Trauma & EMDR Therapy

While the word “trauma” has gotten a lot of buzz lately, the reality of traumatic experiences is more complex and insidious than any simple explanation. Trauma can occur when an event or series of events negatively alters a person's ability to function and manage their emotions. This might mean becoming easily upset by situations, words, sights, sounds, or smells that seem benign to others. But for the person who has suffered trauma associated with those stimuli, it can plunge them into a spiral of fear, rage, shame, overwhelm, or total shut-down.

Some people may not have a single event that has been traumatic, but rather a period of chronic stress or instability that has negatively altered their ability to trust or develop deep relationships with friends and family.

After learning your story and background, we will work with you to find the best therapeutic approach to help you identify and process what parts of life feel unmanageable. For many, the best approach is EMDR therapy. EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, but we also use palm tappers or headphones as a means of bilateral stimulation.

Bilateral stimulation, or BLS, refers to the stimulation of both hemispheres of the brain while a person is recalling a memory. This stimulation not only allows a person to vividly recall a memory, but also to associate a positive meaning or association with a memory that has caused pain, distress, or unwanted coping patterns. EMDR is an effective and well-researched treatment that is extremely effective at helping people experience relief and freedom from flashbacks, regular nightmares, and panic attacks.