Adults and Trauma: How EMDR Helps You Finally Feel Safe in Your Own Life
- Kris Cain lcpc
- Nov 13
- 4 min read
Understanding Trauma: More Than a Memory
Everyone experiences stress, but trauma is different. Trauma occurs when something happens that overwhelms your ability to cope or feel safe. It can be a single event — like a car accident or assault — or a long-term experience, such as emotional neglect, criticism, or feeling unsafe at home or work.
Professionals often describe two categories:
Big “T” Trauma: Major life-threatening or deeply distressing events — abuse, violence, major loss, or disaster.
Little “t” Trauma: Repeated experiences that slowly wear down your sense of safety or self-worth — chronic stress, rejection, or emotional neglect.
No matter its form, trauma affects both the mind and the body. Even years later, your nervous system can stay stuck in a state of high alert — scanning for danger, reliving moments through flashbacks, or shutting down emotionally.
At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness in Frankfort, we help adults recognize that what they’re feeling isn’t weakness — it’s the body’s natural response to being overwhelmed. And with the right tools, healing is absolutely possible.
Why Trauma Lives in the Body
You may have heard the phrase, “The body keeps the score.” That’s because trauma doesn’t just live in memories — it lives in your nervous system.
When you experience something frightening or painful, your body goes into survival mode:
Fight or Flight: Muscles tense, heart rate spikes, adrenaline floods the body.
Freeze: You feel disconnected or numb, like your emotions shut off.
These responses are protective. But if your body never gets the signal that it’s safe again, those responses can persist — even when life is calm. That’s why trauma survivors often feel “on edge” without knowing why, or why simple triggers (a tone of voice, a smell, a song) can cause intense reactions.
Healing trauma isn’t just about “thinking differently.” It’s about helping the body release stored stress and teaching the brain that it’s safe again.
How EMDR Therapy Supports Healing
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a scientifically supported therapy that helps people process and heal from trauma. Developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro, EMDR allows your brain to reprocess distressing experiences in a more adaptive, less overwhelming way.
Here’s how it works: While recalling a difficult memory, your therapist uses bilateral stimulation — such as guided eye movements, gentle tapping, or alternating tones — to help both sides of your brain communicate. This dual attention reduces the emotional intensity of the memory, allowing it to integrate into your broader life story rather than replaying as an ongoing threat.
Over time, clients notice that what once caused panic or shame starts to feel less charged. The past begins to feel like the past, not something they’re reliving every day.
Research has shown EMDR to be effective for:
PTSD and complex trauma
Anxiety and panic attacks
Phobias
Grief and loss
Childhood abuse or neglect
Relationship trauma and attachment wounds
What an EMDR Session Looks Like
If you’ve never tried EMDR, it may sound mysterious — but it’s actually a gentle, structured process designed for safety.
A typical EMDR session includes:
Preparation: Your therapist helps you establish grounding tools (breathing, visualization, body awareness) to ensure emotional safety.
Target Identification: Together, you identify a memory or sensation connected to distress.
Processing: Using bilateral stimulation, your therapist guides you through brief moments of focused recall, helping the brain reprocess the experience.
Reevaluation: You reflect on how the memory feels after processing — often noticing more calm, distance, or self-compassion.
Clients often describe EMDR as “unloading emotional weight I didn’t realize I was still carrying.” You don’t need to share every detail out loud; the healing happens in your brain’s natural reorganization of information.
Myths About EMDR Therapy
Myth 1: EMDR is hypnosis. It’s not. You remain fully awake and in control at all times. EMDR uses focused attention and movement — not suggestion or trance.
Myth 2: You have to relive every painful detail. EMDR doesn’t require full storytelling. In fact, you can process memories privately, with your therapist guiding the healing process.
Myth 3: EMDR only helps with “severe” trauma. False. EMDR can help with any experience that continues to trigger emotional or physical stress — from childhood bullying to ongoing workplace anxiety.
A Trauma-Informed Approach at Full Circle
Kristine Cain, LCPC, founder of Full Circle Counseling & Wellness, has dedicated her career to helping adults heal from trauma using a whole-person approach.
Her work integrates EMDR, mindfulness, and yoga-informed practices, recognizing that trauma healing requires connection between mind, body, and spirit. Through a calm, compassionate presence, Kristine helps clients learn how to regulate their nervous systems and rebuild trust — both in themselves and in their relationships.
While Kristine is currently not accepting new clients, her trauma-informed philosophy guides the entire Full Circle team. Every therapist shares her commitment to creating safe, nonjudgmental spaces where healing unfolds at the client’s own pace.
Healing in Frankfort and the South Suburbs
Many adults in Frankfort and the south suburban Chicago area are living in “survival mode” — juggling family, work, and unhealed emotional wounds. It’s easy to believe this constant state of tension is normal. It’s not.
At Full Circle Counseling & Wellness, our trauma-informed team helps you understand your body’s signals and reclaim a sense of safety, clarity, and peace. Whether through EMDR, mindfulness, or other therapeutic methods, we’ll help you build resilience from the inside out.
Healing from trauma doesn’t mean forgetting the past — it means learning that you are safe now.
In Closing
You deserve a life that feels calm, grounded, and whole again. Reach out to Full Circle Counseling & Wellness today to connect with a trauma-informed therapist who can help you take the next step toward healing.
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