Serving California Residents with Online Therapy
Lisa Sonin Larsen, PsyD (CA Lic.# PSY19046)
3123 W. Ave. L 8, Lancaster, CA 93536
Phone: 661-233-6771
EMDR Therapy
Do you still react to reminders of past trauma as though they just happened? Are you tired of living in the emotionally painful past? Are you interested in resolving the traumatic events once and for all? Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can help you step into the future mentally and emotionally.
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What is EMDR Therapy and How can it Help you?
EMDR therapy for PTSD and other trauma is a treatment developed in the 1980s by Francine Shapiro, PhD, to help process and resolve traumatic memories. Based on the Adaptive Information Processing model, EMDR changes the way you remember and experience trauma. It helps you move past painful events by reorganizing scattered or unprocessed parts of the memory. As a result, you can release negative emotions, self-beliefs, and physical sensations that have been trapped in your body since the incident.
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly effective, evidence-based therapy for PTSD that I’ve been using for over 16 years. It helps change the way you think, feel, and experience the memory so you're not emotionally captive to it. Together, we can work toward helping you feel safe, calm, and connected again.​
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR therapy follows an eight-phase process:
History Taking & Treatment Planning – I gather information about your trauma and how it affects you to create a personalized plan.
Preparation – We strengthen your emotional regulation skills to ensure a smoother, more successful therapy process.
Assessment – Together, we identify the specific memory to work on, along with the negative thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations it triggers. We also choose a positive belief you’d like to replace it with—such as “I can handle difficult things” or “I survived it.”
Desensitization – Using bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tapping, or following a moving object), we process the memory until it no longer feels distressing.
Installation – Once the memory feels neutral, we strengthen your positive belief through bilateral stimulation, reinforcing your sense of empowerment.
Body Scan – We check for any remaining emotional or physical tension. If any traces of distress remain, we process them further.
Closure – If the memory is fully neutralized and the new belief feels true, we end the session and revisit it in future sessions to ensure it stays that way.
Reevaluation – Over time, we check in to ensure lasting progress and address any new trauma that may surface.
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EMDR therapy for PTSD is especially effective for adult traumatic incidents like being in combat, being assaulted, or getting in an auto accident. Childhood trauma can also be resolved, but more preparation is needed.
Is EMDR therapy right for you?
​If you have posttraumatic stress, you may have the following problems:
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You get easily triggered by things that other people don't think are a big deal;
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You become more emotional in some situations than others, or more detached and numb in situations where other people are visibly upset;
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You relive terrible things that happened to you from the past, that never got resolved. This can be through nightmares, flashbacks, body sensations, and other types of triggers;
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You feel like the past is still happening, even though you realize at a cognitive level that things are different now.
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​Quite often, you feel edgy and jumpy
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You get sick more easily because you're always stressed
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You have trouble sleeping, eating, digesting, or relaxing;
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It's hard for you to relate to the important people in your life.
Then, maybe it's time to work through some of those traumatic incidents from the past. You don't want to have these events hold you captive forever, do you?
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​Luckily, EMDR treatment can help you resolve your traumatic experiences. While it's not a quick fix treatment, trauma therapy using eye movement desensitization doesn't have to take forever.
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Many of my clients describe feeling lighter and freer after processing traumatic events with EMDR. The experience no longer feels fresh or overwhelming, allowing them to let go of outdated coping mechanisms that once served them but no longer do.
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If trauma is holding you back, EMDR treatments can help you heal, move forward, and regain control over your emotions and life.
Why Choose EMDR Therapy with Me?
​I have been using EMDR therapy for many years and have been certified as an EMDR Therapist by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) since 2008. This certification requires extensive practice, individual and group consultation, and recommendations from three experienced EMDR clinicians. Combined with my certification, my years of experience ensure that you receive high-quality, effective EMDR treatment.
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In addition to EMDR therapy, I incorporate Flash Technique and, at times, clinical hypnosis to further enhance trauma processing.
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What Is Flash Technique?
Developed by Phil Manfield, PhD, the Flash Technique is a method used to reduce the intensity of traumatic memories quickly and gently. It’s especially effective for PTSD and other trauma-related conditions. I have seen it work rapidly to lower emotional distress, making it a powerful complement to EMDR therapy. It can be used to lower the intensity of traumatic memories on its own or in preparation for EMDR therapy.
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For more details about the flash technique, check out this blog post.
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Lasting Healing and Freedom with EMDR Therapy
One of the most rewarding parts of my work is helping people release long-held pain and experience lasting relief. The joy and freedom of living in the present can be yours.
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I also offer a self-help video program and workbook for adult trauma survivors to support your healing journey. This educates you about trauma treatment and symptoms, as well as coping skills.
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If you think EMDR therapy could help you, I would love to hear from you. Please call the office or click the contact button below.
Online EMDR Therapy in Lancaster, CA
Lisa S. Larsen, Psy.D.(she/her/hers)
3123 W Ave L 8, Lancaster, CA 93536
​​Business Hours: Tues-Fri., 10 AM-7 PM
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​No In-person sessions offered at this address. ​
Appointments can be made by calling the office or submitting the contact form. Thank you, and I look forward to speaking with you soon!