By Sarah Ward

Bruce Perry defines trauma as “an experience, or pattern of experiences, that impairs the proper functioning of the person’s stress-response system, making it more reactive or sensitive” (Perry & Winfrey, 2021). In other words, trauma occurs when the experience is prolonged or at a high intensity that impacts the development of the brain. Trauma is interesting because for one person an event might produce low stress and the same event might cause a high level of stress and be difficult to cope with for another person. This has to do with an individual’s window of tolerance. If a person’s window of tolerance is smaller, they will be triggered to go outside of the window more easily. As a result, treating trauma is a unique process for each individual.

In van de Kolk’s book, “The Body Keeps the Score,” he states: “somatic experiences are key in the healing process [of trauma]. The body remembers the trauma and healing requires more than just talking through the experiences, it involves re-engaging with the body to process and release the trauma” (van de Kolk, 2014).

The symptoms of trauma could include:

• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Repetitive and distressing images or sensations
• Physical sensations, such as pain, sweating, feeling sick or trembling
• Avoidance and emotion-numbing
• Irritability
• Angry outbursts
• Sleeping problems (insomnia)
• Difficulty concentrating
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Phobias
• Physical symptoms (headaches, dizziness, chest pains, and stomach aches)
• Self-destructive behaviors (Symptoms – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 2022).

Trauma Evidenced Interventions

Different evidenced-based interventions help address the symptoms of trauma. One of these interventions is called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). It is a well-established treatment for helping with trauma and other mental health disorders. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (activating both sides of the brain by eye movement, tapping, sound, etc.) to help an individual reprocess traumatic memories in a healthy and positive way. Recently, research has found EMDR to be an effective treatment option for trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addiction, grief, chronic pain, attachment issues, and self-esteem (About EMDR Therapy, n.d.).

Recent research has concluded that EMDR can be an effective form of treatment for individuals experiencing a wide range of mental health disorders. EDMR can be a highly effective form of treatment when trauma is underlying the symptoms. EMDR can be effective when combined with other modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and other therapeutic modalities (Scellas & Bulnes, 2021).

How to Begin EMDR

If you are interested in starting EMDR all you have to do is find a therapist that is EMDR trained. Your therapist will help you in learning the skills and resources necessary to help you on your healing journey.

If you’re seeking therapy for trauma, the compassionate and experienced therapists at Mindset Family Therapy are here to help.

References

About EMDR therapy. EMDRIA. February 24, 2025.

About EMDR Therapy

Perry, B. & Winfrey, O. (2021). What happened to you. Flatiron Books.

Scelles C. & Bulnes, L.C. (2021). EMDR as treatment option for conditions other than PTSD: A systemic review. Front Psycholological for Clinical Settings, 12. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644369

Symptoms – post-traumatic stress disorder. (2022). NHS. February 24, 2025.