EMDR Therapy in Orange County
Evidence-based trauma treatment to help you heal from PTSD, anxiety, and addiction. Our trained therapists guide you through safe, effective EMDR therapy.
Trauma doesn’t just live in your memories. It lives in your body, your nervous system, and the way you respond to the world around you. For people struggling with addiction, anxiety, depression, or PTSD, unresolved trauma often fuels the very patterns they’re trying to break.
At Asana Recovery, we offer EMDR therapy in Orange County as part of our comprehensive outpatient treatment programs. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy that helps your brain process traumatic memories so they no longer control your emotions and behaviors.
“Our approach to EMDR is thoughtful, phased, and integrated with other proven therapies. We don’t rush trauma work. We do it right.”
What Is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured psychotherapy developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It was originally designed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since then, EMDR has been validated for a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, phobias, and addiction.
The therapy uses bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements, but sometimes tapping or auditory tones — to help the brain reprocess distressing memories.
When trauma occurs, the memory can become “stuck” in your nervous system. It triggers intense emotional and physical reactions long after the event has passed. EMDR helps move these memories from the emotional part of the brain to a place where they can be stored as past events, rather than present threats.
Research shows that EMDR can produce results in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy for certain conditions. The World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, and the Department of Veterans Affairs all recognize EMDR as an effective treatment for trauma and PTSD.
Why EMDR for Addiction and Mental Health Treatment?
Addiction rarely exists in isolation. Studies consistently show that a significant percentage of people with substance use disorders have experienced trauma—whether childhood abuse, neglect, accidents, violence, or other overwhelming experiences. For many, substance use begins as a way to cope with the emotional pain that trauma creates.
This is why treating addiction without addressing underlying trauma often leads to relapse. You can learn all the coping skills in the world. But if your nervous system is still hijacked by unprocessed traumatic memories, those triggers will keep pulling you back toward old patterns.
EMDR offers a way to address the root cause. By reprocessing traumatic memories, EMDR can reduce the emotional charge that drives cravings, anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behaviors. When integrated into a comprehensive treatment program that includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and relapse prevention planning, EMDR becomes a powerful tool for lasting recovery.
Our Approach to EMDR at Asana Recovery
Not everyone is ready for EMDR on day one of treatment. At Asana Recovery, we take a phase-oriented approach that prioritizes safety and stability before diving into trauma processing.
Phase 1: Stabilization
Before beginning EMDR, our clinical team ensures you have the emotional regulation skills and support systems needed to safely process difficult material. This may include grounding techniques, distress tolerance skills from DBT, and building a strong therapeutic relationship with your treatment team.
Phase 2: Resourcing
We help you build internal resources—safe mental spaces, calming imagery, and self-soothing techniques—that you can access during and between EMDR sessions. These resources act as anchors, helping you stay grounded when processing brings up intense emotions.
Phase 3: Processing
Once you’re stabilized and resourced, we begin the active EMDR work. Using bilateral stimulation, your therapist guides you through targeted memories while monitoring your emotional state. The goal isn’t to forget what happened, but to change your relationship with those memories so they no longer trigger overwhelming distress.
Throughout this process, EMDR is integrated with your other therapies—not used in isolation. Your individual counseling, group therapy, and psychiatric care all work together to support your healing.
The Eight Phases of EMDR
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase protocol developed to ensure thorough and safe treatment:
- History Taking: Your therapist gathers information about your history, identifies target memories, and develops a treatment plan.
- Preparation: You learn about EMDR, what to expect, and develop coping strategies for managing emotional distress.
- Assessment: Together, you identify the specific memory to target, the negative belief associated with it, and the positive belief you want to develop.
- Desensitization: Using bilateral stimulation, you process the memory while your therapist guides you through sets of eye movements or other stimulation.
- Installation: The positive belief is strengthened and “installed” to replace the negative one.
- Body Scan: You scan your body for any remaining tension or discomfort related to the memory.
- Closure: Each session ends with stabilization techniques to ensure you leave feeling grounded and safe.
- Reevaluation: At the start of each new session, your therapist checks progress and determines next steps.
Who Can Benefit from EMDR?
EMDR has been extensively researched and shown effective for:
Is EMDR Right for Everyone?
While EMDR is highly effective, it isn’t appropriate for everyone at every stage of treatment. Our clinical team carefully assesses each person to determine readiness and timing.
- Are actively using substances (stabilization must come first)
- Have certain dissociative disorders that require specialized preparation
- Are in acute crisis or lack basic emotional regulation skills
- Have medical conditions that contraindicate the therapy
This careful screening is part of what makes our approach different. We’re committed to using EMDR when it will genuinely help—not as a one-size-fits-all solution. During your assessment, we’ll determine whether EMDR is appropriate for you now, later in treatment, or whether other trauma-informed approaches may be more beneficial.
EMDR in Our Outpatient Programs
At Asana Recovery, EMDR is integrated into our outpatient treatment programs, including:
Outpatient Treatment
Our standard outpatient level provides flexible scheduling for those ready to continue their recovery journey while balancing daily responsibilities. EMDR can be incorporated into your individualized treatment plan as you step down from more intensive care.
Partial Hospitalization (PHP)
Our most intensive outpatient level, PHP provides structured daily programming that allows for consistent EMDR sessions alongside group therapy, psychiatric support, and skill-building.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
IOP offers flexibility for those who need robust support while maintaining work, school, or family responsibilities. EMDR can be incorporated into your individualized treatment plan.
Our EMDR-Trained Clinical Team
Clinical Director
EMDR at Asana Recovery is provided by clinicians who have completed comprehensive training through EMDRIA-approved programs. Our Clinical Director, Sheida Shavalian, LMFT, brings over a decade of clinical experience and has completed EMDR Basic Training through EMDR Professional Training, an EMDRIA-Approved provider.
Sheida’s background in psychodynamic therapy, CBT, and addiction treatment informs her integrative approach to EMDR. She works closely with our multidisciplinary team—including psychiatrists, therapists, and case managers—to ensure EMDR is delivered safely and effectively within your overall treatment plan.
What to Expect in an EMDR Session
EMDR sessions typically last 60 to 90 minutes. During a session, your therapist will:
- Check in on your current emotional state and any developments since your last session
- Review the target memory and associated beliefs
- Guide you through sets of bilateral stimulation while you hold the memory in mind
- Check in between sets to track changes in your thoughts, emotions, and body sensations
- Close the session with grounding and stabilization techniques
It’s normal to experience a range of emotions during and after EMDR—including relief, sadness, or temporary increases in distressing feelings. Our team provides ongoing support between sessions and adjusts the pace based on your needs.
Start Your Healing Journey Today
Trauma doesn’t have to define your future. With the right support and evidence-based treatment, lasting change is possible.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, trauma, anxiety, or depression, contact Asana Recovery to learn how EMDR and our comprehensive outpatient programs can help. Our admissions team is available to answer your questions, verify your insurance, and guide you toward the next step.
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR
The length of EMDR treatment varies depending on the complexity of your trauma history and your individual response to therapy. Some people experience significant relief after just a few sessions targeting a single traumatic event. Others with complex trauma or multiple traumas may benefit from longer-term treatment. Your therapist will work with you to establish realistic expectations based on your specific situation.
No. While EMDR was originally developed to treat PTSD, research has demonstrated its effectiveness for many other conditions, including anxiety, depression, phobias, addiction, grief, and performance anxiety. The therapy can be helpful for any condition where distressing memories or experiences contribute to current symptoms.
Yes. EMDR can be a valuable component of addiction treatment, particularly when trauma underlies or contributes to substance use. Specialized EMDR protocols have been developed for addiction, including approaches that target traumatic memories, addiction memories, and cravings. At Asana Recovery, we integrate EMDR with other evidence-based addiction therapies for comprehensive care.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR does not require you to describe your traumatic experiences in extensive detail. You’ll need to identify the memory you’re targeting, but the processing happens internally during bilateral stimulation. Many people find this aspect of EMDR less distressing than approaches that involve detailed verbal recounting of trauma.
EMDR is considered a safe therapy when delivered by trained clinicians. Like any trauma-focused treatment, it can bring up intense emotions during and after sessions. Our therapists are trained to monitor your response and ensure sessions end with stabilization. We also prepare you with coping skills before beginning active trauma processing.
Yes. At Asana Recovery, EMDR is integrated into our outpatient programs including PHP, IOP, and Virtual IOP. In fact, receiving EMDR within a structured treatment program offers advantages: you have consistent support from your treatment team, access to complementary therapies, and a safe environment for processing difficult material.
Not every therapy works for every person, and that’s okay. Our clinical team uses multiple evidence-based approaches to trauma treatment. If EMDR isn’t the right fit for you, we have other options, including trauma-informed CBT, somatic therapies, and other modalities. The goal is to find what works for your unique needs.
EMDR is typically covered by insurance when provided as part of mental health or addiction treatment. Coverage varies by plan. Contact our admissions team at (949) 763-3440 or use our online insurance verification form to check your benefits.
If you have additional questions, please fill out our contact form.
