A powerful tool to create lasting change.
Online EMDR therapy throughout California
Are painful memories or overwhelming emotions holding you back?
Are painful memories or overwhelming emotions keeping you from living fully? If you’ve experienced trauma, anxiety, or deep emotional distress, you may feel as though these memories linger, surfacing when you least expect. You try to move forward, but something keeps pulling you back. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy offers a powerful pathway to help you finally make peace with the past.
Trauma can leave an indelible mark. Our brains, in their instinct to protect, may store these memories in ways that bring pain and anxiety even long after the event has passed. EMDR offers a structured approach that helps your brain reprocess these difficult experiences, so they no longer hold the same emotional charge. Through a unique process called bilateral stimulation—such as following side-to-side eye movements—EMDR allows you to revisit these memories safely, releasing the hold they have on you and helping you see them in a new light.
Helping you access your brain’s capacity to heal and achieve deep, long-lasting change.
Work with your brain’s innate healing processes.
People seek EMDR therapy when they’re ready to free themselves from the burdens of trauma, anxiety, PTSD, or even distress from painful life events like a difficult breakup or loss. If you’ve been feeling stuck or burdened by past events, EMDR could be the relief you’ve been looking for. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR works directly with the brain’s innate healing processes, often offering faster and long-lasting results. Here, you don’t have to relive the pain to heal from it; EMDR guides you toward healing by restoring balance, clarity, and a sense of inner peace.
What can EMDR do for you?
Lighten the Emotional Load – Those feelings of anxiety, depression, or reactivity can become lighter, giving you freedom to respond rather than react.
Reduce Symptoms – Many people find relief from persistent symptoms like anxiety and self-doubt, gaining a sense of control over their lives.
Reconnect with the Present – When the weight of past memories fades, you can be more fully present, open, and engaged with your current life.
Process Complex Traumas – EMDR is versatile, allowing you to work through either a single traumatic event or larger, persistent themes in your life.
Frequently asked questions about EMDR therapy
FAQs
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is grounded in the understanding that the brain's natural information processing system is inherently geared toward mental health and well-being. However, when a disturbing event disrupts or overwhelms this system, it can lead to emotional pain and distress. EMDR serves to remove these blocks, allowing the healing process to resume.
During an EMDR session, you will focus on a specific memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation—typically through guided side-to-side eye movements. This technique facilitates the brain's ability to reprocess the memory, enabling you to view the experience from a new perspective. As you work through the memory in this way, the emotional charge associated with it diminishes, making it easier for you to move forward in your life.
This process is not just about revisiting painful memories; it's really about transforming them. By reducing the intensity of distressing emotions tied to these experiences, EMDR empowers you to integrate them into your life narrative. This integration fosters resilience, allowing you to approach life with a renewed sense of clarity and strength. Ultimately, EMDR can help you reclaim your emotional well-being and enhance your capacity for joy and connection.
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No, EMDR is not hypnosis. Hypnosis is a natural state of focused attention and relaxation where your mind becomes more open to suggestions. In contrast, EMDR is an empirically supported trauma treatment that helps you integrate traumatic events into your narrative with reduced (or no) emotional charge, allowing your brain to naturally heal itself.
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If you’re already working with another therapist and finding that work helpful, that’s wonderful! EMDR can be a powerful addition to your therapeutic journey, helping to break through specific barriers or accelerate healing as you continue with your primary therapist. If you wish—or if recommended—you can sign a release allowing your therapist and me to collaborate. This helps ensure continuity of care and allows us to discuss any aspects relevant to achieving your goals.