Today, everyone is learning about the powerful healing effects of EMDR therapy, also known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is a healing modality that allows you to heal past any trauma by reprocessing and transcending beyond what holds you back such as a fear, negative belief, intrusive thought, or a story you may unconsciously believe. Without experiencing the same level of stress, you can learn to not just survive a loss or trauma, but thrive beyond it, building new meaning in your life. When you reduce trauma stored in the body, you may notice less stress, better sleep, and deeper connection with family and friends. EMDR has high efficacy too–seven out of 10 studies reported EMDR therapy to be more rapid and/or more effective than trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). However, it must be noted that EMDR therapy incorporates elements of CBT with bilateral eye movements through a form of dual stimulation.
EMDR and How It Integrates with IFS, ERP, and ACT
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-informed approach designed to help people process disturbing memories and reduce the emotional intensity of distressing experiences. It is very effective as a stand-alone therapy and as long as your nervous system can handle a few minutes of distress, it has high efficacy. However, many people don’t have just a single, highly traumatic event that needs processing like a car accident. For many, trauma is a series of distressing childhood moments that created negative beliefs over time. This can sometimes lead you to experience anxiety, perfectionism, self-judgement, fear, anger, judgement, or even a body response like a fast heart rate or burnout–and you have no idea why it happens or how to stop it. For others, perhaps they already had EMDR therapy but didn’t find a reduction in their symptoms. These are just a few examples of when we need a more integrated approach for long-term healing.
When combined with reflective and experiential modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and/or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), EMDR can sometimes better address a broad range of concerns, including anxiety, OCD, childhood trauma, insomnia, workplace burnout, and depression. I work with clients to find the right combination of therapeutic modalities that works with their unique systems–incorporating a mind-body approach to healing. These sessions can be in-person in Los Gatos, CA, as well as conveniently online. I have found both in-person and online therapy sessions to be equally effective.
How EMDR Works
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to facilitate adaptive information processing. Through targeted recall of distressing memories while engaging in rhythmic eye movements, clients may experience reduced distress and increased capacity to integrate difficult experiences. Over time, distressing memories lose their grip, and they become less likely to trigger overwhelming emotional or physical responses.
Key mechanisms often discussed in the EMDR literature include:
- Desensitization to previously provocative stimuli
- Reprocessing that reframes memories with more adaptive beliefs
- Affect regulation and decreased physiological arousal during recall
For foundational research and guidelines, see:
Integrating EMDR with IFS
IFS views the mind as an inner family of parts, with protective, vulnerable, and curious aspects coexisting. Integrating IFS with EMDR can enhance safety and self-compassion during processing:
- Identifying parts that arise in response to distress and inviting the Self to lead
- Softly approaching wounded parts while using EMDR desensitization techniques
- Accessing internal dialogue to promote integration and enduring change
This fusion supports a respectful, client-driven exploration of painful memories, helping you cultivate a steady sense of self-leadership around your own healing. For example, some clients may have a harder time finding a distressing “trauma” in their life, but they know they have had anxiety since they were young. By focusing on that anxiety, together we can eventually find when the anxiety started, how it operates, and many times link it to an early childhood memory. EMDR then becomes easier to process, especially when all parts agree to the healing.
Linking EMDR with ERP
ERP is a gold-standard treatment for OCD, focusing on exposure to feared stimuli while preventing avoidance. EMDR can complement ERP by:
- Targeting the emotional charge attached to obsessive fears before or after ERP sessions
- Reducing avoidance patterns that hinder exposure progress
- Facilitating extinction learning through enhanced emotional processing
Clinicians often sequence ERP and EMDR to maximize tolerance for exposure and consolidate gains. For example, some initial trials show that EMDR significantly reduces baseline OCD, anxiety, and depression scores. Because EMDR is helping to reduce symptoms, especially anxiety, research is showing that the combined protocols of using ERP with EMDR may lower dropout rates than doing exposure therapy alone. How many people want to sit for minutes or hours being with something they find extremely distressing, contaminating, or fearful until it passes? Although ERP works, it can be extremely difficult to endure, and sometimes offering a more compassionate approach to intrusive thoughts and compulsions yields more long term results. To learn more, enjoy this research: https://spj.science.org/doi/10.1891/EMDR-D-21-00004.
Incorporating ACT with EMDR
ACT emphasizes accepting difficult internal experiences and committing to meaningful behavior. When combined with EMDR:
- EMDR processes can reduce the intensity of distress, making it easier to reach life goals.
- ACT principles guide exposure, values-driven action, and mindfulness during and after processing
- The integration promotes durable change by aligning emotional healing with purposeful living
Research supports ACT across anxiety, depression, and trauma-related symptoms, and EMDR can amplify these effects by improving emotional regulation and memory integration. For example, EMDR’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model often acts as a biological catalyst, clearing the mental blocks that prevent you from utilizing mindfulness and core-value exercises. Another way to look at this is if your mind is preoccupied by an anxious thought that loops throughout the day, it may be difficult to think about what you value or be present in the moment.
Targeted Outcomes: Anxiety, OCD, Trauma, Insomnia, Burnout, and Depression
- Anxiety: EMDR can reduce hyperarousal and distress linked to future-oriented worries, especially when paired with mindfulness and cognitive strategies from ACT.
- OCD: When combined with ERP, EMDR may lower the emotional burden surrounding obsessive themes, supporting more effective exposure.
- Trauma: EMDR remains a leading option for processing traumatic memories, with robust evidence for PTSD symptom reduction.
- Insomnia: By decreasing nighttime arousal and intrusive memories, EMDR can contribute to improved sleep quality, particularly when integrated with sleep-focused ACT components.
- Workplace burnout: Processing stress memories and cultivating self-compassion through IFS, EMDR can restore energy, boundaries, and resilience.
- Depression: Reducing traumatic and distressing cognitive load, along with values-driven action from ACT, supports mood improvements and functional recovery.
What to Expect in Sessions
- A thorough intake to understand your history, goals, and current life context
- An introduction to EMDR protocols tailored to your needs
- Thoughtful integration of IFS, ERP, and ACT techniques as indicated
- A collaborative treatment plan that incorporates mind-body healing
- Flexible scheduling options, including in-person sessions in Los Gatos, CA, and secure online appointments
Availability and Location
I conduct EMDR in-person sessions in Los Gatos, California, and offer online sessions to accommodate remote clients. To explore scheduling options or to confirm availability, please contact me for more details.