Trauma Therapy: Flashbacks Between Sessions
Flashbacks are one of the most unsettling symptoms of trauma. They can show up suddenly, in the middle of a workday, on a walk, or even while you’re trying to relax at home. For many people starting trauma therapy, flashbacks may actually become more noticeable between sessions. This can feel confusing or even discouraging.
But here’s the truth: flashbacks between sessions aren’t a sign that therapy isn’t working. In fact, they often mean your mind and body are beginning to process experiences that were once too overwhelming to face. With the right support, trauma therapy can help you not only manage flashbacks but also reduce their intensity and frequency over time.
What Is a Flashback?
A flashback is the brain's way of replaying a traumatic experience as if it's happening in the present moment. This can involve:
Visual images or snapshots of the trauma
Bodily sensations (e.g., racing heart, nausea, tight chest)
Overwhelming emotions, like fear, shame, or helplessness
Dissociation, or feeling disconnected from the present
Flashbacks happen when the brain’s alarm system is triggered by something, often without us realizing what the trigger was. Even when you’re physically safe, your nervous system may act like you’re back in danger. Trauma therapy works to retrain this system so it no longer reacts as though the past is still happening.
Why Flashbacks May Intensify During Therapy
Starting trauma therapy often means opening the door to memories and feelings you may have pushed aside for years. As you begin to face and process them, your nervous system starts to loosen its grip on old survival strategies. This is why things can feel “stirred up” between sessions.
Some reasons flashbacks might feel stronger at this stage include:
Therapy is surfacing suppressed memories that are now seeking integration.
The nervous system is hyper-alert, adjusting to new emotional material.
Unconscious defenses are shifting, which can make trauma-related material feel closer to the surface.
While this can feel unsettling, it’s important to remember: this is progress. You’re not sliding backwards, you’re beginning to work through what caused the flashbacks in the first place.
How Trauma Therapy Helps With Flashbacks
The ultimate goal of trauma therapy is not just to manage flashbacks, but to reduce their frequency and intensity by resolving the underlying trauma. Different approaches may look slightly different, but they share common goals:
Processing the Traumatic Memory
Many flashbacks are linked to trauma that hasn’t been fully processed. Therapy provides a safe, structured environment where you can begin to unpack those memories. As the traumatic memory is processed, the brain learns it no longer needs to alert you with flashbacks or intrusive sensations.
Building Nervous System Regulation
Trauma therapy often includes tools and techniques to regulate the nervous system, before, during, and after a flashback.
Therapists teach clients how to:
Ground themselves using sensory awareness
Track and release tension in the body
Use breathwork to calm the fight-or-flight responseIdentify early warning signs before a full flashback occurs
Over time, these tools help reduce reactivity to triggers and build a sense of safety in the body.
Making Meaning and Restoring Control
Trauma often leaves people feeling powerless. By exploring the meaning of what happened and how it shaped your beliefs, you can begin to rewrite the story with compassion and strength. As you regain a sense of agency, flashbacks lose their hold.
Therapeutic Relationship as a Safe Base
Beyond skills and strategies, the therapeutic relationship itself is healing. A trauma-informed therapist provides attuned, consistent support, a safe base where your experience is validated and you don’t have to face the past alone.
What to Do When Flashbacks Happen Between Sessions
While therapy is working toward long-term change, it’s also important to have short-term tools. Here are a few you can use when flashbacks strike outside of therapy:
Name what’s happening: “This is a flashback. I’m safe right now.”
Ground yourself with sensory input: cold water, textured objects, or deep pressure.
Move your body gently to release built-up energy.
Connect with a trusted person, even just to hear a safe voice.
Use visualizations like imagining a safe place or shielding light around you.
Track and log when flashbacks occur to explore patterns or triggers with your therapist.
Progress Is Not Always Comfortable
If you're ready to explore how therapy can support you and help you reconnect with a sense of peace, at Healing Voices Psychotherapy, our skilled RP Ishara Ramroop specializes in therapy for anxiety. Contact us to book a free 15-minute consultation today and take the first step toward building relationships that bring you joy and confidence.
