One thing I’ve noticed when doing EMDR processing is that it sucks time out of the equation. When I was talking with Karen Carr, doing the podcast with her about her EMDR experience as a client, she said that she had an EMDR session in which it seems that all of her trauma experiences “collapsed” into one thing and then resolved. Also, in that process, she gained a new understanding of her life and how her different experiences fit into it.
So, time and how it plays out in trauma is a factor. On the one hand, the thinking mind is suspended – goes offline – during a trauma experience making it a “timeless” experience, and on the other hand, the trauma memories (pictures, emotions, and body sensations) are stuck in time, as time recreating experiences.
The term, “Trauma Time,” is a way to understand how mental images, emotional feelings, and body sensations related to a trauma become stuck or frozen in the limbic brain and, in that way, keep reoccurring over and over. When someone is in trauma time, it means these memories keep reoccurring under the level of consciousness and in that way bring in “time” from the past and through its reactivation, thereby impacting the present.
These memories change the ”felt sense” of what is happening in the present moment when maladaptive neural networks are activated or triggered. That is to say, it’s not just “my unfair boss I’m experiencing”, it’s that and all of the unmetabolized child memories being unconsciously activated.
When trauma memories are formed, big T or little t, they are linked together in neural networks. The linkage is through the resonance of the frequency that the neurons are connecting with or clustering around. And, because the thinking mind is offline, the networked memories are linked together without regard to time or space (that is, the location of where the experience occurred).
So, with EMDR therapy processing, which is stimulating activated maladaptive neural networks with bilateral stimulation, two things happen. One is that the stuck or frozen memories are metabolized or digested so that the neural charge dissipates and they are no longer stuck in time. The other thing is that time and place are added back into the experience with the realization that the experience happened in the past and somewhere else – that is, it is not happening now.
When that happens, the maladaptive networks become adaptive. They lose their intensity, in that the picture dims, emotions and body sensations no longer have a “felt sense” (or ego identification) and the memories collapse into one experience that is no longer separated by time. Essentially, time has been sucked out of the equation.
The timeline varies for every individual. Factors such as the nature of the trauma, current symptoms, treatment goals, and personal resilience all influence the length of therapy. Some people notice changes within a few sessions, while others benefit from longer-term treatment.
Yes. Many clients notice new thoughts, emotions, dreams, memories, or insights emerging between sessions as the brain continues integrating previously processed experiences.
Some memories are linked to multiple traumatic experiences, deeply rooted beliefs, or complex life events, making them require more time and preparation before they can be fully reprocessed.
Amanda Martin holds a PhD in Family Therapy and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in trauma therapy for individuals and families in residential and outpatient settings. Amanda also provides supervision for EMDR certification, EMDR consultants-in-training, and LMFT-Associates. Her mission is to help people find a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling path in life. Her warm, supportive, and interactive counseling style incorporates Symbolic Experiential Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, HeartMath, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Neurofeedback, and Collaborative Problem Solving.
Dr. Jose Carbajal, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work and a master’s in theological studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive teaching experience, Jose specializes in trauma, sexual abuse recovery, domestic violence, and substance abuse. His research focuses on trauma interventions, neuroscience, and faith. He is EMDR Certified, an Approved Consultant, and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer, with numerous publications and professional presentations to his name.
Amber holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Texas and Oklahoma and holds Supervisor credential for Texas. Amber is an EMDRIA consultant and trainer. She has over a decade of experience in the trauma field in work with uniformed services, domestic violence, childhood trauma and abuse, and recent mass trauma events. Amber provides consultation for EMDRIA certification, for consultants-in-training, and supervision for LPC-Associates. Amber continues to research the benefits of EMDR therapy with a variety of populations. Her goal is to help build strong clinicians who are well versed in trauma interventions to better support their clients. Amber sees a limited number of clients with a focus on trauma work, she is also a Certified Career Counselor and Certified through EAGALA to provide equine-assisted therapy.
Amber holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Texas and Oklahoma and holds Supervisor credential for Texas. Amber is an EMDRIA consultant and trainer. She has over a decade of experience in the trauma field in work with uniformed services, domestic violence, childhood trauma and abuse, and recent mass trauma events. Amber provides consultation for EMDRIA certification, for consultants-in-training, and supervision for LPC-Associates. Amber continues to research the benefits of EMDR therapy with a variety of populations. Her goal is to help build strong clinicians who are well versed in trauma interventions to better support their clients. Amber sees a limited number of clients with a focus on trauma work, she is also a Certified Career Counselor and Certified through EAGALA to provide equine-assisted therapy.
Dr. Jose Carbajal, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work and a master’s in theological studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive teaching experience, Jose specializes in trauma, sexual abuse recovery, domestic violence, and substance abuse. His research focuses on trauma interventions, neuroscience, and faith. He is EMDR Certified, an Approved Consultant, and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer, with numerous publications and professional presentations to his name.
Amanda Martin holds a PhD in Family Therapy and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in trauma therapy for individuals and families in residential and outpatient settings. Amanda also provides supervision for EMDR certification, EMDR consultants-in-training, and LMFT-Associates. Her mission is to help people find a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling path in life. Her warm, supportive, and interactive counseling style incorporates Symbolic Experiential Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, HeartMath, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Neurofeedback, and Collaborative Problem Solving.
