A tube of ChapStick may seem insignificant, but for one of my patients it once represented germs, illness, and fear. When he picked it up without hesitation, the shift in the room was remarkable. Moments like this illustrate why our work as therapists-in-training matters — through our work together, the fear that once defined my patient’s experience gave way to safety, choice, and relief.
This example also highlights the effectiveness of evidence-based mental health treatments such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Using EMDR in psychotherapy allowed my patient to access and reprocess deeply rooted memories that once felt immovable, enabling meaningful relief from distress and supporting a fuller, more integrated life.
My name is Lucas Marvin Gallo, and I am an Associate Post‑Masters Mental Health Fellow at the Downtown Sacramento General Adult Outpatient Clinic and a trainee in the MHTP Trauma Specialty Program focusing on EMDR. This patient care experience affirmed the benefits of my engagement in the EMDR Specialty Training track.
The EMDR Specialty Training track in the MHTP Trauma Specialty Program offers a structured and supportive pathway for clinicians learning this modality. Trainees in this program complete six full days of virtual instruction at the beginning of the training year, combining theory, case conceptualization, and supervised hands‑on practice. Weekly consultation meetings occur throughout the training year, deepening clinical understanding and support effective application across diverse patient populations.
Over the past six months, I have seen how quickly patients can progress when clinicians are well trained and supported – an outcome made possible through the initial training and ongoing consultation I have received from this program. When asked about her own experiences, my fellow EMDR trainee Jenna Collins noted that, “consultation provides support, room for safe processing, encouragement, insight to my own stuck points, and gentle challenging to expand my skillset.”
For MHTP trainees seeking to grow their clinical abilities, I strongly encourage applying to the EMDR Specialty Training program. Offering a gold‑standard treatment like EMDR can help restore patient safety, agency, and the possibility of a life no longer defined by the past.
Contributed by: Lucas Marvin Gallo, Associate Post‑Masters Mental Health Fellow
