"Why do I still feel this way?" Trauma survivors often criticize themselves for knowing they’re in the present and that the threat is gone, but still feeling frozen, anxious, or like they are too much, not enough, or both. They become exhausted from trying to talk themselves into feeling differently, only to find themselves in the same place again and again. EMDR helps rescue not only the frontal lobe from trauma, but the entire nervous system.

When determining the best course of trauma treatment, it is important to assess whether the person has experienced complex trauma or single-incident trauma. Complex trauma is characterized by repeated, prolonged exposure to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect, and includes the chronic harm of living under racism, poverty, and other systemic forces that shape a person's safety in the world. Complex trauma most commonly begins in early childhood, inside the relationships that were supposed to keep us safe. Where single-incident triggers are usually concrete and obvious, complex trauma triggers appear in relationships and every day experiences, often operating below conscious awareness. Because of this, survivors carry deep shame and self-criticism when struggling.

Single-incident trauma, also called “acute trauma,” includes life-threatening accidents or medical events, physical or sexual assault, disasters or mass-casualty events, or the sudden loss of someone you love. I began my career working with survivors of Hurricane Katrina, coordinated mental health care in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, and most recently worked with survivors of the Kerr County and Camp Mystic floods. This work taught me that the pain and horror of “single incident” trauma continue into the aftermath.

Safety within the therapeutic relationship is not merely a foundation upon which to build the processing; it is in and of itself a healing component of the therapy. The use of both the standard EMDR protocol and an Attachment-Focused EMDR framework ensures that the process is safe, individualized, and effective.