EMDR Therapy Calgary

EMDR treatment is ideal for clients struggling with traumatic flashbacks or memories. People often don’t realize that there are different types of trauma. There is acute trauma, like a car accident, abuse, or an assault, but there’s also what we call in the psychology field, “lower case trauma.” Lower case trauma consists of smaller, ongoing events that, for some people, may not seem significant, but for others, they can result in lasting changes in who they are.

Trauma isn’t defined by what happens to you; it’s about how your body and mind react to what happened. For example, two people could experience the same event, such as a dog charging towards them. One person might have a panic attack, while the other sees a cute puppy. The difference in reaction is often due to previous trauma.

EMDR doesn’t erase the memory, but it helps calm the nervous system’s reaction to that memory. It allows the nervous system to not react as strongly to memories or triggers and helps reprocess the trauma. This process helps you find new meaning in the traumatic experience.

When we experience trauma, we sometimes create what’s called a faulty or maladaptive network. We may tell ourselves stories about the trauma, often blaming ourselves. EMDR helps reprocess those memories, decreasing their emotional intensity and helping us see them in a healthier, more adaptive way. This is particularly important for trauma experienced in childhood, where we may not have had the capacity to fully understand the events. EMDR helps reframe those stories and move beyond self-blame or avoidance of activities due to past trauma. At Conscientia Counselling, we can help you through this process.