Most descriptions of EMDR tell you it's gentle and evidence-based. Neither of those words tells you what will happen when you sit down in the chair. Here's the walkthrough I wish existed: what preparation actually involves, what reprocessing feels like from the inside, why the distress goes up before it goes down, and how to tell if you're ready.

You’ve stopped talking about it. You’ve moved on. And yet — the wind catches you off guard. The smell of smoke makes your shoulders rise. You’re tired in a way sleep isn’t fixing. The Eaton Fire may still be here, in ways you didn’t expect.

Most people walk into their first EMDR session a little nervous — and that's normal. Here's exactly what happens, what doesn't, and how to prepare, from a licensed EMDR therapist in Pasadena serving the greater Los Angeles area.