When something overwhelming or traumatic happens, whether it's a single event or a build-up of smaller experiences, the brain can sometimes struggle to process it in the usual way. Instead of being filed away as a memory, the experience gets stored in a raw, fragmented form, along with the emotions, physical sensations, and negative beliefs that came with it.

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This is where EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) comes in. Developed in the late 1980s, EMDR is one of the most successful and well-researched therapies for PTSD, trauma, anxiety, and panic. It helps the brain complete the processing that couldn't happen at the time, allowing memories to be integrated more calmly and clearly, so they no longer cause the same emotional or physical reactions.

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Somatic EMDR combines the proven principles of EMDR with body-based (somatic) practices to support deeper, more lasting healing. Somatic EMDR also recognises that trauma is stored in the body, not just the mind. When our nervous system becomes overwhelmed, we can lose our felt sense of safety and connection. We may appear to have “moved on” mentally, but our body can remain stuck in a state of freeze or tension. 

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In Somatic EMDR, we begin by helping you feel safe in your body. We use grounding tools, breath awareness, and small, supportive movements to bring regulation to the nervous system and reconnect you with your body, before revisiting any trauma. Then, using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements, tapping, or alternating sounds), we gently engage with past experiences. This allows the brain’s alarm system (the amygdala) to settle, brings the prefrontal cortex back online, and supports both sides of the brain to work together — restarting the brain’s natural healing process.

Over time, distressing memories lose their charge, becoming easier to revisit without emotional response. People often find that their beliefs about themselves begin to shift too, from things like “I’m not safe” or “It’s my fault” to “I’m okay now” or “I did the best I could.”

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What’s the difference between trauma-informed and trauma-trained therapy?

Being trauma-informed means a therapist understands how trauma can affect the brain, body, and behaviour. It’s a helpful mindset that promotes safety, empathy, and avoids re-triggering someone during sessions. But it doesn’t necessarily mean the therapist has been trained in specific techniques to help process and resolve trauma.

Being trauma-trained goes deeper. It means the therapist has specialist training in therapies like EMDR or Somatic work that are designed to safely process unresolved trauma. It also means they’ve been taught how to track nervous system responses, help regulate overwhelm, and respond appropriately if trauma does show up in the room.

I am a trauma-trained therapist (Cert. Advanced EMDR, NCIP registered), combining approaches like EMDR, Somatic Therapy, and Cognitive Hypnotherapy to support the nervous system and create lasting change — gently, safely, and at your pace.​

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Could one conversation change your life? Let’s chat.

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