Understanding Trauma and the Path to Recovery
Trauma isn’t just about what happened—it’s about how those experiences continue to live in the body and mind, shaping emotions, relationships, and even your sense of self. You might notice patterns of overwhelm, disconnection, or a lingering feeling that something inside hasn’t fully healed. If this resonates, you’re not alone
What is Trauma?
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), trauma involves exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). However, psychological and somatic research suggests that trauma is not solely defined by the event itself, but by how it was processed in the nervous system (Levine, 2010). This means that even experiences that seem "small" can have lasting effects if they overwhelmed your ability to cope at the time.
Common signs that trauma may still be present in your life include:
Emotional overwhelm – Intense feelings of anxiety, sadness, or anger that feel difficult to regulate.
Physical tension – Chronic pain, headaches, digestive issues, or fatigue without a clear medical cause.
Disconnection – Difficulty forming close relationships, feeling numb, or sensing a barrier between yourself and others (Herman, 2015).
How Trauma Affects the Body
Trauma is not only a psychological experience—it is deeply embodied. Research highlights that traumatic stress can become lodged in the nervous system, leading to dysregulation in how the body perceives safety and threat (van der Kolk, 2014). Somatic approaches, such as Somatic Experiencing® (SE), emphasise that the body holds onto these experiences, and that recovery often involves working through both the cognitive and physiological imprints of trauma (Payne et al., 2015).
Trauma-Sensitive Therapy
Therapy that acknowledges both the emotional and bodily impacts of trauma can provide a more integrated approach to recovery. Two evidence-informed modalities that people often find helpful are Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Integrating IFS, EMDR, and Other Trauma-Informed Approaches
One of the strengths of both Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR is their compatibility with a variety of other therapeutic practices that support trauma recovery. These approaches can be integrated with Somatic Experiencing® (SE), which focuses on the body’s response to trauma, or other mindfulness-based techniques, such as yoga and breathwork. These modalities all share a common goal: to help individuals reconnect with their bodies, release tension, and foster a deeper sense of safety. Whether you’re engaging in somatic practices to release stored trauma in the body, or using yoga to cultivate awareness and presence, combining these tools with IFS or EMDR can provide a comprehensive and personalized path toward healing. Each approach enhances the others, creating a more integrated experience for those navigating the complexities of trauma recovery.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
IFS therapy views the mind as made up of different "parts," some of which may still carry the burden of past traumatic experiences. These parts often developed strategies to protect you at the time, but they may now be holding onto distress in ways that no longer serve you (Schwartz & Sweezy, 2020). Through IFS, people explore these inner dynamics and offer their protective and wounded parts the care and understanding they needed at the time of the trauma.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing)
EMDR is a structured approach that involves recalling distressing memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements. This process is designed to help the brain integrate and reprocess past experiences so they no longer carry the same emotional intensity. Research suggests that EMDR may support individuals in reducing trauma-related distress, particularly for those experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms (Shapiro, 2018).
A Restorative Process
For patterns of distress to shift, it’s not enough to simply recall the past—we also need to experience what we needed but was missing at the time of the trauma. If we felt alone, we needed a sense of accompaniment. If we were frightened, we needed protection. If we were shamed, we needed acceptance. If we were hurt, we needed comfort. It is as though the part of us that experienced the original rupture of safety has been waiting ever since for the repair to arrive (Fisher, 2017).
Recovery is not about erasing the past, but about making space for a fuller experience of the present. Therapy may support this process by providing a space to explore, integrate, and restore a sense of connection to yourself and the world around you. Internal Family Systems Therapy is an approach that fosters this.
If you're curious about how an IFS approach to trauma therapy might fit into your journey, you may wish to explore working with one of our trauma-informed therapist.
References:
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
Fisher, J. (2017). Healing the fragmented selves of trauma survivors: Overcoming internal self-alienation. Routledge.
Herman, J. L. (2015). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence--from domestic abuse to political terror. Basic Books.
Levine, P. A. (2010). In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. North Atlantic Books.
Payne, P., Levine, P. A., & Crane-Godreau, M. A. (2015). Somatic experiencing: using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers in psychology, 6, 93.
Schwartz, R. C., & Sweezy, M. (2020). Internal family systems therapy. Guilford Publications.
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures. Guilford Publications.
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.