EMDR Therapist in San Francisco
According to Erica Spartos, LMFT (CA #81057), EMDR therapy in San Francisco is a research-backed approach that works differently from talk therapy by targeting how traumatic memories are stored in the brain rather than requiring you to retell what happened. Using bilateral stimulation through guided eye movements or gentle tapping, EMDR helps the brain reprocess experiences that still feel charged, even after years of other treatment. Erica works with adults, teens, and young adults aged 16 to 30 navigating trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and experiences that other approaches have not fully resolved.
When talking about it hasn't helped
Many of the people I work with have already tried therapy. They've talked about what happened, they understand it intellectually, and they still feel it. They feel it in their chest before a difficult conversation. In the way they freeze when something feels familiar. In the exhaustion of carrying something they can't put down.
This is not a failure of therapy or of you. It's a signal that the experience is stored in a part of the brain that language doesn't reach easily. EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, works differently. Instead of asking you to retell every detail, it uses bilateral stimulation through guided eye movements or gentle tapping to help your brain reprocess the memory at the root of what you're feeling. The memory doesn't disappear. It loses its charge. According to Erica Spartos, LMFT, this is what makes EMDR effective for clients who have already done significant talk therapy work: it targets the stored memory directly rather than the narrative built around it.
EMDR is one of the most extensively researched trauma treatments available. It is recognized by the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, and the Department of Veterans Affairs as an evidence-based treatment for PTSD and trauma. I completed my EMDR training through Sonoma PTI in 2021 and have integrated it as a core part of my practice for adults, teens, and young adults navigating trauma, anxiety, and the experiences that won't seem to shake.
If you would like to read more about EMDR therapy and what it is feel free to read my EMDR blog on it.
What to expect in your first EMDR session
Your first session is not about diving straight into painful memories. Before any EMDR processing begins, we spend time getting to know each other. We talk about what brings you in, what you've tried before, and what you're hoping for. This foundation matters. EMDR works best when there is trust, safety, and a clear sense of what we're working toward together.
Once we begin the EMDR process, sessions typically follow a structured eight-phase approach. We identify the memory or experience at the center of what you're carrying, the feelings and beliefs attached to it, and what you'd like to feel instead. From there, we use bilateral stimulation through guided eye movements or gentle tapping while you hold the memory in mind. You stay in control throughout. In Erica Spartos's clinical experience, the eight-phase structure ensures that no stage of processing begins before the client has the stabilization and grounding skills to move through it safely.
For many clients, meaningful progress happens within eight to twelve sessions. For more complex or longstanding trauma, the process takes longer. We'll talk honestly about what to expect based on your specific situation before we begin.
Also walk and talk sessions are available on a limited basis in the Lake Merced area of San Francisco, in addition to telehealth across California. If your schedule or location makes weekly office visits difficult, telehealth therapy is now standard across most California practices and worth filtering for early in your search.
How Does EMDR Work? The 8 Phases Explained
The EMDR protocol I follow is an eight-phase approach developed by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. and standardized by EMDRIA, the professional organization that sets training and practice guidelines for EMDR therapy worldwide. Each phase has a specific purpose, and no phase is skipped.
Phase 1: History and Treatment Planning
Before any processing begins, I take time to get a full picture of what you are carrying and what you want to work toward. We identify the past experiences driving your current symptoms, the situations that still trigger a response today, and what you want to be able to do differently going forward.
Phase 2: Preparation
This phase builds the foundation for safe processing. I explain how EMDR works, what to expect during and after sessions, and teach you specific grounding and stabilization techniques to use if emotional disturbance arises during or between sessions. We do not move into processing until that foundation is solidly in place.
Phase 3: Assessment
Here we access the target memory in a structured way. You identify the image that represents the most difficult part of the experience, the negative belief attached to it (something like "I am powerless" or "I am not safe"), and the positive belief you want to feel instead. We also note the emotions and physical sensations connected to the memory, and rate their intensity using the SUD scale (Subjective Units of Disturbance, from 0 to 10) and the VOC scale (Validity of Cognition, from 1 to 7), which measures how true the positive belief currently feels.
Phase 4: Desensitization
This is where active reprocessing happens. While you hold the target memory in mind, I guide you through sets of bilateral stimulation: side-to-side eye movements, alternating audio tones, or gentle tapping. Between each set, I ask what you notice. New associations, images, thoughts, or body sensations may arise. We follow them until the SUD disturbance rating reaches zero or near it.
Phase 5: Installation
Once the disturbance has cleared, we focus on strengthening the positive belief identified in Phase 3. Using bilateral stimulation, we work to install that belief as deeply as possible. The goal is a VOC rating of 7, meaning the positive belief feels completely true rather than just intellectually understood.
Phase 6: Body Scan
Trauma is stored in the body as well as the mind. After the positive belief is installed, I ask you to bring up the original target and scan for any remaining tension or physical sensation. If residual disturbance is present, we process it. An EMDR session is not considered complete until the memory can be brought to mind without triggering physical distress.
Phase 7: Closure
Every session ends with closure, whether processing is complete or not. If we have not fully resolved the target in a single session, I use grounding techniques to help you return to a stable state before you leave. You will always end a session feeling more settled than when you arrived, and I will brief you on what to expect between sessions.
Phase 8: Reevaluation
Every new session begins here. I check what was processed in the previous session, what has shifted, and what still needs attention. This phase guides the ongoing treatment plan and ensures the work builds systematically toward full resolution.
If you'd like a deeper explainer of EMDR before reaching out, I've written a longer piece walking through the history of the protocol and what the research currently shows.
Who EMDR can help
I work with teens and young adults aged 16 to 30 in San Francisco and across California via telehealth. EMDR for trauma and PTSD is at the center of my practice, but it is also highly effective for anxiety, panic, phobias, grief, and experiences that have been difficult to process through talk therapy alone.
You might be a young adult still carrying something that happened in childhood. You might be a teen navigating trauma, identity, or family dynamics that feel overwhelming. You might have tried CBT or other approaches and felt like something was still missing. EMDR for the things you can't shake, the memories, the reactions, the patterns that don't make sense to you, is exactly what this work is designed for.
I offer online EMDR therapy across California and limited concierge in-person sessions within San Francisco, including the Sunset neighborhood. If you're looking for an EMDR therapist in San Francisco who works specifically with younger adults and brings 20 years of clinical experience to that work, I'd love to connect. I also use EMDR to treat depression in young adults, particularly when it has roots in past trauma or adverse experiences. According to Erica Spartos, LMFT, depression that is rooted in adverse experiences often responds more effectively to EMDR than to CBT or talk therapy alone, because the underlying stored experience is addressed directly rather than the patterns it produces.
Online EMDR Therapy in San Francisco
EMDR translates exceptionally well to telehealth. Research consistently shows that online EMDR produces outcomes comparable to in-person sessions, and many clients find that working from their own space actually supports the process. You are already in a familiar environment, which can make it easier to stay grounded during and after processing.
I offer online EMDR therapy to clients across California via telehealth. Whether you are in San Francisco, the Bay Area, or anywhere else in the state, you can access the same quality of care without commuting, rearranging your schedule, or sitting in a waiting room.
Sessions are conducted via a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. All you need is a private space, a reliable internet connection and a pair of headphones or earbuds. In Erica Spartos's clinical experience, the bilateral stimulation methods used in telehealth EMDR, including eye movements on screen, audio tones through headphones, and tactile buzzers, follow the same protocol as in-person sessions and produce comparable results for most clients.
If you have been curious about EMDR but assumed it required in-person sessions, it does not. Telehealth EMDR is a fully viable option and one I work with regularly. For clients who want to concentrate that work into a shorter timeframe, I also offer EMDR intensives in San Francisco and across California via telehealth.
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy
What does EMDR stand for?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is an evidence-based therapy developed in the late 1980s and recognized by the American Psychological Association and the World Health Organization as an effective treatment for PTSD and trauma.
Do I have to talk about everything that happened in EMDR?
No. EMDR does not require you to retell your story in detail. Rather than focusing on what you say about an experience, it works with how that experience is stored in your nervous system. Many clients find this to be one of the most significant differences from talk therapy.
What is EMDR therapy and how does it work?
EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based therapy that helps people heal from trauma and distressing experiences by targeting how those memories are stored in the brain. It uses bilateral stimulation, typically guided eye movements or gentle tapping, to help your brain reprocess memories that are stored in a fragmented, unresolved state. Unlike talk therapy, it does not require you to retell everything that happened.
Are EMDR intensives available in San Francisco?
Yes. EMDR intensives condense the work into longer dedicated sessions rather than the standard weekly model. This format suits people with a specific event to process, limited availability for weekly therapy, or those who want to do concentrated work within a defined timeframe. EMDR intensives are available via telehealth across California and on a limited basis in San Francisco.
How much does EMDR therapy cost in San Francisco?
I work out-of-network, which means I do not bill insurance directly. Session fees are discussed during your free 30-minute consultation. If your insurance plan includes out-of-network mental health benefits, I can provide a superbill - a detailed receipt with the codes your insurance needs to process a reimbursement claim. Many clients recover 40 to 70 percent of session costs this way. Full details are on my Fees page.
Working with Erica
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, CA License #81057, with 20 years of clinical, counseling, and supervision experience. I completed my EMDR practitioner training through Sonoma PTI in 2021. My broader background includes working with youth and families in nine San Francisco public schools, providing clinical case management in the Tenderloin district, and working at an Intensive Outpatient Program for co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. I currently serve as Clinical Supervisor at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) in San Francisco.
My approach is warm, focused, and practical. I will meet you where you are. I work with adults, adolescents, and families, and I warmly welcome the LGBTGAI+ community, including queer youth, queer parents, and families of all configurations.
Ready to take the first step?
I offer a free 30-minute phone consultation to see if we're a good fit. There's no obligation and no pressure. Just a conversation to see how I might be able to help you.
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