If you’ve ever felt anxious, tense, or emotionally drained after keeping up with Denver’s nonstop news cycle, you’re not alone. Stories of wildfires, violence, political unrest, and public health concerns can leave your nervous system feeling like it’s always on high alert—even if you haven’t directly experienced those events. Over time, this constant exposure can trigger trauma-like symptoms: intrusive thoughts, sleep disturbances, or a sense of emotional numbness.
As a licensed professional counselor with extensive experience in trauma and EMDR therapy, I’ve seen how deeply the news can affect people. The good news is that healing is possible. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a proven therapy that helps your brain process and release the emotional weight of distressing experiences—including those absorbed through the screen. Let’s explore how this kind of indirect trauma shows up, and how EMDR can help you find relief.
When News Becomes Trauma
Have you ever noticed your heart racing or your stomach tightening after watching a disturbing news story? You’re not alone. Even when we’re not directly involved, our nervous systems can react as if we are—especially when the headlines seem nonstop and overwhelming. Over time, this kind of exposure can quietly build up, leaving you feeling anxious, exhausted, or disconnected.
In fact, research shows that this isn’t just in your head. A survey by the American Psychological Association found that over 80% of U.S. adults cited inflation, global uncertainty, and the war in Ukraine as significant sources of stress. Similarly, a Pew Research Center study found that a significant number of Americans feel worn out by the sheer amount of news, with many reporting that it contributes to ongoing stress and feelings of helplessness.
Over time, this continuous state of alert can lead to symptoms similar to those experienced by people with direct trauma exposure:
- Intrusive thoughts or images – You might find yourself replaying upsetting news stories in your mind, even when you try not to.
- Sleep or concentration struggles – Constant stress can make it hard to wind down at night or stay focused during the day.
- A sense of emotional numbness – As a way to cope, you may start to feel emotionally distant, detached, or like you’re just going through the motions.
If any of this sounds familiar, know that you’re not being overly sensitive—your reaction is valid. And the good news is, healing is possible. EMDR therapy can gently help you process these emotional wounds and feel more grounded again, even in a world that often feels overwhelming.
Understanding EMDR: A Path to Healing
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful, evidence-based therapy originally developed to treat PTSD—but its benefits reach far beyond single traumatic events. For many people, especially in a city like Denver where the news cycle rarely slows down, EMDR has become a valuable tool for healing the emotional strain that builds from constant exposure to distressing headlines.
As a Denver therapist, I use EMDR to help clients process the mental and physical weight of these experiences. When your nervous system is repeatedly activated by upsetting stories, your brain can hold onto those moments as if they were happening to you directly. EMDR works by gently guiding your brain to reprocess those memories—using bilateral stimulation like eye movements or tapping—so they no longer trigger the same emotional intensity. Over time, this can help you feel more grounded, more present, and better able to engage with the world around you without becoming overwhelmed.
How EMDR Can Help with News-Related Trauma
It’s completely human to feel unsettled when the world feels heavy. Even if you’re not directly involved in events like wildfires, violence, or political unrest, your nervous system can still absorb the emotional impact. You might feel anxious, tense, or emotionally drained—sometimes without even realizing why.
In my Denver practice, I often work with clients who feel overwhelmed by the steady stream of distressing headlines. EMDR counseling helps the brain process these secondhand stressors in a way that feels safe and contained. Through gentle techniques like guided eye movements or tapping, EMDR calms the part of your brain stuck in high alert—so you can feel more grounded, present, and emotionally resilient.
For those who feel especially triggered by current events, EMDR can also help uncover deeper patterns beneath your reactions, offering not just symptom relief but meaningful, lasting healing.
Here are just a few ways EMDR can help:
- Soothing a hyper-alert nervous system – EMDR uses gentle bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) to help calm the part of your brain that stays on edge in response to ongoing stress or threat, allowing you to feel more grounded in the present.
- Easing emotional overwhelm without retelling the story – Many clients are relieved to learn that EMDR doesn’t require going over painful memories again and again. Instead, it supports healing without re-traumatizing.
- Reducing the emotional weight of distressing content – EMDR helps lower the intensity of emotional reactions tied to difficult news, so you can stay informed without feeling consumed by anxiety or helplessness.
- Uncovering deeper emotional patterns – Sometimes, our strongest reactions to current events are connected to earlier life experiences. EMDR gently explores those links, helping you respond more consciously and with greater self-understanding.
- Creating lasting emotional resilience – Beyond symptom relief, EMDR helps build internal safety and emotional regulation, so you’re better equipped to face a world that doesn’t always feel predictable or safe.
Through this process, you’re not just learning how to cope—you’re giving yourself the opportunity to truly heal, with care, compassion, and support every step of the way.
Real Connection in a Virtual World
Even when the world feels overwhelming, you don’t have to navigate it alone. One of the beautiful things about virtual therapy is that it allows us to connect from wherever you are—whether you’re curled up on your couch, taking a break in your home office, or simply in a space that feels safe to you.
We’re wired to process stress and emotion in connection with others—but when you’re constantly absorbing heavy news alone, it can start to feel isolating. Virtual EMDR counseling offers a gentle, effective way to process that emotional weight, all within the comfort of your own environment.
In our sessions together, we’ll create a space that feels grounding and supportive, even through a screen. You’ll have the freedom to show up exactly as you are—tired, overwhelmed, anxious—and be met with care, understanding, and tools that truly help. Whether the stress stems from local events or global headlines, we’ll work together to help you feel more at ease, more connected, and better able to cope with the world around you.
Finding Your Path Forward
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by Denver’s nonstop news cycle, know that your reactions are not only valid—they’re deeply human. In my work as a Denver therapist, I help clients make sense of these emotional responses and find steadier ground. Together, we’ll explore ways to gently shift how you engage with distressing media—whether that means setting healthy boundaries around news, learning grounding techniques for the moments when headlines feel too heavy, or using EMDR to process stories that have stuck with you in a painful way. Through this work, you’ll build a more compassionate relationship with yourself and with the world, one step at a time.
A Compassionate Approach to Healing
Feeling overwhelmed by the nonstop news is something many people face—and it’s okay to seek support in navigating those feelings. In our work together, we’ll focus on practical strategies tailored to your experience, helping you set gentle boundaries around media, build emotional resilience, and process the impact of difficult stories using EMDR counseling.
This journey is about giving yourself permission to care for your well-being in a way that feels right for you—step by step, with kindness and understanding. If you’re ready to explore how healing can look for you, I’m here to walk that path alongside you. If you’re ready to take that first step, I invite you to reach out and schedule a time to talk. Healing starts with feeling seen, and I’m here to walk that path with you.
Frequently Asked Questions About EMDR
How does EMDR therapy help with trauma?
EMDR helps the brain safely reprocess painful or overwhelming experiences. By using gentle eye movements or tapping, it allows stuck memories to move through, so they feel less triggering. The goal isn’t to erase the past—but to help you live with it more peacefully.
What are the 7 phases of EMDR?
EMDR follows a thoughtful, step-by-step approach: we start by building trust and emotional safety. Then we identify key memories to work on and use bilateral stimulation to gently process them. Each session includes grounding and reflection to ensure you feel supported every step of the way.
What does EMDR seem to be effective for treating?
Originally developed for PTSD, EMDR is now widely used to treat anxiety, phobias, grief, complex trauma, and even media-induced stress. It helps people move through experiences that feel stuck, especially when talk therapy alone isn’t enough.
How do you process trauma?
Trauma processing starts with creating a safe space—where you feel seen, heard, and not rushed. EMDR supports the brain in releasing the emotional charge from past experiences, helping you regain a sense of balance, clarity, and resilience moving forward.
Debbie Carter is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Denver specializing in trauma treatment and EMDR therapy. With years of experience, she offers both traditional weekly sessions and intensive EMDR therapy options to meet diverse client needs. Learn more about her compassionate approach to healing at debbiecarterlpc.com.
