Your Brain On EMDR Therapy: Tapping Into Your Own Natural Healing Power

Our brains are truly remarkable. Like the rest of our body, they have an inherent ability to heal themselves. They’re wired to create positive neural networks, pushing us toward a state of well-being and balance. However, after experiencing trauma, our brains sometimes need a little extra help to get back to that homeostatic state. Just like a course of antibiotics for an infection or a cast to stabilize a broken bone, science works in tandem with our own ability to heal. For trauma, this is where EMDR therapy comes in. EMDR is a powerful, non-invasive, and drug-free method that supports the brain's natural healing process.

The Brain’s Natural Healing Power

Our brains are constantly working to keep us balanced and healthy. They’re designed to adapt, learn, and recover from the challenges life throws our way. For many of us, finding the right mix of exercise, nutrition, socializing, and work-life balance is key to maintaining mental health. In other words, a holistic approach can keep many of us in balance. However, just as some of us might need medical intervention to manage physical ailments, our brains might need support to heal after trauma.

The Power of Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s amazing ability to change and adapt throughout our lives. EMDR therapy taps into this power, offering a structured way to guide your brain back to a healthier state. The process might be challenging and intense, but the rewards are profound. With EMDR, you’re not just managing symptoms—you’re actively helping your brain heal and rebuild itself. When EMDR therapy is successful, the effects are permanent. You get to live the rest of your life free from triggers and distress related to that event.

How The Brain Forms Memory Networks

Imagine the smell of pine trees. For many people, this scent immediately brings to mind images of Christmas—decorating the tree, gathering with family, or unwrapping presents by the fire. For others, the smell might evoke memories of being on a beautiful hike in the forest.

Now, let’s say you’ve recently had a life-changing experience while on a hike in the woods. Maybe it was a moment of profound clarity, a bonding experience with a loved one, or a personal achievement like reaching the summit of a challenging trail. This positive experience becomes associated with the scent of pine trees.

Every time you smell pine trees after that hike, your brain calls up that neural network. Instead of just thinking of the forest, your mind now also connects with the positive feelings and memories from your hike. Over time, this association strengthens, and the scent of pine trees can trigger a sense of calm, accomplishment, or happiness.

This is neuroplasticity in action—your brain’s ability to form new connections based on experiences. With each positive association, the neural network becomes more robust, and the scent of pine trees can evoke a broader, richer set of emotions and memories.

Unfortunately, this is also the case for negative memories. Negative neural networks can form and get stronger over time. The good news is that EMDR therapy can undo this and help restore balance.

How Trauma Disrupts the Brain

Trauma, whether from a single major event or repeated smaller incidents, can throw our brains off course. It can disrupt the natural healing process, leaving us stuck in a state of stress, anxiety, or depression. This is where EMDR therapy becomes a game-changer. EMDR helps the brain return to its natural healing patterns.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy is a non-chemical, non-invasive treatment that taps into the brain’s neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. In other words, making links between experiences that keep us feeling okay. By guiding your brain through specific, structured processes, an EMDR therapist can help you reprocess traumatic memories and reduce their emotional impact. It can create links that get you out of a sense of panic, freeze, or fear.

One of the most remarkable aspects of EMDR is that it helps your brain process the trauma and integrate it into your memory in a way that no longer triggers the same intense emotional response. This allows you to move forward and heal. While it does take, energy, and effort, we've seen some truly incredible transformations.

How EMDR Therapy Helps Your Brain Heal

When trauma disrupts your brain’s natural state, it can feel like your mind is stuck in a loop of negative thoughts and feelings. Triggers seem to be everywhere. EMDR therapy helps to “unstick” your brain, allowing it to resume its natural healing process. EMDR leverages the brain’s neuroplasticity, showing it how to form better connections and pathways. Over time, this leads to a significant reduction in symptoms of trauma, anxiety, and depression.

Whether you’re dealing with a major trauma or the cumulative effects of smaller, repeated traumas, EMDR therapy can help. By working with an experienced EMDR therapist, you can support your brain in its journey back to balance and well-being.

Why Consider EMDR Therapy?

If you’re struggling with the aftermath of trauma, EMDR therapy offers a path forward. It’s a powerful, evidence-based method that supports your brain’s natural ability to heal. Unlike some other forms of trauma therapy, EMDR doesn’t rely on medication or invasive techniques. Instead, it works with your brain’s existing capacities, helping you reclaim your mental health and move on from past trauma.

Laurel Roberts-Meese, LMFT

Laurel is a licensed and fully trained EMDR therapist. She works in-person with clients in Los Angeles and online across California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington.

That being said, EMDR can be very intense during the height of processing. The first few sessions are spent in preparation, so you shouldn't be diving immediately into processing. First, you should be building rapport, trust, and resources with your EMDR therapist.

Hope For Healing Trauma With EMDR Therapy

Alexis Bibler, AMFT

Alexis is a fully-trained EMDR therapist working online in California.

Our brains are incredible organs with an innate desire to heal and thrive. Sometimes, after experiencing trauma, they just need a little help to get back on track. EMDR therapy provides that support, harnessing the power of neuroplasticity to help you heal. Whether you’ve experienced a single traumatic event or a series of smaller traumas, working with an EMDR therapist can help you restore balance and well-being in your life.

EMDR Therapy in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Throughout California

If you’re ready to explore how EMDR therapy can help you, consider reaching out to a qualified EMDR therapist. With the right guidance, you can tap into your brain’s natural healing power and start your journey toward recovery.