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While treating common mental health conditions like PTSD can be effective with traditional therapy methods, the basic approaches may not be suitable for every patient’s needs. This need for alternative treatment helps underscore the importance of EMDR therapy California residents can access for PTSD, anxiety, depression, phobias, addiction issues, and other conditions connected to distressing life experiences.
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, has shown impressive treatment results, with a study finding that 84% to 90% of single-trauma victims no longer had PTSD after three 90-minute EMDR sessions. As an alternative form of mental health treatment, EMDR therapy is not suitable for every patient, but the proven benefits of helping people with deep-rooted emotional trauma demonstrate its value as an effective therapy approach.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a psychotherapy approach primarily designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. Developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro, it has become an evidence-based treatment increasingly used for mental health conditions.
The therapy is based on the idea that when a traumatic or distressing experience occurs, it may overwhelm normal coping mechanisms, leaving the memory improperly processed and stored in an isolated memory network.
EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories, reducing their lingering effects. The therapy helps patients develop new perspectives on past experiences and current triggers, ultimately reducing distress and creating more adaptive coping mechanisms.
A key element of EMDR therapy is bilateral stimulation. The therapist directs the patient to move their eyes from side to side or may use alternating hand taps or auditory tones while the client recalls distressing material.
This dual attention during bilateral stimulation allows the brain to process the traumatic memory differently, reducing its emotional intensity and helping to integrate it into normal memory networks. The underlying mechanism appears to be similar to what happens during REM sleep, when the brain naturally processes emotions and experiences.
The therapy follows a structured eight-phase protocol that includes history-taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation of positive beliefs, body scan, closure, and reevaluation.
EMDR therapy prioritizes a person’s past, present, and future equally, focusing on unsettling recollections from the past and associated experiences. It addresses current distressing events and cultivates the abilities and mindsets necessary for future success using an eight-phase treatment strategy. The patient will concentrate on a distressing memory while monitoring the therapist’s hand motions.
EMDR experts help you process your memories using this bilateral stimulation, which connects to REM sleep processes. Every session of bilateral stimulation lasts for approximately 25 seconds. The therapist will recommend deep breaths and give feedback on one’s progress during the previous round of eye movements after every set.
Therapists can also change the time, pace, and type of stimulation based on how aggressively one adapts to the trauma. Unlike conventional PTSD therapies, EMDR heals mental scars while transforming them into personal empowerment.
Therapists can incorporate EMDR with other treatments to address the following:
Insurance coverage for treatment for mental health in California will vary based on specific insurance plans and providers, but in many cases, EMDR therapy is covered by insurance.
Most major insurance providers will cover EMDR therapy when it’s used to treat diagnosed conditions like PTSD, anxiety disorders, or depression, particularly since EMDR is recognized as an evidence-based treatment.
The key factors that typically determine coverage include:
To determine if your insurance covers EMDR:
Even without insurance coverage, some EMDR therapists offer sliding scale fees or payment plans to make treatment more accessible.
EMDR therapy during outpatient mental health treatment in California is generally appropriate for a wide range of patients experiencing various mental health conditions. It’s particularly effective for:
EMDR may be appropriate for both adults and children (typically over age 6). The therapy has been adapted for use with children using age-appropriate techniques.
However, EMDR may not be suitable for everyone. Caution is often recommended for individuals with:
The appropriateness of EMDR should always be determined through a thorough assessment by a qualified mental health professional who can evaluate individual needs and circumstances. Some people may need stabilization work and coping skills development before beginning EMDR processing.
The benefits of EMDR therapy in California are similar to those available elsewhere, with some specific advantages due to California’s mental health landscape.
EMDR therapy offers powerful clinical benefits, including rapid relief from trauma symptoms, reduced emotional distress, improved self-image, and decreased psychological reactivity to triggers. Research shows it can effectively treat PTSD in fewer sessions than many traditional therapies, with results that tend to be maintained long-term.
In California specifically, patients benefit from:
Many California mental health treatment centers also offer EMDR along with complementary approaches like mindfulness, somatic experiencing, and other trauma-informed therapies that are particularly prevalent in the state.
The therapist determines potential targets for EMDR treatment while also determining a patient’s readiness and creating a care plan. These include emotional-distressing experiences and present-day circumstances or connected historical occurrences. If the patient had a tough upbringing, initial EMDR processing focuses on childhood experiences instead of adult-onset stresses or the identified occurrence.
In most cases, patients understand their circumstances, the emotional anguish subsides, and they change their behavior. The number of events and the age at which PTSD first appeared also determine the duration of treatment. Adults having single-event trauma could heal in less than five hours, while victims of several traumatic events might need more time.
For patients struggling to overcome mental health conditions like PTSD and needing alternative forms of therapy, Moment of Clarity provides EMDR therapy as part of a comprehensive trauma recovery approach. Our all-inclusive mental health programs combine EMDR with life skills coaching, 12-step programs, and individual and group counseling sessions.
We ensure successful outcomes by tailoring treatment to each patient’s unique needs and circumstances. Our team is committed to helping you or your loved one overcome traumatic experiences that have been causing distress.
Our evidence-based treatments are designed to support your healing journey through a personalized, multi-faceted treatment approach. For help finding EMDR therapy California residents can access, call Moment of Clarity at 949-625-0564 today.
