Addiction doesn’t begin with the first drink, pill, or high. For many, it starts years earlier—with unprocessed pain, emotional wounds, and traumatic memories that never healed. Childhood trauma is one of the most significant underlying factors contributing to adult substance use, and it often goes untreated even in early recovery.

At Recovery at the Crossroads, we understand that healing from addiction requires more than just removing substances—it demands facing and healing the emotional roots of substance use. This is especially true for individuals who have experienced childhood trauma and are now seeking long-term recovery from drugs or alcohol. Addressing systemic issues within the family context is crucial, as therapy cannot address problems in isolation. 

One of the most powerful tools we use to support this healing is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR offers a structured, research-backed way to process traumatic memories without becoming overwhelmed—and it’s especially effective when integrated into a comprehensive addiction treatment program.

Call us today at 888-342-3881 or contact us online if you or someone you love is struggling.

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialized form of psychotherapy designed to help individuals process and heal from traumatic experiences. Developed by Francine Shapiro in 1989, EMDR has gained widespread recognition for its effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. The therapy involves using eye movements, sounds, or tactile stimulation to activate the brain’s natural processing mechanisms. This dual stimulation helps individuals reprocess and integrate traumatic memories, reducing their emotional impact and allowing for healthier cognitive and emotional functioning.

EMDR has been extensively reviewed and is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an effective treatment for PTSD. By facilitating the brain’s ability to reprocess distressing memories, EMDR helps individuals move past their trauma and regain control over their emotional responses. This therapeutic approach is particularly beneficial for those who have struggled to find relief through traditional talk therapies.

Take the first step toward healing. Call 888-342-3881 to begin your admissions process now.

EMDR for Childhood trauma and addiction

Why Childhood Trauma Matters in Addiction Recovery

From the outside, it’s easy to see addiction as a series of choices—but for many people, substance use becomes a form of survival. Emotional pain that begins in childhood—such as emotional neglect, child abuse, or household dysfunction—doesn’t simply fade with time. In fact, when it’s left unaddressed, that pain can evolve into long-term psychological patterns, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and addictive behaviors.

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study by the CDC found a strong, graded relationship between the number of distressing life experiences a person endured in childhood and their risk of developing both substance abuse issues and serious mental health disorders. These earliest memories, often involving attachment trauma or disruptions in family members’ roles, can significantly impair brain development, emotional growth, and self-worth.

Over time, these unresolved experiences often manifest in behavior problems, compulsive tendencies, and a need to numb negative emotions. Drugs and alcohol may initially appear to offer relief, but they ultimately reinforce the trauma cycle.

Understanding Childhood Trauma and Complex PTSD

Childhood trauma, including child abuse and neglect, can profoundly impact an individual’s emotional and psychological development. When these traumatic experiences are prolonged or repeated, they can lead to Complex PTSD (also known as Complex Trauma). This condition is characterized by difficulties in emotional regulation, attachment issues, and low self-esteem. Individuals with Complex PTSD often struggle with intense emotions, relationship problems, and a pervasive sense of insecurity.

EMDR practice has proven to be highly effective in treating Complex PTSD. By guiding individuals through the eight phases of EMDR therapy, therapists help them process and integrate traumatic memories in a structured and supportive environment. This process allows individuals to develop more adaptive coping mechanisms and improve their emotional well-being. EMDR helps by addressing the deep-seated emotional wounds from childhood, enabling individuals to heal and build a healthier, more resilient self.

When Dual Diagnosis Is the Missing Piece

Recovery at the Crossroads specializes in dual diagnosis treatment, meaning we treat both substance abuse and mental health conditions together. For many clients, trauma is a driving force behind both, making treating trauma essential—not optional—for lasting recovery.  Symptoms of unresolved trauma may include:

  • Emotional numbness or detachment
  • Flashbacks to traumatic events
  • Chronic anxiety, panic attacks, or sleep disturbances
  • A constant sense of being unsafe
  • Persistent negative beliefs about self-worth
  • Difficulty forming stable relationships
  • Trouble concentrating or managing emotions

These are not just behavioral issues—they are deeply rooted responses to trauma exposure. Without treating PTSD symptoms effectively, clients are at higher risk of relapse, even after weeks or months of sobriety.

Ready to start therapy? Call us today at 888-342-3881 or contact us online.

How EMDR Therapy Works for Adults in Recovery

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a unique approach to trauma therapy that doesn’t rely solely on talking. Instead, EMDR uses a dual focus approach that activates the brain’s natural ability to heal through bilateral eye movements—movements that alternate between the left and right side of the body or brain.

This process helps rewire how unprocessed memories are stored, allowing clients to let go of the emotional intensity attached to traumatic experiences. EMDR is particularly useful in reprocessing complex PTSD, which is often the result of prolonged trauma in early life, such as childhood abuse or neglect.

What makes EMDR therapy so effective in addiction treatment is its ability to:

  • Interrupt the emotional reactivity caused by trauma
  • Promote emotional regulation and reduce impulsivity
  • Replace negative beliefs with constructive, positive beliefs
  • Foster new insights and connections to past experiences
  • Bring about significant transformations in individuals, allowing them to overcome trauma and regain confidence and stability in their lives
  • Support long-term behavior change without re-traumatization

Preparing for EMDR Therapy Sessions

Before beginning EMDR therapy, it’s essential to prepare for the sessions. This preparation involves discussing the individual’s history, including any traumatic experiences, and establishing a safe and supportive environment. The therapist will work with the individual to develop a treatment plan, outlining the goals and objectives of the therapy.

During EMDR sessions, the individual will focus on a specific traumatic memory or experience while simultaneously receiving bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping. The goal of EMDR is to help the individual reprocess and integrate the traumatic memory, reducing its distressing effects and promoting emotional regulation. By understanding the process and what to expect, individuals can feel more comfortable and prepared for their EMDR therapy sessions, leading to a more successful outcome. This preparation helps ensure that the therapy is effective and that the individual feels supported throughout their healing journey.

By following this structured approach, the new sections will seamlessly integrate into the existing article, providing valuable information while maintaining a consistent tone and style.

How EMDR Complements Traditional Therapy

While EMDR is not a replacement for talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), it adds an essential dimension for trauma survivors. Clients often reach a point where insight alone doesn’t change how they feel inside. That’s where movement desensitization and reprocessing fills the gap.

Different therapeutic methods, such as CBT and EMDR, offer unique approaches to treatment. CBT focuses on thought patterns, while EMDR goes deeper—into the body sensations, emotions, and disturbing events that shaped a person’s internal world. It doesn’t require a detailed verbal retelling of the trauma, which is helpful for those who struggle with articulating painful memories.

EMDR is built on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which suggests the brain is designed to heal from psychological distress, just as the body heals from physical wounds. Trauma blocks that process. EMDR unblocks it, helping people feel safe again in their bodies and minds.

EMDR for trauma and addiction therapy

The Eight Phases of EMDR Treatment

An EMDR session is structured and goal-oriented. Delivered by a trained EMDR therapist, it follows eight standardized phases designed to provide emotional safety, clarity, and long-term integration. The therapy includes guided instructions that assist individuals in accessing and reprocessing traumatic memories, facilitating healing and managing emotional responses to past traumas.

1. Client History and Planning

A comprehensive assessment ensures a strong understanding of trauma history, substance use, and emotional readiness for individuals of all ages. This stage includes identifying past events, earliest memories, and specific traumatic events that need reprocessing.

2. Preparation

The therapist teaches the client grounding and stabilization techniques. This may include body-based exercises to help manage emotional reactions and physical symptoms such as tension, shakiness, or disconnection.

3. Assessment

The client identifies target memories, associated negative beliefs, and desired positive beliefs to install during reprocessing. This phase helps clarify the emotions, body sensations, and images connected to the memory.

4. Desensitization

During this phase, the client focuses on the memory while engaging in bilateral eye movements, tapping, or audio tones. The goal is to decrease the memory’s emotional intensity.

5. Installation

Here, the therapist helps the client strengthen a new, adaptive positive belief, replacing limiting thoughts like “I’m not safe” with “I survived, and I’m strong.”

6. Body Scan

The client is asked to notice any lingering physical sensations associated with the memory. This helps release trauma stored somatically and ensures full reprocessing.

7. Closure

Each session ends with emotional grounding, reflection, and stabilization—ensuring the client leaves the session feeling safe and supported.

8. Reevaluation

At the start of the next session, the therapist evaluates the client’s progress, checking for residual trauma and guiding next steps.

This process is backed by over 30 years of clinical research, including more than one randomized controlled trial supporting its effectiveness in treating PTSD. Numerous studies have reported significant improvements in trauma symptoms, highlighting the effectiveness of EMDR therapy.

The Value of EMDR in Addiction Rehab Settings

In private practice, EMDR may be delivered once a week, but in a rehab setting, clients can receive more focused, consistent care. At Recovery at the Crossroads, EMDR is integrated into a wider treatment plan, which includes:

This combination makes EMDR for addiction treatment more effective. Patients are supported holistically and can process deeper material in a contained, safe space. Experienced clinicians guide patients through their trauma recollections, adapting EMDR to meet the specific needs and cognitive development of different age groups. They also learn real-life coping strategies that help reinforce the gains made during reprocessing work.

What Makes EMDR an Ideal Approach for Trauma Victims in Recovery

Adults in recovery often say things like: “I’ve been sober for months, but I still feel broken,” or “Every time I get stressed, I think about using again.”

These feelings are not signs of failure—they’re symptoms of unhealed trauma.

Many trauma victims experience posttraumatic stress, nightmares, dissociation, or overwhelming emotional states. These symptoms are painful—and they’re also relapse triggers. The implications of childhood trauma on mental health can include long-term effects such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other psychological disorders in adulthood. Until the brain’s ability to process trauma is restored, recovery will always feel like a struggle.

EMDR works by restoring balance to the nervous system. It allows the brain to digest painful memories that were previously too overwhelming. Once reprocessed, these memories lose their emotional charge, and the person can respond to life from a grounded, empowered place—not a reactive, fearful one.

Why Now Is the Time to Start

Some people wait years before addressing their trauma, believing it’s “in the past.” But trauma doesn’t stay in the past—it affects present-day thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. Over the course of the last two decades, EMDR therapy has evolved significantly, becoming a staple method within a broader therapy framework for addressing complex psychological issues resulting from child abuse. For those in recovery from substance abuse, unprocessed trauma is one of the leading causes of relapse.

You don’t need to relive every moment of pain to heal from it. EMDR treatment offers a safe, non-invasive method to confront trauma without becoming overwhelmed. For adults in recovery from addiction, childhood trauma EMDR can open the door to real, lasting change.

Start Your Healing Journey Today

At Recovery at the Crossroads, we serve individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds.  Our expert team of therapists and medical professionals are committed to helping each client heal fully—not just from addiction, but from the trauma that fuels it.

We know that recovery is more than sobriety. It’s about freedom from the past, hope for the future, and peace in the present. EMDR can help you get there.

Whether you’re dealing with the effects of childhood abuse, complex PTSD, or recent disturbing events, you don’t have to face it alone. Let us help you reclaim your life.. Contact us online or call 888-342-3881 today!

Frequently Asked Questions

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a clinically proven form of therapy used to help individuals process and heal from trauma. It uses bilateral stimulation—such as guided eye movements or tapping—to reprocess distressing memories, reducing their emotional impact. EMDR helps restore the brain’s natural ability to heal and is especially effective for individuals struggling with PTSD, complex trauma, and substance use disorders.

Unresolved childhood trauma—such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction—can lead to long-term emotional pain and mental health challenges. Many people turn to substances as a way to cope with these deep wounds. Without addressing the root trauma, recovery often remains incomplete, and the risk of relapse increases.

Yes. EMDR is especially effective in addiction treatment when trauma is a core issue. By helping individuals reprocess painful memories and build healthier emotional responses, EMDR reduces the urge to self-medicate and supports long-term recovery. At Recovery at the Crossroads, EMDR is integrated with other therapies to create a comprehensive, trauma-informed treatment plan.

EMDR can treat a wide range of traumas, including childhood abuse or neglect, emotional abandonment, witnessing domestic violence, sexual assault, grief and loss, and complex PTSD resulting from prolonged trauma. It’s especially helpful for individuals who have struggled to find relief through talk therapy alone.

Absolutely. At Recovery at the Crossroads, EMDR is offered as part of our integrated rehab program. Clients receive EMDR sessions in conjunction with individual therapy, group therapy, and evidence-based modalities like CBT and DBT—all within a safe, supportive environment.

Common signs of unresolved trauma in recovery include anxiety or panic attacks, emotional numbness or detachment, flashbacks or nightmares, trouble regulating emotions, relationship difficulties, and low self-esteem or negative self-talk. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, trauma-focused care like EMDR can make a profound difference.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR doesn’t require a detailed verbal recounting of traumatic events. It focuses on how the trauma is stored in the body and mind. Through bilateral stimulation, EMDR allows clients to reprocess memories without becoming overwhelmed, making it an ideal option for individuals who find it difficult to talk about their past.

Each EMDR session follows a structured eight-phase approach, including history-taking, preparation, identifying target memories, desensitization using bilateral stimulation, and installing new positive beliefs. The process is guided by a trained EMDR therapist and is paced according to each client’s emotional readiness.

EMDR is considered safe and effective for most people. Before starting, therapists at Recovery at the Crossroads conduct a thorough assessment to ensure clients are emotionally ready and supported throughout the process. Grounding techniques and stabilization methods are used to create a secure therapeutic environment.

To start EMDR therapy as part of your addiction treatment, contact our admissions team at 888-342-3881 or reach out online. We’ll guide you through the intake process, verify insurance, and develop a personalized treatment plan that includes EMDR and other proven therapies.