EMDR Therapy in Walnut Creek
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Explore Our Specializations
Sometimes the past doesn’t stay in the past. You might know something is over, but your body still reacts like it’s happening now. Maybe it shows up as tension, panic, shutdown, hypervigilance, or the same intrusive thoughts on repeat. You may feel stuck in reactions that feel automatic or overwhelming. EMDR helps the brain process those experiences in a way that finally allows relief and resolution.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a leading, evidence-based treatment for trauma, anxiety, and distressing memories. It’s best known for treating PTSD, but it’s also effective for anxiety related to losses, life stressors, phobias, relationship issues, and past emotional injuries. Painful experiences often shape how we view ourselves, others, and the world. EMDR helps you access and reprocess those memories so that harmful beliefs like 'I can't handle it', 'I'm not safe', or 'It’s all my fault' begin to shift into something more accurate and comforting.
EMDR therapy follows an eight-phase approach that includes preparation, identifying target memories, and using bilateral stimulation to support the brain’s natural processing. You don’t have to relive every detail, and you don’t have to do it alone. We go at your pace, with a strong focus on safety and regulation, so what once felt overwhelming becomes something you can face with clarity and strength.
We Help With:
Trauma from childhood or adult experiences
Anxiety that feels stuck in the body
OCD themes rooted in past experiences or fears
Panic attacks, phobias, or health anxiety
Shame, guilt, or internalized beliefs that won’t let go
Flashbacks or emotionally charged memories
Relationship trauma, breakups, or betrayal
Identity-based wounds or cultural trauma
Stress from family, work, or medical issues
Our Counselors who Specialize in EMDR Therapy
Brianna Webb Almanza, LMFT
Shalini Mongia, LMFT
What we help with:
Trauma from childhood or adult experiences
Anxiety that feels stuck in the body
OCD themes rooted in past experiences or fears
Panic attacks, phobias, or health anxiety
Shame, guilt, or internalized beliefs that won’t let go
Flashbacks or emotionally charged memories
Relationship trauma, breakups, or betrayal
Identity-based wounds or cultural trauma
Stress from family, work, or medical issues
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Our Preferred Evidence-Based Treatments
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment that helps change distressing thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and depression. Through CBT, you'll learn to identify and challenge negative thoughts, reframe irrational beliefs, and replace them with healthier, more realistic perspectives. CBT also focuses on breaking patterns of self-doubt and worry by learning how to re-evaluate situations and adopt more constructive thinking. These tools empower you to make lasting changes in how you think and respond.
ERP is a structured therapy that helps reduce distress from obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. It involves gradual, guided exposure to feared situations or thoughts without doing the habits or rituals you usually do to feel better. This process helps decrease anxiety over time and breaks the cycle of obsessions and rituals. You remain fully present and supported throughout, learning new ways to tolerate discomfort and regain control. ERP is especially effective for OCD, skin picking, hair pulling, and related anxiety challenges. Sessions are available in person and via telehealth throughout California.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness principles to help individuals manage emotions, navigate challenges, and improve relationships. It focuses on four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. By building these skills, DBT empowers individuals to replace destructive patterns with practical, lasting strategies that promote resilience, balance, and a greater sense of control in daily life.
EMDR helps your brain reprocess stuck memories so they no longer feel overwhelming or intense. Unprocessed experiences can trigger or worsen anxiety, shame, distress, and physiological reactions. After EMDR, difficult experiences often feel neutral, distant, or easier to manage. We use techniques like eye movements or handheld tappers to activate both sides of the brain, supporting your brain’s natural ability to heal and make sense of the distressing experiences. Sessions follow a structured 8-phase protocol to help you build resilience and process memories, while fully awake and alert. EMDR is effective for distress related to loss, illness, trauma, childhood wounds, and relationship pain.
1870 Olympic Blvd
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
925-830-7900
Sometimes the past doesn’t stay in the past. You might know something is over, but your body still reacts like it’s happening now. Maybe it shows up as tension, panic, shutdown, hypervigilance, or the same intrusive thoughts on repeat. You may feel stuck in reactions that feel automatic or overwhelming. EMDR helps the brain process those experiences in a way that finally allows relief and resolution.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a leading, evidence-based treatment for trauma, anxiety, and distressing memories. It’s best known for treating PTSD, but it’s also effective for anxiety related to losses, life stressors, phobias, relationship issues, and past emotional injuries. Painful experiences often shape how we view ourselves, others, and the world. EMDR helps you access and reprocess those memories so that harmful beliefs like 'I can't handle it', 'I'm not safe', or 'It’s all my fault' begin to shift into something more accurate and comforting.
EMDR therapy follows an eight-phase approach that includes preparation, identifying target memories, and using bilateral stimulation to support the brain’s natural processing. You don’t have to relive every detail, and you don’t have to do it alone. We go at your pace, with a strong focus on safety and regulation, so what once felt overwhelming becomes something you can face with clarity and strength.