Sensations vs Emotions
“To overcome trauma we have to befriend and be in touch with ourselves — our sensations and our emotions.” — Bessel van der Kolk
EMDR distinguishes carefully between sensations and emotions — two things that are related but distinct, and which many people conflate.
Raw body data. Physical experience without interpretation. Tightness in the chest. A dropping feeling in the stomach. Heat in the face. Tingling in the hands. The jaw clenching. These are sensations — physical events happening in the body.
The brain’s label for the body state, contextualised by situation and meaning. Fear. Shame. Sadness. Anger. Joy. These are interpretations — the mind’s best explanation for why the body is doing what it is doing.
Why the Distinction Matters
In EMDR processing, the therapist will ask you to identify both: “What do you notice in your body?” (sensation) and “What emotion is present?” Both are data. Both are part of the processing protocol.
Many people find one easier than the other. Some can name emotions but cannot track body sensations. Others notice body states clearly but cannot name the emotion. The Awareness Practice in this module builds both capacities.
Practice now: Notice what is happening in your body as you read this. Where is there tension? Ease? Temperature? Movement? Can you find a word for what is present — not an emotion, just a description of the physical experience?