Have you ever been caught off guard by your body’s response to something that felt minor? Maybe your heart races when someone raises their voice. Maybe you shut down emotionally in an argument, even when you want to stay present. Or maybe a certain look or sound triggers a wave of fear, sadness, or panic that feels disproportate to the moment. These responses often stem from unprocessed trauma.

Working from an EMDR framework, I define trauma in as anything that happened in the past that is still affecting you negatively in the present. An experience does not need to appear traumatic from the outside to be considered trauma; what defines it is how the event(s) are felt and stored in the body. Trauma does not have to be a single dramatic event. It may look like years of subtle emotional neglect, a moment where you felt deeply unsafe, or something that overwhelmed your nervous system before you had the tools to make sense of it.

An event is traumatic when it overwhelms the nervous system and hinders the body’s ability to process and recall that memory. This is why certain memories may continue to impact our daily lives in ways we don’t always recognize. You may be reacting to something your conscious mind has long forgotten, but your body still remembers.

While many people recover from difficult experiences with time, others find that emotional pain, fear, confusion, or post-traumatic stress lingers for months or even years. This is where trauma therapy and EMDR can make a lasting difference.

Signs You May Be Living With Unprocessed Trauma

You may be struggling with the effects of trauma if you:

• Feel emotionally out of control or reactive

• Worry that your feelings are too much for others to handle

• Experience panic or anxiety in situations that don't feel obviously threatening

• Have vivid memories or flashbacks from past experiences

• Constantly fear abandonment or rejection

• Feel stuck in patterns you can't seem to break

• Shut down emotionally while still functioning on the outside

• Carry a deep belief that you are not enough, even when you know better logically

These experiences are common, especially among people who have lived through difficult relationships, adverse childhood experiences, betrayal, loss, or chronic stress. Even if you cannot pinpoint a specific traumatic event, your body’s symptoms may be telling a story worth listening to.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps people heal from complex trauma, PTSD, and distressing life experiences by reprocessing how those memories are stored in the brain and body.

EMDR uses a technique called bilateral stimulation, often through guided eye movements, tapping, or sound, to help the brain process stuck memories. This method activates both sides of the brain in a way that supports emotional healing. It is similar to what happens naturally during REM sleep, when our brains sort and file away emotional material from the day.

When something traumatic happens, the memory often gets frozen in its original form, tied to the same overwhelming emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations you experienced at the time. EMDR helps release that intensity. Through guided processing, your brain begins to store the memory in a more adaptive way so it no longer causes distress in the present. EMDR will never make a bad thing good, it will just help that experience not have its grip on you in the present day. 

What EMDR Can Help With

EMDR it is used to address a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges, including:

• Anxiety and panic attacks

• Specific Phobias or Irrational Fears 

• Insecure Attachment 

• Childhood abuse or emotional neglect

• Relationship trauma or fear of abandonment

• Functional freeze and emotional shutdown

• Complicated grief and loss

• Sexual trauma or physical assault

• Shame-based self-beliefs

• Chronic stress and burnout

• Chronic Pain

• Low self-worth or imposter syndrome

• Performance anxiety

• Medical trauma

• Repetitive negative thought patterns

If you feel emotionally reactive, stuck in old habits, or overwhelmed by triggers, EMDR may offer a way to shift these patterns at their root.

A Case Example of EMDR in Practice

Sandra* came to therapy because she felt panicked every time her partner left the house. She knew it wasn’t rational, but her fear felt overwhelming and hard to control. Through EMDR, we uncovered a memory from kindergarten, when Sandra’s mom was often late picking her up from school. At the time, her 6-year-old self felt abandoned and terrified. Although her adult mind understood that her mother loved her and had valid reasons for being late, Sandra’s body still carried the fear from those moments.

After working through this memory with EMDR, Sandra noticed a shift. The panic began to fade. She no longer felt frozen when her partner left. She also developed a new, more compassionate understanding of her childhood. Her nervous system was no longer stuck in the past.

*Name and details have been changed to protect confidentiality.

What to Expect From EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy does not require you to talk in detail about your trauma. Instead, we focus on how the memory lives in your body and mind now. We begin by establishing a sense of safety and building emotional resources before moving into reprocessing. This allows your nervous system to stay regulated throughout the process.

During reprocessing, we use bilateral stimulation while you hold an image, thought, or sensation related to the memory. Your brain naturally starts to work through the memory, releasing the stuck material. Many people notice that their distress level lowers, their body feels lighter, and their beliefs about themselves begin to shift.

After successful EMDR therapy, you may:

• Feel less reactive to current triggers

• Experience relief from the emotional intensity tied to specific memories

• Have fewer physical symptoms, such as tension, racing heart, or panic

• Develop a more empowered and compassionate view of yourself

EMDR does not erase difficult memories or create false ones. Instead, it helps you integrate the memory in a way that allows you to move forward.

The Neuroscience Behind EMDR

When trauma occurs, our brains may shift into survival mode and shut down the parts responsible for logic, language, and emotional regulation. EMDR helps activate those areas again. It shifts memories stored in the primitive, reactive part of the brain into the neocortex, where we can think, reflect, and find meaning.

This process also helps build a more cohesive narrative about your past and who you are now. As the charge around the memory softens, your brain becomes more flexible and open to new perspectives.

EMDR and Mindfulness

At Heartfelt Mind Therapy, I integrate mindfulness practices and somatic experiencing into EMDR to support your healing. This might include grounding exercises, breathwork, and guided imagery to help you stay present and develop internal resources. These tools can also be used outside of sessions to help you feel safe and centered in everyday life.

Begin Your Healing Journey

You do not have to live at the mercy of your past. EMDR therapy can help you understand why you feel the way you do and guide you toward lasting change. Whether you have lived through abuse, loss, emotional neglect, or relational trauma, there is hope for healing.

I offer in-person EMDR therapy in Santa Monica and virtual sessions for clients across California. If you are curious about whether EMDR is right for you, reach out to schedule a free phone consultation. I'm here to help you reconnect with yourself, move through what has been holding you back, and create space for the life you want to live.