EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Traditionally, trauma has been narrowly defined in psychology as it applies to PTSD - exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence (direct or witness), or learning about it happening to a person close to us (violent/accidental), or repeated exposure through work (e.g., first responders). 

Symptoms of PTSD fall into categories: re-experiencing (flashbacks, nightmares), avoidance, negative changes in thoughts/mood, increased arousal/reactivity, or emotional shutting down (dissociation).

ACEs are aversive, ongoing experiences of childhood that keep a person's stress response overactivated and instill maladaptive core beliefs about self-worth, safety, trust, intimacy, and the future. The term Developmental Trauma has come to be used to describe serious and repeated exposure to adverse experiences that result in long-term psychological distress and physical disease, especially a compromised immune system.

Several front-line therapies have been developed and validated to treat trauma. Most of them require some level of controlled 'facing of the traumatic memories and day-to-day reminders of those memories (triggers).

Since facing traumatic memories can be highly stressful, patients may frequently drop out of therapy or not seek therapy in the first place to avoid that pain.

EMDR therapy facilitates the brain's processing of traumatic memories, enabling the restoration of regular healing communication. Following effective EMDR therapy, resolution occurs for the fight, flight, or freeze response triggered by the traumatic event. 

Our brains possess an inherent ability to bounce back from distress. Frequently, traumatic expereinces can be spontaneously addressed and resolved. However, there are instances where our fight, flight, or freeze reponse hinders are natural processing of distress, requiring a little external assistance. 

Pronounced ah-MIG-dah-la (a small word with a big job).

The amygdala serves as a warning signal for stressful situations, playing a crucial role in safeguarding us from potential threats. Trauma has the capacity to keep the amygdala in a heightened state, potentially resulting in sensations of anxiety or a constant perception of being in jeopardy. 

Disclaimer: No hippos were harmed in the making of this word. 

The hippocampus plays a role in learning and storing memories, particularly related to recognizing safety and danger, and aids in soothing the amygdala. Trauma can lead to a reduction int he size of the hippocampus, diminishing its ability to provide cues that calm the amygdala.