EMDR and the Hidden Wounds of Chronic Medical Trauma

Shirli H Libet, MS LMFT
Sep 1
3 min read

EMDR is personal for me. After many years of living with the effects of medical trauma, I found myself searching for something that could truly help. EMDR therapy was successful for me, and that is why I advocate for it today. I know first-hand how medical experiences can leave invisible scars, and I also know how EMDR can bring real healing.

The Complexity of Medical Trauma

Medical trauma is a unique form of trauma, and it can be especially challenging for EMDR because it often involves layers of experiences rather than one single event. Unlike a car accident or a single assault, medical trauma is usually chronic and repeated. You might go through multiple procedures, face ongoing pain, or live with the fear of relapse. Each new medical intervention can reinforce old wounds, making it harder for the brain to fully process.

With EMDR, the therapist must often address a series of memories: the first diagnosis, surgeries, emergencies, long hospital stays, and even interactions with doctors that felt invalidating or frightening. The cumulative nature of medical trauma means EMDR treatment can take time, but the results are worth it.

What Makes Medical Trauma So Difficult

Medical trauma does not always look like traditional PTSD, but the symptoms overlap. People who have endured long-term medical struggles often experience:

Hypervigilance: Feeling constantly on edge, bracing for the next bad news or flare-up
Flashbacks: Reliving frightening medical procedures or emergencies
Avoidance: Putting off doctor visits or treatments to avoid retraumatization
Emotional numbing: Disconnecting from feelings as a way to cope with ongoing stress
Hopelessness: Believing nothing will ever get better

These symptoms make daily life harder and often leave people feeling isolated. Medical trauma does not end when the treatment ends: it continues to echo through the body and mind.

How EMDR Helps

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) works by helping the brain reprocess overwhelming experiences. With the support of bilateral stimulation, the brain can take memories that feel “stuck” and move them into a healthier place where they no longer trigger intense fear or pain.

For medical trauma, EMDR allows clients to revisit those painful experiences in a safe way. Over time, the fear and panic lose their grip. The medical memories remain, but they no longer control the present.

Why I Advocate for EMDR

I do not advocate for EMDR only because the research is strong (also!): I advocate because it worked for me. After years of battling the emotional toll of medical challenges, EMDR helped me rebuild hope.

Clinical studies have shown that EMDR significantly reduces PTSD symptoms, even in cases where trauma is complex and ongoing (Shapiro, 2018; Carletto et al., 2016). Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychiatric Association recognize EMDR as a leading treatment for trauma.

Living With PTSD

Everyone who lives with PTSD, whether from medical trauma or other experiences, faces battles that others cannot see. We struggle with sleepless nights, sudden panic, irritability, guilt, and the constant exhaustion of carrying unfinished stories. It can feel like being trapped in survival mode.

The point of EMDR is clear: healing is possible. You do not have to keep reliving the worst parts of your past. You can reclaim your life.