.png)
Trauma and PTSD
Processing single-incident or complex trauma so the past stops bleeding into the present.
EMDR therapy in West LA.
EMDR is one of the most extensively researched trauma therapies available. It helps your brain reprocess difficult memories so they stop affecting your daily life, without requiring you to talk through every detail of what happened.
Serving: Culver City, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and surrounding West LA neighborhoods.
Book a Free Consult
Serving: Culver City, Venice, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, and surrounding West LA neighborhoods.
EMDR might be right for you if...
- You have memories or past experiences you haven't been able to move past
- Talk therapy has helped but hasn't gotten you all the way there
- You feel triggered by things that seem unrelated to what happened
- You carry guilt, shame, or self-blame that doesn't budge no matter how much you understand it
- Your body reacts strongly to certain situations, people, or reminders
- You want an evidence-based approach with decades of research behind it
EMDR works well for trauma and PTSD, but it's also used for anxiety, phobias, grief, and the kind of stuck feelings that resist being talked through. If something from the past keeps showing up in your present, EMDR gives us a direct way to work with it.
EMDR DOESN'T ASK YOU TO RELIVE WHAT HAPPENED. IT ASKS YOUR BRAIN TO FINALLY FILE IT AWAY.
Traumatic memories don't process like ordinary ones. They stay raw, reactive, and present. EMDR changes how they're stored so they stop feeling like something that's still happening now.
What EMDR can help with.
EMDR is best known for trauma and PTSD, but its applications are broader. If something from the past is still shaping how you feel, react, or relate today, EMDR gives us a direct way to work with it.
Anxiety and phobias
Breaking the link between specific triggers and fear responses that feel out of proportion to what's actually happening.
Grief and loss
Working through loss that feels stuck, unresolved, or still too raw to fully process through conversation alone.
Shame and negative core beliefs
Shifting deeply held beliefs like it was my fault or I'm not safe that came from what you experienced and never fully let go.
Panic and hypervigilance
Calming a nervous system that stays braced for danger long after the original threat has passed.
Stuck or unresolved experiences
Reprocessing any experience, large or small, that left a lasting emotional mark and hasn't loosened its grip over time.
How EMDR works.
EMDR follows a structured protocol developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It moves at a pace you set, and no two experiences look the same.
History and preparation
We take time to understand your background and build the emotional resources to do this work safely, before any reprocessing begins.
Identifying target memories
We identify the specific memories, beliefs, or body sensations to work with, and what you'd rather believe about yourself instead.
Reprocessing
Using bilateral stimulation, eye movements, tapping, or alternating audio tones, we help your brain process what got stuck. This is the core of EMDR.
Integration
We check how the memory feels now and reinforce the positive shifts that came up during reprocessing.
Why EMDR works.
EMDR is not fringe therapy. It is one of the most extensively studied trauma treatments in the world, with decades of peer-reviewed research behind it and formal recognition from the field's leading health organizations.
World Health Organization (WHO)American Psychological Association (APA)Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA)American Psychiatric AssociationNICE (UK Health Guidelines)30+ years of peer-reviewed research
Find the right therapist for you.
EMDR sessions at Mellow are offered by Amanda Burback, LMFT, who is trained in EMDR and works with adults navigating trauma, anxiety, and the experiences that haven't loosened their grip.
Amanda BurbackQuestions about EMDR.
What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It's a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps your brain reprocess memories that got stuck during overwhelming experiences. Rather than fading like most memories do, traumatic ones can stay raw and reactive, triggering the same emotions and physical responses as if the event is still happening. EMDR changes how those memories are stored so they stop running the show.
How is EMDR different from regular talk therapy?
Talk therapy works through conversation to build insight and shift patterns over time. EMDR targets how specific memories are stored in the brain using bilateral stimulation. It often produces faster relief from trauma symptoms and doesn't require you to narrate everything that happened in detail. Many clients use both together.
What is bilateral stimulation?
Bilateral stimulation means activating both sides of the brain in an alternating rhythm during memory processing. This can be done through guided eye movements, alternating tapping on each knee or shoulder, or tones through headphones. The method used is based on what feels most comfortable for you.
Does EMDR involve tapping?
It can. Tapping is one form of bilateral stimulation used in EMDR. Depending on what works best for you, your therapist might use eye movements, audio tones, or tapping. The specific method is tailored to what feels comfortable and effective.
Do I have to talk about what happened in detail?
No. One of the reasons many people prefer EMDR is that you don't have to narrate your trauma in detail. You'll bring a memory to mind, but the processing happens through bilateral stimulation rather than verbal analysis. You can share as much or as little as you choose.
Is EMDR backed by research?
Yes, extensively. EMDR is recognized as an effective trauma treatment by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American Psychiatric Association. Multiple peer-reviewed studies over three decades support its effectiveness, often showing results faster than traditional therapy alone.
How many EMDR sessions will I need?
It varies. Some people notice significant shifts within a few sessions for a single-incident trauma. More complex or long-standing trauma may take longer. Our clinicians will work with you to build a realistic plan based on your history and what you're working through.
Can EMDR help with things other than trauma?
Yes. While EMDR is best known for trauma and PTSD, research supports its use for anxiety, phobias, panic, grief, and deeply held negative beliefs like I'm not safe or I'm not enough. If you're unsure whether EMDR is the right fit for what you're working on, the free consultation is a good place to explore that.