How In-Person EMDR Therapy Helps You Rebuild Trust in Your Body After Medical Trauma
The experience of medical trauma can leave an invisible weight, a quiet struggle that you carry long after the physical ordeal has passed. For many women, navigating this journey while juggling the demands of motherhood, a high-pressure career, or the internal drive for perfection feels incredibly isolating. When you’re used to being capable and in control, it can be deeply unsettling to feel disconnected from your own body. If you are seeking a way to heal this divide, please know there is hope. Exploring in-person EMDR therapy in Columbus, OH, can be a gentle and transformative step toward rebuilding that essential trust.
The Disconnect Between Mind and Body After Medical Trauma
After a medical event, it’s common to feel like your body has betrayed you. Procedures, diagnoses, and recoveries can be invasive and frightening, leaving you with a sense that your body is no longer a safe place. This creates a subtle but powerful rift between your mind and body. Your mind may understand that you are physically safe now, but your body remembers the fear, the pain, and the loss of control. This disconnect can show up in unexpected ways in your daily life.
This might look like a constant, low-level hum of anxiety you can’t shake, or a difficulty truly relaxing even when you have a moment to yourself. You may find yourself in a state of hypervigilance, always on alert for the next threat. Feeling "stuck" in survival mode, you might go through the motions without feeling present or at ease. Traditional talk therapy is incredibly valuable, yet it may not always reach the depths of this physical disconnection. This is because trauma is often held within the body itself, resting in a place where words alone cannot always go.
Why Trusting Your Body Again Feels So Hard
Have you ever wondered why it feels so difficult to simply "move on" or "think positively" about your body? The reason is that trauma isn't just a memory; it's a physiological experience. When you went through a traumatic medical event, your nervous system went into a state of "fight, flight, or freeze" to protect you. Sometimes, even after the danger has passed, the body doesn't get the signal that it's safe to stand down.
This unresolved trauma can remain stored in your body, manifesting as physical symptoms like chronic tension in your shoulders, unexplained fatigue, or persistent pain. These are not signs of weakness or failure. They are your body's valid and understandable way of holding onto a difficult experience. Acknowledging this is the first step toward gentle healing. Your body’s responses are a testament to what you have endured, and they deserve to be met with compassion.
How EMDR Therapy in Columbus, OH Targets Trauma Stored in the Body
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a unique approach to help heal medical trauma because it works with the body’s own healing capabilities. It is designed to help your brain process traumatic memories that have become stuck, allowing you to find relief at a deeper, somatic level. The therapy uses bilateral stimulation, such as tapping, to engage both sides of your brain. This process helps your nervous system release the stored "fight or flight" energy.
It’s like helping your brain complete a filing process that was interrupted by the trauma. The memory itself doesn't disappear, but its heavy emotional charge begins to soften. You may find yourself reaching a place where you can recall the experience while still feeling grounded, free from that intense physical and emotional reaction. Through this gentle processing, EMDR therapy can help you feel safe inside your own body again, one step at a time.
The Unique Benefits of In-Person EMDR Therapy in Columbus, OH
While virtual therapy offers accessibility, there is a distinct power in the safety and connection of an in-person session. When you are doing the vulnerable work of processing trauma, the physical environment matters. An in-person EMDR therapy space is intentionally designed to be a calm, nurturing sanctuary where you can feel fully supported. The physical presence of a compassionate therapist provides a grounding anchor, reminding you that you are not going through this process by yourself.
Working with a women’s EMDR therapist in Columbus, OH, who understands the unique pressures women face can make all the difference. Whether you are navigating the complexities of perfectionism, the demands of a high-achieving career, or the selfless act of motherhood, having a therapist who "gets it" is invaluable. It allows you to be seen and heard in a way that virtual interactions may not fully capture. This shared understanding creates a foundation of trust that is essential for deep healing.
Practical Ways EMDR Therapy Helps Rebuild Trust in Your Body
The journey of reconnecting with your body is a gradual one, built on small, meaningful shifts. EMDR therapy helps facilitate this reconnection in several practical ways. First, it directly addresses the "fight or flight" response that may be stuck in your nervous system. This helps you feel less on edge and more grounded in the present moment. EMDR also helps you gently reframe the traumatic memories that trigger these physical reactions.
Instead of remaining a source of fear, your memory can become a part of your story that no longer holds power over you. Finally, EMDR incorporates building new, positive associations with your body through guided exercises, helping you see it as a source of strength and resilience. Small changes may begin to surface, like taking a full, deep breath without thinking about it. A sense of calm may also start to settle in during moments that used to trigger anxiety.
Addressing the Unique Challenges Women Face After Medical Trauma
The experience of medical trauma often intersects with the invisible load many women carry. Juggling caregiving responsibilities, career ambitions, and societal expectations can amplify feelings of overwhelm and disconnection from your body. You may feel pressure to be "fine" and push through the pain, which only deepens the internal struggle. Many women respond to trauma by overfunctioning, keeping relentlessly busy to avoid confronting difficult emotions.
This pattern of staying in motion is a survival strategy, but it can prevent true healing. EMDR therapy helps you gently interrupt this cycle. It creates a dedicated space for your emotional and physical healing, allowing you to slow down and tend to your own needs without guilt. The goal is to reclaim your body not as something that has failed you, but as a resilient and wise partner in your healing journey. A personalized therapeutic approach can help you feel truly seen in your unique story, fostering the safety needed to rebuild trust from the inside out.
How to Know If You’re Ready for EMDR Therapy
There is no "perfect" time to begin therapy, and readiness looks different for everyone. It’s less about feeling completely prepared and more about a quiet recognition that you are ready for a change. You might be ready to explore EMDR therapy if you find yourself feeling stuck in patterns of fear or distrust around your body.
Perhaps you experience physical symptoms like headaches or digestive issues that don’t have a clear medical cause. Or maybe you long to feel more connected to yourself but don’t know where to start. Acknowledging that you want something different for yourself is a powerful first step. Trusting that small, quiet voice inside that is asking for support is an act of profound self-care.
Taking the First Step: A Journey Worth Taking
Reaching out for support takes courage, and it is a sign of incredible strength. If you feel that EMDR therapy might be the right path for you, I gently encourage you to find a therapist who makes you feel truly safe and understood. Finding this connection is a vital part of your healing journey, and you deserve a space where you feel completely heard. The path to rebuilding trust in your body after medical trauma is a personal one, filled with its own challenges and triumphs. It is a journey of coming home to yourself. With the right support, you can process what you’ve been through and rediscover the sense of safety and peace that you deserve. Healing is possible, and you are worthy of it.
What Could Rebuilding Trust in Your Body Look Like With In-Person EMDR Therapy in Columbus, OH?
Have you found yourself wondering if it’s possible to feel at home in your body again after everything it’s been through? It’s okay if that question feels heavy; healing after medical trauma is a deeply personal journey. You deserve care that not only acknowledges the weight of your experience but also helps you rediscover the strength and safety within yourself. At Merrianna Holdeman Counseling, my approach to EMDR therapy in Columbus, OH, is centered on helping women process the physical and emotional toll of trauma in a way that feels safe, compassionate, and empowering. Whether you’re feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or unsure of where to start, you don’t have to navigate this process alone. Together, we can create a space where healing feels possible, and trust in your body can be gently rebuilt.
Schedule your complimentary 15-minute consultation today.
Discover my approach to EMDR Christian Counseling and how I can help you reconnect with your body and take meaningful steps toward healing.
Your journey matters, and you deserve to feel whole again.
Other Therapy Services at Merrianna Holdeman Counseling
As you take steps toward rebuilding trust in your body and healing from medical trauma, you may begin to notice how interconnected your experiences are—how trauma, stress, and even perfectionism can ripple through every part of your life. Because of this, I offer a range of therapy services to meet you where you are: ADHD Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Anxiety Therapy, and Trauma Therapy. Each service is thoughtfully designed to address your unique needs and personal journey.
You might find that the constant hum of anxiety makes it difficult to feel grounded or present in your daily life. Focus can feel impossible when you’re carrying the weight of perfectionism, career demands, or the emotional toll of motherhood. Past trauma can amplify these struggles, leaving you feeling disconnected from yourself and those you care about most. At Merrianna Holdeman Counseling, you’ll find a supportive space to work toward a sense of clarity and wholeness through personalized therapy—all delivered in-person for women who are ready to embrace true healing and renewed connection in every area of life.
About the Author
Merrianna Holdeman, LPCC, is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in Ohio who specializes in helping women heal from the lasting effects of medical trauma. Through in-person EMDR therapy in Columbus, Ohio, Merrianna provides a compassionate and supportive space for overwhelmed moms, high-achieving women, and perfectionists to reconnect with their bodies and find relief from the weight of trauma. With a gentle, evidence-based approach, she empowers her clients to process their experiences and rebuild trust in themselves, one step at a time. Merrianna is dedicated to walking alongside women on their journey toward healing, offering a safe and nurturing environment where transformation feels possible.
