EMDR THERAPY · PART OF OUR VIRTUAL IOP
EMDR therapy, by video or in person
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they carry less charge.
At Kin Wellness, EMDR is part of our intensive outpatient program. It happens in individual sessions with a clinician trained in EMDR, by video anywhere in California or in person at our Fountain Valley office. Most major PPO and HMO plans. New clients can start right away.
HOW IT WORKS
What happens in EMDR
Reprocessing, not retelling
EMDR was developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s as a treatment for trauma. During processing, you briefly bring a memory to mind while following a back and forth stimulus, such as a moving light, gentle tapping, or alternating tones. This is called bilateral stimulation.
What changes
For many people, the memory stays but, over a series of sessions, feels less vivid and less upsetting, and the beliefs attached to it, like "I am not safe" or "it was my fault," start to loosen.
You do not have to tell the whole story
You do not have to describe everything that happened in detail. That is often why people try EMDR when talking about it has not helped, or when there are no words for it yet.
Who EMDR can help
EMDR was built for trauma, and that is where its research support is strongest. People come to us for EMDR after single events, like an accident or a sudden loss, and for trauma that builds up over years, in families and relationships. Clinicians also use it for anxiety, panic, and painful memories that keep replaying. Whether it fits what you are working on is something we figure out together in the first sessions.
A COURSE OF EMDR
What a course of EMDR looks like
EMDR follows an eight phase protocol. These are the three parts you will notice.
Getting ready
We start with your history and goals, and build ways to settle your body and mind before any memory work begins. Preparation is not rushed. You set the pace.
Processing
Each processing session focuses on one memory with bilateral stimulation, pausing often to notice what comes up. You can stop at any time.
Closing and checking in
Every session ends with you back in the present and steady before you log off or leave. The next one starts by checking on what you worked on last time.
What the research says
Strongly recommended for PTSD. The 2023 VA and Department of Defense clinical practice guideline for PTSD gives EMDR a strong recommendation, alongside other trauma focused therapies.
In World Health Organization guidelines. The WHO included EMDR in its 2013 guidelines for conditions specifically related to stress.
Suggested by the American Psychological Association. The APA clinical practice guideline for PTSD conditionally recommends EMDR as a treatment for adults.
WHERE YOU DO IT
By video or in person
IN PERSON, FOUNTAIN VALLEY
At our office at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, we use the NeuroTek EyeScan lightbar, a bar of light that moves side to side for your eyes to follow.
BY VIDEO, ANYWHERE IN CALIFORNIA
From a private space at home. Your therapist guides the bilateral stimulation over video. Research on online EMDR is newer than research on in person EMDR, and early studies are encouraging.
AS PART OF THE PROGRAM
EMDR at Kin Wellness happens inside our intensive outpatient program, where group skills and your individual sessions support the processing work. How the program works
QUESTIONS
Questions people ask about EMDR
What does EMDR stand for?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured psychotherapy, developed in the late 1980s, that uses bilateral stimulation while you briefly hold a memory in mind.
Does EMDR work by video?
EMDR can be done by video, and early research on online EMDR is encouraging. Your therapist talks with you about whether video or in person is the better fit for what you want to work on, and you can do sessions in person at our Fountain Valley office.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?
No. You bring the memory to mind, but you do not have to describe every detail out loud. Your therapist checks in briefly between sets.
How many sessions does EMDR take?
It varies from person to person and depends on what you are working on. Preparation comes first and is not rushed, and we talk through a realistic plan after the first sessions.
Can I do EMDR at Kin Wellness without joining the program?
EMDR at Kin Wellness is part of our intensive outpatient program rather than a standalone service. The program gives the processing work a structure around it: individual sessions at least once a week, group skills, and a team that knows what you are working on.
Who provides EMDR at Kin Wellness?
Clinicians on our team who are trained in EMDR, including our cofounder and Lead Clinical Therapist, Paola Mercado Demeza, AMFT. Meet the team.
Is EMDR covered by insurance?
EMDR is part of the program, so it is covered the way the program is. We work with most major PPO and HMO plans, and we check your benefits and tell you what your care would cost before you commit to anything. Verify your insurance.
What if I am in crisis?
EMDR and our program are not emergency services. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, at any hour.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. Our program is not an emergency service.
Clinically reviewed by Angelina DeSanto, LCSW, Clinical Director. Medically reviewed by Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD, Medical Director. Last updated October 2026.
Related: Virtual IOP · Trauma and PTSD treatment · Medication management · Conditions we treat · All services
WHO YOU WOULD WORK WITH
A small team you will actually get to know
Kin Wellness is run by its clinicians. The people below are the people in your groups, and the full team is on the Team page.
Cofounder and Clinical Director, LCSW #80761, Ph.D Candidate
Paola Mercado Demeza, AMFT
Cofounder and Lead Clinical Therapist, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #15190. Supervised by Angelina Desanto, LCSW, Ph.D Candidate
Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD
Angelina DeSanto, LCSW
Medical DirectorLET US HELP
Tell us how to reach you
Tell us how to reach you and someone from our team will call you back. The first conversation is short and confidential: what has been going on, what your questions are, whether this is the right level of care for you, and what it would cost with your insurance. There is no obligation to enroll, and if it is a fit you can start right away.
Prefer to call?
949.706.8610
Office hours Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 8 PM Pacific. In person care at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, Fountain Valley CA 92708.