Hey there, in this episode, I’m answering a great little question from one of my clients: “Can you actually be traumatised by a horror movie?”

Spoiler alert — yes, you can. And I share my own (slightly mortifying) horror movie trauma story from when I was 14 and watched The Exorcist at a sleepover. It stuck with me for decades… literally. But this episode goes deeper than jump scares and creepy scenes — we explore how horror movies, like real-life traumas, can lodge themselves into our nervous systems. And how EMDR — and the power of imagination — can help shift even the stuff that doesn’t technically “happen to us.”

Whether you’ve had a horror movie moment, lived through someone else’s trauma story, or are curious about how EMDR works with imagined and vicarious trauma — this one’s for you.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

Trauma doesn’t have to come from “real life” — imagined or second-hand experiences (like horror movies or others’ traumatic stories) can leave a lasting impact

The brain doesn’t always know the difference between what’s real and what’s vividly imagined — and that’s where EMDR can help

Our imagination can retraumatise… but it can also heal

Intergenerational and vicarious trauma are real — and EMDR can support those experiences too

Even birth trauma can show up like a horror movie in our nervous system — whether we lived it or just heard it

Key Highlights:

Dr. Caroline shares a personal story of horror movie trauma (and how long it stayed with her!)

Why certain life stages (like adolescence or stressful times) make us more vulnerable to trauma

How imagination-based techniques in EMDR help “rewrite” traumatic scenes

The impact of intergenerational trauma and vicarious trauma — even when the event wasn’t ours

Why horror movie-like stories around birth can be traumatising for women

Upcoming webinar on EMDR and birth trauma in partnership with Moms Matter Psychology

Resources Mentioned:

Contact and Feedback:

Subscribe & Stay Connected:

Join Dr. Caroline Lloyd as she demystifies PTSD and provides hope for recovery, showing that healing is possible with the right tools and support.