Psychological distress can be overwhelming. Anger, unable to think clearly or being irritable are signs of anxiety and Trauma. Some people may react by completely shutting down their feelings, becoming remote and closed off from others.

During this time, the brain is unable to process the information normally. There maybe a distressing memory, or feelings of unease and these may become “frozen” on a neurological level. If there is an event that can be recalled, or “flashbacks”, they can be very distressing and affect everyday life. There maybe residual anxiety even when the event isn’t recalled, as the feeling of unease is remembered. For example, if a child is bullied, when they reach adulthood, anxiety can emerge when they feel bullied by their boss at work. They may not be able to make that connection consciously, but the feelings are very much in the present.

This “trigger” can set off an emotional reaction. Raised voices might trigger a traumatic memory or feeling from the past. A sound, a smell, a place. A significant occasion can also be a trigger. e.g. The birth of your children, a bereavement.

Talking therapy helps heal those wounds. Also a combination of talking therapy with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) is very successful treating trauma. EMDR accelerates therapy by resolving the impact of past trauma. The process is rapid and during treatment the client is in control, fully alert and wide awake. There are strong feelings for a very short period of time. The traumatic event does not have to be described. EMDR helps the brain reprocess the information and new insights happen naturally. This is a very powerful technique. For more information look at my page on EMDR or give me a call.