PTSD and Trauma
Sound familiar?
Client:
I’m overwhelmed by triggers, flashbacks, and nightmares that remind me of the Trauma I experienced. They seem so real as if I’m right back in the moment. My stomach drops, my heart races, and I feel controlled by my emotions.
Therapist:
A traumatic flashback can feel real, and I understand how powerless you feel over your body’s response. You think this way because trauma interferes with the brain’s ability to process the inflow of information. The information then becomes stuck in your nervous system, creating symptoms like the flashback you described.
Client:
I have tried to compartmentalize the memories, numb my emotions, keep myself busy, or distract myself. I’ve attempted talk therapy, and none of it has helped! These triggers are starting to impact my work and relationships.
Therapist:
I can imagine how hopeless and frustrating that must feel. Your brain has a natural way of recovering from traumatic events. This process involves communication between your brain’s alarm system, memory bank, and logical brain.
Many times, these memories may process spontaneously; other times, the distress from the upsetting thoughts and images sticks with you and creates intense feelings of being back in the moment. EMDR trauma therapy can help provide a sense of safety, allowing your mind and body to reprocess the memory and complete the stress cycle.
Client:
That sounds difficult and overwhelming, and I feel nervous about opening the door to these painful memories.
Therapist:
Your comfort is our top priority at Westlake Psychotherapy of Austin. Therefore, we spend much time helping you learn tools to regulate your nervous system. Think of it as biohacking your body’s response system and allowing you to self-regulate whenever needed. We teach breathing techniques, imaginal exercises, and somatic and polyvagal techniques to empower you to regain control of your emotions. We also move slowly into the painful material and have ways of titrating the process to stay within your window of tolerance.
Client:
Sign me up! When can we get started?
Therapist:
Reach out today. We can schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if we can work well together.
We offer EMDR weekend intensives and regular EMDR weekly sessions. We recommend 90-minute sessions for EMDR to allow time for checking in at the beginning and resourcing at the end of each session. Fifty minutes can work; it just takes longer to get through the work.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is short for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This form of therapy helps complete the stress response cycle and clear your nervous system of distressing reactions to the memory.
EMDR Therapy involves concentrating on a specific memory while being guided through a series of rapid eye movements or bilateral stimulation (eye movements or tapping) in sets of about 12-14 seconds, allowing the brain to process small chunks of the memories at a time.
The dual-attention and bilateral work keep you grounded and help decrease the level of distress, allowing the brain to reprocess the event gently. After completing eye movements or taps, a client is asked, “What did you notice?” Then, we track the distress level until the memory feels neutral. Neutrality means the complete resolution of the fight-flight response.
EMDR works!
Are you ready to start reprocessing the Trauma that has burdened you for a long time?
EMDR can help, and we have the expertise to help you through your traumatic experience.
If you are ready to feel relief from past trauma, contact us today!