that lead to depression, anxiety, relationship issues, or repeating old patterns that do not serve us.

EMDR therapy targets the unprocessed memories that are keeping you frozen in the past, stuck in your trauma responses. It is a portal into your unconscious mind, allowing for insight, connections and change to happen rapidly within a session.

EMDR is an evidence-based, science-backed psychotherapy treatment that has been proven to alleviate the symptoms of distress associated with trauma. It is client-centered, and therapist led. EMDR facilitates a process in which the brain is freed to complete its innate healing capability. It uses bilateral stimulation with eye movements, tapping or auditory stimuli, to activate your memory network and allow your brain to heal. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment, or in combination with traditional talk-therapy approaches.

EMDR Can Help With:

  • Traumatic event like birth trauma, a car accident, sexual assault, or other life threatening experiences

  • Complex trauma from childhood

  • Betrayal or relationship trauma and fear of abandonment

  • Intrusive thoughts about a past experience in which you felt threatened or frightened

  • Avoidance of triggering events, people, places or situations

  • Experiences of shut down and emotional numbness, even if you are still staying functional in your day-to-day life

  • Anxiety and depression, grief and loss, low self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, and more

how it works

EMDR is a structured, eight-phase process that allows both the client and therapist to measure progress and adjust treatment as the therapeutic process evolves. It is also designed to give therapists a way of creating a treatment plan that is unique to each individual. 

This often consists of using a combination of mindfulness, imagery, and cognitive techniques, as well as emotional regulation skills, to help prepare for the deeper work of reprocessing traumatic memories. And it may include breathwork, mindfulness meditation strategies, visualization, and even somatic approaches like yoga and moving meditation. 

Moreover, in general, some form of talk therapy is also incorporated in the EMDR process. Talk therapy tends to build an avenue toward a greater sense of safety and trust that facilitates both EMDR and the healing process as a whole. 

Once a client is familiarized with the process and equipped with effective tools for self-regulation, the eye movement, desensitization, and reprocessing part of EMDR therapy can begin. 

  • Assessment and development of treatment plan.

    Rather than just jumping right into EMDR sessions, it’s important for people to understand their trauma, the functions that certain triggers serve, and why some memories or reactions to stimuli are so intense. 

  • Learning self-calming techniques.

    Clients need to develop sufficient coping strategies for managing overwhelming emotions, painful memories, and triggers (before, during, and after sessions).

  • Guided visualization of memories. This entails the individual recalling a negative memory, image, belief, or bodily sensation associated with trauma or a disturbing experience.

  • Desensitization through Dual Attention Bilateral Stimulation.

    While the client focuses on the traumatic memory and related thoughts and feelings, the therapist uses bilateral movement/stimulation techniques (rapid eye movements, oscillating tones, alternating vibrations) and asks the individual to describe their thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. 

  • Reprocessing the traumatic memory and installation of positive ideas.

    The therapist carefully helps the client to shift their mind toward new and positive thoughts and feelings about the traumatic event. Alternating to this more optimistic outlook leads to resolution and healing. 

  • Body scan for lingering somatic symptoms.

    This involves pinpointing and reducing any residual physical discomfort that may still be connected to the disturbing memory.

  • Relaxation and debriefing.

    Through relaxation techniques, clients are helped to return to a state of balance. The therapist reviews the individual’s self-regulation skills, assesses if they need additional support, and encourages them to document any issue that may arise in between sessions.

  • Reevaluating the overall progress and adjusting target.

    This carries over into the next session(s).

WHAT TO EXPECT

EMDR therapy is a unique approach to trauma treatment and may look and feel different than any therapy you’ve been in before. It is a systematic and structured approach. Essentially it helps both you (and your therapist) get out of the way and allow the brains natural healing process to occur. There are a few formats of how we can work together with EMDR:

  • With a traditional therapy structure, we would meet once a week for 50-minute sessions. Ongoing therapy creates space for processing at a consistent, steady pace. With ongoing therapy, EMDR can be used as a stand-alone or in conjunction with traditional talk therapy.

  • Intensives offer extended time in the therapeutic process, allowing for rapid results. 3 hour, 1 day and 2 day options are available. You can learn more about intensive therapy here.

  • If you are already working with a therapist but EMDR is suggested as an adjunctive treatment, I can help. EMDR can be a great addition to your work, helping you break free from a certain traumatic event or barrier that is impacting your progress. Adjunctive work can occur via ongoing or intensive therapy.

Got questions?

  • EMDR utilizes the body and brain’s natural healing capacity. Through multiple mechanisms (performing rapid eye movements while taxing the working memory system), EMDR creates space for the brain to activate and heal memory networks tied to past trauma that are impact you in your present life.

    EMDR is more structured than traditional talk therapy, with a set process for sessions. As an evidence-based treatment, adherence to the process typically leads to the best results, but it may feel different or strange at first if you are used to traditional talk therapy. Come with an open mind. For the majority of people, it is highly effective, however it is not right for everyone. There is always an opportunity to adjust our approach at any point in the process.

  • Yes, EMDR is classified as evidence-based and research indicates it may be more effective than Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Patients are shown to experience continued progress even after treatment is complete.

  • EMDR can be used either as a stand alone treatment or incorporated with talk therapy. Typically once a “target memory” is selected for reprocessing, EMDR is most effective when the protocol is completed fully. However, EMDR is therapist-led and client-centered, meaning you always hold the power to direct each individual session or overall approach to working through your trauma.

  • Absolutely. At any point, whether during the course of treatment or in an individual session, if you decide you do not want to pursue EMDR we can pause or stop, and focus exclusively on talk therapy. You are always in control of your therapy treatment.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE

The journey to healing starts with a phone call.