What is trauma?
When people hear the word trauma, they often think of extreme events like war, natural disasters, or severe accidents. While those can certainly be traumatic, trauma is not defined only by how “big” or dramatic an event looks from the outside. Trauma is anything that overwhelms our ability to cope, especially when it’s unexpected.
This can include experiences such as sudden loss, a difficult breakup, being made to feel unsafe, ongoing stress in relationships, or even moments in childhood that left us feeling unseen or unworthy. What makes something traumatic is not the event itself, but how it impacts you and the beliefs it creates about yourself and the world.
In short, trauma is any experience that leaves you feeling unsafe, powerless, or disconnected — whether it’s a single event or something that happened again and again over time. Healing begins with understanding that your reaction is not a weakness; it’s a normal response to something overwhelming.
Healing Core Beliefs
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that helps people heal from trauma, distressing experiences, and deeply held negative core beliefs (like “I’m not enough,” “I’m unsafe,” or “I have no control”). When overwhelming events aren’t fully processed, the memories can remain “stuck,” causing ongoing distress.
Through guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation, EMDR helps the brain reprocess these memories, reduce emotional intensity, and replace negative beliefs with healthier, more empowering ones.
EMDR is especially effective for:
Trauma and PTSD
Grief and loss
Anxiety and panic
Depression
Low self-esteem
Phobias or fears
Relationship and attachment wounds
Many people find EMDR helps them move forward from experiences that once felt impossible to overcome, often with faster results than traditional talk therapy.
FAQs
Myth: EMDR is hypnosis.
EMDR is not hypnosis—you are fully awake, alert, and in control during every session.
Myth: EMDR makes you forget your memories.
EMDR doesn’t erase memories. It helps your brain reprocess them so they no longer feel as overwhelming or triggering.
Myth: EMDR only works for “big” traumas.
EMDR can help with many experiences, including abuse, grief, anxiety, depression, phobias, relationship issues, and stressful life events. Trauma is defined by how your brain and body experienced it, not by how “big” it looks on paper.
Myth: EMDR is a quick fix.
While EMDR can often produce results faster than traditional talk therapy, true healing still takes time, commitment, and support.
Myth: EMDR is just moving your eyes back and forth.
Eye movements are only one part. EMDR follows a structured 8-phase process that includes history-taking, preparation, identifying negative core beliefs, reprocessing, and installing healthier perspectives.
Additionally, bilateral stimulation can be done with eye movements, tapping, or sounds—whichever feels most comfortable. The good news is we can do all modalities virtually in the comfort of your own space.
Myth: EMDR is “too weird” to actually work.
Trust me—I was skeptical when I started my own journey, too! EMDR is supported by decades of research and is recognized as an evidence-based treatment for trauma by the American Psychiatric Association, World Health Organization, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Myth: EMDR is painful because you have to relive your trauma.
EMDR doesn’t require you to retell or relive every detail of your trauma. Instead, it helps your brain reprocess memories at a manageable pace, often with less emotional overwhelm. This doesn’t mean the proce
Myth: EMDR is unsafe for people with complex trauma.
When guided by a trained EMDR therapist, EMDR can be safely adapted for complex trauma, dissociation, or long histories of adversity. Preparation and stabilization are always part of the process.
Myth: EMDR is only about the past.
EMDR addresses past experiences but also helps with present triggers and future challenges, preparing you to respond more effectively moving forward.