EMDR THERAPY LOS ANGELES
You don’t have to stay stuck. Healing is within reach.
Healing starts with a single step.
Let’s take it together.
Common Symptoms of Trauma
Do you struggle with any of the following?
Feeling tense all the time
Physical reactions and responses that seem too big for whatever triggered them
Recurring thoughts about something bad that happened
Sleep issues or nightmares
Difficulty trusting yourself, others, or believing good things will happen
These common responses to trauma are completely treatable.
How We Heal Trauma: EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a groundbreaking therapeutic approach backed by years of scientific research.
Whether you’ve experienced medical trauma, endured a difficult childhood, suffered from sexual trauma, encountered significant hardships, or witnessed traumatic events, EMDR can help ease the emotional triggers tied to these memories.
With the guidance of an experienced EMDR therapist, you can begin to disentangle your emotional reactions from the painful reminders of your past, helping you live a calmer, more grounded, and fulfilling life.
For decades, EMDR therapy has been successfully used to treat a wide range of traumas, including:
Medical-related trauma
Emotional wounds from abuse or neglect
Trauma experienced by veterans and first responders
Trauma from natural disasters like the LA wildfires, or terrorist events
Phobias and panic attacks
…and many other challenges!
What Is EMDR Therapy?
In simple terms, it’s a type of therapy that helps you process painful memories and experiences in a way that finally lets you move past them. When you go through something traumatic like a car accident, a difficult relationship, or even just the daily stress of living in Los Angeles, your brain can get stuck on that experience. EMDR uses a technique called bilateral stimulation, which involves eye movements, tapping, or sounds, to help your brain process these memories in a healthy way. We know it sounds crazy, but the science is very clear that it works.
EMDR is especially powerful for treating PTSD, but it’s also incredibly effective for anxiety, phobias, depression, and many other issues that keep people feeling trapped in their past. What we love most about this approach is that it truly heals rather than bandaging the problem for now. You can really feel freed from the pain you’re in.
Our Los Angeles EMDR Therapists
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Alexis Harney, LMFT
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Daniella Mohazab, AMFT
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Laurel Roberts-Meese, LMFT
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All our EMDR therapists have completed an intensive EMDRIA-approved training program and participate in ongoing professional consultation with EMDRIA-approved consultants and expert trainers to ensure we offer our clients the best care.
Why Choose Us For EMDR Therapy?
We prioritize a thorough preparatory phase to ensure you feel fully equipped for trauma processing without becoming overwhelmed. Trauma therapy can be intense, but adequate preparation is key to enhancing your ability to manage it effectively. We are committed to avoiding the frustration experienced by clients who haven't received proper preparation from other EMDR therapists.
Our team specializes in addressing complex trauma and attachment issues using EMDR. Unlike many EMDR training programs that focus on acute or single-incident traumas, we understand that trauma is often complex and ongoing. Our extensive experience equips us with advanced tools and strategies for healing complex trauma that may challenge even well-trained EMDR therapists.
To maintain our expertise, our EMDR therapists engage in continuous professional consultation and training with experts in the field. EMDR is a nuanced modality that requires ongoing practice and refinement. We integrate weekly and monthly consultations and trainings to ensure you receive the highest quality of care.
Imagine not feeling disturbed by a reminder of your trauma.
That’s completely possible with EMDR therapy.
Experience Calm in Your Body After Trauma with EMDR Therapy
Los Angeles EMDR therapist Alexis Harney, LMFT explains how EMDR therapy can help people after experiencing trauma.
Why is EMDR Therapy Effective?
Research is conclusive that EMDR therapy works by tapping into your brain’s innate healing power. Just as we sometimes need medical intervention like a cast to set a bone or antibiotics to clear an infection, the brain sometimes needs an external boost. The bilateral stimulation used in EMDR helps your brain process and store traumatic memories more like typical memories so your brain doesn’t incorrectly keep accessing them in ways that disrupt your life.
So even though what happened won’t ever be okay, you can feel okay inside and out now that it’s over.
What Issues Can EMDR Address?
The specific challenges of living in Los Angeles can bring up a wide range of emotional struggles, and I want you to know that you don’t have to face them alone. EMDR therapy is a highly adaptable treatment that can help you with:
PTSD from accidents, violence, sexual trauma, or other traumatic events
Anxiety and panic attacks
Phobias and other outsized fears
Medical trauma or stress related to medical treatments
Childhood trauma and attachment issues that still affect you today
Stress from life transitions, relationship difficulties, or career pressures
Performance anxiety and self-esteem issues common in LA’s competitive entertainment and business industries
If any of these challenges resonate with you, know that EMDR therapy can help you let go of the emotional burdens you’ve been carrying and give you the tools to move forward with more confidence and ease.
We can’t change what happened, but we can change how you feel even though it did.
Benefits of EMDR Therapy
Immediate, Personalized Feedback: EMDR therapy allows for real-time adjustments based on your actual responses during each session. This hands-on support ensures the therapeutic process feels effective and tailored specifically to your needs.
Stronger Connection: Our EMDR therapy approach includes ample preparation and resourcing to foster a deeper level of trust and understanding between you and your EMDR therapist. This trust is essential for the meaningful work we’ll do together. Building this connection helps create a conducive environment for processing trauma and achieving lasting results.
Customized to Your Needs: No two individuals are alike, and your EMDR therapy should reflect that. We address your specific challenges and life circumstances, including those tied to life in Los Angeles.
Faster Results Compared to Traditional Therapy: Most clients find EMDR therapy to be a more focused and efficient approach to processing trauma compared to traditional talk therapy. The research confirms this. While there’s no quick fix, EMDR’s structured nature often leads to significant improvement within a shorter time frame.
The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy
EMDR is an evidence-based, well-researched therapy that unfolds over eight carefully structured phases. Often, people think EMDR is only about the bilateral stimulation (like guided eye movements), but that’s just one part of the process. In reality, only a few phases involve this technique; the other phases are equally essential for fully processing trauma.
The journey begins with building a foundation of trust and connection with your therapist. Next, you’ll learn self-soothing techniques to help you feel safe and grounded during processing. From there, you and your therapist will explore your history to understand the roots of your experiences. Then, you’ll focus on specific traumatic memories and begin reprocessing them. In the final stages, you’ll work on integrating what you’ve learned, helping you move forward with renewed strength and resilience.
More about the 8 phases below. You can also watch an in-depth video of our EMDR therapists explaining the 8 phases of EMDR here.
Healing your trauma transforms everything: your relationships, your health, your productivity, and your overall well-being.
How does EMDR Therapy Work?
What is Bilateral Stimulation in EMDR?
EMDR therapy is a proven, effective approach to healing trauma, and its uniqueness lies in a technique called bilateral stimulation—or side-to-side movement. This can involve guided eye movements, rhythmic sounds, or gentle tapping.
While bilateral stimulation may seem unusual at first, the science is clear: engaging both sides of your brain helps create new neural connections. This process allows your brain to “re-wire” itself, reducing the emotional charge of traumatic memories. It’s a fascinating, research-backed approach to trauma recovery that has helped countless people reclaim their lives.
Want to dive deeper into the science? Visit EMDRIA to explore the research behind bilateral stimulation and its impact on trauma processing.
How Does Bilateral Stimulation Work in Online EMDR Therapy?
Online EMDR sessions provide a focused, secure environment for processing trauma. During sessions, your therapist will guide you through various forms of bilateral stimulation, tailoring the approach to what feels most effective and comfortable for you.
The most common method for our video sessions is guided self-tapping , where you follow the therapist’s verbal directions tapping side to side. For some clients, auditory tones played alternately in each ear may work better. These options allow us to find the method that suits you best while ensuring a safe and supportive environment.
Online sessions also create a sense of comfort and safety by logging in from home. Your comfort items, pets, and a place to relax can make trauma therapy easier. Plus not having to jump back onto one of LA’s crowded freeways decreases the stress associated with going through trauma therapy.
FAQs: Trauma Therapy and EMDR
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Trauma is any experience that surpasses your ability to cope. It might stem from a single catastrophic event, a prolonged period of stress, a difficult relationship, or a toxic workplace. Trauma takes many forms, but what truly matters is how you experienced it and how your brain processed and stored those memories.
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Traumatic memories are stored differently in the brain than everyday memories. Unlike neutral experiences—like a recent trip to the grocery store, which likely doesn’t provoke a strong bodily reaction—traumatic memories often trigger intense emotional or physical responses. You might feel upset, numb, or even notice physical sensations tied to the memory.
Trauma therapy works to help you reprocess these memories so they’re stored in a way that no longer triggers such reactions. When therapy is successful, you can think about what happened without experiencing the same physiological response. It’s incredible to witness how resilient the mind can be with the right support, and we’ve seen this transformation happen time and time again.
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That’s absolutely normal. Trauma can disrupt the brain’s language centers, making it difficult to put thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations into words. The good news is that with EMDR therapy, you don’t need to say much about your experience. What matters is accessing the memory and allowing yourself to feel it. Describing it in detail isn’t necessary for effective healing and processing.
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Your trauma therapist will begin by understanding how your trauma affects your life. From there, they’ll create a personalized, structured plan to guide your healing process. Since everyone’s journey is unique, the specifics will vary, but the goal remains the same: to help your brain reprocess and store traumatic memories differently. This can be achieved through various approaches, with EMDR therapy being one of our most effective and frequently used methods.
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Trauma therapy can be highly effective when certain factors are in place:
Your readiness: You feel prepared to face and work through difficult experiences.
Your therapist’s expertise: Your therapist is well-trained in trauma-focused approaches.
The therapeutic relationship: You feel a strong sense of trust and connection with your therapist, making it easier to engage in the process.
When these elements align, trauma therapy has a much higher likelihood of success.
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No, it’s essential to process trauma only with a specialized trauma therapist. Trauma involves complex neurological processes that require deep understanding and expertise. A qualified trauma therapist has undergone extensive mental health training in graduate school, along with additional specialized trauma training. Avoid attempting to process trauma with a coach, app, or anyone you don’t fully trust—it’s important to have the right professional support.
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There are various evidence-based trauma therapies, each developed and tested over years of research. At our practice, EMDR therapy is our primary approach. We may also incorporate techniques like TF-CBT, somatic methods, or holistic strategies, depending on your unique needs. Your treatment plan is always tailored specifically to you. If you have questions or want more clarity about your plan, we encourage open communication with your therapist—your voice and self-advocacy are key to your healing process.
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We understand how important it is to have a clear answer to this question, and we truly wish it were that simple. However, because trauma impacts neural networks in complex ways, it wouldn’t be ethical to provide a one-size-fits-all timeframe. Once you’ve had a few sessions, your therapist may be able to give you a more personalized estimate based on your progress and needs.
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Trauma therapy can sometimes feel more challenging or even make things worse under certain circumstances. Here are some common scenarios where this might happen:
Lack of coping tools: If you haven’t yet developed effective coping or self-soothing techniques, trauma processing may feel overwhelming. A skilled therapist will focus on helping you build these skills before diving into the trauma itself.
Ongoing trauma: If you’re still in a traumatic situation—such as a toxic relationship or unsafe living environment—it can be difficult to fully heal while the source of harm persists.
Rushing the process: Healing takes time, and trying to process trauma too quickly can backfire. It’s important to move at a pace that feels manageable.
Lack of trust in your therapist: A strong, trusting relationship with your therapist is essential. Without it, therapy may feel unsafe or unproductive.
Working with a qualified trauma therapist who prioritizes your safety and readiness can help prevent these issues and create a supportive path to healing.
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Oh, we have a lot to say about what you can expect after a positive trauma therapy experience on our blog.
What Do The Different Phases of EMDR Therapy Look Like?
History taking: In the initial phase of EMDR therapy, your therapist will gather detailed information about your social, developmental, emotional, and mental health history, as well as the traumas you’ve experienced. This step is essential for creating a safe and effective treatment plan. If your therapist skips this crucial history-taking phase, it’s important to proceed with caution.
Preparation and resourcing: During the second phase of EMDR therapy, your therapist will equip you with coping and self-soothing techniques to use during processing. They’ll also help you identify positive influences, experiences, and resources that can support your healing. This phase may take one session or several, depending on your needs, and it’s a crucial step that should never be overlooked.
Assessment: In the third phase of EMDR therapy, your EMDR therapist will ask you and evaluate which trauma or traumas will be targeted during your treatment. Don’t worry, you get a say in where things begin.
Desensitization: The fourth phase is the core of EMDR therapy. In this stage, your therapist will guide you in processing specific traumas using bilateral stimulation. At Laurel Therapy Collective, we often use tactile stimulation, where you tap your arms alternately, but other methods are available if needed. The primary goal of this phase is to alleviate distress, allowing you to recall the trauma without being overwhelmed by negative emotions.
Installation: In the fifth phase of EMDR therapy, your therapist will work with you to replace negative beliefs stemming from the trauma with empowering, positive beliefs about yourself (e.g., "I am worthy" or "I am not a bad person").
Body scan: In the sixth phase of EMDR therapy, you’ll tune into your body to identify any lingering physical sensations related to the trauma (e.g., tightness in your chest or tension in your shoulders).
Closure: In the seventh phase of EMDR therapy, your EMDR therapist will work with you to develop a plan for managing any lingering symptoms so that they do not conflict with your daily life.
Revaluation: In this last phase of EMDR therapy, you and your EMDR therapist will review your progress and determine if any additional sessions are needed based on your target and goals.
Los Angeles EMDR Therapy Healing Stories
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![a smiling man rolling a suitcase down an airplane boarding tunnel representing someone who has overcome a phobia with EMDR therapy los angeles]()
Jake: Overcoming Fear Of Flying
Jake* used to LOVE traveling in his early 20s, but over time he developed a debilitating fear of flying. He would do just about anything to avoid going on a plane, and would be panicked for days ahead of time if he had to fly. He would obsess about how much turbulence the plane was going to experience, looking up the weather in the flight path, and debating driving for days instead of taking a short flight.
Jake did a few online EMDR sessions and with the help of his EMDR therapist, identified a specific flight with bad turbulence that marked the start of his fear of flying. He processed the feeling of turbulence and fear of dying with his EMDR therapist. The EMDR processing was very intense, and he really felt like he was in a plane he thought was about to go down. After processing, he was tired and had a little headache, but otherwise felt fine.
A few days later, he wanted to test if the EMDR therapy had worked, so he booked a short flight to see a friend. He was a little anxious while booking the flight, but was able to sleep in the nights before his trip. He was absolutely thrilled to discover that his fear of flying had decreased significantly. Jake now travels frequently and rarely gets anxious about flights.
* Names and identifying information have been changed.
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![a child peeking up from behind a white pillow representing someone who has witnessed domestic violence and healed from the trauma with a los angeles emdr therapist]()
Geneva: Healing The Long Term Effects of Witnessing Domestic Violence
Geneva* grew up in a household where she witnessed her parents fighting frequently. Sometimes these fights would get physical, and she felt like no one was watching out for her or protecting her.
As an adult, she found herself feeling constantly hypervigilant and unsafe, even though she had a successful career and good friends. Her hypervigilance was especially difficult when dating, as she wasn't sure she was capable of having a safe, sustained, and healthy partnership. She would get panicked and overwhelmed and shut down, ghosting on people she actually liked because the thought of getting into a relationship was too scary. She sometimes felt like she was a little girl, even though she had all the trappings of a successful adult life.
Geneva did online EMDR therapy for six months and processed multiple incidents from her childhood that contributed to her feeling unsafe. Over time, she started feeling more open to dating, and more confident in communicating what she wanted and needed in a partnership. Today, she is happily partnered and rarely feels those feelings of panic and overwhelm, and never feels like she suddenly became a little girl again.
* Names and identifying information have been changed.
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![an image of a woman's arm outstretched with a cluster of flowers taped to her wrist representing someone who has healed from medical trauma through trauma therapy with a los angeles EMDR therapist]()
Sarah: Healing Medical Trauma
Sarah* had a scary medical incident where she was in the ER for hours, in pain, and fading in and out of consciousness. Doctors and nurses couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. They performed many uncomfortable tests, all of which came back negative. She eventually stabilized enough to go home, but avoided hospitals and anything that reminded her of her experience for a long time. She didn't trust medical professionals and didn't like to be reminded of being so scared and uncomfortable.
Sarah did a few months of EMDR therapy in Los Angeles and wasn't sure if it had been helpful. She noticed she wasn't upset when she thought about her ER visit anymore, but other than that couldn't feel any difference. Then, one day she realized that she had scheduled her annual physical without getting panicked about going to the hospital. When she arrived for her appointment, she was surprised that she didn't feel anxious or distrustful. While she doesn't look forward to medical appointments, she doesn't dread them either, and can take care of her health without feeling like she's back in the ER in agony again.
* Names and identifying information have been changed.
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![a woman with dark curly hair with her arms outstretched in front of a cloudy ocean landscape representing someone who has overcome rape or sexual assault through EMDR therapy los angeles]()
Emily: Healing Sexual Trauma
Emily* used to have a robust and satisfying sex life. But she experienced a traumatic event that haunted her, manifesting as PTSD symptoms after a sexual trauma. For years, she battled the effects of anxiety, nightmares, and flashbacks. But Emily's like got easier hen she started working with an EMDR therapist.
With healthy skepticism, Emily started online EMDR therapy. In the safety of her own home, Emily confronted her trauma, untangling the emotions and beliefs that her trauma caused.
Over the course of her online EMDR sessions, Emily faced her darkest memories, guided by her EMDR therapist. The intensity of her nightmares lessened, and the intrusive thoughts began to fade. As she progressed, Emily also gained a newfound sense of empowerment and self-compassion. She shed the weight of shame and guilt that had burdened her for years.
While the trauma will always be a part of her story, Emily has learned to wield it as a source of strength rather than a defining factor. Her recovery has empowered her to face the future filled with hope and renewed purpose. She even started loving sex again! Emily's story can be yours too. With the right support and EMDR therapy, you can reclaim your life and rebuild your sense of self after even the most harrowing of experiences.
* Names and identifying information have been changed.
EMDR for Teens
Teenagers face specific challenges on their journey to adulthood, often encountering real-world struggles for the first time without the coping skills adults typically have. EMDR therapy is an excellent option for helping teens handle these difficulties. Their natural neuroplasticity means they often reprocess trauma much faster than adults. Our resourcing-focused approach equips teens with tools to manage social pressures, life challenges, trauma, and anxiety. EMDR therapy empowers them to process emotions safely and build lifelong coping strategies, promoting emotional resilience and well-being.
Quiz: Could You Benefit From Working With a Los Angeles EMDR Therapist?
Our Trauma-Informed and Holistic Therapy Services in California & Florida
Discover the possibilities of online therapy at Laurel Therapy Collective. Our dedicated team of therapists is well-versed in addressing a wide range of mental health issues, ensuring tailored support for each person. From anxiety to LGBTQ concerns, couples' therapy, therapy for lawyers, holistic therapy, EMDR therapy, trauma therapy, therapy for burnout, and the challenges faced by teenagers, we've got you covered. We serve Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and all of California and Florida. Our approach is rooted in affirming your identity, promoting anti-racism, body positivity, and sex positivity. You deserve to reclaim your happiness and find comfort in your own skin.