EMDR Therapy for Surprise, AZ
Surprise is a big city with a short list of trauma therapists, and EMDR narrows the list further. If you have been searching from the north side of the West Valley, my office in Goodyear is an easy drive down one freeway. Loop 303 runs straight from Surprise to the I-10, and I am a few miles east of it.
If the drive down the 303 feels like too much on a hard week, we can do that session by video and pick the office back up the next one. The sections below cover what to expect from EMDR, the best routes from each part of Surprise, and when video might be the easier choice.
Emily Ward, MS, LAC
Counselor in Goodyear, and online across Arizona
Is this you?
- Something happened, recently or a long time ago, and your body still responds like it is happening now.
- A sound, a smell, a place, or a date on the calendar pulls you right back into it.
- You are on edge in ways that do not match what is going on around you.
- You have talked about it, maybe more than once, and it still has the same charge.
- You have heard of EMDR and cannot find anyone nearby who offers it.
What to expect from EMDR
EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. It is a step-by-step approach to painful memories, carried out over a series of sessions with a trained therapist.
We begin with your history and with tools that help you settle, and the memory work waits until you tell me you are ready. You can pause or slow down whenever you need to, and each session closes with enough quiet time that the drive back up Loop 303 feels manageable. Not everyone should start with EMDR, and if that is true for you, I will say so on the free call.
Getting here from Surprise
You will find me in Goodyear on Litchfield Road, a short way north of the I-10, with a free lot at the door.
From Marley Park, Sun City Grand, and central Surprise, take Loop 303 south to the I-10, go east a few miles to Litchfield Road, and head north. Outside of rush hour that is about twenty to twenty-five minutes. From the Prasada area and the west side of Surprise, plan on closer to thirty. If you would rather stay off the freeway, Litchfield Road itself runs south from Surprise through Litchfield Park to the office, which is slower but simpler, with lights instead of merges.
Seeing me by video
Video fills the gaps when the 303 is not worth it, whether that means summer heat, a closure on the freeway, or a week with no room to spare. Some people mix office and video visits, and some do everything on screen. As long as you are in Arizona during the session, either way works, and the balance can shift with the season.
Life in Surprise
Surprise is its own place, with young families in the newer neighborhoods, a large retired community in Sun City Grand and the surrounding areas, and a lot of people who moved here from somewhere else and left their support system behind. That mix can bring its own kinds of pain: losses that came late in life, accidents on the 303 or Grand Avenue, medical emergencies, and old hurts that a move to a new city was supposed to leave behind. If any of that is familiar, the office is one freeway and a short stretch of the I-10 away.
In person in Goodyear
My office is at 1626 N Litchfield Rd Ste 220, Goodyear, AZ 85395, and I am there on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays with afternoon and evening openings.
Online across Arizona
I see clients by video on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. You need to be in Arizona during the session, but you can be anywhere in the state.
Fees and insurance
Sessions are 50–55 minutes and cost $100 without insurance. I am in-network with Aetna/Banner, Cigna, Curative, and United Healthcare, and I take Cigna and United Healthcare employee assistance program (EAP) sessions, which are the free sessions some employers cover. The full details are on the insurance and fees page, and if your plan is not listed, ask me on the free call and I will tell you what your options are.
Questions people ask
Is the drive from Surprise too far for weekly sessions?
The drive is usually twenty to thirty minutes on Loop 303, and afternoon and evening slots miss the heaviest traffic. On weeks when it feels like too much, video is always an option.
Do you see older adults?
Yes. There is no upper age limit for therapy with me, and trauma does not expire with age. Losses, accidents, medical emergencies, and things that happened decades ago and never got dealt with are all things EMDR can help with, at whatever pace suits you.
Can we meet by video on hot days, or when I cannot drive?
Yes. Video sessions are available Tuesday through Friday, and every phase of EMDR can be done on screen. If you do not drive, or would rather stay off the freeway, video can be the whole plan.
Do I have to describe what happened in detail?
No. You only need to share enough for us to choose a memory to work with. The processing itself happens in your own mind, so the details can stay with you.
What does it cost, and do you take my insurance?
It costs the same as any other therapy session. A session is 50–55 minutes, and without insurance it costs $100. I am in-network with Aetna/Banner, Cigna, Curative, and United Healthcare, and I also take Cigna and United Healthcare EAP sessions.
Start with a free 15-minute call
It is not therapy and it is not an intake. You tell me a little about what is going on, I tell you honestly whether I am the right fit, and you decide from there.