EMDR Therapy
EMDR Therapy in Los Altos, CA
Evidence-based trauma processing that goes beyond what talking alone can reach — helping you process experiences that continue to affect your emotional responses and relationships.
Book a free consultWhat EMDR is — in plain language
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. The name is clinical, but the idea is straightforward: some memories don't get processed the way ordinary memories do. Instead of settling into the past, they stay "activated" — charged with the same emotional intensity as when they first happened. Triggers, flashbacks, and outsized reactions are signs of this.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements or tapping — while you hold a target memory in mind. This helps the brain reprocess the memory, so it loses its emotional charge without requiring you to talk through every detail.
It's one of the most well-researched trauma treatments available, with strong evidence across PTSD, anxiety, grief, and complex trauma.
What EMDR can address
Post-traumatic stress
Single-incident trauma (accidents, assault, medical events) and complex trauma from childhood or prolonged exposure.
Relationship trauma
Attachment wounds, emotional abuse, betrayal — experiences that shape how you show up in close relationships.
Anxiety and emotional reactivity
Responses that feel disproportionate to the current situation — often rooted in an earlier experience the brain hasn't fully processed.
Grief and loss
Complicated grief, losses that feel stuck, or experiences of loss that disrupted core assumptions about safety or trust.
What a session looks like
EMDR isn't something that starts on session one. We begin with history and preparation — building a clear picture of what we're working with and making sure you have the stabilization resources to move into processing safely.
Processing sessions involve focusing on a specific memory or target while I guide bilateral stimulation sets. Between sets, I check in on what's arising — thoughts, images, sensations — and we continue until the memory's charge is reduced and a more adaptive perspective installs naturally.
Sessions are 50 minutes. Some targets resolve in a single session; others require multiple. The pace depends on the material, not a fixed protocol.
EMDR Intensives
For clients who want to make meaningful progress sooner, I offer intensive EMDR sessions — longer or more frequent appointments over a shorter period. This helps you stay engaged and build "break-through" momentum rather than picking up and putting down the work week by week.
Intensives are particularly well-suited for clients with a specific target (a single traumatic event or a defined period), clients traveling from out of the area, or anyone who wants concentrated progress before a major life event.
Ask about intensives