The Importance of the Neutral State
As a psychotherapist, my work often centers on helping individuals break free from the grip of trauma—states of distress, dysfunction, disconnection, and disturbance that can leave a lasting imprint on the mind and body. Trauma often begins early in life and becomes a chronic condition, reinforced by family dynamics, cultural influences, genetic predispositions, and the brain’s natural negativity bias. These patterns can follow people for years, sometimes decades, until the pain of staying the same outweighs the discomfort of change. Thankfully, EMDR Therapy has provided me with an effective way to help clients shift these patterns in profound and lasting ways.
Our brains are wired for survival, not for peace or happiness. One traumatic event can forever alter the nervous system, locking the experience into the body and mind, leaving people hypervigilant, disconnected, and overwhelmed. In contrast, positive emotions and feelings of safety require repeated experiences to take hold.
Consider this: as I write this blog while flying from Chicago to Denver, the majority of the flight has been calm and uneventful. Yet, brief moments of turbulence cause a physical jolt, disrupting my otherwise neutral state. The same principle applies to trauma: it only takes one overwhelming moment to shatter the neutral baseline of safety and leave a lasting mark. Clients often come to therapy deeply aware of these disruptions. They don’t recall the neutral moments of their lives—they remember the car accident, the harsh words, the betrayal, or the loss.
Trauma amplifies the brain’s negativity bias, creating symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, dissociation, emotional numbness, and chronic hypervigilance. For many, this leads to depression, anxiety, self-doubt, or strained relationships. Clients frequently come to therapy wanting to feel “happy” or “whole,” but when trauma has rewired their nervous system to expect danger, these goals can feel unattainable.
That’s why I start by helping clients move toward a neutral state. Neutrality is the bridge between distress and positivity. To heal from trauma, we must pass through neutral—it’s the foundation for sustainable change.
Neutrality in EMDR Therapy
Neutrality plays a vital role in EMDR Therapy. During Phase 4 (desensitization and reprocessing), the goal is to reduce the Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS) to zero—a state of complete neutrality—before installing a positive cognition. This ensures that positive beliefs are rooted in a stable foundation. However, in Phase 2 (preparation and resourcing), many therapists attempt to install positive resources without first cultivating neutrality. If neutrality is essential in Phase 4, why skip it in Phase 2?
Why Neutrality Matters for Trauma Survivors
1.It’s achievable. Trauma often leaves clients feeling overwhelmed by distress or paralyzed by hopelessness. Neutrality is a manageable and attainable goal, offering relief without demanding positivity.
2.It’s a safe foundation. For clients who struggle with tolerating positive affect, neutrality feels safer and less threatening, building their confidence gradually.
3.It’s rooted in timeless traditions. Practices like mindfulness have long emphasized neutrality as a way to ground the mind and body, helping individuals disengage from the constant threat monitoring that trauma perpetuates.
Our nervous systems are designed to keep us safe, but trauma hijacks this mechanism, making even neutral situations feel dangerous. By cultivating awareness of neutrality, clients can begin to recalibrate their overactive alarm systems, returning to a state where safety and connection are possible.
Building Awareness of Neutrality
To help trauma survivors embrace neutrality, I recommend:
1.Mindful observation of neutral moments. Encourage clients to notice neutral aspects of their surroundings—a clock ticking, the texture of a chair, or the hum of an appliance. As always, building skills in the office before asking them to do it on their own outside of session. Ask them to explore how neutrality feels in the body and mind. Brief sets of BLS can deepen this awareness, often creating a sense of calm or even relief.
2.Reframing with non-judgmental language. Words have power. Teach clients to reframe experiences with neutral language. For example, “The person who ruined my life” could become “A person whose actions caused me harm.” This shift reduces emotional intensity and helps clients approach their memories with greater balance.
3.Containment + Neutral State. I use an extended version of the containment exercise to guide clients into a state of neutrality. Even for clients who struggle with positive affect or safety imagery, this method can create a calm, neutral baseline. As BLS continues, clients often find that positive states naturally emerge, laying the groundwork for deeper reprocessing in Phase 4.
Neutrality: The Foundation for Healing
Neutrality is not just a step on the journey to healing—it’s a transformative state in itself. Trauma survivors often feel trapped in a world of extremes: overwhelming distress or complete shutdown. Neutrality offers a way out, a place where the nervous system can rest and reset. From this foundation, clients can build resilience, embrace positive resources, and move toward a life that feels safe, meaningful, and connected.
Whether in Phase 2 or Phase 4, neutrality is the key to transformation. By helping clients notice and nurture the neutral moments in their lives, we create the conditions for deep and lasting healing.
Thousands of years of mindfulness traditions remind us: peace begins with neutrality. Go forth and help your clients embrace the power of neutral—you won’t regret it.