Virtual EMDR Therapy in San Francisco

Helping people throughout California, Florida, & Pennsylvania heal from trauma

Hello, my name is Larissa House, and I’m a Certified EMDR Therapist in San Francisco.

Do you feel like you’re not in control? Like the rug is going to get pulled out from under you at any minute? Do the painful memories of your past keep creeping up even though you’re desperately trying to move forward.

I understand, and I’m here to help.

I help people, just like you, create healing from their past and silence the negative narratives they have about themselves of not being good enough, safe enough, worthy enough, or in control of their lives and replace them with a sense of peace, confidence, and trust in their own ability to create the life that they want,

free from the the pain that was keeping them stuck.

If you’re ready to step out of a painful and unchangeable past into a life in which you feel confident and empowered,
schedule a complimentary consultation with me today.

My approach to virtual EMDR Therapy in San Francisco

EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a highly-researched and evidence-based trauma therapy that has been shown to be very effective in treating traumatic experiences that have shaped the way we think about ourselves, our abilities, our safety, and our environment.


When our mind perceives something as a threat or a threatening situation, the part of our brain responsible for our survival lights up to help protect us, alerting us that the situation we are in is not safe. In these traumatic situations, our brains can get overwhelmed by the negative, painful, and traumatic experience, causing the memory to get stuck in that survival space.


When that memory gets stuck, even though the threat or traumatic experience may have happened a while ago, we experience those survival responses when triggered in the present. This often leads us to feel overwhelmed and flooded or underwhelmed and disengaged, trying to block it out or dissociate from it. Trying to avoid the painful memory usually just prolongs it.


EMDR uses bilateral stimulation- we’ll use eye movements or tapping in our work together- to help your brain process the memory as just that, a memory, so that you do not feel retraumatized by it in the present, and we’ll install a positive belief in yourself and help you feel empowered to face present and future triggers, too.


As an EMDR therapist in San Francisco, I will help you process the traumatic events of your past. EMDR therapy will help you break free from the negative beliefs you have about yourself, often around not being strong enough, smart enough, safe, worthy, or in control of your life.


EMDR feels a little different than participating in traditional talk therapy, and I welcome your questions about it! Before we open anything up, I’ll make sure you have the tools to feel confident that you can face it. Please see www.emdr.com and www.emdria.org for more information.


Let’s talk about how EMDR can help you release that which is no longer serving you and support the growth that you wish to achieve.

EMDR in San Francisco and CA FAQ’s

  • Absolutely! A research article was published in 2021 which evaluated the outcomes for 93 clients who did EMDR virtually, and they found that online therapy was effective at reducing the symptoms of trauma.

    I’ve worked with numerous clients who’ve reported that being in their own, private space and not having to worry about driving back home after a session has helped them feel present in the session and effectively process their trauma.

  • Yes! I’m licensed to provide therapy to anyone in California and Florida. Even if you are in SF, we’ll still meet virtually so you don’t have to worry about finding parking or buses running late.

  • You may have heard that EMDR helps people process their trauma faster. While EMDR is often a more effective and faster way to process and heal from trauma than traditional talk therapy, it will still likely take several sessions. We’ll talk about your specific needs and questions you may have about EMDR in San Francisco when we meet. If you can be patient with yourself, you will be giving yourself a supportive environment to truly heal.

  • There are a few different reasons why tapping and eye movements, which are examples of bilateral stimulation or BLS, are used. BLS are helpful to decrease the image and memory vividness as the client reprocess. It also helps to prevent the client from experiencing the triggering memory as intensely.

    Eye movements and tapping also help the client to pay attention to both internal and external stimuli, which helps with the processing.

  • Not at all. Unlike with hypnosis, you’ll be fully awake during EMDR, and you’re in control. Also, part of the work of EMDR is to help you feel grounded in your thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, unlike with hypnosis which promotes fantasy and imagination.

  • I’m happy to answer any questions you may have! In the meantime, check out the following websites:

    https://www.emdr.com/

    https://www.emdria.org/

Get Help from an EMDR Therapist in San Francisco

Are you ready to break free from the trauma that’s been making you feel trapped?
Your painful past does not define you.
Sometimes, trauma leaves us feeling like we’ve been broken into a million pieces.
Trauma is not who you are, but about what happened to you.


EMDR therapy can help you feel whole again.


You deserve to feel free and whole.

Please complete the form here
or call me or text me at
(415) 289-9780‬ if you would like to schedule a free 15-minute consultation or if you have any questions.

I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

therapywithlarissa@gmail.com
(415) 289-9780

Exclusively offering online therapy via a secure platform to residents of California and Florida