EMDR THERAPY SAN FRANCISCO
Integrative, grounded, and science-backed trauma therapy
Trauma healing starts with asking for help.
We’re glad you’re here.
Recognizing the Signs of Trauma
Does any of this sound familiar?
You feel constantly on edge, like your body never really relaxes
Your emotional or physical reactions feel much bigger than the situation calls for
Unwanted memories or flashbacks pop up when you least expect them
You struggle with anxiety or panic that seems hard to control
Restless nights, vivid dreams, or ongoing sleep issues
It’s difficult to trust yourself or others, or to believe that good things can last
If so, you may be experiencing the lingering effects of trauma. The good news is that these symptoms are completely treatable. With the help of a skilled trauma therapist in San Francisco, you can calm your nervous system, process past experiences, and start feeling safe in your body again.
Our San Francisco trauma therapy services are designed to help you heal from the inside out. Gently, effectively, and completely.
How We Heal Trauma With EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a research-backed approach to trauma therapy that helps your brain safely process painful memories and reduce their emotional intensity.
Whether you’ve experienced medical trauma, a challenging childhood, sexual trauma, or ongoing stress from major life events, EMDR therapy in San Francisco can help calm the emotional charge tied to those experiences.
With the guidance of an experienced EMDR therapist in San Francisco, you’ll learn to separate current triggers from past pain, allowing your nervous system to finally relax. Many clients describe feeling lighter, clearer, and more present as therapy progresses.
We combine the science of EMDR with a human, client-centered approach to help you rebuild safety, balance, and confidence in your daily life.
What EMDR Therapy Can Help With
For decades, EMDR therapy has helped people recover from a wide variety of painful and overwhelming experiences. Our San Francisco EMDR therapists use this proven approach to support clients healing from:
Car accidents and other sudden traumas
Sexual assault and boundary violations
Medical procedures or health-related trauma
Emotional wounds caused by neglect or abuse
Experiences of veterans, healthcare workers, and first responders
Disasters such as wildfires, earthquakes, or other crises affecting Bay Area communities
Panic attacks, intense fears, or specific phobias
…and many other forms of trauma that continue to affect your mind and body long after the event itself.
With the right EMDR therapist in San Francisco, these memories can lose their emotional intensity, allowing you to move forward with a sense of calm, clarity, and safety.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
At its core, EMDR therapy helps your brain process painful or overwhelming experiences so you can finally move forward without being pulled back into the past. When you go through something distressing—like a car accident, a painful breakup, or the ongoing stress of city life—your nervous system can get stuck in “survival mode.”
EMDR therapy in San Francisco uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or gentle sounds) to help your brain reprocess these memories safely and effectively. It might sound unusual at first, but decades of neuroscience and clinical research confirm that EMDR truly works.
This approach is best known for treating PTSD, but it’s also highly effective for anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, depression, and other challenges rooted in unresolved experiences. What makes EMDR unique is that it promotes real, lasting healing—not just temporary relief. Many of our San Francisco EMDR clients describe feeling lighter, calmer, and genuinely free from the pain that once felt overwhelming.
Our San Francisco EMDR Therapists
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Alexis Harney, LMFT
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Daniella Mohazab, AMFT
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Laurel van der Toorn, LMFT
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All our San Francisco EMDR therapists have all completed an EMDRIA-approved training program and participate in ongoing professional consultation with EMDRIA-approved and certified consultants and expert trainers to ensure we offer our clients the best care. Many of our EMDR therapists are in the (lengthy) process of EMDRIA certification themselves.
Why Choose Us For EMDR Therapy?
We take preparation seriously.
Before beginning trauma reprocessing, our priority is ensuring you feel fully supported and resourced. Trauma therapy can be emotionally demanding, but thoughtful preparation is key to enhancing your ability to manage it effectively. Many clients come to us after previous experiences with EMDR therapy where they didn’t receive enough grounding beforehand; our approach is intentionally different.
We specialize in complex trauma and attachment repair.
Not all trauma is a single event. Our trauma therapy team understands that trauma often unfolds over time and in relationships. Our EMDR therapists in San Francisco are trained in advanced methods for healing complex trauma, attachment wounds, and long-term patterns of emotional pain.
Our EMDR therapists are lifelong learners.
EMDR is a powerful and nuanced modality whose applications continue to evolve with new research. Our San Francisco EMDR therapists participate in regular professional consultations and advanced trainings to refine their skills and integrate the most up-to-date trauma-informed approaches. This commitment ensures that every client receives high-quality, compassionate, and evidence-based care.
Imagine not feeling bothered by a reminder of your trauma.
EMDR therapy makes that possible.
Experience Safety in Your Body Again with San Francisco EMDR Therapy
San Francisco EMDR therapist Alexis Harney, LMFT explains how EMDR therapy can heal trauma.
Why EMDR Therapy Works
Research consistently shows that EMDR therapy helps the brain activate its natural healing ability. Just as your body knows how to mend a broken bone or recover from an infection (with the right support), your brain can also repair the emotional impact of trauma. Sometimes, it just needs a little help from an EMDR therapist to do so.
During EMDR therapy, bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds) encourages the brain to reprocess difficult memories so they can be stored like any other life event, rather than replaying as if the danger is still happening. This process helps your nervous system recognize that the event is over, allowing you to feel calmer and safer in the present.
While what happened to you can’t be undone, EMDR therapy helps you experience real relief: feeling grounded, whole, and at peace within yourself again.
We can’t change what happened, but we can change how you feel about it.
Benefits of EMDR Therapy In San Francisco
Real-Time, Personalized Support
One of the most powerful aspects of EMDR therapy is that it adapts moment by moment to your nervous system’s responses. Your San Francisco EMDR therapist continually adjusts pacing and techniques to meet your emotional state in real time, ensuring that each session feels both effective and manageable.
A Strong, Trust-Based Connection
Healing from trauma requires safety and trust. That’s why our San Francisco trauma therapists spend significant time in preparation and resourcing before reprocessing begins. This foundation creates a deeper therapeutic relationship, allowing you to explore painful experiences without feeling overwhelmed.
Therapy That Fits You
Every person’s story, and every trauma, is different. Your treatment is customized to your background, current challenges, and goals for healing. We recognize that living and working in the Bay Area brings its own pressures, and your treatment plan will reflect those realities.
Faster, Lasting Results
Many clients find EMDR therapy to be more efficient than traditional talk therapy. Because it works directly with the brain’s memory networks, change often happens more quickly. While it’s not a shortcut, the structured nature of EMDR helps clients experience noticeable relief and progress within a shorter time frame.
The Top Questions People Ask Our San Francisco EMDR Therapists About EMDR Therapy
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EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a form of trauma therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer feel overwhelming. When facilitated by a trained EMDR therapist in San Francisco, the goal is to reduce emotional distress while keeping the valuable insights and personal growth you’ve gained from your experiences.
Dr. Francine Shapiro first discovered EMDR therapy in the 1980s while walking through a park in Brooklyn. She noticed that moving her eyes side to side seemed to lessen her emotional reaction to distressing thoughts. That observation led to decades of research and the development of what we now know as EMDR—a scientifically supported trauma therapy that helps people recover from events that once felt unmanageable.
Today, EMDR therapy is used to help clients process trauma from car accidents, medical events, childhood experiences, or workplace burnout. Over time, it helps you feel calmer, more centered, and better able to respond to stress.
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Although EMDR was originally designed for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), research now shows it can help with many concerns, including:
C-PTSD and attachment wounds
Anxiety and panic attacks
Depression and grief
Chronic pain or somatic symptoms
Phobias and obsessive-compulsive patterns
Addictions and disordered eating
Performance anxiety and perfectionism
Many clients seeking trauma therapy in San Francisco come to EMDR after trying talk therapy and feeling “stuck.” EMDR helps shift what traditional approaches sometimes can’t reach.
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Unlike talk therapy, which focuses primarily on insight and discussion, EMDR therapy works directly with the brain’s memory and emotional processing networks. It uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sound tones) to help your nervous system release the emotional charge of distressing experiences.
At Laurel Therapy Collective in San Francisco, we spend ample time preparing clients before reprocessing begins. A skilled EMDR therapist won’t rush into trauma work—they’ll first make sure you have the resources and stability to process safely.
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EMDR sessions vary depending on where you are in the eight-phase process. Early sessions might focus on developing coping skills and building trust with your therapist. Once reprocessing begins, your EMDR therapist will guide you through identifying a target memory, noticing body sensations, and engaging in bilateral stimulation.
Clients often describe EMDR sessions as intense but deeply healing. As your brain reprocesses painful memories, distress decreases, and new, more adaptive beliefs take hold.
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It depends on the complexity of your history and your goals for treatment. Some clients experience significant relief in a handful of sessions; others, especially those with complex trauma, benefit from a longer process.
Your San Francisco EMDR therapist will collaborate with you to create a plan that supports your nervous system’s capacity for healing. After a few sessions, they’ll have a better sense of your pace and progress.
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You won’t have to retell every detail. EMDR therapy requires you to recall certain memories, but you can keep much of the story private. A well-trained trauma therapist in San Francisco will ensure you’re equipped with grounding tools and emotional regulation strategies before any reprocessing begins.
While it can be uncomfortable, many clients describe EMDR as a profound relief, like walking out of a long, dark tunnel into light and calm.
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Yes. EMDR therapy has been validated by decades of research and is recognized by the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, and the Department of Veterans Affairs as an effective trauma treatment. Many San Francisco trauma therapy clients find EMDR to be the missing link in their healing after other approaches plateaued.
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Absolutely. Virtual EMDR therapy works beautifully when guided by a trained EMDR therapist. Many of our San Francisco EMDR therapy clients choose telehealth for convenience, privacy, and accessibility without sacrificing results.
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After EMDR sessions, people often report feeling lighter, emotionally calmer, or even pleasantly tired. You might notice continued processing for a day or two. Rest, a walk through Golden Gate Park, a quiet picnic at Ocean Beach, or journaling, can help support your nervous system.
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When EMDR therapy is completed properly, its effects are long-lasting. If old feelings resurface, that usually means another memory with a similar theme needs to be processed. Your San Francisco EMDR therapist will help identify and reprocess those related memories so that you can achieve full closure.
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Look for an EMDRIA-trained EMDR therapist who participates in ongoing consultation and continuing education. Our San Francisco EMDR therapist provide trauma-informed, personalized care to help clients heal from stress, anxiety, and burnout.
We believe EMDR therapy should feel safe, collaborative, and deeply human, not mechanical.
If you’re ready to begin EMDR therapy in San Francisco, schedule a free 20-minute consultation today.
What Issues Can EMDR Address?
Living and working in San Francisco comes with its own mix of pressures: career demands, major tech industry shifts, relationship stress, and the emotional toll of constant change. EMDR therapy is a flexible, evidence-based treatment that can support healing from a wide range of experiences, including:
PTSD from car accidents, violence, sexual trauma, or other distressing events
Anxiety, panic attacks, and chronic stress
Phobias or strong emotional reactions that feel out of proportion
Medical trauma or anxiety related to illness or treatment
Early attachment wounds or childhood trauma that still affect your relationships
Stress connected to major life transitions, work burnout, or loss
Performance anxiety and self-esteem issues common in fast-paced Bay Area industries
If any of these experiences sound familiar, working with a San Francisco EMDR therapist can help you release emotional pain and regain a sense of calm and confidence. With the right EMDR therapist, healing becomes not just possible, but sustainable.
The Eight Phases of EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy is a structured, evidence-based approach that unfolds over eight clearly defined phases. While many people associate EMDR solely with the eye movements or tapping used during bilateral stimulation, that’s actually just one part of a much broader process. Every phase plays a vital role in helping your brain reprocess and heal from trauma.
In the early stages, you’ll build a foundation of trust with your EMDR therapist and learn grounding tools to keep you centered and safe throughout your work. From there, your therapist will guide you in exploring your personal history to identify key experiences and patterns that still affect you today.
Once a sense of safety is established, the reprocessing work begins. Using gentle, guided bilateral stimulation, your brain learns to file painful memories away properly so they lose their emotional intensity. In the later phases, you’ll focus on strengthening new, positive beliefs about yourself and integrating those insights into daily life.
By the end of the process, most clients describe feeling lighter, calmer, and more resilient. EMDR therapy in San Francisco helps you move from simply surviving to truly living with a sense of balance and confidence.
Keep reading for an overview of each of the eight phases, or watch our EMDR therapists explain the process in this video.
Healing trauma transforms your life: relationships, health, productivity, and overall sense of balance and calm.
How does EMDR Therapy Work?
Breaking Down Bilateral Stimulation
EMDEMDR therapy is a powerful, research-backed approach to healing trauma. Its effectiveness comes from a process called bilateral stimulation—gentle, rhythmic side-to-side movement using eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds.
At first, it can seem a little strange, but the science is compelling. Bilateral stimulation activates both hemispheres of the brain, helping it form new neural pathways and process painful memories more efficiently. This allows your nervous system to “rewire” how it stores trauma so that past experiences no longer trigger overwhelming emotional reactions.
In short, EMDR therapy helps your brain do what it’s designed to do: heal. Over time, distressing memories lose their charge, and you regain a sense of calm, clarity, and control.
Curious about the research? You can learn more about how EMDR works through the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA).
How Bilateral Stimulation Works in Online EMDR Therapy
Online EMDR therapy offers the same effectiveness as in-person sessions with the added benefit of comfort and privacy. During virtual sessions, your San Francisco EMDR therapist will guide you through techniques like self-tapping or auditory tones played in alternating ears. The goal is to find the rhythm that feels most natural and effective for you.
Many clients appreciate the sense of safety that comes from doing trauma therapy at home, whether that means being near supportive pets, familiar surroundings, or favorite grounding tools. Logging in from your own space can make the process of reprocessing trauma more accessible and less stressful, especially in a busy city like San Francisco.
Online or in San Francisco, EMDR therapy provides a structured, compassionate way to release old pain and begin feeling at ease again.
FAQs: Trauma and EMDR Therapy in San Francisco
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Trauma can take many forms. It isn’t defined by what happened, but by how your brain and body experienced it. It might come from a single shocking event, years of chronic stress, a painful relationship, or even the pressure of a demanding workplace. When something overwhelms your ability to cope, your nervous system stores that experience as trauma.
Our San Francisco trauma therapists help clients understand how these memories are held in the brain and body, and how EMDR therapy can support healing. Whether your trauma stems from one event or a lifetime of stress, recovery begins with recognizing how it has shaped your sense of safety, and learning how to restore that balance.
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How Trauma Affects the Brain
Traumatic memories are stored in the brain differently than ordinary memories. A neutral event, like stopping by one of our favorite San Francisco independent book shops, usually fades into the background without triggering a reaction. But when something traumatic happens, your brain can store it with sensory and emotional intensity, making it feel as if the event is happening all over again. You might notice strong emotions, numbness, or physical sensations tied to the memory.
EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess these memories so they’re no longer experienced as threats. Over time, they become integrated, like any other memory, without producing overwhelming emotional or bodily responses.
We’ve seen this transformation countless times in our work. With the right support from a trained San Francisco EMDR therapist, clients rediscover a sense of calm, safety, and resilience. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
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It’s completely normal to struggle finding the words to describe what happened. Trauma often affects the parts of the brain responsible for language, making it hard to express thoughts, feelings, or body sensations. The good news is that EMDR therapy doesn’t require you to talk extensively about your experiences for it to work.
During sessions, your EMDR therapist helps you focus on the memory and your body’s reactions rather than on verbal details. Healing happens through the brain’s natural processing, not through retelling every part of the story. This means you can experience deep emotional relief without having to revisit painful memories out loud.
Our San Francisco EMDR therapists specialize in creating a safe, supportive environment where healing can unfold gently, at your own pace.
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Your EMDR therapist will begin by learning how trauma has shown up in your daily life: emotionally, physically, and relationally. From there, they’ll design a personalized plan tailored to your goals, pace, and comfort level.
Because every person’s healing journey is different, the process may look a little different for everyone. Still, the intention is always the same: to help your brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer feel threatening. Through EMDR therapy, your mind learns to store these experiences in a more adaptive, balanced way.
We’ve found San Francisco EMDR therapy clients respond especially well to this structured, evidence-based approach, often finding meaningful relief where other methods haven’t worked.
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No treatment—psychological or medical—works for every single person. That’s simply part of being human. Still, EMDR therapy has a high rate of success when a few key ingredients are in place:
Your Readiness
You feel willing (or almost willing) to face difficult emotions and memories. Even if you’re not completely ready, your San Francisco EMDR therapist can help you build the stability and confidence you need to begin that work safely.
Your Therapist’s Expertise
Your therapist’s training matters. Our San Francisco EMDR therapists have completed extensive, EMDRIA-approved training and participate in ongoing consultation with certified EMDR trainers to keep their skills sharp and current. Many of our trauma therapists are going through the lengthy certification process themselves.
The Therapeutic Relationship
Healing thrives in trust. Feeling understood and supported by your San Francisco EMDR therapist makes it easier to open up and stay present during trauma processing.
When these factors align, EMDR therapy can lead to lasting relief, resilience, and a sense of peace you may not have thought possible.
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Processing trauma should always be done with a licensed, specially trained professional—not alone or with someone unqualified. Trauma impacts the brain and nervous system in complex ways, and healing requires guidance from someone who truly understands those processes.
Our San Francisco trauma therapists have advanced clinical training in EMDR therapy. This means they’ve completed graduate-level education, specialized trauma training, and ongoing supervision to ensure you receive safe, evidence-based care.
Avoid attempting deep trauma work with a coach, an app, or anyone you don’t fully trust. With the right trauma therapist in San Francisco, you’ll have the professional expertise and emotional safety needed to heal effectively and sustainably.
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There are many effective, research-supported methods for healing trauma, and each has been refined through years of clinical study. But the research is pretty clear that EMDR therapy is highly effective. Thus, our primary trauma therapy method is EMDR therapy, an evidence-based approach proven to help the brain reprocess and release distressing memories.
Depending on your goals, your San Francisco trauma therapist may also incorporate somatic techniques or holistic strategies that support nervous system regulation and emotional balance. Every treatment plan is personalized; no two clients follow the exact same path.
If you ever have questions or want more clarity about your therapy process, we encourage open, ongoing dialogue with your EMDR therapist. Your voice, curiosity, and self-advocacy are essential parts of your healing journey.
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We completely understand the desire for a clear answer. It’s natural to want to know how long healing will take. The truth is, trauma affects each person’s brain and nervous system in unique ways, so there isn’t a single timeline that applies to everyone. Providing a “standard” estimate wouldn’t be ethical or accurate.
After you’ve had a few sessions, your EMDR therapist will have a better sense of your progress and can offer a more personalized idea of what to expect. Some clients notice meaningful shifts within weeks, while others benefit from a slower, steadier process. The pace our San Francisco EMDR therapy clients experience is always guided by safety, readiness, and your nervous system’s capacity for change.
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It’s normal for trauma therapy to feel intense at times, but occasionally it can seem like things are getting harder before they get better. Here are a few situations where that might happen, and how working with a skilled EMDR therapist can make all the difference:
Limited Coping Skills
If you haven’t yet developed effective self-soothing or grounding techniques, trauma processing can feel overwhelming. A qualified San Francisco trauma therapist will always begin by helping you strengthen these tools before diving into deeper work.
Ongoing Stress or Unsafe Environments
Healing is difficult when the source of trauma is still present, such as a toxic relationship, unsafe home, or unstable work situation. Your trauma therapy may initially focus on building safety and stability before addressing past experiences.
Moving Too Fast
We wish there was a magic wand to wave. But in the real world, trauma healing takes time. Processing too quickly or skipping preparatory steps can backfire. A skilled EMDR therapist will pace sessions according to your nervous system’s readiness.
Weak Therapeutic Connection
Trust is essential. Without a strong relationship with your therapist, the process can feel unsafe or unproductive. Our San Francisco EMDR therapists prioritize creating a compassionate, secure environment where you can heal at your own pace.
When safety, trust, pacing, and support are in place, EMDR therapy becomes a powerful, sustainable path toward real 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 Phases of EMDR Therapy Look Like?
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The first step in EMDR therapy involves gathering information about your background and the experiences that continue to affect you. Your San Francisco EMDR therapist will ask broad, thoughtful questions to understand your history, current challenges, and goals for healing.
This stage is essential. It helps your therapist identify potential trauma targets and create a treatment plan that feels both safe and effective. If the history-taking phase is rushed or skipped, it’s a sign you may not be receiving the comprehensive care needed for successful trauma therapy. A thorough, compassionate assessment lays the foundation for everything that follows in your EMDR therapy journey.
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In the second phase of EMDR therapy, your San Francisco EMDR therapist will help you build the tools and inner stability needed for trauma processing. This stage focuses on developing coping strategies, grounding skills, and self-soothing techniques that support emotional regulation during deeper work.
You’ll also identify “resources”: both internal strengths and external supports that can help you feel safe and steady throughout therapy. Depending on your needs, this phase may take a single session or several; there’s no rush. Proper preparation is what makes reprocessing safe and sustainable.
Skipping or rushing resourcing is never recommended. It’s the foundation that allows true healing to happen.
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During this stage, your EMDR therapist will help you identify which memories or experiences will become the focus of your trauma work. You’ll have an active role in deciding what to process first. Nothing happens without your consent.
Some clients have a single key memory to target, while others have several that are interconnected. In many cases, reprocessing one event can ease the intensity of others, creating what we call the “domino effect” of trauma healing. It’s one of the more satisfying things we get to witness as San Francisco trauma therapists.
Your therapist will guide this process with care, ensuring that each target chosen supports your overall healing and sense of safety.
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This stage is the heart of EMDR therapy. During desensitization, your EMDR therapist in San Francisco will guide you through the process of reprocessing specific traumatic memories using bilateral stimulation. In our practice, we often use gentle, alternating tapping on the arms or hands, though other forms—like visual or auditory stimulation—can be used depending on your comfort and needs.
The purpose of this phase is to gradually reduce the emotional intensity connected to those memories. Over time, you’ll be able to think about the event without feeling the same flood of distress or physical tension. This stage often marks a turning point, when clients begin to notice more calm, clarity, and emotional distance from painful experiences.
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In the fifth phase, your EMDR therapist helps you strengthen new, empowering beliefs to replace the negative ones formed by trauma. As your brain reprocesses painful experiences, there’s space to install positive, balanced perspectives—like “I am safe now,” “I am worthy,” or “I did the best I could.”
This stage is where much of the transformation in EMDR therapy happens. By pairing these new beliefs with the desensitized memory, your brain begins to store the experience in a way that supports healing rather than reinforcing pain. Many clients in our San Francisco trauma therapy practice describe this phase as deeply affirming—the point where old shame or fear starts giving way to genuine self-compassion and strength.
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Your San Francisco EMDR therapist will guide you to gently notice any lingering sensations in your body, like tightness in your chest, heaviness in your shoulders, or a knot in your stomach. These physical cues can signal that a small piece of the memory still holds tension or emotion that needs a bit more processing.
By tuning into these sensations with curiosity rather than judgment, your brain and body can complete the healing cycle. This step often brings clients a deep sense of relief as the body catches up with the mind, leaving them feeling lighter, calmer, and more grounded.
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Your San Francisco EMDR therapist will help you develop a plan to stay grounded and balanced between sessions. Not every memory or “target” can be fully processed in one sitting, so closure looks a little different depending on where you are in your work.
If a memory has been fully reprocessed, your therapist may guide you through calming techniques or reflections to help integrate the progress you’ve made. If there’s still some emotional charge left, they’ll help you identify self-care strategies to manage lingering sensations or thoughts safely.
This step is all about ensuring you leave each trauma therapy session feeling stable, supported, and prepared for what comes next in your healing journey.
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In the final phase of EMDR therapy, you and your EMDR therapist will review your overall progress and check in on the memories, or “targets,” that have been processed. Together, you’ll assess how those memories now feel, whether any distress remains, and how your new beliefs and coping tools are supporting you day to day.
This stage is also an opportunity to determine if additional sessions are needed to deepen or expand your healing. At Laurel Therapy Collective, we view reevaluation as an empowering step; it’s where you and your EMDR therapist celebrate your progress, reflect on your growth, and decide what meaningful next steps, if any, will help you continue to thrive.
San Francisco 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]()
Liam: Overcoming Fear Of Turbulence
Liam* had always loved exploring new places, but in his 40s, flying began to fill him with dread. What used to be an easy adventure became something he’d obsess over for weeks. He’d check turbulence reports, watch flight trackers, and lie awake imagining the worst. If travel couldn’t be avoided, he’d feel trapped in a spiral of anxiety leading up to takeoff.
Working with an EMDR therapist in San Francisco, Liam began to explore where this fear came from. During one session, he made an important connection known as a floatback. His mind connected the panic he felt on a turbulent flight years earlier to an even earlier memory: the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. At age 10, he’d been home alone when the shaking began, gripping a table while the room rattled around him. The feeling of helplessness during turbulence mirrored that same bodily terror from decades earlier.
Through EMDR, Liam was able to process the quake until it no longer carried the same emotional charge. He described feeling lighter, though physically tired, after each session.
A few weeks later, he booked a short flight to visit friends in Southern California. For the first time in years, he didn’t spend the days before in panic. The flight was smooth, and even when the plane hit a few bumps, his body stayed calm. Now, Liam travels regularly again, grateful to feel safe both on the ground and in the air.
* 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]()
Jasmine: Healing The Long Term Effects of Witnessing Domestic Violence
Jasmine* grew up in a home marked by constant tension. Arguments between her parents could escalate quickly, and she often felt unseen—like no one was paying attention to how scared or alone she felt.
As an adult, Jasmine built a life that looked steady and successful from the outside: a fulfilling career, close friendships, and plenty of interests. Yet beneath the surface, she lived with a quiet sense of fear. Intimate relationships were the hardest. Every time she started to feel close to someone, her body would tense, and she’d find herself pulling away or shutting down completely. Even when she wanted connection, her nervous system told her it wasn’t safe.
After several months of EMDR therapy in San Francisco, Jasmine began processing the memories that had shaped her sense of safety and trust. Gradually, her body felt calmer, and the walls she once put up began to soften. She started to recognize when fear was an old response rather than a reflection of the present moment.
Today, Jasmine is in a caring, stable partnership. The panic that once surfaced so easily has quieted, replaced with a steady confidence in her ability to stay present and connected.
* 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]()
Kelly: Healing Medical Trauma
Kelly* experienced a sudden medical emergency that left her rushed to the ER at UCSF Medical Center, disoriented and in severe pain. Hours passed as doctors ran test after test, none offering clear answers. Though she eventually stabilized enough to go home, the experience left her uneasy in hospitals, distrustful of medical staff, and triggered by anything that reminded her of that night.
After several months of EMDR therapy in San Francisco, Kelly began noticing subtle but meaningful changes. She no longer felt a spike of anxiety when passing the hospital on her commute or seeing ambulances downtown. The true turning point came when she scheduled her annual checkup without hesitation and realized she wasn’t panicking.
While medical visits still aren’t her favorite, they no longer bring flashbacks or fear. Today, she’s able to care for her health with confidence and calm.
* 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]()
Rachel: Healing Sexual Trauma
Rachel* had a comfortable, joyful connection to her body and sexuality, until a traumatic sexual assault changed everything. In the aftermath, she struggled with symptoms of PTSD: sleepless nights, intrusive memories, panic, and a constant feeling of disconnection from herself. She missed the parts of her life that once felt natural: intimacy, confidence, ease.
Cautious but hopeful, Rachel began EMDR therapy in San Francisco, working virtually from the safety of her own home. Guided by her San Francisco EMDR therapist, she began to process the layers of fear, shame, and grief she had carried for years. Each session helped her reclaim more of the sense of control and safety that trauma had stolen.
The process wasn’t quick or easy. There were tears, pauses, and moments of doubt. But slowly, the nightmares faded, the flashbacks softened, and her nervous system began to rest. More importantly, she started reconnecting with her body and her sense of worth.
Today, Rachel still remembers what happened, but it no longer defines her. She experiences intimacy with presence instead of panic, and self-compassion instead of shame. With the right support from a San Francisco EMDR therapist, healing is not only possible, but transformative.
* Names and identifying information have been changed.
EMDR for Teens in San Francisco
The teen years bring unique challenges: academic pressure, shifting friendships, family dynamics, and identity changes. Teens are still developing the emotional tools to handle them. EMDR therapy offers an effective, age-appropriate way to help teens process stress, trauma, and anxiety before those experiences become long-term patterns.
Because the adolescent brain is highly adaptable, San Francisco teens often experience faster progress with EMDR therapy than adults. Our San Francisco EMDR therapists use a resourcing-focused approach that helps teens build confidence, manage social stressors, and strengthen coping skills for life.
By combining emotional safety with evidence-based methods, EMDR therapy in San Francisco empowers teens to process big emotions, regulate their nervous systems, and develop resilience that lasts well into adulthood.
Quiz: Could You Benefit From Working With an EMDR Therapist in San Francisco?
Our Trauma-Informed and Holistic Therapy Services in California & Florida
Explore what’s possible through online therapy with Laurel Therapy Collective. Our compassionate team of licensed therapists offers personalized support for a wide range of mental health needs, from anxiety and burnout to trauma and relationship concerns. We provide EMDR therapy, trauma therapy, therapy for lawyers, Enneagram therapy, and LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy for queer and lesbian clients. We also specialize in therapy for young adults and teen therapy, helping clients build resilience and self-understanding at every stage of life. Serving San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, and all of California and Florida, our practice is rooted in values of inclusion, anti-racism, body positivity, and sex positivity. You deserve a space where you can feel seen, supported, and at home in your own skin. Healing and happiness are within reach.