Coregulation is a dynamic process where individuals attune to each other’s emotional states and behaviors, leading to a mutual regulation of feelings and physiological states. This phenomenon starts from infancy, where caregivers and infants engage in a dance of facial expressions, vocalizations, and touch, fostering a sense of safety and attachment. This early experience of coregulation lays the foundation for our ability to manage stress and emotions throughout life.

Have you ever reacted intensely to a situation and later wondered, "Why did I get so upset?" Perhaps it was a minor disagreement or a sudden loud noise that triggered a seemingly disproportionate response. These moments, often labeled as overreactions, can be understood more compassionately as emotional flashbacks.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you're facing a tough decision or dealing with a challenging emotion, and instead of fully experiencing it, you try to rationalize it away? Maybe you tell yourself, "It's not that big of a deal," or "I should just toughen up and get over it." Well, you're not alone. Many of us have been taught to intellectualize our emotions—to analyze them from a distance rather than actually feeling them.

Research unveils that these memories, stored in the brainstem like unsorted data, wreak havoc when unexpectedly summoned. Picture it: raw fragments causing emotional and physical ripples. EMDR, the mastermind with its bilateral wand, works to stitch those memories into a coherent narrative. It's like turning chaos into a story, one that heals and transforms the mind's tangled tapestry.

Let's delve into the concept of calm. Often portrayed as a serene state of mind, calm represents solace amidst life's storms. New Age spirituality romanticizes calm as a perpetual state, a destination rather than a fleeting experience. Detachment from worldly concerns is a core tenet of New Age spirituality. Practices like meditation and mindfulness are hailed as gateways to calm. Yet, our relentless pursuit may create an unrealistic expectation that calm should be our default mode. This can lead to emotional bypassing, where we use meditation to escape challenging emotions or invalidate our struggles compared to others' seemingly perfect lives.