Key takeaways
- Cancer and its treatment can often be a source of trauma. Difficult memories can be triggered, causing emotional distress.
- The brain stores trauma memories in a fragmented way that can become a barrier to healing and wellbeing
- EMDR can support someone to start to correctly process negative experiences
- Used alone or in conjunction with other therapies, EMDR allows space for post-traumatic growth
Anyone who has been through cancer will have difficult memories and new fears to process. These could be memories associated with hearing their diagnosis or communicating it to loved ones; memories of treatment and the uncertainty around its success; difficulties dealing with changes to their image or appearance or, after recovery, fear of cancer recurrence.
When these feelings are processed and stored correctly in the brain, the person can move on with their life and even experience what is known as post-traumatic growth. However, when unprocessed and stored incorrectly, they can keep someone stuck in their negative experiences, re-living the stress of their cancer experience. This can lead to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this article, Perci professional Lynn Buckley introduces EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) as a researched based approach to help treat PTSD.
What is trauma?
Trauma is the emotional response to a stressful or dangerous event. Many people living with or beyond cancer will recognise their experience, or parts of it, as a source of trauma. Facing the possibility of death, continuing treatment, and living with changes to the body, identity and overall life, can all be traumatic.
Sometimes, with or without specialist support, people are able to process their trauma and move forward. However, for others, trauma memories are stored in the brain incorrectly. For these people, hearing a buzzer like the one that called them for their chemotherapy appointments, can trigger a trauma response. Because of this trigger they experience the emotional distress of that situation all over again. Long-term, this can become a barrier to healing and overall wellbeing.
The limbic system
This area of the brain is responsible for safety and the fight-flight-freeze stress response. Traumatic memories that have not been processed are stored here.Prefrontal cortex
This area of the brain is responsible for emotional and physical regulation. Memories that have been processed are stored here.
What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that can support the processing of traumatic memories through guided eye movements or bilateral stimulation – sounds or tapping on either side of the body. Specialist training is undertaken to effectively use EMDR for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and other trauma-related disorders.
While talking therapies and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focus on changing the way you think to influence your feelings and behaviours, EMDR works the other way around. It focuses on calming the body and nervous system before addressing thoughts. If you are finding that traditional therapies aren’t getting to the bottom of your trauma, you might find EMDR helpful.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR uses techniques called bilateral stimulation (BLS) which involves eye movements, taps, or tones that alternate from side to side. The BLS helps to activate the subconscious brain to make connections so that information can be processed and stuck memories can be stored correctly.
There are eight phases to EMDR, which a therapist will guide someone through. Safety is the most important aspect of this process, and the first two phases focus on history, treatment planning and preparation. This ensures the person is fully prepared and has techniques to help with distress during and between sessions.
How can EMDR activate post-traumatic growth?
While some people recovering from cancer return to the life they had before relatively unchanged, many get stuck in their negative feelings about it (post-traumatic stress), while others experience what’s known as post-traumatic growth.
It might be that beyond cancer, these individuals got healthy; found a hobby, activity, sport or community that transformed their life; became an advocate or activist, or simply decided to live with a new and more positive frame of mind. Many of these people report a greater appreciation of life, deeper relationships or a newfound sense of their personal strength. Used alone or in conjunction with other therapies, EMDR allows space for post-traumatic growth by helping an individual process and release their trauma.
If you are having trouble processing your cancer experience, our cancer nurse specialists are trained to listen and offer advice, and can refer you to Perci professionals like EMDR therapists and others, who can help.
While we have ensured that every article is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to one of our healthcare professionals or your primary healthcare team.