When The World Feels Like It's Falling Apart: Collective Trauma and EMDR

Lately, I’ve been working with more people than ever, including new parents, professionals, teachers, and young adults who are struggling in ways that are hard to put into words. They’re anxious, tense, and emotionally drained. And often, it’s not just about what’s happening in their own lives. It’s the world that feels like too much.

Whether it’s the news of military conflict, natural disasters, or political chaos, these events don’t just live on a screen. They land in our bodies. Sometimes it hits like a jolt, a shock, causing us to flinch. We look at a headline and feel our chests tighten. An image pops up and out after too much scrolling and we end up with a sleepless night. Other times, it settles in like a weight that just won’t lift.

Why the News Feels So Personal

When we hear about war, violence, or humanitarian crises, we often tell ourselves we shouldn’t feel so affected. But there is such a thing as secondary and tertiary trauma.  Even more, we reason, we are not usually right there at the scene of each and every disaster. But our nervous systems still may react.  Shock still registers.  We may be traumatized. Further, a story may resonate with all too familiar, an old memory, family history, or long-forgotten fears we didn’t realize we were still carrying – all stirring up intense and distressing feelings.

Social media only amplifies this. We’re not just reading headlines, we’re bombarded with graphic footage, displays of raw emotion, and countless opinions. Sometimes, our nervous systems are on overwhelm, with exposure and connection to what is happening and our own internal system and interior landscape.

The Subtle Signs of Collective Trauma

Perhaps, you do not even realize how much the state of the world is affecting you. But if you’ve been feeling “off” and can’t explain why, it might be worth checking in. These are some things you may notice:

• Trouble concentrating or feeling foggy

• Doomscrolling without feeling more informed

• Unexplained sadness, irritability, or emotional numbness

• Difficulty sleeping or vivid, unsettling dreams

• Physical symptoms like headaches, fatigue, or a tight chest

These reactions aren’t personal flaws. They’re signs. It’s your nervous system doing its best to protect you.

Finding Steady Ground in a Chaotic World

You can’t stop the world from spinning, but you can create steadier ground for yourself. When everything feels like too much, try starting small:

• Limit news checks to once or twice a day

• Move your body: stretch, walk, dance, or breathe deeply

• Reach for what grounds you: a warm drink, a comforting texture, a favorite playlist

• Spend time with someone with whom you feel authentically human. Just being near someone safe enough can help exceedingly.

When the heaviness feels unbearable, it is wise to reach out. It also takes courage and strength.  It is not a sign of weakness.

How EMDR Can Help with Collective Trauma

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is something I use regularly in my practice. It’s a powerful tool to help process experiences that feel stuck, even ones we didn’t realize were still with us.

One of the things I like about EMDR is that it can start with where you are right now. You don’t need to have already know or understand every detail ahead of starting it. You might notice that something feels off or familiar or that an image or color disturbs you.

Working together, we may start to address a current situation and discover something more at the core, a root cause, where real healing can begin. It’s certainly beneficial for when current events stir up old emotional wounds. It can enable us to separate and untangle the past from the present day so that we do not carry yesterday’s pain into today or the future.

I also use EMDR alongside parts work, or ego states. These are the inner aspects of ourselves such as the people pleaser or the part that wants to disappear. Using EMDR during the preparation phase and sometimes during processing can promote self- compassion and self-care, allowing us to heal rather than just cope.

You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone

We’re living through significant turmoil presently. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the world or by your own emotions, even if you consider how you do not have worse than someone else, still therapy can help you understand what’s happening inside and reconnect with yourself.

If any of this resonates with you, I invite you to reach out. You can call me at (845) 202-9774 or use the secure contact form. You don’t have to hold all of this by yourself.