Verify Insurance
Fast • Secure • Confidential
Speak with our team today
EMDR therapy at Quest Wellness Center is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, an evidence-based therapy that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they stop causing distress. Delivered by trained EMDR clinicians through an eight-phase protocol, it treats PTSD, trauma, anxiety, and related conditions, in person or online, inside a structured program. We accept most commercial PPO plans with out-of-network benefits.
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a structured, evidence-based psychotherapy that helps people heal from trauma and distressing life experiences. Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, it is now recommended for PTSD by the American Psychological Association, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the World Health Organization. Unlike talk therapy, EMDR does not require describing the trauma in detail or completing homework between sessions, and it does not rely on changing thoughts through discussion alone. Instead, it uses brief sets of bilateral stimulation, usually guided side-to-side eye movements, while you briefly focus on a traumatic memory, which helps the brain reprocess that memory and reduce its emotional charge. The result is that the memory remains, but it stops triggering the same intense reaction. EMDR is delivered by clinicians with specific EMDR training, and at Quest it is one of the core trauma therapies offered.
EMDR works by helping the brain do what it does naturally, process experience into memory, with traumatic memories that got stuck. The model behind EMDR, called adaptive information processing, holds that trauma can overwhelm the brain’s normal processing so the memory is stored in a raw, unintegrated form, with its original images, emotions, and body sensations intact. That is why a reminder can bring the event back as if it is happening now. During EMDR, recalling the memory in brief doses while following bilateral stimulation appears to let the brain reprocess and integrate it, so it moves into ordinary memory and loses its grip. Researchers are still studying the exact mechanism, with leading explanations pointing to the way bilateral stimulation taxes working memory and to changes in how the brain consolidates memory, similar to what happens during REM sleep. What matters clinically is the consistent result: distressing memories become less vivid and less emotionally intense, and the beliefs attached to them can shift toward something healthier.
EMDR follows a structured eight-phase protocol, which is what makes it systematic and safe rather than simply revisiting painful memories. The phases are:
The early phases, especially preparation, come first and are never skipped, because stability has to be in place before any memory is processed. This is also why EMDR fits well inside a structured program, where that groundwork and support are already part of daily care.
EMDR is best known for treating PTSD, but its use extends to a range of conditions rooted in distressing experience. At Quest, EMDR is used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and complex trauma, anxiety and panic, phobias, grief and loss, and the unresolved trauma that often underlies depression and substance use. Because so much addiction and mental illness traces back to painful experiences, EMDR is a valuable part of dual-diagnosis care, helping resolve the trauma that keeps other symptoms going. EMDR is not the right fit for every person or every moment in treatment, which is why a clinician assesses readiness first and sequences it appropriately. When trauma is part of the picture, EMDR is one of the most effective tools available for resolving it at the root rather than only managing the symptoms.
EMDR at Quest is delivered inside a structured outpatient program, which is a meaningful advantage over standalone weekly sessions for people with significant trauma. In partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, or outpatient care, EMDR is one part of a coordinated plan that also includes individual and group therapy, skills training, and, when appropriate, medication management by a psychiatrist. That structure matters for trauma work: the preparation and stabilization EMDR requires are already built into daily programming, support is available between processing sessions when difficult material surfaces, and the whole team coordinates so EMDR is sequenced safely alongside everything else. For someone whose trauma is significant enough to disrupt daily life, this is safer and often more effective than processing trauma in isolation once a week. EMDR is provided by EMDR-trained clinicians, in person at our facility or through secure telehealth.
EMDR can be delivered effectively through secure video, and Quest offers virtual EMDR for clients who cannot attend in person. Online EMDR uses the same eight-phase protocol, with the clinician guiding bilateral stimulation through on-screen visual movement, guided self-tapping, or audio tones, and research supports its effectiveness when delivered by a trained clinician. Virtual sessions make EMDR accessible to people managing work, distance, mobility, or scheduling barriers, and they allow some people to do trauma work from the safety of their own space. The same readiness assessment and preparation apply, and the clinician ensures you have the grounding and support to process safely at home. Whether you choose in person or online, EMDR at Quest is delivered with the same structure and clinical oversight.
EMDR is for adults carrying the effects of trauma or distressing experiences that continue to interfere with daily life. It is a strong fit when memories intrude through flashbacks or nightmares, when certain reminders trigger intense reactions, or when negative beliefs rooted in past events, such as feeling unsafe or worthless, persist despite other therapy. People often come to EMDR when talk therapy alone has not resolved the trauma, or when they want to address it without retelling it in detail. EMDR is also valuable when trauma sits underneath anxiety, depression, or substance use. A clinician assesses whether EMDR is right for you and whether now is the right time, since stabilization sometimes comes first. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or call 911, and our team can help you find the right level of care.
Quest Wellness Center accepts most commercial PPO plans with out-of-network benefits, and we verify your coverage before treatment begins. What you pay depends on your plan, deductible, and coinsurance. Call (818) 275-9810 or verify your insurance to get exact numbers for your plan.
Verify Insurance
Fast • Secure • Confidential
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is an evidence-based psychotherapy that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they cause less distress, recommended for PTSD by the APA, the VA, and the WHO.
EMDR pairs brief focus on a traumatic memory with bilateral stimulation, usually guided eye movements, which appears to help the brain reprocess and integrate the memory. Researchers link the effect to working-memory taxation and to memory consolidation similar to REM sleep. The memory remains but loses its emotional intensity.
The eight phases are history-taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation. The early phases build stability and skills before any memory is processed, which is what makes EMDR structured and safe.
EMDR is best known for PTSD and treats complex trauma, anxiety, panic, phobias, grief, and the unresolved trauma underlying depression and substance use. At Quest it is part of trauma and dual-diagnosis care.
You briefly focus on a memory while following sets of bilateral stimulation, then notice whatever comes up without having to explain it, repeating until the memory feels less distressing. You stay in control and can pause anytime, and sessions end with you grounded.
It varies with the trauma and your goals. Many people notice shifts within a few sessions, while more complex trauma takes longer. Your clinician sets the pace based on your stability and progress, not a fixed number.
Yes. Online EMDR uses the same eight-phase protocol with bilateral stimulation delivered through video, and research supports its effectiveness when a trained clinician provides it. Quest offers EMDR in person and through secure telehealth.
Quest provides EMDR in person at our facility and through secure telehealth across California, delivered by EMDR-trained clinicians. Call (818) 275-9810 to get started.
Call (818) 275-9810 or verify your insurance to start EMDR therapy at Quest Wellness Center.
Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, MA
Medically reviewed by Verta Keshishyan, AMFT (Associate Marriage and Family Therapist), registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and supervised by Ari Labowitz, LMFT. Verta has three years of experience with the Department of Mental Health supporting low-income families and families in crisis.
We specialize in treatments for mental health issues and co-occurring disorders.
We concentrate on mental health treatments and co-occurring conditions.
We provide a personalized approach to care.
We possess many years of relevant experience and a strong track record of success.
Every group is led by a master’s-level therapist.
Our partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs provide choices for morning, afternoon, or evening sessions.
We offer case management grounded in clinical evidence.
Experience a secure setting that allows you to concentrate on healing and maintaining a healthy way of life.
We provide opportunities to engage with individuals at every phase of recovery.
We accept most commercial PPO plans with out-of-network benefits. Coverage and costs vary by plan, and we verify your benefits before treatment.
An EMDR session feels different from regular talk therapy, and knowing what happens removes much of the uncertainty. After the preparation phase, a typical processing session begins with you bringing a specific memory to mind along with the belief and feeling attached to it.
The clinician then guides you through short sets of bilateral stimulation, usually by moving your eyes side to side following their hand or a light bar, and sometimes through taps or tones instead. Between sets, you briefly notice whatever came up, an image, a thought, a feeling, or a body sensation, without having to explain or analyze it, and the process repeats until the memory feels less distressing. You stay in control throughout and can pause at any time.
Sessions usually run longer than a standard therapy hour to allow a memory to be processed and closed safely, and the clinician makes sure you leave each session grounded. Many people notice shifts within a few sessions, though the total number depends on the trauma and your goals.
We accept most commercial PPO plans with out-of-network benefits. Coverage and costs vary by plan, and we verify your benefits before treatment.
