EMDR Therapy
in Los Angeles & Pasadena, CA

Attachment-Based and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

EMDR therapy—available in Los Angeles and Pasadena, CA, and online—offers a powerful path toward healing, helping you process and release the pain of the past so it no longer holds power over your present.

Image of a pink geometric graphic. If you struggle with anxiety, depression, or trauma, learn how EMDR Therapy in Pasadena, CA can help!

Whether it’s rooted in trauma or other life experiences, persistent emotional distress can leave you feeling drained and discouraged, especially when it seems impossible to manage these emotions. We understand how heavy this can feel—supporting individuals through trauma is at the heart of our work.

At Thomas Blake Therapy, we deeply believe in the healing potential of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a powerful alternative to traditional talk therapy. We also specialize in Attachment-Focused EMDR (AF-EMDR) and Psychedelic-Assisted EMDR to help you release stuck memories and move forward.

Common Challenges EMDR Therapy Can Help With

EMDR therapy can be beneficial for people struggling with a range of issues, including:

  • Anxiety, panic attacks, chronic tension, OCD, and phobias

  • Chronic illness and medical trauma

  • Depression and bipolar disorders

  • Eating disorders

  • Grief and loss

  • PTSD, complex trauma, and other trauma and stress-related issues

  • Sleep disturbances

  • Substance abuse and addiction

What EMDR Therapy Is

EMDR is a somatic-based treatment that helps resolve repressed or overwhelming trauma memories and other distressing experiences. Using bilateral sensory stimulation—such as sounds, vibrations, tapping, or eye movements—it activates the traumatic memory, reduces its intensity, and allows you to reprocess it so it becomes less triggering.

In essence, even when the mind blocks out painful experiences, the body often holds onto them, leading to tension, anxiety, or emotional distress. EMDR works by reducing the intensity of these memories and their triggers, allowing your brain to reprocess them in a way that feels safer and less activating.

Although EMDR was originally developed to treat PTSD in war veterans, decades of clinical research and application show that it’s also highly effective for other mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety.

Start Healing with EMDR Therapy in Los Angeles & Pasadena, CA

Taking the first step can feel intimidating, but we’re here to help you embark on this journey of self-discovery, resilience, and renewed hope.

Schedule a free consultation

Benefits of EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy offers numerous benefits, including:

  • Quick relief, often reducing symptoms in a shorter time frame compared to traditional therapy.

  • Lower risk of retraumatization, since it doesn’t require extensive retelling of traumatic events.

  • Long-term healing, as reprocessing memories creates lasting change and symptom relief.

  • Customization, because it’s highly adaptable and can be tailored to each individual.

In addition, you will likely feel positive effects over time, such as:

  • Less emotional reactivity

  • Fewer trauma triggers

  • Reduced anxiety or hypervigilance

  • Feeling more grounded in their body

  • A stronger sense of control and safety

One of its greatest advantages is that it offers a strong alternative to traditional talk therapy. Many people may find talk therapy repetitive, especially as we learn to share our stories in ways that feel safe or protect others. EMDR instead uses a somatic approach that accesses memories stored in the nervous system—often beyond the reach of standard talk therapy.

Image of multiple plants in pots on a table against a white wall. Struggling with anxiety symptoms? Learn how EMDR Therapy in Pasadena, CA can help you overcome your symptoms in a healthy way.

Our Approach to EMDR Therapy in Los Angeles & Pasadena, CA

At Thomas Blake Therapy, our EMDR therapists draw from various approaches to meet each individual’s unique needs. In addition to traditional EMDR therapy, we offer several specialized EMDR methods.

Attachment-Focused EMDR (AF-EMDR)

This approach is especially helpful for individuals dealing with relational or developmental trauma, insecure attachment patterns, or Complex PTSD (CPTSD). It focuses on early attachment experiences with parental figures—addressing how neglect or abuse shapes the developing brain and attachment styles.

An attachment-based EMDR therapist draws on this method to help with issues such as:

  • Sexual or physical abuse

  • Neglect

  • Parental misattunement

  • Betrayal

  • Parents with drug or alcohol abuse issues or mental illness

In addition to standard EMDR elements, it uses an imagined peaceful place and an imagined support network to provide nurturing and safe experiences that the client may have lacked. In short, it combines trauma reprocessing with feelings of safety, comfort, and protection, supporting emotional regulation and healthier relationships.

Psychedelic-Assisted EMDR Therapy

This approach combines the conscious states produced by psychedelic medicine with the structure and intentions of traditional EMDR. An EMDR therapist using psychedelic-assisted therapy or post-medicine ceremony integration follows three main phases.

1. Preparation

Before incorporating psychedelic medicine, it’s essential to create a strong therapeutic alliance, identify significant memories, and develop coping and grounding skills. This stage prepares clients emotionally and psychologically for the altered states they may experience.

2. Psychedelic Session with EMDR

Psychedelic medicine often allows deeper access to emotions, and combining it with bilateral stimulation helps clients reach previously inaccessible memories. The medicine may also offer new perspectives on these memories, fostering greater self-compassion.

3. Integration Phase

This phase focuses on making sense of the thoughts and emotions that emerged during the psychedelic session. This helps transform the experience into long-term healing and reduced emotional distress.

Get Started with EMDR Therapy in Los Angeles & Pasadena, CA

Ready to take control of your life and find healing? EMDR therapy offers a powerful path toward emotional well-being, a brighter future, and breaking free from past hurt.

1. Schedule a free consultation

Book a free 15-minute consultation to explore whether EMDR therapy is the right fit for your unique needs.

2. Meet your EMDR therapist

Begin your first sessions with a skilled EMDR therapist who will take time to understand your story, goals, and needs.

3. Create lasting change

Start your healing journey with EMDR therapy in Los Angeles & Pasadena, CA—or online across California, Idaho, Wyoming, New Jersey, and Maryland.

EMDR Therapy FAQs

  • EMDR therapy is a structured, phased approach that typically includes eight stages:

    1. History-taking and treatment planning

    2. Preparation with relaxation and coping skills

    3. Assessment of target memories

    4. Desensitization using bilateral stimulation

    5. Installation of positive beliefs and self-statements

    6. Body scan to identify and release physical tension

    7. Closure to ensure emotional stability at the end of each session

    8. Reevaluation to assess progress and address any remaining issues

  • EMDR therapy might not be recommended in certain situations, including:

    • Individuals who are not currently in a stable or safe environment or are experiencing an acute crisis

    • People with active and severe mental illness (e.g., psychosis, schizophrenia, depression with suicidal ideation)

    • Those with photosensitive epilepsy due to the eye movements involved

    If you’re looking for an EMDR therapist in Los Angeles or Pasadena, CA, we encourage you to reach out and share any concerns. Our team can help you determine whether it is appropriate for your specific situation.

  • Most side effects of EMDR therapy are normal and temporary. Common ones include:

    • Physical and emotional responses: fatigue, headaches, or dizziness

    • Intense emotions: sadness or irritability

    Less frequently, some individuals experience vivid dreams, heightened anxiety, or memory distortion. If you experience severe or persistent symptoms, it’s important that you discuss them with your therapist—we’re always here to support you.

  • EMDR therapy sessions typically last 60–90 minutes. Processing a single traumatic memory may require one or multiple sessions. As such, the goal of EMDR is to fully process traumatic experiences that cause distress and to integrate positive feelings associated with them.

  • Because EMDR can be intense, processing may continue for hours or even days. So, it’s not recommended to engage in emotionally demanding activities after a session. You should also avoid alcohol and neglecting self-care.

    It’s important to rest, stay grounded, eat well, and practice self-care so your mind and body can fully integrate the therapeutic process.

Other Therapy Services—Online and in Los Angeles & Pasadena, CA

In addition to traditional EMDR therapy, attachment-focused EMDR, and psychedelic-assisted EMDR therapy, we offer other services such as:

Start your healing journey in Los Angeles and Pasadena, CA, or online across California, Idaho, Wyoming, New Jersey, and Maryland. For more information, contact us directly and explore additional resources through our blog.