23 Feb EMDR And Inner Child Work- EMDR virtual Therapy in Illinois and Louisiana
The inner child can sometimes feel like an abstract concept—an imaginary figment living in our brains that didn’t grow up along with the rest of us. But in reality, so much of what we experience from our inner child is very tangible. We hold our fear and loss in our muscles and bones; the child is mapped onto our brain and running through our neuropathways. While this might seem invasive, it’s also positive news, because it gives us more options for reaching and healing our inner child. Therapy styles, like EMDR, that help us access our body and recode the way our brain works can help us reach inside to heal ourselves in a hands-on way.
Using EMDR To Connect With Your Inner Child’s Emotions
In EMDR, we identify past traumas and take space to sit with them, feeling the physical sensations of the traumas and our reactions, until the bilateral stimulation being performed by the therapist helps us move through the trauma and we separate from those sensations. The memory is moved forward out of the patterns it’s been stuck in, and the traumatic memory, after some time, holds less and less sway in our brains and bodies. This is a powerful tool to use when working with your inner child. It helps pinpoint some of the traumatic memories your inner child is still holding., rather than having them continue to exist as nebulous fears. It then helps you learn to sit with the physical sensations the memory brings up. In essence, it gives you the opportunity to hold your inner child’s hand and help them through the trauma. During the session, your adult and child selves are likely sharing very similar sensations, and EMDR therapy offers a safe way to create a shared experience that builds internal empathy.
Relocating Past Traumas
EMDR helps people look at traumatic memories that are still affecting them. This is particularly useful with inner child work, because so often that part of ourselves is experiencing challenges because they are carrying wounds from the past into the present. With EMDR, those memories can be sent back to the past after being processed. They will still be a part of you, but they will not have the power of immediacy. By using EMDR to let your inner child finally process their trauma, both the child and adult parts of yourself will be able to distance yourselves from the pain and move forward without carrying it with you.
EMDR also relocates memories in a more physical sense. Unprocessed trauma is stored in our limbic system, the part that tells us to fight or flee from danger and pain. When a traumatic memory is activated in this part of the brain, the rational part doesn’t have any control. We react as if we’re experiencing the trauma all over again. But with the bilateral stimulation that is a major part of EMDR, the memory can be moved into the frontal cortex, which has the capability to analyze and contemplate. If you can shift the location of the trauma, then You, as the adult, will have more control over how you react when triggering situations occur.
EMDR Allows Silence
Talking about childhood trauma is difficult. It can be painful to bring up old memories, or you may be dealing with a trauma you don’t distinctly remember. You might be too triggered to be able to articulate what you want to say, or you could just lack the words to explain. With EMDR, talking is not the focus. Your therapist will check in with you to see how you are doing, or to ask you what’s coming up. But you will not have to talk through the traumatic memory or tell the story over and over again. You will be able to focus on letting your inner self do the work rather than struggling to find words for your experiences. This allows your inner child work to go much faster, especially if you are not a verbal processer. Talk therapy is helpful for some people, but for people who want help but don’t want to talk over everything, EMDR can be a powerful tool. You are allowed to connect with the entire process in a very physical way, and you can begin to heal from within.
Start Your Healing Journey With Your Inner Child
Your inner child is not a figment of your imagination, or just a memory of pain from your past. They are a real part of who you are, and they deserve the chance to process and heal. Using EMDR, you can help this part of you get the processing time they never received as a child. You can build a stronger understanding of your inner child and take a proactive role in helping them. This in turn will help you in your healing journey. Talk therapy can be useful and validating, but EMDR offers an excellent way to build a bodily connection with your inner child that will let you grow together. You will be free to enjoy the wonderful joy, creativity, and curiosity that your inner child has been waiting to show you.
If you’re interested in learning more about EMDR or EMDR therapy via telehealth, or if you want to find a certified therapist to help you through the process, you can reach out to us at Issa Counseling. Our EMDR certified therapists are ready to help you on your journey to wholeness and healing.
You can also schedule free 15-minutes consultation or call us at (504) 264-1319 to discuss our Louisiana and Illinois mental health services. Issa counseling takes pride in finding therapist that match your need for therapy. If we are not good match, We would be happy to provide with referral for local therapist. Improving your mental health is our number one priority!
No Comments