Somatic & Attachment-Focused EMDR for Narcissistic Abuse, C-PTSD, and Complex Trauma in Chicago

At Two Lights Therapy Center, we use a variation of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy called Somatic and Attachment-Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing because narcissistic abuse so often requires unique and specialized care. The effects of narcissistic abuse are still, unfortunately, deeply misunderstood by many. With narcissistic abuse, time collapses. Past attachment injuries are reactivated at the same moment that new traumas are being formed, making the experience both a reopening of old scars and a creation of new attachment wounds. Relational abuse reaches backward into old attachment wounds while simultaneously creating new trauma in the present, which is why healing often feels nonlinear.

Survivors are not just carrying heavy, painful memories and dodging constant coercion…they're also often carrying the hallmarks of complex trauma and C-PTSD (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder): chronic self-doubt, loss of internal trust, and a nervous system that had learned to stay on high alert in order to survive.

That is why, at Two Lights Therapy Center, our work with EMDR goes beyond standard reprocessing. We focus on restoring safety in the body, rebuilding emotional authority, fostering a corrective therapeutic relationship, and repairing the relational wounds that narcissistic abuse creates. Two Lights Therapy Center serves clients in Chicago and throughout Illinois who are seeking specialized, trauma-informed, virtual therapy for narcissistic abuse, C-PTSD, and complex trauma.

What Makes Narcissistic Abuse a Unique Form of Trauma

Narcissistic abuse is not one singular event. It is a chronic, relational, and psychologically disorienting pattern of stress over time. Antagonistic relational stress can completely alter one’s sense of identity, making existence feel like agony. Survivors often learn to doubt their own perception, ignore their instincts, and suppress their own needs almost entirely. This is why narcissistic abuse is so strongly linked to C-PTSD and complex trauma. The trauma does not only live in memories. This kind of relational trauma lives in the body, in our attachment patterns, and in the way a person relates to themselves. Hypervigilance can almost become a lifestyle for many survivors, making joy and living in the moment feel impossible.

Narcissistic Abuse, C-PTSD, and Complex Trauma

While C-PTSD is not a formal DSM diagnosis, many survivors of narcissistic abuse experience patterns that align with what is commonly described as Complex Post-Traumatic Stress. Unlike PTSD, which often follows a single traumatic event, complex trauma develops from chronic relational and destabilizing experiences over time.

This includes experiences such as:

• Gaslighting

• Manipulation

• Trauma bonding

• Coercive control

• Insecure attachment

• Long-term invalidation

• Loss of autonomy

  
  

C-PTSD and complex trauma impact:

• Nervous system regulation

• Identity and self-worth

• Trust in others

• Boundaries

• Physical wellbeing

  
  

Survivors may experience:

• Chronic shame

• Hypervigilance

• Body pain

• Digestive/gastrointestinal issues

• Hair loss

• Weight loss

• Numbness, overwhelm, or a functional freeze

• Guilt

• Difficulty feeling safe in relationships

• Confusion about their own needs and rights

  
  

Effective treatment MUST address all of this, not just singular, isolated memories. An integrative care team is often required.

Why We Use Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR at Two Lights Therapy Center

Somatic and Attachment-Focused EMDR recognizes that trauma is stored in the nervous system, not just the mind. For survivors of narcissistic abuse, C-PTSD, and complex trauma, stabilization and embodied safety are not optional. They are the foundation that makes relational trauma processing possible, and they allow EMDR to feel grounding rather than destabilizing (which prevents retraumatization). Somatic EMDR helps to reduce hypervigilance, rebuild intuition, improve regulation, and support healthy coping abilities. For survivors who learned to disconnect from their bodies in order to survive, this work can be deeply restorative.

Why Attachment-Focused EMDR Is Essential for Narcissistic Abuse Recovery

C-PTSD is fundamentally an attachment injury. Narcissistic abuse happens in relationship, so the healing must include relationship as well. This means relational therapy and corrective relationships are typically required.

Attachment-focused EMDR Therapy recognizes that:

• Trust was broken in connection

• Safety was conditional

• Love was tied to compliance

• Emotional needs were minimized or punished

  
  

At Two Lights Therapy Center, EMDR is always paired with:

• Strong relational safety

• Unconditional positive regard

• Consent-based pacing

• Emotional validation

• Clear power awareness

• Collaborative decision-making

  
  

One of the most beautiful benefits is that the therapeutic relationship becomes part of the healing. True relational therapy is not just a container for trauma work, but it is a corrective emotional experience that restores safety, agency, and trust. EMDR and relational therapy are never rushed. Your nervous system leads the pace. Healing must restore agency, not replicate powerlessness. This is especially important for survivors who have experienced coercive control, a loss of autonomy, and constant boundary violation. Healing from narcissistic abuse, C-PTSD, and complex trauma is not about becoming someone new. It is about returning to who you were before your reality was distorted.

Somatic & Attachment-Focused EMDR Helps with Long-Term Healing by supporting:

• Emotional regulation

• Reduced shame and self-blame

• Reconnection to intuition

• Strengthened self-trust

• Healthier relational boundaries

• A stable internal sense of safety

EMDR Therapy for Narcissistic Abuse, C-PTSD, and Complex Trauma in Chicago

Two Lights Therapy Center provides trauma-informed EMDR therapy for survivors of narcissistic abuse, C-PTSD, and complex trauma in Chicago and throughout Illinois.

We specialize in:

• Narcissistic dynamics & narcissism

• High-conflict relationships

• Attachment trauma, attachment injury & early attachment disruption 

• Trauma bonds & partial reward schedules 

• Long-term relational trauma & other kinds of complex trauma

  
  

You do not need to overexplain or justify what you experienced. We understand the terrain. We've been there. We've seen it.

Begin Somatic & Attachment-Focused EMDR in Illinois

If you are seeking EMDR therapy for narcissistic abuse, C-PTSD, or complex trauma in Chicago or anywhere in Illinois, Two Lights Therapy Center offers a grounded, specialized, and compassionate approach. You deserve therapy that honors your lived experience and restores your internal authority.

Contact Two Lights Therapy Center to learn more about somatic and attachment-focused EMDR therapy and how we can support your recovery.

Want to work with a specialist? Virtual Sessions with Erika can be scheduled by emailing: hello@twolightstherapy.com or by visiting: https://www.twolightstherapy.com/contact 

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Two Lights Therapy Center PLLC | Chicago, Illinois.

Specializing in Narcissistic & Antagonistic Personality Styles and High-Conflict Relational Dynamics

Please Note: The information provided in these blog posts is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional therapy or therapeutic services. While these blogs are written by licensed psychotherapists, readers should not use this content as a replacement for individualized advice or treatment. If you are experiencing a crisis or need immediate assistance, please call 911 or contact other emergency services in your area.