So what is EMDR therapy, and why is it drawing so much attention among people seeking real healing in Yuba City? While a quick definition is helpful, EMDR therapy rewards a closer look — because understanding its structure, science, and eight distinct phases can help you feel confident and prepared before you begin. At Everyday Counts Therapy Services, we've seen how transformative EMDR therapy can be, and this in-depth guide walks you through exactly how it works.
What Is EMDR Therapy? The Science Behind It
EMDR therapy — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — was developed by psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It's built on a model called Adaptive Information Processing, which holds that the brain naturally moves toward healing, much like the body. When a traumatic experience overwhelms the system, though, the memory can get stored improperly — frozen with all its original emotions, sensations, and beliefs intact.
These unprocessed memories are thought to underlie many mental health struggles. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation to "unfreeze" and reprocess them, allowing the brain to integrate the experience adaptively. The result: the memory remains, but its distressing emotional charge dissolves.
The 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy
What sets EMDR therapy apart is its clear, structured protocol. Here's what each of the eight phases involves:
- History & Treatment Planning — Your therapist learns your history and identifies the memories and experiences to target.
- Preparation — You learn grounding and calming techniques so you feel safe and resourced before any processing begins.
- Assessment — You and your therapist identify a target memory, the negative belief tied to it, and the positive belief you want instead.
- Desensitization — Using bilateral stimulation, your therapist helps you reprocess the memory until its distress drops significantly.
- Installation — The positive belief is strengthened and linked to the memory, replacing the old negative association.
- Body Scan — You check for any lingering physical tension connected to the memory and process it further if needed.
- Closure — Every session ends with grounding, so you leave feeling settled rather than raw.
- Reevaluation — At the next session, your therapist checks your progress and determines what to work on next.
Safety is built in. Notice that phases 1 and 2 — history and preparation — come before any deep processing. A skilled EMDR therapist never rushes you into difficult material. You build stability and trust first, and you set the pace throughout.
What to Expect from EMDR Therapy
For more, see our companion guide on how EMDR therapy works and how it can help you heal.
Expert EMDR Therapy in Yuba City
At Everyday Counts Therapy Services, Kendra Davis (LCSW) and our team bring 20 years of clinical experience to EMDR therapy. We specialize in trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and dissociation, offering care that's both deeply skilled and genuinely compassionate — at two Yuba City locations and virtually across the region.
Explore our services or Therapy FAQ to learn more.
Ready to experience EMDR therapy for yourself?
Everyday Counts Therapy Services offers expert EMDR therapy in Yuba City — in person and virtually.
Serving Yuba City and the Greater Sutter County Area
Everyday Counts Therapy Services provides EMDR therapy throughout Yuba City, Marysville, Linda, Olivehurst, Live Oak, and the broader Sacramento Valley. Reach out today.
Everyday Counts Therapy Services · 1445 Butte House Road, Suite A & 1007 Live Oak Blvd, Suite B-1 · Yuba City, CA 95993 · (530) 770-1242 · Most insurance accepted · In-person & virtual sessions available.
If you or someone you know is in a life-threatening or urgent situation, please call 911 or the 24-hour Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health crisis line at 888-923-3800.
