When insight isn’t enough
EMDR Therapy & EMDR Intensives in California
You may understand where your anxiety, self-doubt, or relationship patterns come from, but understanding them has not necessarily changed how you feel. Certain memories may still carry a charge, familiar situations may bring up reactions that seem bigger than the moment, or your body may respond as though something from the past is still happening.
EMDR can help you work through experiences that continue to affect you today. It can be incorporated into regular therapy sessions or offered through extended EMDR intensives when you want more uninterrupted time to focus on a specific experience or concern.
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured form of therapy that helps the brain work through experiences that have not fully settled, even when you understand what happened or know that you are safe now.
During EMDR, you will briefly focus on part of an experience, such as a memory, emotion, belief, or body sensation, while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This may involve guided eye movements, alternating sounds, or tapping from one side of the body to the other.
EMDR does not erase what happened or ask you to convince yourself that it was okay. The goal is to help the experience feel less emotionally charged, reduce the hold it has on your present life, and support beliefs that fit who you are now.
What can EMDR help with?
EMDR may be helpful when something from the past continues to shape how you feel about yourself, relate to other people, or respond to situations in the present. The experience does not have to fit someone else’s definition of trauma to matter.
EMDR can be used to address:
Trauma and PTSD
Anxiety, panic, and persistent feelings of danger
Painful childhood experiences
Difficult or harmful relationships
Grief and loss
Medical trauma and distressing healthcare experiences
Shame, guilt, and self-doubt
Fear of failure or rejection
People-pleasing and difficulty setting boundaries
Distressing memories that continue to feel emotionally charged
Patterns you understand but still struggle to change
We will spend time understanding what is affecting you now and identifying the experiences that may be connected. You do not need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to process.
What is the EMDR process like?
EMDR begins before we use eye movements, sounds, or tapping. We will first talk about what brings you to therapy, what you would like to change, and the experiences that may be connected. We will also identify ways to help you feel grounded and supported before beginning deeper processing.
When we agree that you are ready, we will choose a specific memory, situation, belief, emotion, or body sensation to focus on. During brief sets of bilateral stimulation, I will guide you to notice what comes up. There is no correct response and no need to force anything. We will pause regularly so you can tell me what you are noticing and we can adjust the pace when needed.
EMDR is not hypnosis. You remain awake, aware, and in control throughout the process. You might think of it as keeping one foot in the past while the other remains grounded in the present with me. You can speak, ask questions, pause, or stop the processing at any time.
Some experiences may shift within a few sessions, while others need more time or bring up related material that also deserves attention. We may return to preparation, strengthen additional coping resources, or spend a session focusing on something happening in your current life. EMDR is structured, but the process is not rigid. We will make decisions about the work together.
You do not have to tell me every detail
EMDR does not require you to describe a painful experience from beginning to end. You can share the general theme of what happened while keeping details private. Much of the work focuses on what you notice internally, such as emotions, beliefs, images, or body sensations, rather than giving me a complete account of the event.
I will need enough information to understand what you would like help with, assess whether we are ready to begin, and support you through the process. You remain in control of what you share, and you can pause, slow down, or ask questions at any point.
Some people eventually choose to say more as trust develops, while others complete meaningful EMDR work without describing most of what happened. We will find an approach that respects your privacy while giving you the support you need.
Standard EMDR sessions
EMDR can be incorporated into regular 55-minute therapy sessions and can be provided twice a week. This format may be a good fit if you want to work gradually, need time between sessions to reflect on what is coming up, or want space to address both past experiences and current concerns.
Not every session will involve active processing. We may spend time preparing for EMDR, building grounding skills, identifying experiences to work on, or talking through something that needs attention in the present. When we do process, we will leave time at the end of the session to help you feel settled before returning to your day. Because EMDR can sometimes feel tiring, it may be helpful to leave yourself some breathing room after a processing session when possible.
Standard EMDR sessions are available virtually throughout California, with limited in-person availability in Santa Barbara.
EMDR intensives
EMDR intensives provide a longer, more focused period of time for processing than a standard therapy session allows. They may be helpful if you want to concentrate on a specific experience or concern, prefer fewer interruptions in the work, or find that 55-minute sessions feel too short.
The intensive process begins with a 90-minute intake session. I will learn more about you, your history, what brings you to therapy, and what you hope will be different. We will discuss your goals and may begin practicing skills that can support you during the process.
More detailed treatment planning and preparation will continue during the extended sessions before we move into processing. Some clients may also benefit from additional preparation before beginning deeper work. We will make these decisions together based on your history, current needs, and what helps the process feel manageable.
Extended sessions are generally three to four hours long. Depending on your needs, they may take place once a week or multiple times within the same week. We will decide on the length and frequency together rather than using the same schedule for everyone. EMDR processing can be mentally, emotionally, and physically tiring, especially during an extended session. If possible, plan for a lighter schedule afterward and give yourself time to rest rather than returning immediately to demanding work or responsibilities. We will also discuss how to prepare for your session and what support may be helpful afterward.
The process concludes with a 90-minute closing session to review what has shifted, address anything that still needs attention, and discuss recommendations for continued support.
EMDR intensives are private-pay services billed at $185 per hour. Insurance cannot be used or billed for any portion of the intensive process.
Which EMDR format may be right for you?
You do not need to know which format you want before reaching out. We can talk about what you hope to address, how much support and preparation you may need, and how EMDR could fit into your life.
Standard EMDR sessions may be a good fit if you:
Want to move through the work gradually
Need ongoing support for current concerns alongside deeper processing
Prefer time between sessions to reflect and practice skills
Want EMDR incorporated into regular weekly therapy
EMDR intensives may be a good fit if you:
Want focused time to address a specific experience or concern
Find that standard sessions end just as you are beginning to engage in the work
Prefer longer sessions with fewer interruptions
Can set aside time for preparation, extended processing, and recovery afterward
An intensive is not automatically the better or faster option. Your history, current circumstances, support system, and readiness for processing all matter. We will consider these factors together and discuss the format that is most likely to support you safely and effectively.