EMDR
EMDR therapy in Orange County
We offer the EMDR therapy Orange County residents turn to for PTSD and other trauma, and it works through a structured set of phases.
(714) 862-19075.0 from 448 Google reviews
Clinically reviewed by Christina Khouie, MA, LMFT, our founder, on September 30, 2026. Enhance is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the California Department of Health Care Services.
Check your coverage
Send us three details and we’ll check what your plan covers, then call you back.
How EMDR works
What is EMDR therapy?
EMDR therapy, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, is a structured therapy that helps you reprocess distressing memories so they cause less emotional distress.
You hold a memory in mind while following bilateral stimulation, a left-right cue such as eye movements, taps or tones.
A licensed therapist guides each step, and you do not have to describe the traumatic event in detail.
What EMDR therapy focuses on
EMDR therapy works on a specific memory and how your body reacts to it. Francine Shapiro, who developed EMDR, proposed that the brain can store a traumatic memory without fully processing it.
EMDR and traditional talk therapy
Traditional talk therapy builds understanding through conversation, and EMDR therapy can be used alongside it. EMDR usually waits until you feel stable enough to work on a memory.
If you are thinking about suicide or are in danger right now, call 988 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Where it is used
EMDR therapy at each level of care
We offer EMDR within our mental health and addiction treatment at every level of care, once you're stable enough to work on a specific memory.
Inpatient
- Where you sleep
- On site, with clinical staff
- How much of your week
- All of it
- Who it suits
- Needs more than a day program
- What usually comes next
- PHP
Partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Most of each day
- Who it suits
- Can sleep at home safely
- What usually comes next
- IOP
Intensive outpatient (IOP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Part of the week
- Who it suits
- Keeping up work or school
- What usually comes next
- Outpatient
Outpatient
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Regular sessions
- Who it suits
- Doing well with therapy
- What usually comes next
- Ongoing care
Admissions can answer your questions about how EMDR sessions fit into your level of care.
In session
How does EMDR therapy work?
Shapiro's EMDR model has eight phases, and your therapist moves through them at a pace that works for you.
- History: your therapist learns whether EMDR is a good fit for you.
- Preparation: you practice ways to calm yourself before any memory work.
- Assessment: you choose a target memory and the belief tied to it.
- Desensitization: you hold the memory while following a left-right cue.
- Installation: you strengthen a more positive belief about yourself.
- Body scan: you notice any tension or discomfort still in your body.
- Closure: each session ends with you feeling steady, even if work remains.
- Reevaluation: the next session checks how the memory feels now.
EMDR may need to wait if
- You are in crisis or not medically stable.
- You are not ready to work on a specific memory.
- Your assessment points to a different method.
If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
What it treats
Conditions EMDR is used for
We use EMDR therapy mainly for PTSD and trauma, whether it follows a single traumatic event or complex trauma built up over time.
What happens when you call
See what happens when you call admissions or send us the form.
You call, or send the form
You tell admissions what is happening and whether you think EMDR might fit.
We check your benefits
With your permission, we contact your insurer and find out what your plan covers.
You hear what it means
Admissions explains your deductible, your copay and which level of care your plan supports, in plain terms.
You decide
If you want to go ahead, admissions walks you through what happens next.
Benefits vary from plan to plan, and checking them does not guarantee coverage.
(714) 862-1907Cost and coverage
Is EMDR covered by insurance?
What you pay depends on your deductible, your copay and the level your insurer approves. Admissions checks your benefits with the insurer and tells you the figures before you decide anything.
We're in network with most insurance plans. If your plan isn't listed, call us and we'll check it for you.
Some plans we accept
- Ambetter
- MHN
- CalPERS
- Covered California
Common questions about EMDR therapy
If your question is not answered here, call admissions at (714) 862-1907.
What is the downside of EMDR?
Memory work can be tiring, and strong feelings can come up. Preparation comes first, and each session closes with steps to help you feel steady.
Do I have to describe the trauma in detail?
No. You and your therapist choose a target memory, and you do not have to describe every moment of it.
What if I feel overwhelmed during a session?
Tell your therapist, and you can pause at any point. You use the calming skills from the preparation phase to steady yourself.
Is EMDR used when trauma and substance use happen together?
Yes. We treat both in one plan, called dual diagnosis treatment, and EMDR can be part of it once you are stable.
How long does EMDR take?
It varies. Some memories need only a few sessions and others take longer, and your therapist plans the pace with you.
Can EMDR be done online?
Enhance offers virtual therapy, and admissions can tell you whether EMDR sessions are available by video for your situation.
Is EMDR usually covered by insurance?
EMDR is billed as therapy within your level of care, so coverage depends on your benefits. Admissions checks your plan before you start.
Ask admissions about EMDR
If a specific memory is affecting your daily life, tell admissions. They will explain whether EMDR fits and at which level of care.
Enhance Health Group14742 Newport Ave STE 208, Tustin, CA 92780