Most of us experience trauma in our lives. Whether your trauma is capital “T” Trauma or a lower-case “t” trauma, everyone experiences these difficult scenarios differently. For some people they can seemingly let it go and not be bothered by it. For others, the difficult scenario can stick with them and come out sideways in various ways throughout life.

Trauma can be something that has happened in the past, perhaps years ago, that follows us into the present and keeps us from fully enjoying life today. It is a memory that lives in our minds and our bodies. Interestingly, memory has been shown to be unreliable since we remember the event from the last time we thought or talked about it, not necessarily the exact moment that it happened. Thinking about an event, we tend to make meaning of it. Oftentimes there are mixed emotions and meanings we experience which can feel confusing. It’s this confusion that can keep us stuck.

Trauma can cause us to clam up and turn inward to protect ourselves from future harm. Others of us can get BIG and LOUD to protect ourselves and externalize the trauma. There is not a right or wrong way to deal with trauma or any experience for that matter.

At The Mindfulness Center, we work from a “Yes, and…” perspective. Yes, you may feel scared and angry, and you might also want to connect with others while also avoiding getting too close as a way to protect yourself. Life and relationships can be complicated and messy. Our work as therapists is to help you move beyond the stuckness as you are ready.

One way to treat trauma or stuckness is with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).  EMDR is a therapeutic technique of desensitization and reprocessing. In session, we focus on being present in our bodies. This helps us identify what is happening and what sensations are being felt in the body. We improve our ability to tolerate uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. We examine our internal and external resources so that we can trust our ability to handle this inner work safely and effectively.

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (BLS), is thought to play a crucial role in helping reprocess traumatic memories. BLS involves stimulating both sides of the body, through eye movements,
alternating tones or alternating taping while the client focuses on the disturbing memory. This stimulation is believed to activate the brain’s natural information processing system, allowing it
to revisit and reprocess the memory in a less distressing way. By enabling this reprocessing, BLS may help reduce the emotional intensity of the memory and its associated negative
thoughts and beliefs.

EMDR therapy is recommended for individuals who have experienced trauma, such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, phobias, and grief. It can also be helpful for those struggling with chronic
pain, eating disorders, and dissociative disorders. EMDR can be a powerful tool for people seeking to heal from past experiences and improve their emotional well-being.

Elizabeth McCormack, LMFT is our therapist at The Mindfulness Center offering EMDR. Feel free to schedule a FREE 10-minute consultation with her to see if working together is optimal for both of you. Or, if you’re ready to schedule your first therapy session, you can schedule with Elizabeth HERE!