Relational Trauma

Yes, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can be highly effective in treating relational trauma. EMDR helps process distressing memories and emotions tied to past relationships, such as betrayal, neglect, or abuse. By reprocessing these painful experiences, EMDR reduces their emotional intensity and allows you to develop healthier emotional responses and relationship patterns.

Through EMDR, you can work towards restoring trust, reducing emotional triggers, and building more secure attachments in your relationships.

Relational trauma can show up in many ways, deeply affecting both your emotional and physical well-being. You might struggle with chronic distrust in others, constantly questioning their intentions or fearing betrayal, even when there’s no reason to doubt them. Low self-esteem may leave you feeling unworthy of love or respect, making it hard to accept compliments or form meaningful connections. A deep fear of abandonment might cause you to become overly clingy or, conversely, push people away out of fear they’ll leave you. Emotional numbness may cause you to feel detached from your feelings or others, as if you’re going through life on autopilot. Additionally, you might find yourself repeatedly drawn to toxic or unhealthy relationships, unconsciously repeating patterns of behavior from past traumatic experiences. These symptoms can lead to overwhelming feelings of isolation, anxiety, shame, and sadness, making it difficult to trust, communicate, or feel safe in relationships. If any of this resonates with you, it’s a clear sign that relational trauma may be affecting your life, and therapy can offer the support you need to heal, rebuild trust, and create healthier, more fulfilling relationships.

Yes, even if you feel your trauma is “small” or insignificant compared to others, your emotional experience is valid. Anxiety in relationships—such as fear of being abandoned, feeling inadequate, or struggling to trust—can stem from relational trauma, and therapy can help. Sometimes, relational trauma isn’t about a singular big event but a series of smaller experiences that compound over time. Therapy will help you explore these feelings and understand how they impact your relationships and mental health.