Fear of a Relapse: Regaining Confidence After a Serious Injury
Logbook – EMDR PEPS practice
When the danger is gone… but the system continues to provide protection
When I worry about a relapse, I often picture a security system that has become too sensitive. The incident is over. My body has healed. But the alarm goes off at the slightest movement.
The light is green. But the system is applying the brakes.
Via EMDR teleconsultation, athletes don’t always talk about fear. They talk about holding back—about a movement they no longer dare to perform fully.
As if something were anticipating a new injury… even before it existed.
In my EMDR PEPS practice, this type of block is never viewed as a lack of confidence. It is interpreted as hypervigilance of the nervous system, which is still fixated on a past experience.
It is this interpretation that allows us to work with precision, even during video calls.
After Recovery
A Body Ready, a System on Alert
The process is often straightforward. Injury. Surgery or treatment. Rehabilitation. Medical clearance. Everything is in order.
And yet, in private practice, we are seeing a persistent difficulty in returning to full operations. These signs then become indicators:
- apprehension at the time of enlistment
- a restrained or unfinished gesture
- loss of fluidity
- need to control every movement
Clinical experience shows that the end of the medical process does not always coincide with the end of the internal process.
A Memory of Risk That Is Still Alive
When the Brain Keeps Anticipating
When a serious injury occurs , the system records a critical piece of information:
“This movement may be dangerous”
This information is not just cognitive. It is sensory. Emotional. Physical.
In the clinic, we always see the same pattern: the brain doesn't always clearly distinguish between a past danger and a potential danger. It anticipates. And that anticipation influences movement.
Let’s start by having a conversation.
The Effects of Hypervigilance
An invisible obstacle in the movement
When the system remains on alert, it changes its behavior—not intentionally, but automatically. These manifestations then become signals:
- Minor traffic slowdowns
- Muscle stiffness
- Loss of spontaneity
- Increased fatigue related to monitoring
If these factors are not viewed as a defensive response, they can be interpreted as a decline in performance.
The sensitive issue
A moment that stands the test of time
In most cases, there is a key moment:
- the fall
- the shock
- pain
- the moment of rupture
That moment becomes a reference point for the system—not as a memory, but as a landmark. In the therapist’s office, the work involves identifying that specific point, because it is that point that determines what happens next.
The Benefits of EMDR
Reassessing the Perception of Danger
EMDR does not seek to reassure. It works on the way the event is processed.
In this type of situation, the task involves:
- Identifying the Time of Injury
- Access related sensory elements
- Dealing with emotional stress
- Allow an update
This approach changes the automatic response. We don't tell the system that “everything is fine.” We let it figure that out for itself.
Would you like to find out if EMDR en visio is right for you? Let's have a chat together.
Working remotely, as close as possible to the action
A framework directly connected to reality
In this type of situation, video allows for precise work. The athlete is in their real-world environment:
- training location
- range of motion
- standard terms and conditions
That's when the reactions appear. This framework allows for:
- to observe the adjustments in the movement
- to identify moments of deceleration
- to work in direct contact with the body
Distance does not sever the connection to reality. It anchors the work to it.
Example of support
When the body hesitates before taking the plunge
For example, I’m working with an athlete who has returned to training after a serious injury. The medical protocol has been approved. The athlete has the necessary abilities. And yet:
- a systematic hesitation
- a loss of commitment
- a sensation of internal braking
During the session, the focus wasn't on performance. It was on the moment the injury occurred. On the image. On the sensations.
As this moment was reworked, the movement regained its fluidity. Without any conscious effort.
Escaping the Trap of Overprotection
When the System Goes Too Far
When faced with this kind of roadblock, the reaction is often the same:
- to try to force oneself
- try to reassure oneself
- increase the number of repetitions
These strategies can sometimes increase tension. The system is not lacking information; rather, it is overprotective. EMDR work involves:
- reduce this protection
- Turn off unnecessary predictive features
- Restore a customized playback setting
We don't let our guard down. We adjust it.
First session
Identify the activation point
In these situations, the first session allows you to:
- identify the key moment
- understand the system's responses
- establish a framework
- The work is done with precision.
Take your time.
Conclusion
When movement is no longer associated with danger
The fear of a relapse is not irrational. It is the result of a system that has learned to protect. But when this protection becomes excessive, it limits performance.
EMDR via video conferencing allows you to work directly onthe emotional impact of the trauma.
Once this imprint is integrated, movement becomes possible again. Not because we force it, but because the system no longer anticipates a danger that is no longer present.
Would you like to discuss any concerns you may have following an injury? An initial consultation will help us determine whether this type of support is right for you.
