Have you ever found yourself reacting in a way that sincerely surprised you?
Maybe you overreacted to something small, or felt unexpectedly hurt by a passing comment. Perhaps a dream or interaction left you unusually unsettled.
These experiences can be baffling. Often, we dismiss them, blaming the situation or the other person involved. But if we pause and look a little deeper, we might uncover something meaningful — a clue about our internal world and what still longs for healing.
When our reactions feel outsized, mysterious, or “not like us,” it’s often a sign that something older is being stirred — something unresolved.
We may not consciously remember the original event, but our nervous system does. These unconscious responses are our system’s way of protecting us, even if they’re no longer helpful in the present.
This is where therapies like EMDR can offer real transformation.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s an evidence-based therapy originally developed to help people process trauma — and it has since been shown to support healing in a wide range of issues, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Chronic pain
- Panic and phobias
- Relational struggles
At its core, EMDR helps the brain and body reprocess memories that haven’t fully integrated — often because they were overwhelming at the time they occurred.
Unprocessed memories can get “stuck” in the nervous system. When something in the present resembles an unresolved past experience — even slightly — it can trigger involuntary responses: emotional overwhelm, anxiety, anger, withdrawal.
EMDR helps us access those memories in a safe and contained way, allowing the mind and body to complete what was left unfinished.
The goal isn’t to relive the event — it’s to revisit it with enough present-moment safety to allow the charge to settle.
What to Expect in a Session
A typical EMDR session involves:
- Identifying a target memory, image, body sensation, or issue.
- Tapping into it while engaging in bilateral stimulation.
- Processing what comes up, while always anchoring in the present moment.
The therapist continuously checks in, making sure you’re not overwhelmed and guiding you back to safety when needed.
This repetitive orientation to the now teaches your nervous system:
“This is not happening anymore. I am safe now.”
Over time, clients often notice that previously distressing memories lose their charge. What once felt sharp, intrusive, or unbearable becomes neutral, or even distant. Relationships improve, reactivity softens, and a deeper sense of self-trust begins to emerge.
You don’t need a major trauma history to benefit from EMDR.
Often the signal is subtler: a recurring conflict, a dream that won’t let go, an image that brings inexplicable emotion, or a pattern in relationships that feels unchangeable.
If you’ve ever felt:
- “I don’t know why that bothered me so much.”
- “I just shut down — I couldn’t help it.”
- “I keep getting triggered, and I don’t know why.”
EMDR may be a powerful avenue to explore.
Healing doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes, it’s a quiet loosening — a memory that no longer hurts, a situation that doesn’t derail you, a deeper ability to stay connected in the moment.
EMDR offers a structured, well-researched pathway to that kind of change. If you feel ready, it might be time to look under the surface — not to re-live the pain, but to free yourself from it.
