LA County Launches Pilot Program Using Eye Movement Therapy to Aid Trauma Recovery

Psychotherapeutic Approach to Treat Trauma-Linked Distress Is Now Available

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health or LACDMH has trained 25 clinicians as part of a pilot program in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing or EMDR therapy to expand its offerings for clients who have lived through or witnessed traumatic experiences.  

EMDR is used to treat trauma-related mental health conditions through side-to-side eye movements or other bilateral stimulation. Clinicians completed a 50-hour training and are now delivering EMDR services in LACDMH’s Service Areas 6 and 8, which includes South L.A. and the South Bay region of L.A. County. 

“Not everyone experiences trauma the same way, which is why launching an EMDR pilot program is critical to expanding our ability to meet the diverse mental health and healing needs of our residents,” said Los Angeles County 2nd District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “In addition to broadening mental health service options, the County’s Department of Mental Health is helping to expand the skill set of service providers to deliver EMDR to residents seeking this specialized support. I look forward to the insights this pilot will provide to better inform our ability to serve our communities.” 

“Through this pilot program and our trained therapists in this practice, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is proud to offer another resource for clients in our public mental health system,” said LACDMH Director Dr. Lisa H. Wong. “With trauma serving as the basis for many challenging mental health conditions, having an additional effective treatment tool is invaluable.” 

The EMDR-trained clinicians are delivering services at LACDMH’s Harbor-UCLA Medical Center adult outpatient mental health clinic and the Long Beach Mental Health Center’s adult clinic. In addition, clinicians have been trained at Southern California Health and Rehabilitation Program or SCHARP and Barbour and Floyd Medical Associates, contracted entities of LACDMH. 

Details: To learn more about EMDR, visit:dmh.lacounty.gov/our-services/emdr.