EMDR — What If You Can’t Remember Trauma?
A trauma is a stressful or disturbing event that can be difficult to cope with. Traumatic events happen more often than you may think. A traumatic event could be a violent act like an assault or abuse, the sudden loss of a loved one, or a natural disaster.
While some people can process traumatic events on their own, often, trauma tends to stick around and stay with a person. Unresolved trauma lives within the body. Even if you don’t exactly remember the trauma that you endured, it can show up in the form of feeling anxious, angry, or sad. It can also start to negatively impact other areas of one’s life, like your career or relationships. Trauma victims can experience changes in their eating and sleeping habits, difficulty concentrating, and constant rumination.
So, if you can’t remember your trauma, how are you supposed to fully process and overcome it? That’s where EMDR comes in. Let’s learn more about EMDR and how it can help, even if you don’t remember all the details.
What is EMDR?
Eve movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of therapy that can help individuals process traumatic memories. EMDR theorizes that traumatic memories tend to get stuck in the brain, which can cause emotional and psychological challenges. EMDR uses bilateral stimulations to fully process a memory, similar to REM during the sleep cycle. The overall goal of this treatment is to change how these painful memories are stored in the brain.
How Does EMDR Work?
There are eight phases of EMDR:
History Taking
Preparation
Assessment
Desensitization
Installation
Body Scan
Closure
Reevaluation
Throughout at least 12 weeks of sessions, you and your therapist will work together to strip away the layers of your traumatic memories and your responses to them. You’ll start sessions by identifying any areas you want to explore, engaging in bilateral stimulation, and learning techniques to help you overcome negative memories or associations. After installing positive beliefs and feelings toward those memories, you’ll have a better understanding of your trauma without the triggers or stressors.
What If You Can’t Remember Your Trauma?
It’s common to not exactly remember your trauma. If you don’t remember what exactly happened, EMDR can still be an effective therapy option for you.
You don’t need to recall every detail.
One of the benefits of EMDR is that your therapist doesn’t need to know every single detail about what happened for this therapy to work. Instead, you’ll focus on the details of what you do remember, like tapping into your five senses to trigger specific memories or feelings.
Your body holds onto the trauma.
Even if you can’t remember what happened, your body does. When trauma isn’t processed, it can show up in the form of physical signs and symptoms. During EMDR sessions, the sensations and emotions you feel during treatment can trigger more memories that you didn’t even realize you had.
You’ll unlock new memories.
This form of therapy doesn’t mean jumping right into a distressing memory. As you work with your therapist, you may uncover new memories. The phases of EMDR are set up to give you enough time to reveal and process these memories.
How to Know if EMDR is Right for You
EMDR is an excellent option for anyone who has gone through a traumatic event and is unable to process or move forward again. If you’ve been struggling with signs and symptoms of trauma, you don’t have to continue to go on with these negative thoughts and side effects. If you’re unsure of what happened to you, EMDR can also be beneficial. The first place to start is with a consultation. Reach out today to learn more about EMDR and if it’s a good option for you and your needs.