The only moment we ever truly have is now . . . this moment. In response to life stressors, difficult memories and other triggers, our mind shifts awareness to outside the present moment into rehearsing future expectations, most of which never happen, or rehashing the past. When our mind is elsewhere rehashing or rehearsing threatening situations, our fight or flight system gets activated causing changes in brain and body functioning. The benefit of practicing mindfulness is that it trains the mind to be more aware of the present, thus increasing the ability to recognize the absence of threat and allowing the brain and body to truly relax.

I recommend the practice of mindfulness as an adjunct to EMDR because EMDR is only effective if the client can sustain awareness of the present. The client must maintain dual awareness, awareness of both the past trauma memory and  the current safe environment, to process trauma memories completely using EMDR. A regular practice of mindfulness meditations builds and strengthens the client’s ability to maintain awareness of the present. Current research showed that there were decreases in the brain cell volume in the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for fear, anger, anxiety and stress after only eight weeks of mindful meditation.

The felt sense of this decrease in amygdala activity is calming of the body’s fight or flight system and the ability to think more clearly. Outside the forest one has perspective and can see the forest as a whole. In the forest one can see only trees without the big picture outlook. The physiological changes in the brain generated by regular mindfulness practices slows the emotional dive into the forest and allows one to notice both internal and external cues that compose the big picture before responding to a trigger with enhanced choice on how to respond. A slower fight or flight response to triggers is crucial for effective EMDR processing as the client is less likely to dissociate from the reality of the moment. It’s only by staying with that uncomfortable moment where the trauma is stored that the client can process it and move on. Otherwise the client remains stuck with occasional re-experiencing episodes.