“Time heals all wounds” is a cliché that we say to others (or ourselves) when something difficult happens. We say it, and we hope it is true…and sometimes it is.

However, when it comes to healing and addressing trauma, the cliché breaks down.

Due to the nature of trauma, it gets physiologically stored in the body, and remains stuck and frozen until it is addressed. Many of us would prefer to avoid it, and move on with our lives…and many of us believe we have! 

For periods of time, many trauma survivors have coped in ways that were adaptive in the moment. The coping skills we used at the time kept us safe, alive, and helped us become survivors. However, after the fact, or, as we grew up and became adults, many of those coping skills are no longer adaptive.

It is common to begin to notice maladaptive patterns in our relationships, anxiety regarding specific triggers, or emotions surrounding deeply rooted beliefs about ourselves and others that pop up despite objectively knowing they aren’t true. 

The good thing is that trauma can be healed—the remedy just isn’t time.

The messages we received during trauma created pathways in our brains (neural networks) that are continuing to play by the rules we established long ago. In order to truly heal, we need to retrain the nervous system so our bodies can begin to release the stored trauma, and our bodies can begin to learn that we are safe and the trauma is over.  EMDR, along with other somatic therapies are very helpful in this process. 

Please contact us if you have questions or are ready to begin your healing process! We would be honored to help spend some time with you working towards healing. 

Written by: Courtney Hintermeyer