Nicola Bennett | Trauma & EMDR Therapist | Sudbury, Suffolk & Online UK
“It’s been months. I know I’m safe now. So why do I still feel like this?”
Perhaps you’ve heard EMDR can help with PTSD, and you’re wondering how it works and whether it could help you.
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) can develop after experiencing or witnessing something frightening, overwhelming or life-threatening. Whilst many people naturally process difficult experiences over time, some experiences continue to affect how they think, feel and respond long after the danger has passed.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is one of the therapies recommended by NICE for PTSD. It helps the brain process experiences that are still affecting you in the present, so they can feel more clearly rooted in the past.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a response to trauma that can affect both the mind and body. When we experience something traumatic, our brain goes into survival mode. This can make it harder for the experience to be processed in the usual way. Instead, parts of the experience can remain locked in the brain, meaning that reminders of what happened can continue to trigger reactions long after the event has ended.
People with PTSD often describe feeling as though part of them is still responding to what happened, even when they know they are no longer in danger.
Although it is often associated with military combat, PTSD can develop after many different experiences, including accidents, injuries, assaults, abuse, medical emergencies, traumatic births, or witnessing something distressing happen to someone else, for example through work in healthcare, the emergency services or other frontline roles.
It’s normal to feel shaken after something frightening, and for many people these reactions settle within a few weeks. When they continue for longer than a month and start to affect daily life, it may be PTSD.
What does PTSD feel like?
You may experience intrusive memories that arrive unexpectedly, or maybe you’re pulled back into a flashback as though it were happening all over again. Sleep might be difficult, with nightmares or waking suddenly feeling afraid.
You might feel constantly on edge, braced for something to happen, or scanning your environment for signs of danger. Perhaps you jump at sudden sounds, a smell brings on a wave of panic, an image brings back a vivid memory, or a situation triggers a strong emotional reaction.
Maybe you’re avoiding certain people, places or situations that remind you of what happened. Perhaps you feel disconnected from yourself or those around you. Emotional reactions can sometimes feel stronger than expected, leaving you feeling anxious, irritable, tearful or angry.
For some people, PTSD affects confidence, relationships and their ability to feel present in everyday life. Others simply know that life hasn't felt the same since what happened.
You can read more on my Trauma & PTSD page.
How can EMDR help with PTSD?
EMDR helps people process traumatic memories that continue to affect them in the present. During EMDR, you briefly bring a memory to mind whilst using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping or tones, to help the brain process what it couldn't at the time.
Many people find that as processing unfolds, memories feel more distant, less vivid and less emotionally charged, allowing them to become more clearly rooted in the past. EMDR does not get rid of the memory or make you forget what happened. Instead, it helps the brain process the experience so that it has less impact on how you think, feel and respond today.
For some people, this means experiencing fewer flashbacks, feeling less overwhelmed by reminders of what happened, or noticing that memories no longer feel as present as they once did. Others notice they feel less on edge, or experience fewer intense emotional reactions when something reminds them of the past. Many people describe feeling as though they are remembering the experience rather than reliving it.
How do we work with PTSD in EMDR?
Before working directly with traumatic memories, time is spent understanding how PTSD is affecting your life and building resources so that you feel supported throughout the process.
When you feel ready, we focus on the memories, beliefs, emotions or physical sensations that are still connected to what happened. As these are processed, many people notice that reminders feel less distressing and no longer have the same impact on their everyday life.
EMDR works with the past, the present and the future. We process the memories at the root of what you’re experiencing, work with present-day triggers, and help you prepare for situations you’ve been avoiding, so you can face them feeling more confident and steady.
Do I have to talk about everything that happened?
No. You’ll only need to share enough for us to identify the memory we’re working with, and during processing I’ll simply ask what you’re noticing between sets of eye movements or tapping.
You stay in control of how much you share throughout. You can read more about this in my blog, What is EMDR?
Is EMDR right for me?
If traumatic memories, flashbacks, nightmares or reminders of what happened continue to affect your life, EMDR may be worth considering.
Whether it happened recently or many years ago, what matters most is whether part of you still feels affected by it today. Some people come to EMDR after trying talking therapy, they understand what happened, but still feel it.
EMDR isn’t right for everyone at every stage, so we’ll make sure you feel steady and supported first, and decide together whether it’s the right approach for you.
To learn more about EMDR therapy and whether it may be right for you, you can visit my EMDR Therapy page. If you have any questions, you're welcome to get in touch.