Trauma
Trauma has a way of disrupting the mind and body. It has a way of making us feel unsafe, trapped, vulnerable, and out of control. Why? Well the answer isn’t always that clear, but to put plainly, trauma disrupts how we see the world, others, and ourselves. Trauma isn’t just about horrific things happening- it’s also about upsetting, disturbing, and overwhelming experiences that are just too much to make sense.
The interesting thing about trauma is that it can present with many faces and relate to other experiences we have had in the past that were also upsetting, disturbing, and overwhelming. The brain likes to play match with other events, even when we are not consciously aware. This can be great sometimes, however, when we are struggling mentally and emotionally ‘match’ isn’t the best.
Healing from trauma is about developing a wider perspective, understanding our role within an experience, forgiving ourselves, and allowing ourselves to reconnect with not only others, but our mind, body, and heart.
There are many ways to work through trauma, Danielle and Amanda specialize in:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Somatic-based (or body-based) approaches
What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a highly researched therapeutic approach that has been proven to help people recover from traumatic events and other distressing or upsetting life experiences or events.
How can EMDR therapy help me?
EMDR helps you no longer relive the images, sounds, and feelings when the traumatic event is brought to mind. You will still remember what happened, but the memory will be less upsetting. Many types of therapy have similar goals; however, EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Therefore, EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy that helps you see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.
How can EMDR therapy help?
EMDR has been shown in to be an effective therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and resolution of other traumatic events.
Scientific research has also shown that EMDR can be effective for treating:
· Panic attacks
· Anxiety
· Depression
· Complicated grief
· Dissociative disorders
· Upsetting or distressing memories
· Phobias
· Pain disorders
· Stress management
· Addiction
· Combat stress
· Emotional, mental, sexual and/or physical abuse
· Personality disorders
How does EMDR Therapy Work?
When a person is very upset, the brain cannot process information as it does ordinarily. One moment becomes “frozen in time,” and remembering a trauma may feel as bad as going through it the first time because the images, sounds, smells, and feelings haven’t changed. Such memories have a lasting negative effect that interferes with the way you see the world and relate to other people.
EMDR therapy accesses and processes past traumatic memories and distressing life experiences, bringing these stressors to an adaptive and ‘healthy’ resolution- desensitizing disturbing triggers, freeing space for useful insights, and allowing the past to truly past.
What is the goal of EMDR therapy?
The goal of EMDR therapy is to process the experiences that are causing problems, and to include new, positive experiences that are needed for full health. “Processing” does not mean talking about an experience; “processing” means setting up a learning state that will allow experiences that are causing problems to be “digested” and stored appropriately in your brain. This means that any related inappropriate emotions, beliefs, and body sensations will be discarded. It also means that what is useful to you from an experience will be learned and be able to guide you in positive ways in the future.