Embodied Healing

08/20/2026

As the last weeks of summer are upon us, I wish that all beings can find a space where the To-Do list is put down. And you create space for yourself to 🪷 Just Be 🪷

Trauma survivors often struggle with stillness, silence or just being in the moment because unresolved trauma can sometimes arise in the quiet. It’s that ever present hypervigilance to fearing something bad will happen if you allow yourself to breathe.

For most survivors, “just being” needs to be learned, repatterned into the body & practiced in small manageable increments until it feels safe.

In the many things “to do” on the journey of healing, learning to just be is equally as important. We are meant to have moments of existing just because, or appreciating something within us or around us.

It is a practice to come home to. In this busy Do, Do, Do world it is not often prioritized enough. You are worth creating space for, deserve the peace & in this space is where we can find joy.

A life worth living is not just resolving the trauma but making room for the things that make you smile, feel connected & bring feelings of joy.

To feel embodied, alive & engaged is not just a bonus, it’s our right as beings!

Sending peace ☮️ & summer sunshine 🌞,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R, CYT
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Practitioner
Trauma Focused Yoga Teacher
www.embodiedhelingli.com

08/11/2026

During a recent somatic EMDR Intensive, after we had reprocessed a very distressing childhood memory (client rated the emotional disturbance a 10 out of 10), the client I was working with said to me “Is this possible? To no longer find this so disturbing? And to feel so different about it?! Will this last? “

The answer is Yes! Once EMDR digests unprocessed traumatic material, it can safely put these experiences in the proper filing cabinet…in the past, not the present.

Beliefs about the self stemming from undigested trauma often feel very true when activated in present situations, such as:

- I’m not safe (bc the body is also feeling unsafe)
- I’m powerless
- I have no control
- I am not good enough/unworthy/unlovable
- It’s my fault
- I am not seen/heard or My needs don’t matter

With effective body based reprocessing, the brain can reduce the disturbance enough so that the adaptive networks in the brain that already exist can come online so that more effective beliefs can now feel fully true. The disturbance is a stuck point that blocks important information from being accessed but once this disturbance is cleared, the adaptive networks are available to make a new meaning of these events & how a person sees themself in a more effective way.

This is the Adaptive Information Processing model that EMDR is based on! To integrate somatic techniques further deepens the healing process because trauma lives in the body & heart, not just in the mind.

And then the new beliefs can feel deeply true:
- I am safe now
- I have choices, I am resilient
- I am good enough/worthy/lovable
- It’s not my fault
- I am seen/heard or My needs are important/I matter

That’s my very favorite part of the work- when the shift starts to happen & the adaptive networks come online. And the painful experiences someone has had to carry can finally stay where they belong….in the past. From that point on, the possibilities for a meaningful, authentic life live on, not the trauma!

Sending peace ☮️,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R, CYT
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapist
Trauma Focused Yoga & Meditation Teacher
www.embodiedhealingli.com

07/17/2026

When doing the work of deep healing, it can help to find some meaning, some purpose in the pain. The version of yourself that can emerge through your own evolution is the best purpose of all!

So if you need something to keep on going or to honor the work you put in to get to where you are at now, this butterfly is for you! ♥️

Sending peace ☮️,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R, CYT
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapist
Trauma Focused Yoga & Meditation Teacher
www.embodiedhealingli.com

07/09/2026

Relationships are one of the most common places unresolved trauma shows up, second only to the relationship with yourself. It’s that persistent behavior pattern that keeps showing up….time & time again!

This makes so much sense when we consider the deepest traumas are usually rooted in our closest relationships, connections that we are biologically wired to have as people. And even when it’s not interpersonal trauma, such as a medical trauma, the way others respond to our experience can be very impactful. It can be a source of strength & support, or a traumatizing invalidation or denial of reality that can last longer than the experience itself.

The behaviors & sense of self born from trauma become intertwined with how an individual approaches their intimate relationships, parent child relationships, friendships & relationships with colleagues.

If you didn’t get your needs met as a child, the problematic relationship behaviors you struggle with as an adult were likely once the very coping strategies that helped you survive as a child. It just doesn’t serve you well now!

These are some examples of common relational trauma re-enactments but the impacts are far greater than this simple list can capture. Healing involves reprocessing the traumatic experiences that caused these behaviors to develop AND learning new strategies to change the habits that formed around the trauma. Talking about it alone is not enough!

We are our best selves when we can balance our needs with the needs of others, form healthy connections and communicate authentically.

Sending peace ☮️ ,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R, CYT
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapist
Trauma Focused Yoga & Meditation Teacher
www.embodiedhealingli.com

06/19/2026

Sharing this video as a reminder that simple actions can have a very calming effect. The key is to do it consistently, instead of “I’ll try this another time. I’m too upset”.

To add to the video, when we use breathing to calm the nervous system, try elongating the exhale by a couple extra seconds so that it takes more time to exhale then inhale. It activates a calming mechanism in the nervous system, especially when we also pretend to blow out a candle while we exhale.

I often use hand to heart personally as well as in my work with clients. It can be soothing, it can also be a way to prompt listening to that inner knowing, or to connect with presence.

Bringing up internal resources, such as a place that makes us feel calm/safe, or a person/animal/figure that loves, protects or guides as can be helpful to activate the calming system too. Nature is often that place.

I invite you to make the simple things a part of your regular routine & notice what these practices make you feel.

Sending peace,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R, CYT
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapist
Trauma Focused Yoga & Meditation Teacher
www.embodiedhealingli.com

Put your hand on your heart and breathe deeply. 🌿Feel the rise an...

06/12/2026

One of the hallmark symptoms of PTSD/CPTSD is hyperarousal. It’s when the biologically wired survival settings in our nervous system are stuck in overdrive, with the switch always “On”. For survivors of childhood abuse where there was a lack of safety in the household, it becomes a way of life to feel activated in one’s own body. And it’s exhausting!

These symptoms are also commonly experienced by our first responders, veterans, medical personnel, individuals who had an accident or medical trauma to name a few.

Our brains & body are designed to protect us but chronic hyperarousal is not meant to be a regular state of being. Fortunately, treatments like EMDR, somatic therapy & yoga can help rewire the nervous system response because talking about it cannot convince the brain you’re safe - even in situations where you logically know that’s true. Humans are resilient & these approaches facilitate accessing the innate ability to heal that is within all of us.

Finding spaces that naturally promote a resting state is an important part of self care in the here & now when possible. Arielle Schwartz also offers exercises on you tube and on her website to facilitate vagal toning for individuals interested in trying some strategies immediately.

I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to receive her mentorship to deepen my integration of yoga into my work with trauma survivors starting this August!

Sending peace,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapist
Trauma Focused Yoga & Meditation Teacher
www.embodiedhelingli.com

06/05/2026

🪷June is PTSD Awareness Month🪷

If you live with PTSD or CPTSD, you may know what it's like to feel trapped in survival mode—

🧠 Experiencing visual, emotional or physical flashbacks

🧠 Intrusive thoughts& memories

🧠 Hypervigilance

🧠 Emotional overwhelm & numbness

🧠 Sleep disturbances

🧠 Your body never feels truly safe & at rest

🧠 Persistent negative beliefs about yourself.

My goal is simple: To raise awareness about PTSD/CPTSD AND what treatments can facilitate deep, meaningful healing. Recovery is not only possible—it happens every day.

Advancements in the field support some established models as well as effective alternatives. And this brings more choice for survivors in navigating their healing process to fit their needs, rather than survivors trying to make what’s available work. Specialized therapy intensives are one of the newer, cutting edge approaches for trauma survivors to consider.

There are very few providers offering full day intensives on LI. To increase choice for survivors locally, I began offering 1-3 day Somatic EMDR Intensives 4 years ago for those seeking an immersive, accelerated approach to get faster relief from the symptoms that interfere with the life they deserve. This can be a standalone or incorporated into existing treatment. I am deeply grateful for the larger community of mental health professionals I regularly collaborate with on LI, NY & the larger Tri-state area who entrust me with their clients by adding an intensive to enhance the meaningful work they are doing. It takes a community to heal (and prevent!) trauma & survivors deserve this supportive community.

My practice also offers extended short term sessions as well as traditional sessions. The way to go about healing belongs in the hands of survivors.

Most survivors who come into my office have tried many things & talked about their trauma for many years, and still live with the impact in not just their minds & hearts but their body. Many of the leading trauma experts recommend EMDR & Somatic Therapy approaches to more comprehensively treat PTSD/CPTSD because trauma is held in the nervous system in a way that talking about it alone cannot change.

In honor of my dedication to facilitate deeper healing for my clients, I have decided to pursue over 100+ hours of additional somatic training in 2026. I recently completed a 45-hour certification in Preverbal Developmental Trauma that I have incorporated into helping survivors suffering from the impacts of preverbal trauma & attachment wounds using various EMDR Protocols. I am currently engaged in an extensive certification integrating Somatic & EMDR Therapy Protocols.

In addition to collaborating with other professionals doing intensives, I also offer clinical consultations for practitioners who strive to level up their skills treating PTSD/CPTSD learning & integrating advanced techniques. In addition to individual consultation, shared consultation sessions for colleagues and consultation opportunities for group practices that allow for live practice & guidance on newly acquired skills are some of the newer formats I am adding to build confidence & competence through action.

Whether you're a trauma survivor seeking healing or a clinician seeking growth, there are many choices available to find the support that best fits your needs.

Sending peace,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R, CYT
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapist
Trauma Focused Yoga Teacher
www.embodiedhealingli.com

05/13/2026

One thing that often stands out to survivors is the different way their childhood impacted them in a different way than their siblings. As you can see below, these factors often are the variables that can create a traumatic response or the absence of one. Some individuals utilize the trauma response of Flight most often, whereas others choose the Fight Response. The type of trauma response an individual leans on also has reasons behind it.

Another interesting way to look at this graphic is that the brain decides what is experienced as traumatic, not our logical mind. This also accounts for why events that aren’t categorized as “trauma” live in the heart, mind & body as unresolved traumatic material- an experience of being excluded, a moment of embarrassment, infidelity, etc.

Healing is possible when the unique aspects of each individual are seen, heard & treated.

Sending peace,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R, CYT
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapist
Trauma Focused Yoga & Meditation Teacher
www.embodiedhealingli.com

05/08/2026

🪷Friday Reflection🪷

05/01/2026

🪷🪷🪷 May is Mental Health Awareness Month🪷🪷🪷

Mental health is important for everyone one! Make some space for yourself & take this opportunity to feed your soul with whatever makes you feel:
🪷 Safe
🪷 Seen
🪷 Calm
🪷 Comforted
🪷 Playful!
🪷 Loved

Each & every one of us is worth the effort ❤️

Sending peace,
Annmarie Hardgrove, LCSW-R, CYT
Certified EMDR Therapist
Somatic Developmental Trauma Therapist
Trauma Focused Yoga & Meditation Teacher
www.embodiedhealingli.com