Two profound thoughts from my clients this week (Episode 2)

One client of mine is a young woman preparing to start EMDR trauma therapy. We were discussing how difficult it is for her to share her emotions, or to be in groups of people, because she is so shy, and on top of that her traumatic memories give her a deep sense of shame. She demonstrated incredible courage in continuing to move forward with trauma treatment, with this quote:

"Better shy, than in the dark."

The pain of being vulnerable is tough. But she realized that living with her trauma, or isolating herself in depression--these are simply dark places with dark thoughts, and no hope. Yes, it's tough feeling vulnerable, and choosing to go to therapy. But at least she has hope. And she also knows that EMDR has healed people just like her, in this very office. Better shy, than in the dark.

Another woman I see for therapy has almost completely worked through her multiple (more than a dozen) traumatic memories, and is symptom-free regarding those she has reprocessed. So this week, feeling all that momentum and hope, she said this about her therapy experience:

"With each new experience of healing through EMDR, the more individual I feel--not a product of my parents, my abusers, or my memories. It's strange and wonderful to have an identity now, to be OK being just me. I have a sense of self, and my body belongs to me."

EMDR gives people their self back, no longer controlled by the past. If you feel like she felt, why not sign up for therapy so you can feel like she feels now?