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What is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)?
EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as an effective treatment for trauma and PTSD. It was developed by Francine Shapiro in 1987 after she observed that moving her eyes while walking seemed to reduce the intensity of distressing thoughts and emotions.
EMDR therapy is based on the idea that your mind and body have a natural capacity to process and heal from difficult experiences. It helps create space for overwhelming or traumatic experiences to be processed in a safe and supported way.
In EMDR therapy, you don’t have to face everything alone or retell every painful detail. With trained EMDR therapist’s guidance, you can gently work with difficult memories, emotions, body sensations, and present-day triggers while strengthening positive memories and inner resources. EMDR is not to erase your memory or avoid emotional pain. The goal is to help you feel less controlled by the past and more grounded, safe, and empowered in the present.
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How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
During EMDR therapy, you and your therapist will work together to identify a distressing memory, present-day trigger, or negative belief to focus on.
While bringing this target to mind, you engage in bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, alternating taps, or other left-right stimulation. This process helps you stay connected to the present moment while allowing your brain to naturally process and integrate difficult experiences.
EMDR is a highly client-centered, mind-body psychotherapy. You remain in control throughout the process, and your therapist follows your pace. As distressing memories become less emotionally charged, many people experience fewer PTSD anxiety symptoms, more positive beliefs about themselves and the world, and feel a greater sense of confidence in everyday life.
What Can EMDR Therapy Help With?
EMDR has been shown to be effective for a wide range of concerns. If you've tried traditional talk therapy but still feel stuck, EMDR may help you process experiences at a deeper level. By addressing the root of distress—not just managing symptoms—EMDR can help you move forward with greater calm, resilience, and confidence.
Low self-esteem and negative core beliefs
Distressing memories, intrusive thoughts, or overwhelming life experiences
Phobias and specific fears
Childhood trauma, neglect, or attachment wounds
Depression and grief
Anxiety, chronic worry, and panic attacks
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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Is EMDR Therapy Right for You?
EMDR can be helpful for many people, but whether it is the right fit depends on your goals, personal resources, support system, the length and intensity of your symptoms, and the experiences you want to address. Everyone’s EMDR journey is different, so the pace and length of treatment will be personalized to you.
EMDR is an effective therapy, but it is not a magic wand that erases painful memories or makes difficult experiences disappear. Instead, it can help you process painful experiences, reduce their emotional intensity, and approach difficult memories and thoughts with greater confidence, safety, and inner resources.
EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapists in San Diego
Founder and lead therapist, Angel Chou is an EMDR-trained, EMDRIA Certified EMDR Therapist, and Consultant-in-Training. She views EMDR as a collaborative process, working with patients to identify the memories, current triggers, and negative beliefs that are most connected to their concerns.
Rearrange the State of Mind Therapy offers in-person EMDR therapy in San Diego and online EMDR therapy for clients throughout California.
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Approaches
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What Does an EMDR Therapy Session Look Like?
EMDR therapy follows a structured 8-phase protocol developed by EMDRIA, although not every phase happens in every session. We begin by understanding your history, current symptoms, and therapy goals. Together, we'll identify your strengths, inner resources, and the memories, present-day triggers, or negative beliefs that are most connected to the difficulties you are experiencing.
EMDR reprocessing sessions are typically 60–90 minutes, as recommended by EMDRIA. During these sessions, we work together at a pace that feels manageable for you. Every session ends with grounding and calming exercises to help you feel present, regulated, and ready to return to your day, even if processing is not yet complete.
At the beginning of each following session, we'll review any changes you've noticed since we last met, such as feeling less triggered, experiencing fewer distressing emotions, or developing more balanced thoughts. If needed, we'll continue processing the same memory until it no longer feels emotionally overwhelming and is integrated with more adaptive beliefs and positive resources. The goal is for you to feel less stuck, more resilient, and freer to move forward in your life.
To learn more about the EMDR process, you can watch EMDRIA's client education video: https://vimeo.com/890006940?fl=pl&fe=sh
常見問題解答
1. What does EMDR stand for?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
2. How does EMDR therapy work?
EMDR works through dual attention—you gently bring a difficult memory, thought, or feeling to mind while also focusing on bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating taps. This allows you to stay connected to the present moment while your brain processes the distressing experience.
3. What is EMDR therapy used for?
EMDR therapy can help you reprocess distressing memories, reduce anxiety and other emotional symptoms, and strengthen positive, adaptive beliefs about yourself and your future. The goal is not to erase difficult memories, but to help you remember them with less distress while restoring a greater sense of safety, confidence, hope, and possibility for the future.
4. Is EMDR only used for PTSD?
No. EMDR has been shown to be effective for PTSD, anxiety, grief, phobias, and distressing or intrusive thoughts—even when you do not have a formal PTSD diagnosis. Treatment can be tailored to your individual symptoms, goals, and experiences.
5. Do I have to talk about my trauma during EMDR?
You don’t have to share every detail of your trauma. During the history-taking phase, your EMDR-trained therapist may ask about your experiences and symptoms to better understand your concerns and help you decide which memory or trigger you would like to work on. During the EMDR process, you can focus on what feels manageable without needing to describe every detail of what happened.
7. How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
Many people can benefit from EMDR, even without a PTSD diagnosis. It may be helpful when difficult experiences, anxiety, distressing memories, or triggers continue to affect your daily life. Your goals, readiness, and personal resources all matter. A consultation can help determine if EMDR is right for you.
6. How long does EMDR therapy take?
It depends on your goals, personal resources, readiness, and the experiences you want to address. Some people notice meaningful changes within 6–8 sessions when working on a single target, while others may benefit from a longer course of therapy when addressing multiple or more complex experiences. Each person’s EMDR journey is unique, and the pace is tailored to you.
