EMDR Therapy in San Clemente, CA
Some experiences don’t stay in the past. They linger—showing up in your body, your relationships, your beliefs about yourself, or the way you move through the world. When you feel “stuck” in patterns you can’t talk your way out of, EMDR can help your nervous system release what’s been holding on.
At Denney Family Therapy in San Clemente, Jennie Denney offers Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for children (12+), teens, and adults who are ready to heal from trauma, anxiety, and distressing memories that still carry emotional charge.
EMDR allows the brain to reprocess painful experiences so they become less overwhelming and less defining—creating space for calm, clarity, and a deeper sense of trust in yourself.
What EMDR Can Help With
EMDR is especially supportive for:
PTSD and trauma responses
complex trauma or childhood wounds
anxiety, panic, or overwhelm
grief and loss
negative self-beliefs (shame, worthlessness, guilt)
phobias
emotional numbness or shutdown
self-harming behaviors
faith-related wounds or spiritual trauma
If you or your child are navigating self-harm, learn more on our Self-Harm Support page.
If your story includes faith-based trauma or identity shifts, visit our Faith Deconstruction page.
How EMDR Works
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation—such as tapping or eye movements—to help the brain process memories that were stored during moments of fear, overwhelm, or disconnection.
Instead of reliving the trauma, you process it while staying grounded in the present.
Clients often describe EMDR as:
“relief I didn’t know was possible”
“finally being able to exhale”
“my body catching up to what my mind already knew”
You don’t need all the details to begin. You don’t need the “perfect memory.”
We move at your pace, with safety and stability at the center of the work.
Jennie’s Approach to EMDR
Jennie integrates EMDR within a trauma-informed, attachment-based, and experiential framework. Before any reprocessing, she helps clients:
understand their nervous system
build grounding and regulation skills
develop safe internal resources
identify protective parts that may be afraid of the work
create emotional safety inside and outside sessions
This isn’t “fast therapy.”
It’s steady, attuned, and deeply respectful of your pace.
What Sessions Look Like
EMDR sessions may include:
identifying memories or experiences that still feel “charged”
mapping how the body responds to those memories
noticing the beliefs tied to those experiences
reprocessing the memory with bilateral stimulation
strengthening new, healthier beliefs
integrating the emotional and physical shifts that follow
Many clients begin to feel changes in how they think, react, or relate to others long before the memory work is completed.
If you’d like to understand where EMDR fits within therapy across the lifespan, visit our Children, Teens & Adults page.
When EMDR Is Helpful
EMDR can be a powerful option if you:
feel stuck in looping thoughts or reactions
understand the past logically but still feel it in your body
freeze, shut down, or dissociate when triggered
want healing that goes deeper than traditional talk therapy
keep repeating relational patterns you don’t want
feel overwhelmed by emotions that don't match the situation
want to release shame, fear, or self-blame
You don’t need to push yourself faster than you’re ready.
Healing happens in layers—and in safety.
When EMDR Is Helpful
EMDR can be a powerful option if you:
feel stuck in looping thoughts or reactions
understand the past logically but still feel it in your body
freeze, shut down, or dissociate when triggered
want healing that goes deeper than traditional talk therapy
keep repeating relational patterns you don’t want
feel overwhelmed by emotions that don't match the situation
want to release shame, fear, or self-blame
You don’t need to push yourself faster than you’re ready.
Healing happens in layers—and in safety.
A Path Toward Relief
Trauma doesn’t just live in the mind. It lives in the body.
EMDR helps your nervous system let go—so the past stops pulling you backward.
We offer EMDR in person in San Clemente and virtually across California.
Whether your story includes trauma, self-harm, or faith shifts, EMDR can support you in moving toward a steadier, more grounded version of yourself.
Whenever you’re ready, reach out.
You don’t have to carry this alone.