Think EMDR Is Just for PTSD? Here’s How It’s Transforming Anxiety, Attachment Trauma, and Self-Worth

 EMDR isn’t just for PTSD. Discover how this powerful, neuroscience-backed therapy rewires anxiety, heals attachment wounds, and restores self-worth

Think EMDR Is Just for PTSD? Here’s How It’s Transforming Anxiety, Attachment Trauma, and Self-Worth

Do you feel anxious for no apparent reason, like your nervous system is constantly stuck in overdrive? Do you fear abandonment even in safe relationships, or sabotage intimacy when it finally feels too close? Do you struggle with an inner critic so loud it drowns out your confidence, creativity, and self-trust?

If so, you're not alone, and more importantly, you're not beyond help. Many people carry deep emotional wounds rooted in attachment trauma, chronic anxiety, or low self-worth, even if they’ve never experienced a life-threatening event. And yet, these struggles often go untreated or misdiagnosed. At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we work with individuals whose pain is real, even if it doesn’t fit the traditional definition of trauma. That's why we offer EMDR therapy, a profoundly compelling, research-supported approach that goes far beyond its original use in treating PTSD.

Let’s explore how EMDR is transforming lives by helping people rewire their brains, regulate their nervous systems, and reconnect with their inherent worth.

What Is EMDR—and Why Is It So Effective?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured psychotherapy method that uses bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) while a person recalls distressing memories. This process helps the brain reprocess those memories so they no longer feel threatening or emotionally charged.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn't require you to explain every detail of your past. Instead, it helps you access and shift how distress is stored in the nervous system, turning fragmented experiences into integrated ones.

Rooted in Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) theory, EMDR posits that psychological symptoms emerge when trauma-related memories remain “stuck” in the nervous system. Reprocessing these memories allows your brain to file them away as non-threatening, so your body and mind can finally move on.

EMDR for Anxiety: Rewiring the Nervous System

Anxiety is often misunderstood as a chemical imbalance or thought pattern gone haywire. But beneath the surface, it’s frequently tied to unprocessed stress, unmet needs, or unresolved attachment wounds.

Many clients who come to us say things like:

     — “I’m constantly on edge, even when nothing’s wrong.”
    — “My mind races. I can’t relax.”
     —  “I catastrophize everything.”

What they often don’t realize is that their brains and bodies are stuck in hyperarousal, a state of nervous system dysregulation driven by past experiences of unsafety. EMDR helps discharge the stored fear and teaches the brain and body what it feels like to be safe again. Research shows that EMDR significantly reduces anxiety symptoms, even in people without PTSD, by decreasing amygdala activation and increasing prefrontal cortex engagement (Pagani et al., 2017). In short, it calms the fear center and strengthens emotional regulation.

EMDR for Attachment Trauma: Repairing the Wounds of Early Relationships

Attachment trauma isn’t always obvious. You may not have been physically abused or overtly neglected. But if your emotional needs were routinely unmet, if you were shamed, ignored, overly controlled, or made to feel unsafe expressing your feelings, those experiences shape your brain’s wiring.

This shows up in adulthood as:

     — Fear of abandonment or rejection
    — Avoidance of closeness or vulnerability
    — People-pleasing, perfectionism, or emotional reactivity
    — Difficulty trusting or depending on others

Traditional talk therapy can bring insight into these patterns, but EMDR helps shift them on a neurobiological level. By targeting early memories (even those you barely recall), EMDR enables the nervous system to reprocess those formative experiences, thereby building new pathways for secure attachment and emotional safety.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we utilize Attachment-Focused EMDR, which integrates resourcing, somatic awareness, and trauma reprocessing to help clients cultivate the internal safety they lacked during their childhood.

EMDR for Self-Worth: Healing the Inner Critic

That relentless voice in your head that says you’re not enough? That’s not your truth; it’s a trauma echo. Low self-worth is often a symptom of internalized shame, a feeling that one's identity is inherently flawed. This belief typically stems from childhood experiences where love was conditional, boundaries were violated, or authenticity was punished. EMDR helps change the narrative from the inside out. Instead of telling yourself you’re worthy, EMDR allows you to feel it at a cellular level. By desensitizing the origin memories behind self-loathing and replacing them with adaptive beliefs like “I am enough” or “I am lovable,” clients experience profound and lasting shifts.

“I didn’t just learn to accept myself; I started to feel compassion for myself for the first time.” —Client, Embodied Wellness and Recovery

The Somatic and Neuroscience-Based Power of EMDR

One of the most transformative aspects of EMDR is that it’s not just cognitive; it’s somatic and nervous system-based. EMDR sessions often incorporate body-based awareness because trauma isn’t just stored in the mind; it’s stored in the body (van der Kolk, 2014).

EMDR can lead to:

     — Reduced muscle tension and chronic pain
     — Fewer panic attacks and emotional outbursts
     — Increased ability to stay present in the body
     — Strengthened vagal tone and improved self-regulation
    — Enhanced ability to connect with others in an embodied, authentic way

This is why EMDR is a foundational therapy at Embodied Wellness and Recovery. Whether you're working through trauma, emotional regulation, sexual intimacy challenges, or relational issues, we tailor EMDR to meet your unique nervous system, attachment history, and therapeutic goals.

Who Can Benefit from EMDR?

You don’t need a formal PTSD diagnosis to benefit from EMDR. In fact, some of the most powerful outcomes we’ve seen are with clients who struggle with:

     — Generalized anxiety or social anxiety
    — Fear of abandonment or rejection
    — Chronic self-criticism or low confidence
     — Emotional flashbacks or dissociation
    — Relationship difficulties and intimacy issues
    — Developmental or attachment trauma
    — Body image struggles or shame around sexuality

Whether you’re a high-functioning professional carrying hidden wounds, a parent trying to break generational cycles, or someone ready to stop reliving the past, EMDR can help you reclaim your wholeness.

It's More Than Trauma Therapy; It's a Path to Embodied Change

EMDR is no longer just for veterans or those with obvious trauma. It's for anyone whose past still lives in their present, whether through fear, patterns of disconnection, or beliefs that block joy and intimacy.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we specialize in trauma-informed, somatic-based EMDR therapy for anxiety, attachment wounds, and self-worth challenges. Our expert clinicians blend neuroscience, compassion, and embodiment to help you move beyond coping and into transformation. You don't need to relive the past. You need a way to release it and reconnect with your true, resilient self.

Contact us today to schedule a free 20-minute consultation with our team of top-rated EMDR therapists, somatic practitioners, trauma specialists, or relationship experts, and begin your journey toward embodied connection, clarity, and confidence.

📞 Call us at (310) 651-8458

📱 Text us at (310) 210-7934

📩 Email us at admin@embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

🔗 Visit us at www.embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

👉 Check us out on Instagram @embodied_wellness_and_recovery

🌍 Explore our offerings at Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/laurendummit

References

— Pagani, M., Di Lorenzo, G., Verardo, A. R., Nicolais, G., Monaco, L., Lauretti, G., & Siracusano, A. (2017). Neurobiological Correlates of EMDR Monitoring—An EEG Study. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 11(2), 84–95. https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.11.2.84

— Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

— Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.

Stuck in Shame: Understanding Dorsal Vagal Shutdown and How to Regain Your Vitality

Shame can trigger a freeze response or dorsal vagal shutdown, leaving you numb, hopeless, or unable to move forward. Learn the neuroscience behind this trauma response and how somatic therapy, EMDR, and compassionate care at Embodied Wellness and Recovery help restore emotional regulation, vitality, and connection.

Stuck in Shame: Understanding Dorsal Vagal Shutdown and How to Regain Your Vitality

Have you ever made a mistake so painful or experienced a moment so humiliating that you shut down emotionally or even physically? Maybe your mind went blank. Perhaps your body felt heavy, sluggish, or distant. You couldn’t think clearly. Couldn’t speak up. Couldn’t feel much of anything. Just frozen in place.

This isn't a personality flaw or weakness. It's your nervous system doing its best to protect you. But when shame becomes chronic, it can trap you in a state known as dorsal vagal shutdown, a form of physiological immobility that leaves many people feeling helpless, numb, and stuck.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Why can’t I move forward after what I did?” or “Why do I feel so checked out, even though I want to feel better? Your experience is deeply human, and your nervous system is responding exactly as it was designed to. At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we specialize in helping individuals understand the neurobiology of shame, reconnect with their sense of agency, and regain a state of connection, vitality, and self-compassion.

What Is Dorsal Vagal Shutdown?

The dorsal vagal state is one branch of the autonomic nervous system, specifically governed by the vagus nerve. According to Polyvagal Theory (Porges, 2011), this state is associated with immobilization, which many people experience as freezing, numbing out, collapsing, or dissociating.

Unlike the fight-or-flight response (activated by the sympathetic nervous system), the dorsal vagal response is the body’s ancient survival strategy when neither fighting nor fleeing is possible. Think of a possum playing dead. It's a last-resort mechanism to preserve life in the face of overwhelming threat. In humans, it can feel like profound fatigue, withdrawal, foggy thinking, or emotional deadness.

Shame is one of the most common emotional triggers for dorsal vagal shutdown. It’s not just a feeling; it’s a physiological state.

How Shame Triggers the Freeze Response

Shame arises when we feel deeply flawed, unworthy of love or belonging, especially after violating our own values or being humiliated by others. When shame hits the nervous system hard, the body may automatically go into a state of shutdown to protect against the unbearable emotional pain.

This is especially common for people with trauma histories, developmental neglect, or chronic invalidation. If you’ve ever made a regrettable decision, cheated on a partner, relapsed after years of sobriety, hurt someone you love, and found yourself spiraling into self-loathing, this is your nervous system trying to contain a flood of emotional overwhelm.

The tragic irony? The more shame takes over, the more we lose access to the very capacities that could help us repair: our ability to think clearly, speak up, ask for help, or feel connected to others.

Signs You're in a Dorsal Vagal Shutdown

     — Feeling numb or emotionally flat
    — Difficulty speaking, moving, or making decisions

     — Overwhelming tiredness or heaviness in the body
     — Loss of interest in relationships or activities
     — Shame-based thoughts like “I’m a failure” or “I don’t deserve to feel better”
     — Detachment from your own body or surroundings (dissociation)
     — Feeling invisible, voiceless, or like giving up

This state can look like depression on the surface, but it’s often a trauma response stored in the body.

How to Shift Out of a Freeze Response: A Neuroscience-Informed Approach

The good news: the nervous system is capable of neuroplasticity. With the right support, it can learn to shift states from shutdown back into safe connection. But it’s not about forcing yourself to “snap out of it.” It’s about gently co-regulating with safety, compassion, and presence.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, our trauma-informed therapists use modalities like Somatic Experiencing, Attachment-Focused EMDR, and Polyvagal-Informed Therapy to help clients learn how to recognize, tolerate, and gradually shift out of dorsal vagal states.

Here are some neuroscience-backed strategies that help restore functioning:

1. Start with Sensory Grounding, Not Cognitive Processing

When you're in a freeze state, your prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for insight and logic, isn’t online. Instead of trying to “think your way out,” start by reconnecting to sensation.

Try:

     — Holding something cold or textured
    — Splashing cool water on your face
    — Pressing your feet into the floor
    — Naming five things you see, four you hear, three you touch…

These somatic cues help signal to the nervous system that it’s safe to return to the present.

2. Name the State Without Judgment

Say to yourself:

“My body is in a dorsal vagal state. This is my nervous system protecting me. I am safe now.”

Naming the physiological state without self-judgment helps reduce shame and builds interoceptive awareness, the ability to recognize internal bodily cues. This is a critical skill in trauma recovery (Price & Hooven, 2018).

3. Co-Regulate with Safe Connection

Connection with another safe human, or even an animal, can be a powerful way to bring your nervous system back online.

Try:

     — Sitting with a therapist or loved one who can hold space without judgment
    — Petting a dog or cat
    — Listening to soothing, relational voices (like an audiobook or guided meditation)

Humans are wired for connection. We heal in the presence of attuned, non-shaming others.

4. Use Movement to Mobilize the Nervous System

Once you feel safe enough, gentle movement can help your body transition from a state of immobilization to one of activation. This could be:

     — Rocking back and forth
    — Rolling your shoulders
    — Walking slowly outdoors
    — Doing yoga or tai chi

The goal is not to “exercise your way out” of shame; it’s to help the body remember what it feels like to move and be alive again.

5. Work with a Trauma-Informed Therapist

Recovery from shame-based shutdown is not a solo journey. A skilled therapist can help you safely access and process the origins of your shame, reconnect with your core self, and create new internal experiences of worthiness and vitality.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we specialize in:

     — Attachment-Focused EMDR to process traumatic memories
    — Somatic Resourcing to restore safety in the body
     — Parts Work (like Internal Family Systems) to build compassion for the wounded aspects of yourself
     — Sex and intimacy therapy to repair relational wounds that often carry hidden shame

Why This Matters: Shame and the Loss of Self

When left unaddressed, chronic shame doesn’t just impact your mood; it affects your relationships, your career, your sexuality, your ability to receive love, and your sense of purpose.

In the dorsal vagal state, life feels grey. It’s hard to imagine change. But just like a body can thaw from cold, the nervous system can come back to life.

Your vitality is not gone; it’s just waiting beneath the surface, covered by layers of shame, fear, and protective shutdown. With care, it can be uncovered.

From Shutdown to Self-Compassion

What you did or experienced may feel unforgivable, but you are not unforgivable. The truth is, shame often stems not only from our mistakes, but also from how we were taught to perceive ourselves when we make them.

By understanding the neurobiology of shame and learning how to regulate your nervous system, you can transition from immobilization to engagement, from self-loathing to self-compassion, and from disconnection to reconnection with yourself and others.

If you’re feeling stuck, Embodied Wellness and Recovery offers integrative, trauma-informed care to help you rediscover your voice, your aliveness, and your capacity to love and be loved again.

Contact us today to schedule a free 20-minute consultation with our team of top-rated somatic practitioners, trauma specialists, or relationship experts, and begin your journey toward embodied connection, clarity, and confidence.

📞 Call us at (310) 651-8458

📱 Text us at (310) 210-7934

📩 Email us at admin@embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

🔗 Visit us at www.embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

👉 Check us out on Instagram @embodied_wellness_and_recovery

🌍 Explore our offerings at Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/laurendummi

References:
 — Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation. W.W. Norton & Company.

  — Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W.W. Norton & Company.
  — Price, C. J., & Hooven, C. (2018). Interoceptive Awareness Skills for Emotion Regulation: Theory and Approach of Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT). Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 798. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00798

Rest to Heal: The Powerful Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health

Struggling with sleep and feeling emotionally exhausted? Discover the powerful connection between sleep and mental health, and how healing your nervous system can lead to deeper rest, regulation, and resilience.

Why Can’t I Sleep When I Want to Heal?

If you’ve ever lain awake at night with racing thoughts, an aching heart, or a body that won’t settle, despite a deep desire to heal, what you're experiencing is more common than you think. Many people on the path to emotional recovery find themselves facing an unexpected hurdle: sleep disturbance.

Sleep is not just a luxury; it’s a biological necessity. And when our mental health is suffering, our ability to rest often suffers too. The connection between sleep and mental health is circular: poor sleep contributes to emotional dysregulation, and emotional dysregulation disrupts sleep.

​​Still, healing is possible; with the right tools, nervous system support, and trauma-informed care, your body and mind can relearn how to rest and heal.

The Neuroscience of Sleep and Emotional Regulation

Sleep is a time when the brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and restores vital systems throughout the body. Specifically:

     – The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and impulse control, resets during deep sleep

     – The amygdala, which governs emotional reactivity, becomes less reactive with healthy sleep patterns

     – REM sleep plays a vital role in integrating emotional experiences

When sleep is disrupted, these essential brain functions don’t get the reset they need, leading to heightened emotional reactivity, anxiety, depression, and even trauma flashbacks.

How Trauma and Chronic Stress Disrupt Sleep

For individuals living with trauma, anxiety, or unresolved emotional pain, the nervous system may remain stuck in a heightened state of arousal, often referred to as a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state. In this state, the body perceives danger and prioritizes vigilance over rest.

This means:

     – Racing thoughts at bedtime

     – Muscle tension that won’t release

     – Startling awake in the night

     – Difficulty accessing deep, restorative sleep

These symptoms aren’t just frustrating—they are exhausting. And over time, chronic sleep deprivation compounds mental health issues and makes it harder for the nervous system to regulate.

Common Mental Health Issues Related to Poor Sleep

Sleep issues are not just a side effect—they are often central to mental health diagnoses. Studies show that:

     – 90% of individuals with depression experience sleep issues

     – Chronic insomnia increases the risk for anxiety disorders and PTSD

     – Bipolar disorder is deeply impacted by circadian rhythm dysregulation

     – ADHD and autism often present with significant sleep disturbances

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we see the profound impact that disrupted sleep has on our clients’ ability to heal, especially for those navigating trauma, intimacy issues, addiction, and emotional dysregulation.

What Keeps You Awake: Questions to Reflect On

Sometimes the problem isn’t just physiological—it’s emotional. Ask yourself:

     – What thoughts tend to surface as I try to fall asleep?

     – Is there a part of me that feels unsafe letting go?

     – Do I feel like I have to stay vigilant, just in case?

     – What unresolved feelings am I trying to outrun during the day?

These questions don’t have to be answered alone. They are invitations into more profound healing.

The Path to Restorative Sleep: A Holistic Approach

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we approach sleep disturbance through a trauma-informed, neuroscience-based, and somatic lens. Healing your sleep starts with restoring your nervous system’s capacity to feel safe at rest.

Our integrative methods include:

     – Somatic Experiencing to help release held tension and restore regulation

     – EMDR Therapy to process unresolved trauma interfering with the body’s ability to rest

     – Attachment-Based Therapy to address subconscious fears of abandonment or hypervigilance

     – Nervous System Education to help you understand why you’re not sleeping and how to support your body

     – Sleep hygiene strategies personalized to your attachment style and emotional needs

We also offer tools like guided meditations, breathwork, trauma-sensitive yoga, and sleep-focused somatic exercises designed to downshift the nervous system into a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state.

Hope for the Exhausted: You Can Heal

Healing your sleep is not just about tracking hours of rest—it’s about helping your entire system feel safe enough to rest.

When your body begins to feel safe, the mind follows. You begin to fall asleep more easily, stay asleep more deeply, and wake feeling more connected, calm, and emotionally resilient.

If you’re tired of feeling tired, and you’re ready to support your mental health through rest, know this: with support, healing can emerge from within.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we specialize in helping individuals restore balance through integrative trauma therapy, nervous system healing, and relational repair.  We’re here to help you rediscover your body’s natural capacity for rest and your soul’s deep need for peace. Reach out today to schedule a free 20-minute consultation with our team of top-rated therapists, somatic practitioners, trauma specialists, relationship experts, or holistic health coaches.

📞 Call us at (310) 651-8458

📱 Text us at (310) 210-7934

📩 Email us at admin@embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

🔗 Visit us at www.embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

👉 Check us out on Instagram @embodied_wellness_and_recovery

🌍 Explore our offerings at Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/laurendummit

References:

Harvard Medical School. (2021). Sleep and Mental Health. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter\_article/sleep-and-mental-health

Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and bBody in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.

Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner.

Stuck in Worst-Case Scenarios? Therapy Can Calm Your Anxious Brain

Constantly imagining the worst? Discover how therapy helps rewire the brain and end the cycle of catastrophic thinking. Explore neuroscience-backed strategies from the experts at Embodied Wellness and Recovery.

Rewiring Fear: How Therapy Stops Catastrophic Thinking in Its Tracks

Do you ever feel like your mind is always jumping to the worst possible outcome?

Do you spiral into worst-case scenarios when your partner doesn’t text back? Do minor problems trigger overwhelming fear? If so, you may be caught in a cycle of catastrophic thinking—a common yet painful experience, especially for those living with anxiety, trauma, or chronic stress.

At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, we often hear clients say:

     – “I can’t stop obsessing about what might go wrong.”

     – “I know it doesn’t make sense, but I still feel panicked.”

     – “It feels like my brain is always preparing for disaster.”

Sound familiar? You are not alone. Even in the depths of struggle, there exists the capacity for growth, repair, and reconnection. Although the process of healing may be complex, through therapy, it is possible to calm your nervous system, challenge anxious thoughts, and create new patterns in the brain.

🧠 What Is Catastrophic Thinking?

Catastrophic thinking (also known as catastrophizing) is a type of cognitive distortion where the mind automatically leaps to the worst possible conclusion, often without evidence.

Examples include:

     – "I made a mistake at work—I'm going to get fired."

     – "My child has a cough—what if it’s something serious?"

     – "They didn’t text me back—they must be mad at me."

These thoughts feel real because they activate the brain's threat system, causing physiological symptoms like a racing heart, muscle tension, and difficulty concentrating.

🌿 The Neuroscience Behind Catastrophizing

When you're caught in catastrophic thinking, the amygdala (the brain’s fear center) goes into overdrive. It hijacks the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for logic and reasoning), making it harder to access rational thought.

Over time, this pattern becomes wired into the brain through neuroplasticity. The more you catastrophize, the more easily the brain defaults to those fear-based pathways.

However, therapy helps create new neural pathways that support safety, regulation, and calm.

💡 How Therapy Helps You Interrupt the Cycle

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a gold-standard treatment for anxiety and catastrophizing. It helps you:

     – Identify and challenge distorted thoughts

     – Gather evidence for and against those thoughts

     – Replace catastrophic thinking with more balanced, grounded beliefs

This process strengthens the prefrontal cortex, improving emotional regulation and decision-making (Beck, 2011).

2. Somatic Therapy

Sometimes, the body reacts before the mind can catch up. Somatic therapy helps you tune into physical sensations and discharge stored tension. You learn how to:

     – Ground through breath and movement

     – Notice where anxiety lives in the body

     – Create a felt sense of safety

When the nervous system feels safe, catastrophic thoughts lose their grip.

3. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

EMDR helps reprocess traumatic memories and reduce their emotional charge. By targeting past experiences that fuel current anxiety, EMDR can reduce the intensity of fear responses and help the brain recognize that the danger is no longer present (Shapiro, 2018).

4. Mindfulness and Compassion-Based Therapies

Mindfulness-based therapy teaches you to observe thoughts without judgment. Over time, this helps reduce the reactivity and urgency that often accompany catastrophizing. You become better able to say, “This is just a thought—not a fact.”

Self-compassion practices can also soothe the inner critic that often drives catastrophic thinking, helping you respond to fear with kindness instead of panic (Neff, 2011).

📈 What Catastrophic Thinking Can Lead To (If Left Untreated)

If not addressed, chronic catastrophic thinking can contribute to:

     – Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

     – Panic attacks

     – Insomnia

     – Depression

     – Strained relationships

     – Burnout and decision paralysis

It can also keep you stuck in avoidance, preventing you from pursuing goals, setting boundaries, or enjoying meaningful connections.

❤️ You Are Not Your Thoughts

One of the most powerful shifts therapy offers is this:

You are not your thoughts. You are the awareness behind them.

When you begin to observe your thinking instead of fusing with it, you regain agency.  You can pause, reframe, and choose differently. This is the foundation of emotional freedom.

🌿 At Embodied Wellness and Recovery, We Can Help

Our integrative approach includes:

     – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

     – Somatic Experiencing and nervous system regulation

     – EMDR for trauma-related anxiety

     – Mindfulness and compassion-focused therapy

     – Relationship and attachment work to address the deeper roots of fear and insecurity

Whether you’re struggling with anxious thoughts, trauma, or relationship stress, we help you build the tools to regulate your nervous system, rewire your brain, and reclaim peace.

🔍 Start Rewiring Your Thinking Today

If you find yourself persistently anticipating the worst, it’s important to recognize that this pattern is not fixed—and change is possible.

You can learn to calm your mind, connect with your body, and respond to life with clarity and resilience.

Ready to begin?

Reach out to Embodied Wellness and Recovery to schedule a free 20-minute consultation with our team of top-rated mental health experts and somatic practitioners to begin your healing today.. Let’s work together to transform catastrophic thinking into compassionate clarity.

📱 Text us at (310) 210-7934

📩 Email us at admin@embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

🔗 Visit us at www.embodiedwellnessandrecovery.com

👉 Check us out on Instagram @embodied_wellness_and_recovery

🌍 Explore our offerings at Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/laurendummit

📓 References

Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Neff, K. (2011). Self-compassion: The proven power of being kind to yourself. William Morrow.

Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.