SINGLE-INCIDENT TRAUMA
Therapy after a car accident
You walked away. Maybe the car didn't, maybe nobody was badly hurt, and by every reasonable measure you were lucky. And now you brace at intersections, or you've stopped driving that route, or a particular sound puts your heart in your throat.
Why "it wasn't that bad" doesn't help
Your nervous system doesn't grade an event by its outcome. It responds to the moment of threat, and a near miss can leave the same imprint as a serious collision.
This is where EMDR is strongest
Single-incident trauma in an otherwise stable life is the picture EMDR's evidence base is built on. It's frequently among the faster pieces of work I do.
What we address
The moment itself, the anticipatory dread, avoidance that's narrowing where you'll go, and — often overlooked — any medical trauma from the aftermath.
If you're in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. This page is not emergency care.