Therapy approaches explained
What is EMDR therapy? A plain-English guide
Learn what EMDR therapy is, how the 8 phases work, what a session feels like, and who it is and is not for. Evidence-based explainer from a California practice.
In this guide
Yes, EMDR therapy can be done online for many people, by secure video with a trained clinician. Early research is promising, though it isn't settled enough to say video and in-person EMDR are the same. Whether online EMDR fits you is a decision your clinician makes with you, after an assessment and a period of preparation. If you're in California, you can learn about EMDR therapy with our team in person or by video.
We're Eye Cue Mental Health, a therapy practice with an office in Cerritos and telehealth across California. People searching for an online EMDR therapist in California often ask us the same few questions. Here are plain answers.
Can EMDR therapy be done online?
It can, and a growing body of research has looked at it. A 2024 systematic review in Frontiers in Psychiatry pulled together 16 studies of remote EMDR involving 1,231 participants. The authors found promising outcomes for reducing PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression.
The same review was clear about its limits. Many of the studies had small sample sizes, lacked control groups, and relied on self-reported measures. So the fair summary is this: online EMDR looks feasible and potentially effective, and the research isn't strong enough yet to claim it matches in-person care for every person.
If you're new to the method itself, start with our guide to what EMDR therapy is. It covers the eight phases and what a session feels like.
How does bilateral stimulation work over video?
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, most often guided eye movements, while you hold a memory in mind. Over video, the studies in that 2024 review used methods such as eye movements and tapping, adapted so they could be done through a screen.
In practice, that might mean following a moving cue on your screen with your eyes, or tapping on your own body in an alternating rhythm. Your clinician picks the approach and practices it with you before any memory work starts. You won't be asked to figure it out on your own in the middle of a session.
The rest of the session looks a lot like in-person EMDR. Cleveland Clinic notes that EMDR sessions usually last between an hour and 90 minutes and move through eight phases across multiple sessions.
Why does stabilization come first in online EMDR?
Stabilization comes first because EMDR can stir up strong feelings, and you need tools to handle them before processing begins. Cleveland Clinic describes the preparation phase as the time your provider gives you tools to manage your emotions and to feel more stable and safe during sessions.
That step matters even more by video. The 2024 review pointed out that a clinician's ability to manage strong reactions might be more limited online, which can raise safety concerns that are harder to handle remotely. Good preparation is how that risk gets addressed.
Expect your clinician to spend time on things like:
- Grounding skills you can use on your own, in your own space
- A plan for what happens if the video drops mid-session
- A phone number where your clinician can reach you right away
- How you'll close each session so you leave feeling steady
Cleveland Clinic also notes that the most common negative effects of EMDR are negative thoughts or feelings between sessions. Knowing that ahead of time, and having a plan for it, helps.
Who might be a better fit for in-person EMDR?
Your clinician decides that with you, based on your history and what's going on now. There's no checklist you can use to rule yourself in or out.
As our EMDR therapy page explains, EMDR isn't recommended for people in acute crisis without stabilization, people with active untreated psychosis, or people with severe dissociation. Those situations call for a different plan, which might mean more preparation, in-person sessions, or a different kind of care first.
Practical factors count too. If you don't have a private, quiet place to meet, or if home doesn't feel safe, in-person sessions may work better. Some people simply process more comfortably sitting across from their therapist, and that's a valid reason to choose the office.
How do you get ready for an online EMDR session?
Set up your space before the session, not during it. A little planning makes it easier to stay focused on the work.
- Find a private room where you won't be overheard or interrupted.
- Use a laptop or tablet on a stable surface, not a phone in your hand.
- Check your internet connection and charge your device.
- Wear headphones if your clinician uses audio tones.
- Keep water and a grounding object nearby.
- Plan a quiet half hour after the session to rest before jumping back into your day.
How does telehealth EMDR work at Eye Cue Mental Health?
We offer EMDR where a trained clinician on our team is available, in person at our Cerritos office or by secure video anywhere in California where our insurance contracts apply. Ask our intake team about current availability when you call 562-860-2891.
You can start by video and switch to the office later, or the other way around, with the same therapist. That flexibility is the core of our telehealth therapy model.
We accept Medi-Cal, Medicare, Covered California and most major commercial plans. Whether your plan covers EMDR, and whether it covers telehealth sessions, depends on your plan terms and medical necessity. We verify before you start.
Eye Cue Mental Health is a psychotherapy practice and does not prescribe medication. This article is educational and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) any time. If there is immediate danger, call 911.
