In life-threatening situations, survival is our most fundamental instinct. The brain and body instinctively activate mechanisms to prepare for action, typically fight or flight. When these strategies prove ineffective, we freeze. When we think of the word threat, natural disasters, accidents, wars, and similar events often come to mind first. But what about childhood neglect, illness in the family, relationship violence, or loss? Are these also traumatic experiences?

How often do the brain and body “relive” the past, overreact to the present, or struggle to make sense of what’s happening, leaving us unsure how to cope? How many times have we wanted to respond differently but felt blocked by helplessness, fear, panic, or a lack of confidence—even when our surroundings didn’t justify those feelings? How often has our heart raced, hands trembled or sweated, voice changed, and speaking even a single word seemed impossible? At times, isolation or withdrawal, while inconvenient, might feel like the only reasonable solution.

What about the fear of trusting loved ones, the need for control, difficulty accepting different perspectives, or respecting both our own boundaries and those of others? What about addictions, unwanted behaviors, or psychosomatic symptoms with no medical explanation? Are these the consequences of trauma?

Traumatic memory is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. Each person has a unique makeup and remembers events in their own way. Sometimes, these memories are not fully conscious. However, as Janina Fisher describes, all trauma survivors have “a plethora of hidden memories, including trauma-related emotions, autonomic responses to triggers, cognitive distortions, and intuitive, tactile, olfactory, visual, and auditory memories” (Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors, 2017).

Understanding physical sensations—because “the body keeps the score,” as Bessel van der Kolk states in The Body Keeps the Score (2014)—and their significance in our current lives is crucial. Connecting the dots between what is happening today and the trauma experienced in the past is key to regaining control over one’s life and restoring well-being.

So, how can we address the aftermath of events that hinder functioning, cause distress, or prevent us from enjoying life and realizing our potential? It’s essential to leave the difficult experience in the past and ensure it no longer dominates the present. This is achievable thanks to the brain’s natural capacity for healing.

Processing memories allows for “normal healing.” The experience remains in our memory, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is no longer triggered. Breathing becomes deeper, the body calmer, and a sense of balance fosters satisfaction and daily joy.

This is how I work, using EMDR, Brainspotting, and Cognitive Processing Therapy to address the consequences of traumatic events, such as anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, depression, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, grief and loss, pain, fear of exposure, PTSD, complex PTSD, sexual abuse, experiences of violence and neglect, and other effects of trauma.