If you’ve survived trauma, chances are you’re used to putting others first. Maybe it helped you stay safe. Maybe it was how you made sense of the chaos. But somewhere along the way, you learned that your needs could wait—or worse, didn’t matter.
Trauma recovery doesn’t follow a straight path. Some days, you may feel strong and grounded; other days, you may wonder if you're making any progress at all. But just because healing isn’t always obvious doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
Trauma bonding occurs when a person forms an intense emotional connection with someone who is abusive, manipulative, or otherwise harmful. This bond is reinforced through cycles of abuse, periods of kindness, and emotional manipulation, making it difficult for the victim to leave.
Understanding the relationship between the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and anxiety is essential to treatment. The SNS is a part of the autonomic nervous system that activates our body’s "fight or flight" response. For those with trauma histories, this response can become overactivated, even in non-threatening situations, leading to heightened and persistent anxiety.
Trauma leaves a profound impact, often shaping the way people perceive the world, relate to others, and even experience themselves. The good news is that trauma doesn't have to define you, and through therapies like EMDR, there is a way to find relief, process the pain, and move forward into a healthier and more empowered life.
