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.

The main ideology behind EMDR is that negative memories that are associated with the trauma become stuck in the brain. This is why traumatic events continue to impact us even after they occur. The memories can come back in the form of flashbacks and nightmares

Anxiety is a common feeling that almost everyone will experience throughout their lifetime. Some individuals experience it on a deeper level, which can impact their daily life and routine.

No matter how hard someone may try to block out any thoughts, feelings, or associations with the trauma, trauma will find its way back into the present moment. 

After a traumatic event, both the body and brain tend to hold onto the defense mechanisms that were put in place, causing a person to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The body and mind fail to recognize if and when the perceived threat has passed.