Trauma in the Body: Why Healing Matters and How We Can Start

Trauma is a tricky thing. It doesn’t come with a rulebook, nor does it always announce itself when it happens. Sometimes, it hits you like a freight train—a natural disaster, a global pandemic, the kind of moment that divides your life into “before” and “after.” Other times, it’s a slow burn. Small, compounding events that chip away at your sense of safety or self until, one day, you’re carrying the weight of something you can’t even name.

I’ve lived it. Erin here—therapist, mom of two, and survivor of life’s many curveballs. From weathering the collective trauma of COVID to enduring the chaos of Hurricane Helene, I’ve felt it all. Oh, and as a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, I know a thing or two about disappointment too. Over the years, I’ve seen how deeply trauma can sink its claws into the mind and body—not just in my own life but in the lives of those I’ve worked with. But here’s what I know for sure: healing is possible. It’s essential. And it all begins with understanding. Let’s start there.

How Trauma Gets Trapped in the Body

Here’s the thing about trauma—it doesn’t just live in your thoughts. It burrows deeper than that, lodging itself in the body like an unwelcome tenant. Have you noticed how your shoulders tense up when you’re nervous? Or how your stomach sinks during moments of fear? That’s your body talking to you. Trauma hijacks this connection between the mind and body, sometimes leaving behind physical symptoms long after the event is over.

Studies have shown that trauma activates the brain’s fight-or-flight response, flooding the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While these hormones serve a purpose in the moment—helping you escape or survive—they can become toxic when the cycle doesn’t resolve. Over time, unprocessed trauma can manifest as chronic pain, tension, headaches, and even illnesses.

It’s no wonder we often hear the term “body keeps the score.” Because it does.

Why All Trauma Is Trauma

One of the most common things I hear as a therapist is, “I don’t know if my trauma is ‘bad enough’ to count.” And this breaks my heart every single time. Trauma isn’t about competition. It doesn’t have a scoring system, and there’s no trophy for carrying something heavier than everyone else.

We all carry burdens differently, and what’s traumatic for one person might not affect another in the same way. But that doesn’t make your pain any less valid. Whether you’ve been through a breakup, battled job insecurity, or survived a natural disaster, your trauma is real. And it deserves compassion, not comparison.

Living through COVID underscored this idea for so many of us. It was a shared experience, yes, but everyone felt it differently. For some, it was the strain on their mental health from isolation. For others, it was the grief of losing a loved one. And for communities like mine, Hurricane Helene piled new trauma onto an already heavy emotional load.

REM Sleep and the Magic of Processing

Trauma doesn’t just “go away” with time. You can suppress it, distract yourself from it, or even pretend it didn’t happen. But until it’s processed, it lingers in the background like a page that’s stuck loading.

This is where the power of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep comes in. During REM sleep, your brain processes emotions, consolidates memories, and makes sense of experiences. It’s like hitting the “sync” button for your emotional brain. Unfortunately, trauma often disrupts this natural process. People who’ve been through trauma frequently report sleep disruptions or nightmares, which means their brains aren’t getting the chance to do the emotional housekeeping they so desperately need.

How EMDR Helps the Healing Process

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful therapy designed to help people process difficult memories and experiences. It works by mimicking the way your brain naturally processes information during REM sleep. Using bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or tapping, while focusing on a traumatic memory, EMDR allows people to safely revisit and process their experiences without feeling overwhelmed.

Here’s how it works in real life: I once worked with a woman who had been in a serious car accident. Afterward, even the thought of getting into a car made her heart race and her hands shake. Through EMDR, she processed the fear and trauma tied to the accident. Over time, she could sit in a car again, then drive short distances, and eventually return to her normal routine.

Another client, a father, was weighed down by guilt after an accident involving his child. He couldn’t forgive himself, and his guilt was affecting his ability to connect with his family. EMDR helped him work through those feelings and separate what happened from his sense of self-worth. He slowly began seeing himself as the loving, caring parent he truly was.

One of the most striking cases I witnessed was a young professional haunted by childhood bullying. The painful memories would flood back during meetings, leaving them feeling panicked and out of control. EMDR helped them process those memories and release the emotional grip they had. Today, they confidently lead meetings without that constant mental replay holding them back.

EMDR isn’t magic, but the results often feel that way. It’s about giving people the tools to face their trauma, process it, and move forward with renewed strength and confidence.

And this inspired me to create something accessible for people wherever they are in their healing process.

Introducing Mind Circuit

Not everyone is ready for therapy, and that’s okay. But healing should never feel out of reach. That’s why I developed Mind Circuit, an app inspired by EMDR principles. It uses bilateral stimulation tools designed to calm your nervous system, enhance focus, and give you the safe space your brain needs to process emotions.

With Mind Circuit, my mission is to bridge the gap. Whether you’re on a therapy waitlist or simply looking for tools to handle daily stressors, this app is here to meet you where you are.

A Collective Need for Healing

Living through Hurricane Helene reminded me of something important. Trauma isn’t just an individual experience—it’s a community one too. After the storm passed, my neighbors and I gathered in broken homes and shared stories over candlelight. We found comfort in the simple fact that we weren’t alone.

Healing starts with acknowledgment. It grows when people come together, sharing stories and building resilience shoulder-to-shoulder.

The Hope for Healing

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my personal and professional journeys, it’s that trauma doesn’t define you. Healing is messy, and it takes time, but it’s worth it. Processing your trauma isn’t about erasing what happened; it’s about reclaiming your story, your body, and your sense of self.

Whether you take your first step with a therapist, lean into tools like Mind Circuit, or simply give yourself permission to face what’s in the mirror, know this—you are capable. You are resilient. And you don’t have to carry this weight alone.

Healing isn’t a linear path, but it begins with one decision—to try. And that decision? It’s an act of courage all on its own.

—Erin Vandermore