EMDR is a holistic approach to healing trauma. Through EMDR processing, traumatic neural networks are integrated into adaptive networks, leading to healing. This post is to help explain what neural networks are, how they’re formed, and how EMDR doesn’t just target memories, but rather targets and heals entire neural networks to ensure a holistic approach to healing from trauma.
Our brain is comprised of about 86 BILLION (yes, billion with a ‘b’) neurons. Each individual neuron is connected to roughly 10,000 other neurons and the combination of these leads to activation of other areas, pathways, and networks. We start forming neural networks starting at birth. When we’re young, our neural networks are small and uncomplicated. As we learn more about the world and our environment, our neural networks gather information and become more and more complicated. As we continue through life, these networks continue to grow as new information and new experiences are integrated in. Our neural networks are comprised of multiple components such as memories, sensations, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and possibilities for the future. I’ll break this down using an example.
Each neural network is believed to have a label. For instance, I have a neural network for cars, as we all probably do. When I was a child, my neural network for cars was very limited- I knew what it felt like to be in a car- hearing music on the radio, smelling that ‘new car’ smell, feeling of the upholstery and the seat belt digging into my neck. I had associated certain emotions and memories of being in the car—moments of anxiety because we always seemed to be running late, times when I was feeling calm and peaceful on the way home from something, and sometimes feeling angry fighting with siblings in the back seat or happily singing along to songs. The older I got, the more this network grew with new information about cars and my experiences. Well, one day my dad got into a fender bender and we had to wait on the side of the road for the police to come. Luckily no one was injured, the process was smooth, and we were able to move on fairly quickly. That information also became part of my neural network- I now knew that accidents could happen in cars and those can be scary. Luckily for me, my experiences with cars are overwhelmingly positive or neutral so my brain integrated that accident into the neural network without any issue. I now know accidents can happen, yet I don’t have a problem with cars or driving. This is how healthy neural networks work- positive and negative experiences can be integrated together and your brain can adapt to both types of information.
Trauma networks are thought to work differently. Trauma networks are thought to be state-specific frozen in time. When something traumatic happens, it oftentimes does not fit in with our everyday life experiences, it’s so shocking and different, a new network is formed, isolated and frozen from the rest. It cannot be adaptively integrated into the existing network. Imagine these trauma networks being surrounded by giant brick walls- they cannot communicate with other networks and we cannot adaptively learn from the traumatic experience. When we get triggered by something, that network lights up and we get pulled back into those concrete walls. We can feel trapped there, experiencing the same thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and sensations that came with that traumatic experience.
An example of this would be someone who experienced abuse. They may logically know that they’re not to be blamed for the abuse they experienced and yet, when they’re triggered, they’re pulled right back into the concrete walls of that trauma network. They’ll go back to previous beliefs they formed while experiencing the abuse because they cannot access the information from more adaptive networks that tells them the abuse isn’t their fault. So they’ll logically know one thing, “the abuse is not my fault,” and yet, in those moments, they feel and believe the opposite is true.
In EMDR, we are working to target those trauma networks. We want to break down those concrete walls so that they can be integrated into existing adaptive networks. Whether you’re coming to EMDR to work on a single traumatic event or a lifetime of negative experiences or traumas, you and your therapist will identify the beliefs you hold, emotions, and sensations that occurred during those events. You’ll identify things that can trigger these beliefs, emotions, and sensations, and how your behavior has been impacted due to the trauma. Then, with your therapist, you’ll begin processing various events, going through the entire trauma network to heal it to its roots. In processing sessions, you and your therapist are safely activating those networks so that those networks can become less frozen in time and safely integrate into those adaptive networks. When that integration can happen, like the fender bender I mentioned above, the positive experiences and negative experiences can exist together, helping you learn and adapt in a healthy and effective way. You’ll notice a shift in the emotions you feel, the beliefs you hold about yourself, and your behaviors may start becoming more in line with your goals and values. You won’t be as triggered by what triggers you now and you may find that you’ll be able to talk about it like any other memory you have. Come try EMDR and let’s break down those walls together!
About the Author
Maria Mangione (she/her), M.A., LPCC is a licensed clinical counselor that specializes in dialectical behavior therapy. Maria works to help people develop the tools they need to develop trust in themselves and build their life worth living. Maria believes in having meaningful connections with her clients and believes that therapy and healing can be fun. Click Here to learn more about Maria’s experience and therapeutic style.