Does EMDR Work If You Can't Remember?
If you've experienced trauma, you might wonder, "How can I heal if I can’t even remember everything that happened?" This question comes up often in therapy, especially for people starting Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). The good news? You don’t need perfect, crystal-clear memories for EMDR to help. In this blog, we will explore how EMDR therapy in Michigan can be successful even if you can’t remember traumatic experiences.
Why People With Trauma Might Struggle to Remember
Trauma affects the way memories are stored in the brain. For some people, this means their memories may feel incomplete, unclear, or entirely absent. Here are a few reasons why this happens:
1. Dissociation
Dissociation is the brain’s way of protecting you when something feels too overwhelming. It’s like hitting the “disconnect” button so you don’t feel the full impact of the experience. While dissociation can help us cope and feel safe in the moment, it can interfere with how memories are processed and stored. This can result in:
Fragmented memories: Bits and pieces of the event are stored, but they don’t feel connected.
Memory gaps: You may not remember parts of an experience.
2. Preverbal Experiences
Trauma doesn’t only happen to adults or older children who can understand and describe what’s happening. Traumatic experiences can happen in utero, infancy, or early childhood before language development. These preverbal memories can still shape our feelings and behaviors, even if we can’t “remember” them in words.
3. Survival Mode
During a traumatic event, your brain focuses on survival, not storytelling. The parts of your brain responsible for forming detailed, logical memories might shut down, while the parts linked to emotions and sensations stay active. This means your memories might feel more like flashes of images, sounds, or physical feelings rather than a clear story.
How EMDR Therapy Works With Fragmented or Unclear Memories
EMDR therapy is designed to help process and heal trauma—even if the memories are incomplete or feel foggy. Here’s how it works:
1. You Don’t Need a Perfect Memory to Begin
Your EMDR therapist doesn’t expect (or need) you to remember every aspect of your trauma. It’s okay if your memories feel like puzzle pieces that don’t quite fit together. A starting point is all you need! This could be:
A feeling, such as fear or sadness.
A physical sensation, like tension in your chest.
A vague image or sense of a past event.
Once you have a starting point, EMDR helps your brain process the memory—even if it’s fragmented—so you can find relief.
2. Processing Implicit Memories
Implicit memories are a big part of how EMDR works with unclear trauma. Unlike explicit memories (which involve things you can consciously recall, like facts or events), implicit memories are more subtle. They might show up as:
Physical sensations (e.g., tight shoulders when you feel stressed).
Emotional reactions (e.g., fear or anger that seems to come out of nowhere).
Instinctive behaviors (e.g., avoiding certain places or people without fully understanding why).
EMDR helps to access and process these implicit memories so they lose their emotional charge. Over time, you might also notice that fragmented memories begin to connect, and new details emerge.
What to Expect in EMDR If You Can’t Remember
It’s natural to feel nervous about starting EMDR in general but especially when your memories are unclear. Here are some key points to keep in mind:
1. Your Therapist Will Meet You Where You Are
You don’t need to force yourself to remember everything. Your EMDR therapist will guide you to focus on whatever comes up naturally, whether that’s a feeling, image, or sensation. It’s okay if it feels incomplete!
2. EMDR Doesn’t Implant False Memories
A common concern is whether EMDR or other trauma treatments might create false memories. Rest assured, EMDR does not “implant” anything into your mind. Instead, it helps your brain process what’s already there. The goal is to make sense of the feelings, images, or sensations connected to your trauma, not to invent new ones.
3. Relief Is Possible Even Without Clear Memories
You can still find relief and healing through EMDR, even if your memories feel out of reach. By focusing on what you’re currently experiencing—whether that’s anxiety, physical tension, or avoidance behaviors—EMDR can help you process the root cause, even if you can’t put it into words.
The Role of Implicit Memories in Healing
Implicit memories play a powerful role in how trauma affects us. Let’s dive a little deeper into what these memories are and how they connect to EMDR.
What Are Implicit Memories?
Implicit memories are those that are encoded without conscious awareness. They can influence your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors without you fully recognizing their origins. During trauma, your brain often prioritizes survival over conscious processing. As a result:
Memories may be fragmented or disjointed.
You might not have a clear “story” of what happened, but your body and emotions hold clues.
Types of Implicit Memory
There are a few key types of implicit memories that might come up in EMDR:
Procedural memory: How your body learns to do things automatically (e.g., riding a bike, but also flinching when someone raises their voice).
Emotional memory: The feelings tied to an event, like fear or sadness, even if you can’t remember the event itself.
Somatic memory: Physical sensations stored in the body, like tension, pain, or a racing heart.
How EMDR Works With Implicit Memories
EMDR doesn’t require you to access explicit memories (like remembering the exact date or sequence of events). Instead, it works with what’s already present, even if it’s unconscious. For example:
You might start with a tightness in your chest that reminds you of feeling scared.
As EMDR progresses, your brain begins to connect that sensation to other memories or emotions, helping you process and release the trauma.
Finding Relief When Memories Are Foggy
It’s common to feel frustrated or hopeless when your memories feel like a blur. But there’s hope. EMDR can help you:
Process what’s stuck: Even if you can’t fully remember, your brain still knows what needs healing.
Reconnect fragmented pieces: Over time, you might notice memories becoming clearer or making more sense.
Release emotional pain: By targeting the feelings, sensations, or behaviors tied to your trauma, you can find relief—even without a clear story.
Healing doesn’t require perfection. You don’t need to remember everything or have all the answers. All you need is a willingness to take the first step.
If you’re considering EMDR but feel unsure because your memories are fragmented or unclear, know that you’re not alone. Trauma can make remembering hard, but that doesn’t mean healing is out of reach. By working with what you do have—whether it’s a feeling, sensation, or vague image—EMDR can help you process and release the weight of trauma.
Find Support With EMDR in Michigan When Memories Feel Unclear
Starting EMDR therapy in Michigan can feel overwhelming, especially if your trauma feels foggy or hard to remember. At Embodied Wellness, PLLC, we understand that healing isn’t about recalling every detail—it’s about processing the emotions, sensations, and patterns that still affect you today. Our EMDR therapists in Ann Arbor, MI, specialize in working with implicit memories, helping you process trauma even if you can’t fully remember what happened. You don’t have to force clarity—relief is possible even when memories feel out of reach. Deciding to begin EMDR therapy can bring up a lot of questions, but you don’t have to navigate this alone.
At Embodied Wellness, PLLC, we provide EMDR therapy in Ann Arbor & throughout Michigan with a compassionate, client-centered approach, ensuring you feel supported every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if EMDR is right for you or ready to begin treatment, we prioritize your safety, readiness, and long-term healing. EMDR isn’t a quick fix, but with the right therapist, it can be a transformative tool for processing trauma and reducing anxiety. You deserve a therapy approach that meets you where you are and helps you move forward in a way that feels right for you. Our EMDR therapists in Michigan are here to offer guidance, support, and a safe space for healing.
Take the next step toward healing today:
Be matched with one of our EMDR therapists in Michigan
Begin your healing journey—no perfect memory required
Additional Virtual Therapy Services in Michigan
At Embodied Wellness, PLLC we offer a variety of holistic treatment services for adults and teens with anxiety, depression, and OCD. We specialize in EMDR, Somatic therapy, Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, and DBT for trauma. We also specialize in CBT, ERP and Empath Counseling. We offer online therapy in Michigan. Start overcoming your trauma today by visiting our Detroit-based practice. We also have low-cost therapy options available!
About the Author:
Sarah Rollins, LMSW, SEP, is the founder of Embodied Wellness, PLLC, a group therapy practice providing EMDR therapy in Ann Arbor, MI, and online therapy throughout Michigan. She specializes in helping individuals process trauma and anxiety—even when memories feel unclear—without reliving painful experiences. Through a compassionate and holistic approach, Sarah integrates EMDR, somatic therapy, and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to support deep, lasting healing. Her mission is to create a safe and affirming space where clients can regain peace, resilience, and self-acceptance at their own pace.