If there’s one thing the modern therapy world agrees on, it’s that healing is no longer viewed as purely a “thinking problem.” Increasingly, therapists are recognizing that anxiety, depression, trauma and chronic stress aren’t sequestered in the mind, but held in the nervous system and body as well. That shift has opened the door to a growing number of therapeutic approaches designed to help people move beyond simply talking about their struggles and toward actually processing them.
In Santa Cruz County, especially where mind-body wellness tends to flourish, therapies like EMDR, Mindfulness-based and somatic work are becoming increasingly mainstream. While the names may sound unfamiliar, the underlying goal is surprisingly universal: helping people to recognize subconscious impulses, become more connected to themselves and less stuck in old emotional patterns.
EMDR for getting unstuck
The aptly named Sharon Healer, LCSW, found EMDR, her therapeutic approach of choice, through her own healing journey. EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, originated in the late 1980s through the work of psychologist Francine Shapiro. Initially, the method was primarily used to treat trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially among veterans and survivors of abuse or violence. Based on proven effectiveness for trauma processing, it became one of the most widely recognized evidence-based trauma therapies used today.
Similar to Brainspotting, the basic premise of EMDR is that traumatic memories can become “stuck” in the nervous system without being fully processed. During EMDR sessions, clients briefly revisit distressing memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation, most commonly guided eye movements, though tapping or alternating sounds may also be used. The process appears to help the brain reprocess traumatic experiences, so they become less emotionally overwhelming.
Describing the method as having a “huge impact on her life”, the Santa Cruz-based Healer finds ways to integrate somatic work and EMDR to deliver more impactful results.
MSBR for the mind-body connection
Closely intertwined with many current therapeutic approaches are mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) practices. Mindfulness teaches people how to observe thoughts, emotions and body sensations without immediately reacting to them, helping calm the nervous system and interrupt chronic stress patterns.
Tonia Heath, LCSW, has used this methodology for decades. Heath calls therapy “a relationship and not a linear plan”, stating “oftentimes I find the course of therapy goes like this: First, we’ll get to know each other and make sure you feel safe and attended to. Then, I teach grounding, mindfulness, emotion identification and management skills, and communication skills.”
Practices rooted in mindfulness and self-awareness help create space for greater emotional resilience by helping us to notice our knee-jerk reactions and choose a response more in line with our goals and values.
What struck me most while researching these therapeutic approaches was not how different they are, but how much they share. Whether through eye movements, mindfulness, parts work or nervous system regulation, many modern therapies are ultimately trying to help people reconnect with themselves in a gentler, more compassionate way.
And perhaps that’s part of why these approaches resonate so strongly right now. We live in a culture that often rewards overthinking, overworking and overriding our own needs. Many people have become highly skilled at functioning while quietly carrying anxiety, grief, burnout or unresolved trauma beneath the surface.
In the iconic words of Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” Written 80 years ago, this message could not be more relevant today.
We’ve come a long way from Freud’s couch to the individualized healing approaches available today. For some people it may happen through traditional talk therapy. For others, body-based approaches or mindfulness practices will turn the key to transformation.
The good news for Santa Cruz residents is there’s no shortage of therapists exploring new ways to help people do exactly that.
For More:
Shannon Healer 831.234.7323,shannonhealer.com; Tonia Heath, 831.291-5273, toniaheathlcsw.com
Elizabeth Borelli is a Santa Cruz-based Mediterranean Lifestyle expert. Learn more about her workshops and events for healthy eating, weight loss, energy and stress relief at www.ElizabethBorelli.com
