Human beings naturally process everyday information/memories and the linked emotions to these events whilst we sleep during periods of Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM). I refer to this process as “therapy in bed”. But with traumatic memories/emotions sometimes this information struggles to process as the brain gets stuck in a loop or runs out of processing ideas.
IN TRAUMATIC EVENTS (LARGE SCALE EXPERIENCES OR MANY SMALLER UPSETS)
What makes something feel traumatic to one person, will differ from another. We are all very individual. All experiences that feel traumatic or overwhelming no matter how large or small they are, matter and are valid because of the negative effect on your quality of life.
Trauma can result from a larger scale experience (known as large T traumas) where there has been a risk of serious harm to self or others; sudden illness or loss, involvement in an accident or being subjected to abuse. Other smaller experiences (Known as small T traumas) may also cause disturbance, either on their own or grouped together.
Feelings need to process into the unconscious to promote a sense of wellbeing in you. Whether large T or small T, anything that feels traumatic to you makes the unconscious processing of these events and the connecting emotional response more difficult. This is because these are more negative memories which are more fragmented to begin with. There is a logic to this. Negative memories/experiences are received within a more heightened, volatile or sensory environment and we are not always “present” as we are hypervigilant or heightened in emotion. This is why processing gets “stuck” and remains in the unconscious unresolved. When triggered, the body will think it is back in the experience, creating the feeling of overwhelm and in some cases flashbacks.
Ultimately, the body’s primal instinct is to survive and so triggers always relate to the senses- something we have seen, heard, touched, smelt or tasted, which cause our brain to link back to the traumatic event, but that we might not make sense of, or link consciously. This is why unresolved trauma can feel destabilising and frightening to those who experience it.
EMDR can also be an effective method of therapy for resolving the unresolved unconscious trauma, often much quicker than talking therapy alone is able to. EMDR works with the unconscious memory network to heal these responses at the root, processing events that are unresolved and that are keeping you stuck.
EMDR can be lifechanging for many people. EMDR can also help with Phobias, anxieties and OCD.
To enquire about EMDR therapy, please contact me here or you can fill in the secure referral form and I will get in contact with you.
EMDR sessions are each of a one-hour duration and the cost is £60 per session.
* Therapists must only practice in EMDR if they are appropriately trained and they must reach an appropriate and verified level of professionalism, practice hours and accreditations before they are able to be accepted onto this training. If you are wishing to engage in EMDR, always ensure that you do so with an appropriately trained therapist.*
