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An image of birds flying over a pretty horizon line of the sun setting, representing the community and hope available through trauma therapy , therapy for trauma, ad EMDR therapy in Richmond, VA. | 23218 |

Trauma Therapy

An image of a woman sitting on the floor, hands over her head representing EMDR therapy and trauma therapy in Richmond, VA and therapy for trauma. | 23103 |Ann* sat in her room, staring at the walls for a moment.

She was sure she was going to do something; she just wasn’t sure what. She’s been forgetful lately.

She’s not been sleeping. And there are those dreams… they seem SO real.

As she sat there staring, she felt her heart accelerating and her hands clenching. Her throat tightened, and her mouth got dry. She thought she could scream…

But a car horn sounded outside, and she snapped out of it.

When you can’t escape the memories…

Ann couldn’t help but wonder what was happening to her. She had been telling herself that these were just passing episodes because they only lasted a few seconds. But they were becoming more and more frequent. She thought she had “filed those memories away,” so she didn’t have to deal with them ever again.

You may think you’ve “filed them away,” but if they keep coming back, they may have been “misfiled.”

If we think of our memories as files in a cabinet, REM sleep (when we dream) is when we file away those memories. When the memories are traumatic, our brains cannot process them normally; it’s like the file sticks up or out of the file drawer. The file cabinet drawer then can’t shut properly, which affects the memories you seek to file after that.

You might try to force the drawer closed… and that might work for a while…, but eventually, it’ll fly open for no reason, and repressed memories will come with it.

Image of a silhouette if a head, representing the hope that is possible through trauma therapy, therapy for trauma, and EMDR therapy in Richmond, VA. | 23173 |How can Trauma Therapy in Richmond, VA help?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a tool that can help you file traumatic memories into their proper place, letting that cabinet drawer shut correctly. When you “reprocess” these difficult memories, you’ll feel less afraid and more whole. That’s why I use it.

With EMDR, you will experience the memory again, but it will be like watching a movie this time. It will feel safer. As you think about the memory, watch the movie about the memory. You will experience bilateral stimulation following dots on a screen or listening to a tone in one ear at a time. This is the experiential part of the treatment. This is what reprocesses the memory.

The bulk of our EMDR sessions will be devoted to reprocessing memories in this way (rather than talking about them). We’ll leave some time at the end of the session for a brief discussion of the experience, but you won’t be talking a lot during the session. EMDR also doesn’t require as many sessions as traditional talk therapy.

It’s not a magical solution, and it’ll take work, but it is an effective experiential therapy.

And it’s not just about getting rid of negative thoughts…

EMDR can also increase “positive thoughts” – that is, you can use it to increase your recall of positive memories… and to promote positive thoughts and beliefs about yourself.

It works as described above, but the focus is on increasing the positive in your life (rather than “decreasing the negative”).

EMDR has been proven effective in many areas, including anxiety, PTSD, depression, sports improvement, grief, and abuse.

You don’t have to be held captive by your memories.

You can have memories without their triggering unwanted emotions, unhappy thoughts, or negative beliefs about yourself. Those memories can simply be – they don’t have to threaten or control you.

The memories do not have to remain misfiled. You have a way to correct the course!

Please contact me for a free 15-minute consultation. Let me answer all your questions about this unique approach to healing from trauma: (804) 372-5499.

*Name changed to preserve client confidentiality.

Is Trauma Therapy in Richmond, VA right for you?

Your childhood was crap. With therapy at Gray Horse Counseling, your future doesn’t have to be. I work with adults who have dysfunctional families (family life). When you were a kid, your family life sucked. So, you’ve adapted to behave at home and out in public very differently. This “split” that worked so well for you as a child is no longer working. How do you live a more congruent life? How do you deal with that internal conflict?

You want to be more authentic in your connections, but this internalized trauma response keeps holding you back. I get it. Your childhood was crap and you didn’t get a chance to truly figure out who you are. It wasn’t safe to be YOU anywhere. Now, this is affecting your relationships, friendships, work relationships, family life, children, how you feel about yourself, all of it.

Back then, you didn’t get to tell anyone. As an online therapist in Virginia, I get to be that person for you. Maybe how you ended up coping with this childhood trauma led to an anxiety disorder, chronic depression, and unmanageable addiction. Let me be clear, there is no right or wrong way to cope. But, these coping skills are no longer serving you the same way they used to. So, let’s figure it out. Consider online therapy in Virginia, individual or group therapy, or meet me for equine-assisted therapy in Powhatan, VA, Let’s get this stuff figured out so you can finally live a better life. Today is the day. What are you waiting for? Contact me now.