Trauma & PTSD Therapy in San Diego: EMDR and Prolonged Exposure
I'm Anat Mor Betzalel, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (California LCSW #97610) in Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego. I work with adults living with the effects of trauma and PTSD, using EMDR and Prolonged Exposure alongside grounding, mindfulness and parts-informed work. Sessions are available in person at my office, or by telehealth for clients located in California and in Florida (under my Florida telehealth registration, TPSW #3941), in English or Hebrew.
Book a free 15-minute consultation
When trauma stays with you
Trauma isn't only about what happened. It's about how it keeps showing up: in your sleep, your body, your relationships, or in moments when you suddenly feel unsafe for no clear reason. You might notice:
- Memories, images or nightmares that come back uninvited
- Feeling on edge, easily startled, or never quite able to relax
- Avoiding people, places or conversations that remind you of what happened
- Feeling numb, disconnected, or not like yourself
- Anxiety or panic that seems bigger than the situation in front of you
I work with single events, such as an accident, an assault or a frightening medical or birth experience, as well as with experiences that built up over time.
How I work with trauma
My approach is integrative. EMDR and Prolonged Exposure are the two main trauma treatments I use. Alongside both, I may incorporate grounding and regulation skills, mindfulness, and parts-informed work when helpful, based on your needs and the treatment approach we choose together. We decide together which approach fits you, based on what you've been through, what you're hoping for, and what feels manageable right now.
EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy for trauma. While you briefly focus on a distressing memory, you follow a back-and-forth movement or sound, called bilateral stimulation. The goal is to help you process distressing memories so that they become less emotionally intense and less disruptive in the present. EMDR doesn't require you to describe every detail of what happened out loud.
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
Prolonged Exposure is a structured therapy for PTSD. Step by step, and at a pace we agree on, it helps you approach the memories and situations you've been avoiding. Avoidance often keeps fear going. Gradually facing what feels unsafe, with support, can help reduce its hold over time.
What the research says
EMDR and Prolonged Exposure are evidence-based treatments for PTSD and are included in major clinical practice guidelines. The VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline recommends both among its trauma-focused psychotherapies for PTSD. Learn more from the National Center for PTSD, the American Psychological Association, and EMDRIA, the EMDR International Association.
What to expect
We start with a free 15-minute consultation, a chance to ask questions and see whether we're a good fit. In our first sessions, I'll get to know you and your history, and we'll build grounding skills before any trauma processing begins. You set the pace. Individual sessions are 50 minutes.
Fees and practical details
- Individual sessions: $185 for 50 minutes.
- I'm an out-of-network provider. For PPO plans, I provide a superbill you can submit for possible reimbursement. Sessions are HSA eligible.
- In person: Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego (92129).
- Telehealth: clients located in California, and in Florida under my Florida telehealth registration (TPSW #3941).
Common questions
Should I choose EMDR or Prolonged Exposure?
You don't need to decide on your own. We'll talk it through in your consultation and early sessions, and choose together based on your history, your goals and what feels manageable.
Do I have to talk about everything that happened?
It depends on the approach we use. EMDR generally does not require you to describe every detail of the trauma aloud. Prolonged Exposure involves revisiting the trauma memory in a structured and supported way. We'll talk about what each approach involves before deciding together what fits you.
Can trauma therapy be done by telehealth?
Yes. I offer EMDR and trauma therapy by secure video for clients located in California or Florida.
How long does trauma therapy take?
It varies from person to person. We'll check in regularly on how things are going and adjust together.
Related reading: EMDR Therapy: Unlocking Healing from Trauma and PTSD · Exposure Therapy: A Path to Overcoming Trauma, Social Anxiety, and Panic · Unveiling Trauma's Full Impact · Grounding Techniques for Anxiety