Eye Movement Desensitization and Reintegration (EMDR)
Reviewed by Dr. Sanam Shamtobi, PhD, PMH-C
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for Birth Trauma and Postpartum PTSD in Los Angeles
There are experiences in pregnancy and birth that leave a mark. Not just emotionally, but in your body — in the way you tense up when you hear a certain sound, the way a memory surfaces without warning, the way you can't stop replaying what happened even though you desperately want to move on. This is how trauma lives in the nervous system, and it's not a sign that something is wrong with you. It's a sign that something significant happened to you.
EMDR — Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing — is one of the most effective evidence-based treatments for trauma available today. It's recognized by the World Health Organization, the American Psychological Association, and the Department of Veterans Affairs as a first-line treatment for PTSD. And for mothers navigating birth trauma, postpartum PTSD, or traumatic experiences during pregnancy, EMDR offers something many other approaches can't: a way to process what happened without having to talk through every detail of it.
At The Mother Hood in Los Angeles, we offer EMDR therapy specifically tailored to perinatal trauma — the kind that happens in delivery rooms, in NICUs, in fertility clinics, and in the devastating silence after a pregnancy loss. Our therapists understand what you've been through, and they know how to guide you through this process safely, at a pace that works for you.
What Is EMDR?
EMDR uses a technique called bilateral stimulation — typically guided eye movements, or tapping — to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. The idea is that trauma gets "stuck" in the nervous system, playing on repeat and triggering emotional and physical responses long after the event is over. Bilateral stimulation helps the brain do what it does naturally during REM sleep: process the experience so it can become a memory, not a present-tense emergency.
What's remarkable about EMDR is that it doesn't require you to narrate your trauma in detail. You'll identify the memory, the negative beliefs attached to it ("I failed," "I wasn't safe," "my body let me down"), and the physical sensations you notice — and then the processing happens largely through the bilateral stimulation itself. Many clients say they feel lighter and more distant from the memory after sessions in ways they didn't expect.
EMDR helps you:
Reduce the emotional intensity and physical distress linked to traumatic memories
Shift negative beliefs rooted in trauma (like "I should have done more" or "I'm not safe")
Restore a felt sense of safety, empowerment, and calm
Process difficult experiences without being retraumatized in the process
How EMDR Helps With Maternal Mental Health
EMDR is especially effective for:
Birth trauma — emergency deliveries, obstetric trauma, feeling unheard or violated during labor
Postpartum anxiety — particularly when anxiety is rooted in a specific frightening event
Pregnancy loss — processing the acute grief and trauma of miscarriage, stillbirth, or termination
Fertility and IVF emotional support — medical trauma, failed cycles, and the accumulated grief of trying to conceive
Postpartum OCD — when intrusive thoughts are connected to traumatic memories
Perinatal trauma is unique because it happens during one of the most vulnerable periods of a person's life, often in medical settings where you had little control. It can also be dismissed by the people around you — "at least the baby is healthy" is one of the most painful phrases a traumatized mother can hear. EMDR takes what happened to you seriously, and it helps your nervous system catch up to the part of you that's ready to heal.
What EMDR Looks Like at The Mother Hood
EMDR at The Mother Hood follows a structured eight-phase protocol, but that doesn't mean it's rigid. Your therapist will pace every step carefully, starting with stabilization and resource-building before moving into trauma processing. You'll never be rushed or pushed before you're ready.
Our EMDR approach includes:
A thorough intake and stabilization phase — building safety, trust, and internal resources first
Careful identification of the specific memories, beliefs, and body sensations to target
Guided bilateral stimulation in a safe, contained setting (or virtually via adapted methods)
Installation of positive beliefs and body-based closure at the end of every session
EMDR pairs powerfully with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for mothers dealing with trauma-related guilt, shame, or stuck points. Our therapists will recommend the approach that fits your specific experience.
We see clients in person at our Brentwood office and offer telehealth sessions throughout California. If what you've been through is still following you, reach out here — healing from birth trauma is possible, and you don't have to do it alone.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), go to your nearest emergency room, or call the Postpartum Support International Helpline at 1-800-944-4773. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider about your specific situation.