Trauma Recovery & EMDR Therapy

The word trauma gets thrown around a lot these days, but few people really understand what it is and how it’s treated. At Ubuntu Psychological Services, we support people who are healing from traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder, offering therapy that reduces symptoms and improves daily life, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). On this page, we cover the basic sabout trauma, EMDR, and the benefits of working with a therapist.

Was It Trauma?

Trauma occurs when the brain’s ability to process a stressful or dangerous event is overwhelmed. Just like a physical trauma causes bruises, cuts, scrapes, and other injuries, mental trauma leaves an injury. In some cases, that wound heals quickly on its own. For others, support from a therapist is necessary to fully heal from the effects of trauma. Trauma causes numerous issues, including flashbacks, difficulty concentrating, increased reliance on substances to self-medicate, and higher levels of anxiety and hypervigilance. When left unaddressed, trauma can become more severe, leading to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This condition causes severe side effects related to trauma and can become debilitating.

What Is EMDR?

One way that therapists are able to alleviate the adverse effects of trauma is by using a unique therapy technique called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Traditional talk therapy can be effective in minimizing the impact of trauma, but it often takes a significant amount of time to see the desired results. EMDR was developed specifically to help individuals heal more quickly. It utilizes bilateral eye movements to stimulate specific parts of the brain while people think through traumatic experiences. This causes new pathways to form, processing the traumatic experience and alleviating symptoms.

Should I Consider Trauma Therapy?

If you’re experiencing negative effects related to a traumatic experience, you may want to consider therapy. Some of the main warning signs that it’s time to seek therapy to heal from trauma include:

- Invasive and unwanted thoughts.
- Distressing or overwhelming emotions.
Difficulty concentrating.
- Avoiding specific places or people because they cause you to recall trauma.
- Having upsetting dreams or flashbacks.
- Getting stuck in negative thinking cycles.
- Struggling to maintain healthy, fulfilling relationships.
- Experiencing emotional numbness. Having severe mood swings.

How Do I Schedule a Session?

Psychological trauma may, eventually, heal on its own. That doesn’t mean you have to struggle through your days over come by the effects of trauma. Instead, you can partner with a skilled therapist at Ubuntu Psychological Services to start healing and reducing the impact of trauma on your daily life. You’ll get started by scheduling a short discovery phone call that allows you to get to know your therapist. From there, you’ll schedule an intake session. This appointment allows your therapist to gather information about you, so you can partner to develop a plan to achieve your goals for the upcoming sessions.