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EMDR THERAPY FOR KIDS IN SAN FRANCISCO AND ACROSS CALIFORNIA

When you need help moving forward.

EMDR therapy helps kids resolve the emotions and behaviors that result from traumatic events, so they can enjoy being a kid again.

Helping your child:

Feel Safe & Secure

Control "Big Emotions"

Have fun Again

You want to do everything you can to help your child heal

When your child experiences a traumatic event, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed and unsure about where to start with getting the help you both need.

You may feel guilt or shame, or like you should have been able to protect them. The truth is, more than two thirds of children experience some kind of traumatic event by age 16.

By reaching out for help, you are giving your child and yourself the best opportunity for healing and restoration.

WE CREATE A SPACE FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILD TO HEAL

Traumatic events can include:

  • Divorce or separation of parents
  • Abuse, sexual abuse or neglect
  • Violence in the home
  • Bullying at school
  • Injury, illness or accident
  • Loss of a loved one

Why EMDR Therapy For Kids?

In the aftermath of trauma, your child may struggle with a number of symptoms.

They often feel ashamed, scared, or alone in what they have gone through and because many children lack the language to articulate what they are feeling, the effects of trauma may show us:
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Defiance
  • Shutting Down
  • Nightmares
  • Flashbacks
  • Stomach Aches
  • Other Physical Symptoms

We help you navigate the effects of trauma, difficult life situations and the challenges of parenthood.

With EMDR Therapy, We Can Help your child heal.

Christine Mark-Griffin, Founder & Clinical Director, EMDR Specialist sitting on the ground smiling at the camera

Christine Mark-Griffin
Clinical Director

Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified EMDR Therapist,
Approved EMDR Consultant With EMDRIA

SPECIALIZING IN EMDR THERAPY FOR KIDS

We Are Spark All Wellness

Trauma is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

Childhood trauma is so prevalent and oftentimes is not addressed until later in adult life or remains unresolved for many people. As someone who has experienced and suffered from my own childhood trauma, it is so important to me to offer a service that can truly help children and their families reduce or end any suffering caused by trauma.

Our children are the future.

Frequently Asked Questions
About EMDR Therapy

EMDR is a therapy that can help kids and grown ups feel better after something upsetting, scary or traumatic happens. In EMDR therapy, you are asked to do two things at the same time! You will focus on the upsetting memories while doing back and forth movement (typically eye movements) to feel better about stressful memories
Yes! Although EMDR developed and tested on adults (veterans to be specific) research has now shown that it can work for all types of mental health issues in adults and children. Over the years, EMDR has been successfully adapted for children to help them get better!
EMDR can be done with infants, toddlers and very young children. When children are very young, parents and primary caregivers are typically involved and participate in conjoint and family sessions.
EMDR can be provided in-person, virtually or in a hybrid model with children. However, a child’s age, development, personality, symptoms and level of support from parents during EMDR sessions should be considered for appropriateness of virtual sessions.
EMDR with children is typically done for shorter periods of time (i.e. 5-15 minutes at a time) and involves combining it with other modalities such as play therapy, bibliotherapy and expressive art therapy. Compared to adults, children typically have shorter attention spans and can only tolerate small amounts of EMDR at a time.
EMDR sessions are usually provided weekly. However, depending on the target problem and treatment goals, your EMDR therapist may recommend more or less sessions as needed.

EMDR THERAPY FOR KIDS

What You Can Expect
From This Approach

The timeline for when children and parents will feel better depends on many factors but we have found that most kids and their parents report feeling better and seeing improvement within the first 90-days of engaging in therapy.
  • Your child will learn coping skills to better manage the symptoms of trauma
  • Your child will be better able to connect with their friends and family
  • You and your child will strengthen your ability to communicate
  • You will learn how to better problem solve with your child
  • You will feel more attuned to your child
  • You will feel more comfortable and capable in handling challenges

We help you navigate the effects of trauma, difficult life situations and the challenges of parenthood.

While we can't change what happened, we can help you move toward a new normal.

How EMDR Therapy Works

The 8 Phases of EMDR
Therapy For Kids

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Phase 1: My story and goals

We work on sharing your story and figuring out the parts that are causing problems for you. From there, you work with your therapist to come up with goals and a plan.

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Phase 2: Getting prepared

We work on building trust with your EMDR therapist and learn the basics of how EMDR works. You will also learn new skills to calm your anxiety and cope with uncomfortable feelings that might show up during therapy.

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Phase 3: Activating targets

You work with your therapist to identify targets that are causing problems and start to take the steps that will help relieve the feelings of stress and anxiousness.

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Phase 4: Discharging the stress

You will focus on the target problem while doing a back- and-forth movement with your EMDR therapist. The goal is to help you move and shake the stress of the target problem out of your body, heart, and mind.

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Phase 5: Strengthening the positive

You will focus on strengthening your positive and healthy thoughts so that whenever you are reminded or think about your target problem in the future, you won’t feel stressed out. For example, instead of thinking, “I’m not safe,” you will think, “I’m safe now!”

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Phase 6: Increasing body awareness

You will work with your EMDR therapist to release any unhelpful memories that are stuck in your body. If you notice any uncomfortable feelings in your body, let your EMDR therapist know so you can keep doing back-and-forth movements to release the stress from your body!

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Phase 7: Finishing and ending

All EMDR sessions will finish and end in the same way: by doing something calming or fun. Your therapist will also talk to you about what to expect in between sessions.

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Phase 8: Reviewing and revising

At the beginning of each EMDR session, your therapist will see if your problem has gotten better or worse since the last session, including any triggers that might have come up for you. You will see if your target problem has been solved or talk about things you still need to work on.

We help you navigate the effects of trauma, difficult life situations and the challenges of parenthood.

Spark All WEllness

Therapists Specializing in EMDR
Therapy For Kids

Ready To Get Started?

Book A Free Consultation

If you’re looking to get started with us, book a free consultation. We will answer all your questions and book our first appointment.

Book An Appointment

Are you a returning client? Log into your portal to book an appointment. Questions? Send us a message.

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You’re Not Alone

Spark All Wellness

Help your child thrive again!

Have a few questions?

If you have questions about therapy, our services, or would like to get in touch, we’d love to hear from you! If you prefer, we welcome you to schedule a free consultation directly with one of our team members.