EMDR Therapy for Anxiety and Emotional Numbness: When Trauma Gets Stuck in the Nervous System

By Sheena McRae Registered Psychotherapist
Women’s Therapy Centre
Virtual therapy across Canada

When Anxiety and Numbness Don’t Make Sense

Sometimes anxiety shows up loudly — racing thoughts, a pounding heart, a sense that something bad might happen.

Other times, the opposite happens.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed, you feel… nothing. Numb. Disconnected. Like you’re watching your life from a few steps away.

Both responses can come from the same place: a nervous system that has experienced something overwhelming and hasn’t had the chance to fully process it.

EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an evidence-based trauma therapy used to treat anxiety, PTSD, emotional numbness, and distressing memories that feel “stuck” in the nervous system.

At Women’s Therapy Centre, EMDR therapist Sheena McRae often uses EMDR therapy to support women navigating trauma, chronic anxiety, and emotional disconnection.

Instead of talking about the past over and over, EMDR helps the brain actually process what happened so your body no longer reacts as if the threat is still present.

What Is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.

It’s a therapy approach developed to help the brain process distressing experiences that were never fully integrated at the time they occurred.

When something overwhelming happens — especially when we don’t have support, safety, or time to process it — the brain can store that experience in a raw, unprocessed way.

This is why a memory from years ago can still trigger:

• anxiety
• panic
• emotional shutdown
• intrusive thoughts
• physical tension

EMDR therapy helps the brain reprocess those experiences so they are stored as memories rather than ongoing threats. 

Why Trauma Can Create Anxiety or Emotional Numbness

Our nervous systems are designed to protect us.

When something overwhelming happens, the brain may activate one of several survival responses:

Fight – anger, irritability, hyper-vigilance
Flight – anxiety, restlessness, constant worry
Freeze – feeling stuck or unable to act
Shutdown – emotional numbness, disconnection

Many people assume emotional numbness means something is wrong with them.

In reality, numbness is often the nervous system trying to protect you from overwhelm.

The challenge is that when these survival responses stay active long after an experience is over, they can begin to shape how we move through everyday life.

Many people assume trauma only refers to extreme events — things like war, natural disasters, or severe violence. Because of this, it’s common to hear someone say, “I haven’t experienced trauma.”

But trauma is not limited to dramatic or life-threatening events.

Experiences such as ongoing criticism, emotional neglect, unpredictable caregiving, or repeated relationship ruptures can also signal danger to a developing nervous system. These kinds of relational or attachment wounds are far more common than most people realize, and they can leave lasting patterns of anxiety, hyper-vigilance, or emotional shutdown.

For this reason, therapies like EMDR are not only for military or emergency responders. They are often used to help people process the quieter, more everyday experiences that the nervous system interpreted as unsafe.

You might notice:

• chronic anxiety that seems to come out of nowhere
• emotional distance from people you care about
• difficulty accessing joy or excitement
• feeling constantly “on edge”
• feeling disconnected from your own reactions

When the nervous system stays outside its window of tolerance, anxiety, shutdown, or emotional numbness can become the body’s default response.

What Does EMDR Therapy Actually Do in the Brain?

EMDR works by activating the brain’s natural processing system.

During EMDR therapy, your therapist guides you to briefly focus on a memory, body sensation, or belief while engaging in bilateral stimulation such as eye movements, tapping, or alternating tones.

This process helps the brain reorganize how the experience is stored.

Many clients notice that as the memory is processed:

• the emotional intensity decreases
• new perspectives emerge
• the body feels calmer
• the memory becomes less intrusive

Instead of feeling like something that is still happening, the experience begins to feel like something that happened in the past.

What EMDR Therapy Feels Like in a Session

One of the most common questions people ask is whether EMDR will feel overwhelming.

In practice, EMDR sessions are structured and paced carefully.

You remain fully awake and aware the entire time.

Your therapist supports you in:

• identifying memories or experiences connected to current distress
• strengthening internal resources and coping strategies
• processing memories gradually and safely

Many people are surprised to find that EMDR sessions feel less like reliving trauma and more like allowing the brain to finally organize something that has been unresolved for a long time. At times, strong emotions can accompany this process. These are often emotions that were never fully felt or processed when the experience first occurred. Your clinician remains present with you throughout the session, helping you stay grounded and supported as the brain works through what has been unresolved.

EMDR Therapy for Anxiety

EMDR can be particularly helpful for anxiety that feels confusing or persistent.

Sometimes anxiety isn’t just about current stress — it’s connected to earlier experiences where the nervous system learned to stay on high alert.

By processing those earlier experiences, EMDR can help reduce the sense that your body is constantly preparing for something bad to happen.

For people experiencing chronic anxiety, EMDR often helps the nervous system return to a steadier baseline.

EMDR Therapy for Emotional Numbness

When emotional numbness shows up, people often assume they need to “try harder” to feel.

But numbness is rarely a lack of emotion.

More often, it’s a protective response that developed when emotions once felt too overwhelming to process.

EMDR can gently help the brain reconnect with experiences that were previously shut down, allowing emotions to move again in a way that feels manageable rather than overwhelming.

EMDR and Recovery from Relational Trauma

EMDR therapy can also be particularly helpful for individuals recovering from relational trauma, including experiences like narcissistic abuse.

When someone has spent years in a relationship where their emotions were minimized, manipulated, or invalidated, the nervous system may remain stuck in patterns of hyper-vigilance, anxiety, or emotional shutdown.

Many survivors of narcissistic abuse cycles notice that anxiety or emotional numbness continues long after the relationship has ended.

Processing those relational experiences with EMDR can help restore a sense of safety and emotional stability.

Considering EMDR Therapy?

If you find yourself feeling anxious, emotionally numb, or stuck replaying painful memories, EMDR therapy may help your nervous system process experiences that have never fully resolved.

Sheena McRae is an EMDR-trained therapist who works with women navigating trauma, relational wounds, and chronic anxiety.

Experiences that once overwhelmed the nervous system don’t have to continue shaping how you feel today.

You can book a free virtual consultation to explore whether EMDR therapy feels like the right next step.

About The Author

Sheena McRae is a Registered Psychotherapist and EMDR therapist at Women’s Therapy Centre who specializes in trauma recovery, narcissistic abuse, and nervous system healing. She works with women navigating anxiety, emotional numbness, and relational trauma.

She provides virtual psychotherapy services across Ontario and most provinces in Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR Therapy

What is EMDR therapy used for?

EMDR therapy is commonly used to treat trauma, PTSD, anxiety, emotional numbness, and distressing memories that feel stuck in the nervous system.

Does EMDR therapy work for anxiety?

Yes. EMDR therapy can help reduce anxiety when it is connected to past experiences that the brain has not fully processed.

What does EMDR therapy feel like?

EMDR therapy involves focusing briefly on memories or sensations while engaging in bilateral stimulation such as eye movements (following a dot moving across a screen) or tapping.

How many EMDR sessions are needed?

The number of sessions varies depending on the experiences being processed and the goals of therapy.

When to seek immediate support: If anxiety, trauma symptoms, or emotional distress are contributing to thoughts of self-harm, seek immediate support. In Canada, call or text 9-8-8 for free, confidential crisis support. In emergencies, call 911. This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical or psychological care.