Healing is not impossible
Integrative EMDR Therapy in California
(San Diego • Los Angeles • Oceanside • Santa Monica • Telehealth Across CA)
When Talking Isn’t Enough
You may have been in therapy before—able to talk about your trauma with insight and even detail. But deep down, your body still carries the weight. Panic attacks may wake you at night. Triggers may strain your relationships. Intellectually, you “understand” what happened, but your nervous system hasn’t let go.
This is where Integrative EMDR can help—meeting both your mind and body, at your pace, in a relational space of safety.
Lila had been in therapy on and off for years…
She was articulate, insightful, and could talk about her trauma in a way that even impressed her past therapists. But no matter how much she processed aloud, her body told a different story. Panic attacks still woke her in the night. She flinched when touched unexpectedly. Her relationships were strained by triggers she couldn’t explain.
It felt like she understood her trauma intellectually but couldn't shake it emotionally. Her body was still in survival mode.
That’s where EMDR came in. And not just EMDR as a standalone tool, but as an integrated, relational process woven into traditional therapy. A process that could meet her nervous system exactly where it was, while still allowing room for reflection, connection, and support.
When Lila found integrative EMDR, something shifted. Her therapist helped her slow down and drop beneath the surface of her narrative. Rather than analyzing the trauma, they worked with how it lived in her body. With EMDR interwoven into their sessions, Lila was finally able to release the old survival responses that talking alone hadn’t touched. She didn’t have to choose between body-based healing and verbal processing. She could have both.
What Is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based trauma therapy that uses bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or sounds) to help the brain and body reprocess traumatic memories.
EMDR helps “unstick” experiences that keep the nervous system locked in fight, flight, or freeze—so you can move forward without being hijacked by the past.
Why Our Approach Is Different
We offer Integrative EMDR weaving this powerful tool into a broader framework of relational, somatic, and psychodynamic therapy.
Relational
Healing happens in connection, not isolation. We move at the speed of trust.
Paced
You’ll never be rushed to reprocess before you’re ready. Consent and safety come first.
Somatic
Trauma lives in the body. We pay attention to breath, posture, tension, and shifts during EMDR to support regulation.
Integrated
We combine EMDR with talk therapy, parts work, and mindfulness—so the changes last.
Every session is personalized.
Preparing your nervous system with grounding and resourcing
Identifying a trigger or memory connected to trauma
Using bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, sounds) to gently reprocess it
Exploring what shifts afterward—emotionally, physically, or relationally
You don’t have to re-live every detail of your trauma to heal it. EMDR allows your body and mind to release what’s been stuck, without being overwhelmed.
What an EMDR Session Looks Like
What Healing Can Bring
Less emotional charge around past memories
Relief from panic, flashbacks, or nightmares
Greater ability to stay present and regulated
Shifts in negative core beliefs toward compassion and strength
A deeper sense of safety in relationships and daily life
🌿EMDR may be especially helpful if you:
Have been in talk therapy but still feel stuck
Experience anxiety, flashbacks, panic, or dissociation
Struggle with shame, self-blame, or negative beliefs (“I’m not enough”)
Have a history of childhood neglect or abuse
Are healing from sexual assault or interpersonal violence
Live with PTSD, complex trauma, or medical trauma
Carry grief, loss, or unresolved traumatic memories
You don’t have to re-live every detail of your trauma to heal it. EMDR allows your body and mind to release what’s been stuck, without being overwhelmed.
What Is Integrative EMDR?
We believe healing happens best when the modality matches the person—not the other way around. That’s why we offer Integrative EMDR: a flexible, trauma-informed process that allows EMDR to be used in conjunction with psychodynamic therapy, somatic work, and a strong therapeutic relationship.
EMDR is a powerful, evidence-based modality designed to help people reprocess and release traumatic memories stored in the nervous system. But on its own, EMDR can sometimes feel too directive, too fast, or disconnected from the therapeutic relationship. That’s why we slow it down.
In integrative EMDR, we interweave this trauma-processing technique within a deeper, relational, and narrative-based therapy framework. We do not rush to reprocess traumatic memories. Instead, we take the time to understand your history, build emotional safety, and help you feel grounded in your body. From there, we gently begin to access the trauma in a way that your system can tolerate.
By combining EMDR with traditional talk therapy, we support the whole person. We hold space for the inner child, the critical parts, the protector parts, and the deeply wounded places that have long needed to be seen. We use talk therapy to build awareness and insight—and EMDR to gently shift the stuck energy beneath it.
At ITC, we bring a deeply relational lens to our EMDR work. We know that trauma is often rooted in relationships. Relationships that were unsafe, neglectful, abusive, or abandoning. So, it makes sense that healing also needs to happen in the context of relationship.
That’s why we don’t just use EMDR as a protocol; we use it within the context of a deeply attuned, human connection. Our therapists don’t just guide you through EMDR—they are with you in it. Attuned, present, and responsive. We take time to understand your story, your strengths, and the ways you’ve survived. We don’t push past your defenses; we collaborate with them.
We understand that EMDR can activate intense emotions, so we work carefully and compassionately to help you stay grounded and empowered throughout the process. Your therapist will walk alongside you every step of the way, helping you feel seen, safe, and empowered.
This is not about fixing you. It’s about helping you return to yourself—the self that existed before the trauma, and the self that is still here, waiting to be reclaimed.
EMDR can be profoundly helpful for a wide range of concerns, including
PTSD and complex trauma
Childhood abuse or neglect
Sexual assault
Anxiety or panic
Grief and loss
Chronic shame or self-criticism
Medical trauma
Sudden impact trauma
Intergenerational trauma
Healing cannot happen in isolation.
Our Integrative EMDR Therapists
EMDR at ITC is offered by licensed clinical psychologists trained in both EMDR and somatic/relational therapies. This integrative lens ensures that EMDR isn’t just a tool—it’s part of a holistic healing process tailored to you.
If You’re in Crisis
If you’re in immediate crisis, please call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to your nearest emergency room.
Our 4 Branches of Care
At ITC, we know healing isn’t one-size-fits-all.
We offer four interconnected pathways, so you can find the support that meets you where you are.
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Traditional Therapy (Telehealth & In Person for CA Residents)
Compassionate, somatically grounded therapy for individuals, couples, and families. Our clinicians specialize in trauma recovery, sexual trauma, relational healing, and intergenerational repair.
Individual • Couples • Family • Integrative EMDR • Somatic Experiencing
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Coaching & Wellness (Worldwide)
Trauma-informed yoga, nervous system education, breathwork, and somatic coaching. These offerings create accessible, non-clinical spaces for regulation, embodiment, and spiritual connection.
Somatic Coaching • Yoga & Breathwork • Psychedelic Integration
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Groups, Workshops & Retreats (Scheduled)
Practical and engaging trainings for schools, parents, and community groups. From nervous system education to burnout prevention, we equip communities with tools that support both children and adults.
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Corporate Development & Consultation
Leadership programs and organizational wellness consultations. We help businesses and teams address burnout, strengthen communication, and create cultures where both productivity and people can thrive.