West Los Angeles
EMDR Therapy Los Angeles
EMDR therapy in Los Angeles at Life Threads Therapy® happens in our West LA office at 2001 S Barrington Ave, or by secure video anywhere in California.
It is built for the memory you understand perfectly well that still hits like it happened yesterday.
Book a free consultationWhat EMDR Does
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they lose their emotional charge. The American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs all recognize it as an effective treatment for trauma and PTSD.
During reprocessing you hold a memory in mind while your therapist guides bilateral stimulation: eye movements, gentle tapping, or auditory cues. You do not have to narrate the memory in detail or relive it. EMDR does not erase memories. The memory stays; it just stops running your present.
What We Use EMDR For
EMDR was originally developed to treat PTSD, and its evidence is deepest there. In our practice we also use it for:
- Post-traumatic stress and complex trauma, including childhood experiences, accidents, assault, and medical trauma
- Anxiety rooted in specific memories or fear responses that talk therapy alone has not shifted
- Depression and core beliefs like "I am not enough" that logic has not been able to move
- Complicated grief, phobias, and attachment patterns that shape how you show up in relationships
How the Work Unfolds
EMDR follows an eight-phase protocol. The first sessions cover your history and the stabilization skills that support reprocessing, and that preparation is never skipped. Every session ends with a return to equilibrium, so you leave feeling stable wherever the processing is.
The number of sessions varies. Some clients notice meaningful shifts in a small number of focused sessions; others with more complex histories work over a longer period. If building stability first would serve you better, we will say so in the consultation.
Your EMDR Therapists
Both of our clinicians offer EMDR. Bree Anthony, MA, LMFT, our clinic director, completed her EMDR basic training (40 hours plus 10 consultation hours) in 2023, meeting the EMDRIA requirement, and brings a background in brain mapping and neurofeedback. Lyndsay Mclaren, LPCC is EMDR trained and also IFS-informed and DBT-trained, with more than 11 years across outpatient, residential, and inpatient care.
Sessions are a flat $200 and we are out of network; our EMDR therapy cost page walks through reimbursement.
Getting Started
Every new client starts with a free 20-minute consultation: an unhurried conversation where we figure out fit and next steps together. Book online, or send a question through the contact page first if that feels easier.
EMDR in Los Angeles: Common Questions
Short answers for people weighing EMDR.
Find Out If EMDR Fits
Book a free 20-minute consultation and see whether we're the right fit. No commitment required.
Book a free consultationIf you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or go to your nearest emergency room. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice or a therapeutic relationship.