Trauma is not just a memory that hurts to think about. It is a physiological event that changes how your brain processes information and regulates your body’s stress response.

What Happens to the Brain During Trauma

When something overwhelming happens, the prefrontal cortex goes quiet. The amygdala goes loud. Memory gets stored in fragments.

EMDR

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help stuck material move into long-term storage.

Brainspotting

Brainspotting uses fixed eye positions to access stored trauma. It works at a subcortical level.

Somatic Therapies

Somatic approaches focus on the body. The logic is that trauma lives in the nervous system.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS treats the mind as made up of parts. Trauma creates “exiled” parts that carry pain.

Art Therapy

For trauma that resists words, art therapy offers a different channel.

Finding a Clinician Trained in These Methods

Practices like Artisan Counseling in Virginia have multiple counselors with specialized trauma training, including EMDR, brainspotting, and somatic work.