Let’s Talk About Nightmares—and How EMDR Can Help

By Sarah Olynger, LCSW — Trauma Therapist in California

Hi there. If you’re reading this, I’m guessing nightmares have been messing with your sleep—or someone you care about is struggling. And I’m not talking about the quirky “forgot-my-pants-at-work” kind. I mean the kind that jolt you awake at 3 a.m. with your heart racing and your mind spinning back to something painful.

As a trauma therapist based in Encinitas, California, I see this all the time. Nightmares are a common part of the trauma recovery journey, but here’s the good news: they don’t have to last forever. EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can make a real difference, and I’ve seen it help people reclaim peaceful sleep—and a sense of safety—in powerful ways.

Why Nightmares Stick Around After Trauma

Your brain is amazing. When something overwhelming or traumatic happens, your mind tries to protect you—but sometimes it can’t fully process what happened in the moment. That memory can get “stuck” and show up later in flashbacks, anxiety, or—you guessed it—nightmares.

Nightmares are often your brain’s way of saying: There’s something here that still needs healing. And because sleep is when the brain does a lot of emotional processing, trauma can sometimes sneak into your dreams.

How EMDR Therapy Helps

EMDR helps your brain do what it couldn’t back then: process and file away the traumatic memory properly. In my trauma therapy practice here in Encinitas, we use EMDR to gently work through those stuck memories. And no—you don’t have to go into all the details for it to work.

We use bilateral stimulation (like guided eye movements or tapping) while focusing on specific memories or feelings. This activates the brain’s natural healing processes, helping reduce the emotional charge of the memory—and often the frequency and intensity of related nightmares.

You Don’t Have to Relive It to Heal

One of the things clients appreciate most about EMDR is that it doesn’t require you to talk through every painful detail. We go at your pace. We build a strong foundation of safety and grounding skills first. And together, we help your nervous system shift out of survival mode.

What I Hear from Clients After EMDR

• “I actually slept through the night last week.”

• “The dreams are still there sometimes, but they don’t scare me like they used to.”

• “I feel more in control—like I’m not stuck in the past anymore.”

These changes are real, and they’re possible—even if the nightmares have been around for years.

If You’re in the Encinitas Area and Struggling with Nightmares…

You don’t have to keep doing this alone. Trauma can make you feel stuck, but EMDR can help your brain (and body) find relief. Whether your nightmares are linked to childhood trauma, medical trauma, abuse, or something else—healing is possible.

If you’re local to Encinitas, Carlsbad, or North County San Diego or in the state of California and looking for in-person or virtual trauma therapy with EMDR support, feel free to reach out. I’d love to help you find your way back to rest, resilience, and a sense of calm—day or night.

You deserve peace. You deserve sleep. And healing is within reach.