EMDR at MyNeuPath Long Beach
EMDR for PTSD, complex trauma, and the symptoms talking has not been enough for.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured, evidence-based therapy for PTSD, complex trauma, anxiety, grief, and phobias. It uses bilateral stimulation — commonly side-to-side eye movements, tactile taps, or auditory tones — while a trained therapist guides you through targeted memories. The goal is not to erase the memory, but to reduce the charge it carries.
How EMDR works
EMDR is built on the premise that traumatic memories can stay neurologically "unfiled" — replaying in fragments, triggering body reactions out of proportion to the present moment, and resisting the kind of integration that ordinary memories undergo over time. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (the most familiar form is following the therapist's fingers with your eyes side-to-side) while gently revisiting the difficult memory. Over multiple sessions, the brain reprocesses the memory; what stays is the recollection itself, with less of the body alarm.
EMDR is not hypnosis. You stay awake, in control, and can pause at any time. The therapist's job is to maintain the safe structure of the work, not to push you through anything you are not ready for. The bilateral stimulation is the engine; the preparation, pacing, and integration are what makes the work safe and durable.
The eight phases of EMDR
Standard EMDR has eight phases, established by the developer Francine Shapiro and codified by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). The number of sessions per phase varies by patient — some phases may take one session, others several.
History and treatment planning
The therapist gathers your history and identifies the memories, beliefs, and present-day triggers that will be targets.
Preparation
Stabilization skills and self-regulation tools so you can manage activation between sessions.
Assessment
Identifying the specific image, negative belief, body sensation, and emotional charge associated with each target memory.
Desensitization
The active reprocessing phase. Bilateral stimulation while the target memory is held in mind. This is where the charge starts to shift.
Installation
Strengthening the positive belief that replaces the original negative belief about the target memory.
Body scan
Checking for any residual physical tension or activation around the target memory.
Closure
Ending each session in a stable state, with clear plans for between-session self-care.
Reevaluation
At the start of each subsequent session, reviewing what shifted and what targets remain.
Who EMDR is for
EMDR has the strongest evidence base for PTSD, where it is endorsed by the World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a first-line trauma treatment. It is commonly used for:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — combat trauma, sexual assault, motor-vehicle accidents, medical trauma, childhood trauma.
- Complex trauma — sustained or repeated trauma, often beginning early in life.
- Anxiety disorders — when symptoms are connected to specific past experiences or activation patterns.
- Grief and bereavement — especially complicated grief that has not resolved with time and ordinary support.
- Phobias — especially trauma-rooted phobias.
- Performance anxiety and stuck patterns — sometimes addressed when the patient is otherwise stable but a specific area remains blocked.
EMDR is generally not the first step in active crisis or active substance dependence — stabilization comes first.
EMDR alongside other treatments
MyNeuPath is set up to coordinate EMDR with the other treatment paths we offer, when that combination is clinically appropriate:
- EMDR + TMS: TMS can reduce overall depressive symptom intensity; EMDR can address specific trauma material the patient is now better able to engage with.
- EMDR + ketamine or Spravato: Ketamine sessions can create a window of greater neural flexibility; EMDR in the days following a session can use that window for trauma processing work.
- EMDR + medication management: Standard SSRIs, SNRIs, or other psychiatric medications generally remain in place during EMDR; the therapy does not interfere with medication.
[CONFIRM: which licensed clinician(s) at MyNeuPath deliver EMDR, their EMDRIA training level, and whether they specialize in particular trauma populations.]
Evidence base
EMDR is one of the most-studied psychotherapy approaches for PTSD. Randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses consistently support its efficacy for PTSD; it appears in first-line treatment recommendations in major clinical guidelines including those of the WHO, APA, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs / Department of Defense. The evidence base for other indications (anxiety, grief, phobias) is more variable but generally supportive.
Every clinical claim on this page is anchored in published peer-reviewed primary literature and clinical-society guidelines. We do not cite wellness-industry marketing aggregates. Ask your clinician for specific citations at evaluation.