From Fear to Healing

Around this time of year, as the pumpkins, hay bales, fake skeletons, and candy corn are displayed on yards and in doorways, I find it fascinating that people willingly allow themselves to be frightened by graphic images, movies, or experiences and have fun doing it without fear or trepidation.  However, in the case of  the traumas our clients have experienced, they need movement from fear to healing.

Underlying Traumas are NOT Irrational Fears

Of course, unplanned, unannounced, physical and emotional, and recurring traumas are why we've all landed in this work.  While it would be nice if everyone could decide when to be frightened, scared, or traumatized, we might be out of work (and thankfully so).   But the fact is, trauma occurs without warning, and for many, the fears stemming from trauma become what some might call irrational.

Within the constructs of EMDR therapy, however, irrational fears are not irrational at all.  They find their origin in earlier experiences-memories-which have not been processed properly by the brain.  A client may feel that those fears are irrational or may have been told so by others.

But as we identify the underlying trauma and complete reprocessing, the fear locates its clear beginning and begins to find a clear end.  These are the pathways we use to move individuals from trauma to healing.

If you haven't decided yet whether EMDR therapy is right for your practice, just remember therapy itself is meant to be a movement forward.  Irrational fear does not have to stay that way.  Nor does it need to remain the issue that holds a person back from living a full and healthy life.

EMDR therapy quickly addresses underlying causes and facilitates healing faster than traditional therapies. Join us at EMDR Professional Training™ for a Basic Training soon, or take it up a notch with an advanced course.