If you’re looking for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in San Francisco, it’s important to find a provider you can trust. Pacific Anxiety Group employs compassionate, highly trained doctorate-level psychologists. The carefully selected, trauma-informed professionals with specialized training in EMDR at our practice make it possible to get the care you deserve.
Pacific Anxiety Group offers EMDR therapy in San Francisco. We select our psychologists carefully, including trauma-informed providers with specialized training in EMDR.
Helping clients cope with stress, anxiety, low mood, life transitions, and the ups and downs of life.
Providing state-of-the-art, evidence-based treatment for the full spectrum of anxiety- and OCD-related conditions.
Extensive experience and expertise in gold-standard treatments for children and adolescents.
Helping clients explore and improve interpersonal patterns, communication, and strengthen relationships.
Providing assessment services for concerns about memory, attention and thinking abilities in children, teens, and adults.
EMDR is highly structured. It moves in eight phases:
Your psychologist will learn more about you and collaborate with you to develop a treatment plan, including memories to target during treatment.
Your psychologist will discuss expectations, what to expect in upcoming sessions, and help you learn coping skills to provide stability throughout the process.
Target memories are identified, alongside possible beliefs, images, thoughts, or sensations they bring up. You will rate your current level of distress and the strength of said beliefs on a numeric scale.
Eye movements, sounds, and taps begin while you focus on the event and continue until your distress lowers.
You will associate and strengthen positive beliefs with the help of your therapist.
A body scan is a common mindfulness exercise in which you mentally “scan” how your body feels from your head to your toes, or vice versa. This will help you focus on how your body feels as you think about the negative experience or memory, which will aid you in measuring your therapy progress.
Your psychologist will assist you in returning to a state of calm.
You and your psychologist will go over your progress and discuss the next steps in your care.
“What should I expect from EMDR therapy in San Francisco?” You’re not alone if you’re asking that question. Most people who are about to start EMDR want to know what the process is like and how it differs from other therapies they may have tried before.
It’s true that EMDR therapy takes time and energy. But, the effort you spend on healing is worth it. A good EMDR therapist will work with you to make sure that the process is paced appropriately. As explained in phase 2, part of our role is to make sure you have the skills you need as you move through the treatment.
Usually, the main goal of EMDR is to help people reprocess and relieve emotional distress or symptoms caused by traumatic events that have occurred in their lives. Trauma can have a major impact on the body and mind. It often causes physical and emotional symptoms and actions that hold you back from the quality of life you want and deserve. This isn’t your fault. By helping you reprocess the memories, EMDR lets your brain resume the healing process.
Although EMDR was initially developed to treat PTSD, it’s now used for a broad range of mental health concerns. Beyond PTSD, we now know that it can help people with anxiety, substance abuse, depression, somatic disorders, and other challenges. Your goals for EMDR may differ depending on why you’re in therapy. The psychologists at PAG will help you set and work toward goals unique to you.
When you get EMDR therapy in San Francisco at Pacific Anxiety Group, you can be sure that you’re getting the highest possible quality of care. We offer in-person and online therapy options to make getting help convenient and comfortable for California residents.
Our general psychotherapy clinic in the Bay Area helps individuals navigate a wide array of life’s challenges. These include, but are not limited to:
EMDR is just one type of therapy used at Pacific Anxiety Group. We’ll collaborate with you to determine the best approach(s) for your needs.
Even though anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are very prevalent types of mental health conditions, not all providers have the same level of understanding when it comes to how they feel or how to use the best approaches to treatment. Our anxiety and OCD clinic has doctorate-level professionals who specialize in working with these conditions and the therapies used to treat them. That way, you can make sure that you’re in good hands.
EMDR is not used for adults only. It can also help young people who have been through traumatic events and other challenges. If you’re looking for a child psychologist in the San Francisco area, we can help. Our child and teen clinic helps youth facing an extensive range of concerns, from anxiety, depression, and trauma to life transitions, assertiveness and communication, and school stress.
Pacific Anxiety Group is a psychologist-founded practice in the Bay Area. We have multiple in-person locations, including San Francisco, Belmont, Menlo Park, and Los Altos. Those who prefer virtual care will see their psychologist over secure, HIPAA-compliant video sessions. If you’re ready to get started, contact Pacific Anxiety Group for EMDR therapy in San Francisco today. You can call our San Francisco location directly or click here to book a free consultation online.
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You are welcome to reach out to us anytime. Answers to some commonly-asked questions can be found on our FAQ page. If you are interested in starting treatment in our clinic, please sign up for a 15-minute phone consultation with one of our clinic staff.
EMDR sessions usually last for around 60-90 minutes.
To get the most out of EMDR, find a provider you can build a strong therapeutic alliance with. Maintain open communication with them throughout the process. Use the skills they teach you, and speak up if you need help or have a question. Prioritize self-care after and between sessions to help your nervous system recalibrate. It’s recommended that you do not plan to do anything directly after an EMDR session.
Yes. Aetna insurance covers most evidence-based therapies, including EMDR. Choosing a therapy clinic that is in-network for Aetna, such as Pacific Anxiety Group, can help you make sure that your care is covered.
