EMDR with Suzanne Cross, LCSW
Hi, I'm Suzanne Cross, LCSW. I specialize in providing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in Fair Oaks, CA and the Sacramento area. I bring both experience and ongoing training to my EMDR work, supporting clients with a thoughtful, well-paced approach grounded in evidence, curiosity, and continued learning.
Many people come to me because they want EMDR that is both skillful and deeply attuned. I take time to understand what your system needs before moving forward, offering a process that feels intentional. A consultation can help you decide whether this way of working feels like a fit.
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Credentials: EMDR-Trained Therapist | Completing Final Requirements for EMDRIA Certification | LCSW, MSW, E-RYT
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EMDRIA certification is an additional professional credential beyond EMDR basic training. I am working toward this advanced certification, which requires additional clinical experience, consultation, and professional development.
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Education: Bachelor of Science in Psychology, California State University Sacramento; Master of Social Work, University of Southern California
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Additional specialties: Internal Family Systems (IFS), anxiety, depression, codependency, emotional trauma, religious trauma, life transitions, difficulties in relationships, stress, trauma related disorders
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Location: I offer in-person EMDR therapy in Fair Oaks and telehealth sessions for adults throughout California.
EMDR Training vs. Certification: What's the Difference?
Not all therapists who offer EMDR are EMDRIA-certified. Clinicians can provide EMDR therapy after completing approved basic training, while EMDRIA certification is a separate, voluntary credential requiring additional clinical experience, advanced consultation, and continuing education.
I have completed EMDR basic training and am currently working toward EMDRIA certification, with only the final requirements remaining.
For me, pursuing certification reflects a commitment to deepening my skills and providing thoughtful, well-informed trauma treatment.
Sometimes insight isn’t enough to create lasting change.
Many people who seek EMDR come at different points in their healing journey. Some have spent time in therapy and understand their patterns, can name their triggers, and have learned ways to cope. Others are newer to therapy and simply know that something from the past continues to show up in the present. In both cases, the nervous system may still react as if the past is happening now. Anxiety flares, emotions feel overwhelming or flat, and certain experiences remain “stuck,” despite your best efforts.
EMDR offers a way to work with these experiences at a deeper level. Rather than focusing only on insight or coping strategies, EMDR supports the nervous system in processing unresolved experiences so they can gradually lose their charge.
How Is EMDR Different From Traditional Talk Therapy?
Many forms of talk therapy help people understand their experiences, recognize patterns, and develop new ways of responding.
EMDR is a structured approach that focuses on processing distressing memories and the thoughts, emotions, and physical responses associated with them.
It uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating taps, as part of the treatment process.
The approaches aren't mutually exclusive. Depending on your goals and needs, EMDR may be integrated with other forms of psychotherapy.
Who is EMDR therapy for?
Maybe you've tried traditional talk therapy but it didn't provide the relief you were hoping for. Or maybe you're looking for a proven effective tool for healing trauma and achieving your mental health goals. EMDR therapy can:
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Help Process Childhood and Adult Trauma
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Improve Emotional Regulation
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Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Depression
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Reduce Chronic Pain
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Promote Positive Self-Perception
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Increase Overall Well-being
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Help Build Healthy Relationships
What is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy?
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy approach that utilizes the brain's natural capacity to heal and helps alleviate symptoms associated with distressing childhood or recent experiences.
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During EMDR, a therapist guides you through a structured process that may include focusing on aspects of a distressing memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating taps.
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EMDR is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. Researchers continue to study the mechanisms through which EMDR works, including the role of working memory and bilateral stimulation.
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Treatment is individualized, and we'll discuss whether EMDR is appropriate for your particular concerns.
What to Expect When Starting EMDR Therapy
EMDR doesn't begin with immediately revisiting difficult memories. We first spend time understanding your history, what brings you to therapy, and what you hope will change.
Together, we'll explore whether EMDR is an appropriate approach and what preparation might be helpful before beginning memory processing.
Depending on your needs, this may include developing strategies for managing distress, identifying patterns that feel important to address, and building confidence in the therapeutic process.
You won't be expected to process a traumatic memory during your first appointment. We'll move at a pace that takes your readiness, goals, and circumstances into account.
What are the 8 phases of EMDR?
1. History Taking and Treatment Planning
The beginning phase of EMDR involves gathering detailed information about your history, current symptoms, difficult thoughts and emotions, and experiences. During this phase, the therapist assesses your background, identifies target memories for processing, and develops a tailored treatment plan.
2. Preparation
In the preparation phase, the therapist helps you understand the EMDR process and establishes a sense of safety and trust. The therapist explains the procedures, including the use of bilateral stimulation, and introduces coping strategies to manage any distress that may arise during sessions.
3. Assessment
During the assessment phase, you and your therapist identify and focus on specific negative beliefs and memories associated with the trauma. You will recall the traumatic life event and related negative beliefs, while your therapist helps you formulate positive, adaptive beliefs to replace the negative ones.
4. Desensitization
The desensitization phase involves the use of bilateral stimulation (such as guided eye movements) to elicit the brain's natural capacity to process and reduce the emotional charge associated with the traumatic event or experience. As you focus on the memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, the brain’s natural processing mechanisms are activated, leading to a gradual decrease in distress and a shift in perception of the trauma.
5. Installation
In the installation phase, the focus shifts to strengthening and reinforcing positive beliefs that were identified during the assessment phase. The therapist helps you integrate these positive beliefs into your cognitive framework while continuing the use of bilateral stimulation.
6. Body Scan
The body scan phase involves asking you to focus on the traumatic event and new associated positive beliefs while scanning your body for any residual tension, fear or discomfort.
7. Closure
During the closure phase, the therapist helps you return to a state of equilibrium and ensure that you feel stable before ending the session. The therapist guides you through relaxation techniques and reinforces coping strategies learned during the preparation phase. This phase helps the therapist to stabilize you and provide a sense of safety, ensuring that you are grounded and ready to resume normal activities in your life.
8. Reevaluation
The reevaluation phase occurs in subsequent sessions to assess the progress made and determine the effectiveness of the EMDR treatment. The therapist reviews the changes in your symptoms, tracks changing emotions and thoughts, reassesses the previously targeted memories, and addresses any new issues or residual distress.
EMDR Therapy in Fair Oaks, Serving the Greater Sacramento Area
I provide in-person EMDR therapy for adults at my office at 4070 Bridge Street, Suite 5, Fair Oaks, CA 95628.
My Fair Oaks office serves clients from surrounding Sacramento-area communities, including Carmichael, Orangevale, Citrus Heights, and nearby neighborhoods.
For adults who prefer telehealth or live elsewhere in California, online EMDR therapy is also available when clinically appropriate.
Whether you're looking for an EMDR therapist near Fair Oaks or exploring online treatment, we can discuss whether my
approach is a good fit during a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions about EMDR
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