Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) For Teens and Tweens
Evidence-based therapy for Los Angeles adolescents struggling with trauma, anxiety, distressing experiences, fears, and emotional responses that are difficult to move past.
Sometimes an experience is over, but your child's mind and body continue to respond as though it isn't. They may avoid certain situations, become overwhelmed by reminders, experience intrusive thoughts or memories, or have reactions that feel difficult to control.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) helps the brain process distressing experiences so they become less emotionally intense and have less influence over how your child feels and responds in the present.
At Kincove, EMDR is paced to your child's age, needs, and readiness and can be provided as a focused service or incorporated into ongoing therapy.
When EMDR Can Help
EMDR can be helpful when past experiences continue to affect how your child feels, thinks, or responds now.
It may be used to address:
Trauma or frightening experiences
Anxiety, fears, or phobias
Intrusive memories or thoughts
Grief and loss
Bullying, rejection, or difficult relationships
Medical experiences, accidents, or injuries
Negative beliefs about themselves connected to past experiences
Your child's therapist will consider their history, current concerns, and readiness when determining whether EMDR is appropriate.
What EMDR Looks Like for Tweens & Teens
1. Building Safety & Understanding
The therapist gets to know your child, understands what they've been experiencing, and helps them develop ways to manage difficult emotions and feel grounded before processing begins.
This helps your child feel prepared and supported before moving into EMDR processing.
2. Identifying What Feels Stuck
Together, the therapist and your child identify memories, situations, thoughts, or emotional responses that may be contributing to current difficulties.
This may involve a specific experience or a pattern of experiences that continues to affect how your child feels or responds.
3. Processing With EMDR
When your child is ready, the therapist uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating tapping, while helping them process the thoughts, emotions, memories, and physical sensations that arise.
Your child remains in control throughout the process and can pause at any time.
4. Checking Progress
Over time, the therapist looks for changes in distress, reactions, beliefs, and behaviors.
Treatment is adjusted based on how your child responds rather than following a set pace.
FAQs
How do I know if EMDR is right for my child?
1
EMDR may be helpful when a difficult experience, memory, fear, or belief continues to affect your child in the present, even when they understand intellectually that the experience is over.
Before beginning EMDR, the therapist will consider your child's history, current symptoms, emotional regulation, and readiness to determine whether it is an appropriate fit.
Does my child need to have experienced a major trauma?
2
No. EMDR is well known for treating trauma and PTSD, but it can also be used for distressing experiences, anxiety, fears, grief, bullying, rejection, and other experiences that continue to trigger strong emotional responses.
How many EMDR sessions will my child need?
3
There isn't a set number. A more recent or isolated experience may require less treatment than multiple or longstanding experiences that are connected to broader patterns. The therapist will continually assess how your child is responding and adjust the pace accordingly.
Does my child need to already be in therapy at Kincove?
4
No. EMDR can be provided as a focused service on its own, and your child does not need to be an existing Kincove therapy client. It can also be incorporated into ongoing therapy when appropriate.