EMDR Therapy in Los Angeles: 7 Things to Know Before Your First Session

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR is a structured psychological treatment developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s.³ Originally designed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it has since expanded to address a broad spectrum of trauma-related conditions and has become one of the most extensively studied trauma therapies in the field.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR treatment doesn’t require you to walk through every painful detail of a traumatic experience. Instead, it works directly with how your brain has stored the event, helping to reduce the emotional weight attached to it and ease the hold it has on your daily life.

What Is EMDR Therapy Used For?

EMDR is used to treat conditions that stem from traumatic or difficult life experiences, including mental health disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders. For some people who have tried conventional therapy without noticeable relief, this approach can feel meaningfully different—with results often coming sooner than expected.

How EMDR Therapy Works

EMDR treatment follows a methodical eight-phase process—a feature that sets it apart from less structured approaches to trauma work. Each phase serves a specific clinical purpose, and none are skipped.

The EMDR Process Step-by-Step

Treatment works by guiding the brain through all eight phases to help it reprocess traumatic memories so they are stored in a way that no longer triggers overwhelming distress. Here’s a look at what each step involves:⁴

1. History-Taking and Treatment Planning

   Your therapist learns about your history, identifies triggering memories to target, and creates a personalized treatment plan.

2. Preparation

   You and your therapist begin building rapport and establishing a safe foundation for care. If emotions become too intense during or between sessions, you’ll learn techniques to re-stabilize.

3. Assessment

   You identify the target memory and pinpoint the negative belief attached to it. From there, you choose a positive belief to replace it moving forward. For example, “I am not safe” may shift to “I am now safe.”

4. Desensitization

   This is the core of EMDR. While holding the memory in your mind, you follow a series of bilateral stimulation cues. They typically include side-to-side eye movements, but tapping or auditory tones are also sometimes used. Sets are repeated until the memory’s distress level drops noticeably.

5. Installation

   The positive belief identified in the assessment phase is reinforced and strengthened in connection with the original memory.

6. Body Scan

   At this phase, you check for any lingering physical discomfort or tension tied to the original memory. If it is present, you’ll address it before the session closes.

7. Closure

   Sessions always close with grounding and stabilization, so you never leave feeling raw or destabilized.

8. Reevaluation

   At the start of each new session, your therapist checks in on the previously processed experience and adjusts your care plan accordingly.

The bilateral stimulation used for desensitization is believed to activate the brain’s natural information-processing system. Similar to what occurs during REM sleep, this process allows distressing memories to be integrated—not stored in a way that keeps the nervous system on alert.⁵

How Many EMDR Sessions Does It Take to See Results?

There’s no universal timeline, and results vary from person to person. Research suggests that some people experience meaningful relief in as few as 6–12 sessions for a single-event trauma.⁶ For complex or long-term trauma, more time may be beneficial.

What Conditions Does EMDR Treat?

Beyond EMDR for trauma, it’s now used across a range of conditions that share a common thread: unresolved painful experiences that continue to shape how a person thinks, feels, and functions. Research suggests EMDR may be effective for:⁷

• Anxiety and panic disorders, including generalized anxiety and specific phobias
• Depression, particularly when rooted in unresolved adverse experiences
• Grief and complicated bereavement, especially following sudden, traumatic, or otherwise difficult-to-process loss
• Substance use disorder, particularly when trauma underlies or fuels addictive patterns
• Childhood trauma and complex PTSD, including abuse, neglect, and adverse childhood experiences

EMDR doesn’t discriminate by the type or severity of your experience. You don’t need to have survived a single catastrophic event to benefit. It’s equally useful for chronic stressors, repeated adverse experiences, and developmental trauma.

Does EMDR Really Work for PTSD?

Yes. EMDR for PTSD is supported by decades of research and endorsed by major health organizations. Multiple controlled studies⁸ have found EMDR to be as effective as other first-line PTSD treatments, including Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).⁹ In some cases, EMDR is more efficient, often achieving comparable results in fewer sessions and with less required homework.

Your First EMDR Session: What to Expect

For many people, uncertainty about what a session actually feels like is a barrier to starting therapy. The good news: early sessions tend to be less dramatic than you might expect—and that’s by design.

What Happens During an EMDR Session?

During an EMDR session, you’ll sit with your therapist and, after identifying the target memory, engage in sets of bilateral stimulation while briefly holding that memory in awareness. Sessions typically run 60 to 90 minutes.

Generally, the first appointment focuses on Phases 1 and 2: history-taking and preparation. It’s essential to establish this groundwork and provide the tools to handle whatever surfaces before you begin active reprocessing. From there, subsequent sessions follow the phase progression outlined above, moving through desensitization, installation, body scan, and closure at a pace that’s guided by your responses.

Is EMDR Therapy Painful or Re-Traumatizing?

No. EMDR is not designed to re-traumatize. A skilled therapist takes care to ensure you feel safe at every step of the process. With that said, it’s possible to experience strong emotions, physical sensations, or vivid memories during reprocessing. These are signs that the work is happening.

It’s also normal to feel tired after a session, and you may notice difficult material surfacing between appointments. This is why preparation and closure phases are built into every session. EMDR therapy is structured to protect you and help ensure you’re not left in an activated state without tools and support.

Who Is a Good Candidate for EMDR Therapy?

Adults dealing with trauma-related symptoms may find EMDR beneficial, including those with PTSD, anxiety, depression, phobias, and co-occurring substance use disorder. People who have tried traditional talk therapy without good results may respond well to EMDR’s more direct approach. The first step is a thorough clinical assessment to determine if EMDR therapy is the right fit given your history, current stability, and overall treatment goals.

EMDR for Addiction and Co-Occurring Disorders

Trauma and addiction rarely happen alone. For individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorder, unresolved traumatic experiences are more than background context. They can be a leading driver of why use began and why it’s difficult to stop.

EMDR vs. CBT: What’s the Difference?

EMDR and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are frequently used together as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, but they work very differently.

CBT focuses on identifying and restructuring distorted thought patterns through guided exercises and between-session practice. EMDR works more directly with the stored memory itself. Instead of changing the beliefs around a traumatic event, it helps the brain reprocess the memory until the distressing beliefs are naturally resolved.

How Does EMDR Help With Addiction Recovery?

EMDR and addiction recovery are closely linked because of the unresolved trauma that often underlies or sustains substance use disorder.

Research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) confirms the connection between trauma and addiction.¹⁰ People with a history of adverse childhood experiences, violence, or chronic stress face a significantly higher risk of developing substance use disorder, with unresolved trauma as a major factor in relapse.

The mechanism here matters. Substance use often begins as a way to manage unbearable feelings tied to unprocessed experiences. The substance brings brief relief, temporarily quieting hypervigilance, numbing pain, and making it possible to function. Over time, use escalates, and the consequences grow. Relationships become strained, health problems develop, and lives are disrupted. These new wounds start compounding the original hurts, and the cycle becomes self-reinforcing.

When EMDR is integrated into a behavioral health program, it interrupts that cycle at the source. Instead of treating addiction first and addressing trauma recovery later, a well-coordinated program uses EMDR alongside other evidence-based modalities.

EMDR Therapy at AM Health Care Los Angeles

Los Angeles EMDR therapists at AM Health Care integrate EMDR therapy across a full care continuum that includes inpatient and outpatient treatment, along with aftercare. It’s not offered as a standalone service. It’s woven into individualized treatment plans built around each person’s unique history, goals, and clinical needs.

Every program operates under the direct medical oversight of Medical Director Dr. Siri Sat Khalsa, MD. AM Health Care is licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services and holds Joint Commission accreditation—the Gold Seal of Approval. These designations reflect the highest standard of clinical oversight that protects every person in care, at every level of need, without judgment.

Is EMDR Covered by Insurance in California?

Many major insurance plans cover EMDR therapy when it’s provided as part of a clinically supervised treatment program. Coverage varies by plan, and AM Health Care’s admissions team can help you verify benefits before you begin.

Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy

Content reviewed by Siri Sat Khalsa, MD for clinical accuracy on May 21, 2026. Written by Stacey Pino. This information is educational and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified professional.