Rewiring Anxiety: Finding Freedom Through EMDR
In today’s fast-paced world, anxiety has become an increasingly common experience for many people. It can feel overwhelming, pervasive, and, at times, debilitating. As Christian counselors, we believe that hope and healing are available through both spiritual truths and practical therapeutic approaches. One such method that has proven effective is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). While EMDR is often associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is also a powerful tool for addressing general anxiety and stressful situations, helping individuals find peace and freedom.
Understanding Trauma and Its Role in Anxiety
The Greek word for trauma, which means "wound," provides a meaningful perspective on how events impact us. Trauma is not merely the event itself but rather how it affects us internally. Trauma can stem from significant life events like job loss or divorce, which may feel as distressing as a criminal assault. Trauma is highly subjective; what deeply wounds one person may not affect another in the same way. Our experiences and perceptions shape how we process these events.
Trauma can be divided into two categories:
Trauma by omission: This occurs when something essential should have happened but did not. For example, feeling you should have been married with a family by now, believing you deserved a promotion, or needing love and attention as a child but not receiving it.
Claire’s childhood looked tranquil on the outside: no screaming, no chaos. But silence can also be a wound. Her parents were consumed by their own worries, too distracted or too weary to notice her loneliness. She learned early that needing comfort was dangerous because no one would come. Her trauma was one of omission—neglect that left her invisible. Now, when people get too close, anxiety whispers that she will be abandoned again, that no one will truly care.
Trauma by commission: This involves events that should not have happened. Examples include being spoken to lewdly by a professor, enduring abuse, or experiencing betrayal.
Evan grew up in a house where rage filled every corner. His father’s shouts were thunderclaps; the bruises were proof that fear wasn’t imaginary. Each time the footsteps pounded down the hall, Evan’s heart would race in anticipation of another blow, another door slammed hard enough to rattle the pictures on the walls. His trauma was one of commission—injuries delivered, boundaries smashed, terror imposed. As an adult, anxiety became his constant companion, a vigilant sentry reminding him that safety could be shattered at any moment.
Regardless of the originating circumstances, traumatized people often have the same feeling: an unshakable dread that the world is never quite safe and neither are they. Both trauma by omission and by commission can leave lasting imprints on the mind and body, contributing to anxiety. These wounds may shape beliefs about yourself or the world, making it easy to over-identify with anxiety as part of your identity.
Anxiety: More Than a Diagnosis
Anxiety is often misunderstood as a fixed trait: “I am an anxious person.” This belief can feel limiting, as if anxiety is an unchangeable part of who you are. However, what if anxiety is better understood as a feeling, a response to circumstances, or a season of life? For many, anxiety is an overdevelopment of an adaptive response that once served a purpose, often in childhood as with the examples of Evan and Claire. It may have helped you maintain connection, avoid conflict, or cope with uncertainty.
The brain, however, does not always recognize time or context. It holds onto these adaptive patterns, replaying them as though they are still necessary. Anxiety, then, becomes a cognitive and physical experience, encompassing racing thoughts and bodily sensations like a pounding heart or shallow breathing. The brain seeks rest and calm, but it often gets stuck in these cycles of worry and fear. EMDR offers a way to address both the mental and physical aspects of anxiety, helping the brain find the peace it longs for. Whether your anxiety is a result of trauma, biology, or circumstances, EMDR has been helpful and even life-changing for many!
What Is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach that helps individuals process distressing memories, thoughts, and feelings. It uses bilateral stimulation, such as side-to-side eye movements, to help the brain reprocess experiences that are stuck or unresolved. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR focuses less on verbal expression and more on how the brain and body store and process memories.
The foundational principle of EMDR is that the brain has an innate ability to heal itself. When trauma or significant stress occurs, this natural process can become blocked, leaving the individual with unresolved emotions and beliefs. EMDR helps "unstick" these memories, enabling the brain to reprocess them in a healthier way. This can lead to reduced anxiety, improved self-beliefs, and greater emotional freedom.
How EMDR Addresses Anxiety
Anxiety is more than just thoughts; it’s also a physical experience. EMDR addresses both the cognitive and sensory aspects of anxiety, helping individuals:
Identify triggers: EMDR helps uncover the root causes of anxiety, including past experiences or beliefs that fuel it. For example, a belief like “I am not safe” might originate from an unresolved childhood experience.
Reprocess memories: By revisiting distressing memories in a safe and controlled environment, EMDR allows the brain to reprocess them. This can help change how these memories are stored, reducing their emotional intensity and influence on the present.
Replace negative beliefs: EMDR helps individuals shift from negative self-beliefs (e.g., “I am powerless”) to positive ones (e.g., “I am capable and secure”).
Regulate the body’s response: The physical sensations of anxiety, such as tension or restlessness, often diminish as the brain reprocesses distressing material. EMDR helps bring the nervous system back into balance, promoting a sense of calm.
EMDR Utilizes God’s Design of the Brain
As Christian counselors, we view anxiety and trauma through both a psychological and spiritual lens. Scripture reminds us that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). He desires for us to experience peace, not fear. EMDR aligns with this truth by helping individuals move from a place of bondage to freedom.
One of the beautiful aspects of EMDR is that it honors how God designed the brain to heal. The brain’s ability to reprocess and heal aligns with the biblical concept of renewal: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). In EMDR, we see this renewal in action as the brain works to resolve past wounds and find rest.
Anxiety is not a life-sentence
Very few people need to suffer with anxiety forever. Healing is possible, even for those who feel deeply entrenched in their struggles. EMDR provides a path to:
Freedom from past wounds: Whether your anxiety stems from a trauma of omission or commission, EMDR can help release the grip of these experiences. By reprocessing memories that keep you stuck, EMDR allows your brain to recognize that the threat is over. What once felt inescapable can gradually lose its power over your present life.
Renewed beliefs: Anxiety often shapes beliefs about yourself or the world, such as “I am not enough” or “The world is unsafe.” EMDR helps replace these beliefs with life-giving truths. As you process old memories, you can begin to see yourself with greater compassion and trust that safety and worthiness are possible.
Physical and emotional peace: Anxiety often feels like an endless cycle, but EMDR can interrupt this cycle, providing both emotional and physical relief. Clients frequently report feeling a sense of calm in their bodies and minds, sometimes for the first time in years. This peace creates space for hope, connection, and new possibilities.
You don’t have to face anxiety alone.
If you are struggling with anxiety, consider seeking out EMDR as a part of your healing journey. At Boundless Hope, we integrate evidence-based therapeutic practices like EMDR with the hope and truth found in Christ. You don’t have to face anxiety alone. Healing is possible, and we are here to walk with you every step of the way.
Remember, anxiety is not your identity. It is a feeling, a response to life’s challenges, and it can be addressed. Through EMDR and the renewing power of God’s love, you can find the peace and freedom you’ve been longing for.