Trauma, the Brain, and the Body: Unlocking Healing with EMDR and Somatic Work

When we experience an event that shakes our sense of safety and well-being, it leaves a lasting impact on both our brains and our bodies. The extensive body of research in psychology has provided compelling evidence and deepened our understanding of the profound connection between the body and the brain. Understanding how trauma affects and intertwines with our brain and body is a fundamental component in the journey of healing.

Trauma disrupts the functioning of our brain and body, leaving us feeling disoriented and out of balance. It heightens our sensitivity to potential threats, resulting in increased anxiety and irritability. This exaggerated response occurs as the stress-regulating regions of our brain become hyperactive. Additionally, trauma can distort our memories, making them feel fragmented and disjointed like a puzzle with mismatched pieces. As a result, coping with triggers or reminders of the traumatic experience becomes really scary and difficult.

In his book "The Body Keeps the Score", Psychologist, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, explains how trauma disrupts the brain's natural regulation systems. Dr. van der Kolk talks about how trauma often leaves us feeling stuck in a state of hyperarousal or numbness. This means that our bodies often hold the lingering effects of trauma, which can show up in the body as tension, [chronic] pain, or disconnection.

This is where EMDR and Body Integrated Work comes in. EMDR is a therapy that helps our brains process traumatic events, reducing their overwhelming impact. It uses somatic (body) techniques like eye movements, taps, or sounds to facilitate healthier memory reprocessing and to take the charge out of the event. For example, this may look like recalling a frightening car accident during EMDR while tracking a moving object or tapping on yourself. This process aids in allowing your brain and body to feel safe enough to process the memory and store it away, making it more manageable and alleviating its intensity. Somatic techniques allow the brain to focus on the body's sensations and the areas where stress or traumatic memories are stored or triggered, so that the trauma can be released from both the brain and the body, fostering a sense of safety and calmness.

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy is a bodywork practice that helps to unwind trauma from our tissues. Through a gentle and unique type of touch, practitioner presence, and helping clients find safety in their body, this work greatly helps to regulate the nervous system.

The name of the game with this treatment is low and slow. Helping to slow things down, bring awareness to sensations and relieve restrictions of the tissues are all some of the ways this work supports trauma resolution.

The beauty of this work is in its simplicity. Body’s love to be held and heard. Biodynamic touch is non-invasive, with no expectation of an outcome. Meeting the body in this way allows our innate intelligence and wisdom to shine. By focusing on the health that is teaming in all of life, we can create a space for the natural governing and self regulating forces to align.

When given the right time, space and education of awareness, we can help the body remember what it was like before we experienced a big event (trauma).

These undigested life experiences get potency to move and our body’s are able to let go of some of the burdens that have been put on them. Finding more space, ease and freedom from pain and disharmony.

It comes down to making a relationship with ourselves again. Reminding our brain that there is more going on than the pain that is so loud. Coming back into experiencing safety and health. It takes time and some effort, but it is possible to be the best expression of yourself, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.

We welcome you to book a a meet and greet to see if we would be a fit, give us a call at (403) 981-9868. There is something for everyone at Maliya and we are honoured to be of service with you.