Treatment Approach / EMDR

EMDR Therapy.

EMDR therapy in Orange County, California for trauma that traditional talk therapy alone has not reached — eye movement desensitization and reprocessing paced by an EMDR therapist who moves only as fast as you can integrate.

Call (949) 397-2482

Admissions answers when you call.

A real person — never a call center.

Specialty

Trauma processing

Training

Certified clinicians

Levels of care

PHP & IOP

Pacing

Client-led

What EMDR actually is

Processing trauma where it’s stored.

The question isn’t whether you need support. It’s whether the support you have matches the weight you’re carrying.

Dr. Courtney Tracy — Founder, LCSW, PsyD

EMDR — eye movement desensitization and reprocessing — is a structured therapy that helps the brain process traumatic life experiences and memories that remain stuck in raw, unprocessed form. Benefits of EMDR show up most clearly with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive images, emotional flooding when triggered. EMDR can help anxiety and depression symptoms when trauma is underneath them.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require you to narrate every detail of what happened. Bilateral stimulation (eye movements, taps, or tones) while holding the memory in mind allows the brain to reprocess it — reducing the emotional charge and body response.

At High Tide in Orange County, California, EMDR is scheduled within PHP and IOP structure — never as a standalone marathon session, but paced with daily regulation practice, enough clinical contact to manage abreaction, and clinicians who know when to continue and when to stabilize. Call admissions to schedule your consultation when you’re ready.

Who it's for

For trauma that talk therapy hasn’t moved.

EMDR at High Tide fits when trauma memories remain charged and you need structured processing with clinical support.

This level of care fits when

Trauma memories trigger flashbacks, nightmares, or intense emotional flooding.
Talk therapy helped you understand the trauma but didn’t reduce the body’s response.
PTSD symptoms persist despite medication and previous therapy.
You have specific traumatic events that feel stuck — still vivid, still painful.
You want EMDR with enough program structure to manage processing safely.

A different approach may fit better when

You’re in acute crisis — stabilization before any processing.
Dissociation is severe — phase-based stabilization comes first.
Primary concern is depression or anxiety without clear trauma roots — CBT may lead.
You need daily EMDR sessions — our pacing is deliberate, not intensive flooding.

What we treat here

What EMDR treats.

EMDR has the strongest evidence for PTSD and trauma-related conditions.

PTSD

Single-incident and complex trauma — the primary EMDR indication.

Combat trauma
Assault
Accidents
Medical trauma

Complex trauma

Developmental trauma and chronic abuse — processed memory by memory.

Childhood abuse
Neglect
Chronic invalidation
Attachment wounds

Trauma-related symptoms

Conditions where trauma is a maintaining factor.

Anxiety
Depression
Phobias
Grief

Dissociative clients

EMDR adapted for dissociation — shorter sets, more grounding.

Dissociative symptoms
Depersonalization
Memory gaps
Emotional numbing

EMDR is not hypnosis. You remain fully conscious and in control throughout processing.

See everything we treat

What to expect

Programming hours and weekly groups.

Here is how PHP and IOP are structured — plus the group types offered every week. This modality is delivered inside PHP and IOP programming hours — scheduled into the week with regulation and psychiatry support, not as a fixed sample-day clock.

Our groups aim for a holistic, clinically excellent, and human approach to healing. Programs address the whole self — brain, mind, and body — with a wide range of perspectives and ways to engage in treatment. Individual therapy and psychiatry are scheduled inside PHP or IOP; the weekly mix shifts with your plan.

PHP

9 AM – 4 PM

Full-day programming five days a week — individual therapy, group work, psychiatry, and holistic practices in one integrated day.

IOP

Morning & afternoon tracks

Part-day sessions several days per week. Morning and afternoon tracks are offered so you can keep work, school, or family routines while staying anchored in treatment.

Group

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT focus)

Dialectical behavior therapy skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Group

Therapeutic Process Groups

Small-group therapy where emotional triggers, relationship patterns, and recovery challenges surface and get worked in real time.

Group

Relationships / Family Based Groups (IFS/ACT Focus)

Internal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy lenses on attachment, family dynamics, and values-aligned connection — including family therapy themes when clinically useful.

Group

Physical Movement Groups

Body-based sessions that support regulation, energy, and the physical side of recovery — part of the clinical week, not optional fluff.

Group

Recovery (SUD & MH track focus)

Integrated recovery groups with substance use and mental health tracks — cravings, relapse prevention, and the mental health drivers underneath both.

Group

Somatic Healing Groups

Breathwork, sound bowls, and mindfulness exploration for nervous-system regulation and trauma-informed body awareness.

Group

Art-Based Expression / Music-Based Process Groups

Creative process groups for clients who access emotion and insight more readily through art and music than talk alone.

Group

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT focus)

Cognitive behavioral therapy for thought patterns, behaviors, and the loops that keep depression, anxiety, and related symptoms going.

Group

Aftercare Planning Groups

Discharge and aftercare planning so outpatient therapy, medication, recovery support, and home structure are mapped before you leave.

Group

Adventure

Experiential outdoor and adventure-based groups that practice regulation, trust, and peer connection outside the therapy room.

What's included

EMDR and supporting modalities.

EMDR works best integrated with regulation skills and psychiatric support.

Standard EMDR protocol

Eight-phase protocol with bilateral stimulation for trauma memory processing.

Dissociation-adapted EMDR

Shorter sets, explicit grounding, titrated pacing for dissociative clients.

Resource installation

Building internal resources before processing difficult memories.

DBT grounding skills

Distress tolerance for the hours and days after processing sessions.

Somatic integration

Body-based work alongside EMDR for trauma stored below narrative memory.

Psychiatry

Medication support for nightmares, hypervigilance, and processing-related symptom spikes.

What changes

What paced EMDR builds.

Memories that no longer hijack the present — not forgotten, but processed.

1–2×

EMDR sessions per week in PHP — paced, not flooded.

Daily

Regulation practice surrounding every processing session.

Certified

Clinicians with EMDR training — not generalists experimenting.

Phased

Stabilization before processing — always, without exception.

EMDR vs. other trauma approaches

Memory processing vs. cognitive or body-based work.

EMDR is one path for trauma — not the only one. Many clients combine EMDR with trauma-focused CBT or somatic regulation inside PHP and IOP. Here’s how EMDR compares to talk-and-skills approaches.

EMDR

This program

Primary mechanism: Bilateral stimulation to reprocess stuck memories
Best for: Flashbacks, nightmares, vivid intrusive memories
Session format: 60–90 minute processing sessions, paced weekly
Narrative demand: Does not require full verbal recounting of events
At High Tide: Scheduled 1–2× weekly inside PHP/IOP with daily stabilization

Trauma-focused CBT

The step down

Primary mechanism: Cognitive restructuring and gradual exposure
Best for: Trauma-related beliefs, avoidance, and mood symptoms
Session format: Individual therapy with structured homework between sessions
Narrative demand: Uses narrative and cognitive work to shift meaning
At High Tide: Woven through individual therapy across program blocks

Explore CBT

How to start

From first call to first day — usually within a week.

Admissions is one phone call, not a paperwork gauntlet. Here’s the whole process.

Call or verify online

A confidential conversation with our admissions team — what’s going on, what you’re looking for, and whether EMDR treatment is the right fit. We verify your insurance the same day, usually while you’re still on the phone.

Modality & program fit

We assess whether this approach belongs in PHP intensity, IOP flexibility, or outpatient cadence — and whether it should lead your plan or support other work. Modality choice follows clinical need, not marketing preference.

Integrated enrollment

Once admitted, your modality is scheduled inside the full program — regulation practice, psychiatry, and individual therapy around it — so EMDR, DBT, somatic work, or holistic elements land with enough structure to be safe and effective.

Most PPO plans cover this program. Verification is free, confidential, and usually same-day.

Verify insurance Call (949) 397-2482

Common questions

Answers before you have to ask.

Can't find your question? Call us — a real person answers, and there's never pressure to commit.

Will insurance cover EMDR therapy?

Most PPO plans cover PHP and IOP for mental health, and California parity law requires insurers to cover mental health care at the same level as physical health care. We verify your exact benefits before you commit — free, confidential, and usually same-day. Start at /insurance or read /mental-health-guides/does-insurance-cover-php-iop.

Is this modality covered inside PHP or IOP?

EMDR sessions are scheduled within PHP or IOP — insurers cover the program hours that include processing, stabilization, and psychiatry around EMDR work. Verify at /insurance.

How often will I receive this treatment?

EMDR is paced — usually one to two processing sessions per week inside PHP, surrounded by daily regulation practice. IOP continues processing at a similar cadence with shorter overall days.

Can this be combined with other approaches?

EMDR is almost always paired with DBT grounding, somatic therapy, and psychiatry for nightmares or hypervigilance — never standalone marathon processing. See /what-we-treat/trauma-ptsd.

What if I only want this modality — not a full program?

Our modalities are delivered inside structured PHP, IOP, or outpatient care — not as standalone drop-in sessions. If weekly outpatient therapy with this approach is enough, we’ll say so during assessment.

What happens after I finish?

You’ll leave with outpatient referrals that continue this work — DBT skills group, trauma therapist, somatic practitioner, or psychiatrist — plus written guidance on practicing skills between sessions.

What is EMDR therapy?

EMDR — eye movement desensitization and reprocessing — helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories that stay stuck as flashbacks, nightmares, or body alarms. Bilateral stimulation while holding a target memory reduces the emotional charge without requiring a full verbal retelling of every detail.

Is EMDR only for PTSD?

PTSD and trauma-related symptoms are the primary indications. Some clients also use EMDR for specific traumatic events that fuel depression or anxiety. We assess readiness and stabilize first — especially if dissociation is significant.