EMDR Therapy San Diego
Healing Beyond Talk Therapy
If you’ve tried talking through your past and still feel stuck-
EMDR therapy in San Diego offers a different path forward.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps your brain reprocess painful memories so they no longer feel overwhelming, allowing you to move through life with greater calm, confidence, and connection.
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EMDR is a structured, research-backed therapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. Instead of requiring you to retell every detail of painful experiences, EMDR helps your brain and body finish the processing that didn’t happen at the time of the event.
When trauma or distressing experiences get “stuck,” your body may keep reacting as if the danger is still happening—through anxiety, reactivity, or shame. EMDR helps shift those experiences into the past, so they no longer intrude on your present.
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EMDR therapy is based on the understanding that the brain, like the body, has the ability to heal when given the right support. Sessions typically move through a series of structured phases, always at your pace:
History & Planning: Exploring your story, symptoms, and identifying targets for EMDR work.
Preparation: Learning calming and grounding strategies so you feel safe and resourced.
Assessment: Identifying a memory, along with the emotions, beliefs, and body sensations tied to it.
Desensitization: Using bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sound) to activate your brain’s natural healing process.
Installation: Replacing limiting beliefs with adaptive ones (for example, shifting from “I’m powerless” to “I can trust myself now”).
Body Scan: Checking for any leftover distress in the body.
Closure: Ending with grounding and returning to calm.
Reevaluation: Reviewing progress and deciding next steps in future sessions.
Throughout the process, you remain in control. You don’t have to relive anything you’re not ready for, and your emotional safety is always the priority.
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You don’t need to have lived through a single “big trauma” to benefit. Many of my clients seek EMDR therapy in San Diego for the lasting effects of complex or developmental trauma—like growing up in an emotionally unsafe home.
EMDR may be a good fit if you struggle with:
PTSD or complex trauma
Childhood neglect or emotional abuse
Anxiety, panic attacks, or chronic worry
Shame, guilt, or negative self-beliefs
Relationship or attachment wounds
Grief, loss, or painful breakups
Low self-worth or imposter syndrome
Emotional triggers and overreactions
Recovery after accidents, surgeries, or medical trauma
Even if you can’t pinpoint “what’s wrong,” EMDR can uncover root causes and help shift patterns that have kept you stuck.
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Clients often wonder what EMDR sessions actually feel like. Experiences vary, but many describe:
Memories moving quickly or losing intensity
Waves of emotion, followed by relief
New insights or connections appearing suddenly
Shifts in physical sensations—like tension releasing
A sense of closure around something that once felt unfinished
After reprocessing, many clients say, “It’s like I know it happened, but it doesn’t feel like it’s happening anymore.”
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Is EMDR a quick fix?
Not exactly. While some clients experience relief quickly, EMDR is a structured process that unfolds in phases. True healing happens at the pace your nervous system can handle.Does EMDR only treat PTSD?
No. While well-known for trauma, EMDR is also effective for anxiety, depression, grief, phobias, and relationship struggles.What if eye movements feel strange?
The bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or tones) can feel unusual at first, but most clients get comfortable quickly—especially once they notice emotional shifts.How long will I need EMDR therapy?
It depends on your goals and history. Some clients focus on one memory and feel relief in just a few sessions. Others use EMDR as part of deeper, ongoing trauma work.
My Approach to EMDR
I integrate EMDR with Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness, and nervous-system education. My goal is not just to reduce symptoms, but to help you feel safer and more connected—to yourself, to your body, and to your relationships.
We’ll spend time preparing before reprocessing, making sure you feel resourced and steady. This might include:
Learning how to regulate your nervous system
Strengthening inner resources like self-compassion or a safe place visualization
Identifying protective parts that show up during anxiety or overwhelm
Setting clear goals that honor your pace and readiness
What to Expect When Getting Started
Free Consultation Call
We’ll begin with a 15-minute consultation to talk through what’s bringing you to therapy and whether EMDR feels like the right fit.
Initial Sessions
In our first few meetings, we’ll explore your history, build safety, and practice grounding techniques.
Reprocessing with EMDR
When you feel ready, we’ll begin reprocessing memories or patterns together, using EMDR to shift how those experiences live in your body and mind.
Integration
As old pain softens and new insights emerge, we’ll focus on integrating change into your daily life—building confidence, improving relationships, and deepening trust in yourself.
Take the Next Step
If you’ve been carrying the weight of past experiences, you may wonder if things can really change. EMDR therapy doesn’t erase the past—but it changes how the past lives in you.
With EMDR therapy in San Diego, healing is possible. You can move from reactivity to resilience, from shame to self-worth, from survival to peace.
You don’t have to carry it alone. Let’s begin this work together.
Get started with EMDR Therapy San Diego today.
Book a free 15 minute phone call!