treatment in Yakima, WA

 In order to understand EMDR I think it’s first important to clarify the word “trauma.” Now, we often think of trauma as a life threatening experience but it is far broader than that. Any time we enter the fight, flight or freeze response can be considered  trauma, especially considering how resourced we are developmentally.

Let’s say I’m with a client, I drank too much water and I pee’d my pants. This hasn’t happened but it could! Now I would feel embarrassed, but I’d get over it because I have support and a strongly developed sense of self. I am MORE than my pee pants! For me, that wouldn’t be trauma.

But if this were to happen in 2nd grade, parts of my brain would likely shut down. The part of my brain responsible for the fight, flight, or freeze response takes over and that memory gets stored improperly (with all it’s thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and  images).

That improper storage of the memory may not sound like a problem, but your body holds on to the threatening memory instead of filing it away. Even if you mentally know it’s over, your body doesn’t realize the experience is over. Anytime it is reminded of that memory it automatically sends your body back into a trauma response. And repeat.

This can then manifest itself not only in the form of trauma reactions, but also depression, anxiety or any number of concerns. That’s why even after the moment has passed and we no longer need that response, we still feel it, we relive it. Sometimes even without you consciously realizing it.