"trauma work" for me has only ever involved talking about it (minimally). sometimes i will talk about it if i'm going through a particularly bad spot of ptsd (flashbacks etc) but usually we focus on "here and now" stuff like uni work, relationships etc. i dont consider talk about uni (time management, motivation, combatting perfectionism & ocd-tendencies etc) as trauma work, even though many things (perfectionism) are quite possibly the result of my prior traumatic experiences.

sometimes even when i am experiencing flashbacks we won't actually talk about the content, but just how to cope with the negative emotions associated with it. a lot of research is coming out questioning the assumption that (for ppl with ptsd) trauma must be processed minutely to be resolved; a lot of people do better without ever going there - it comes down to the individual as to what is best.

i'm not a fan of EMDR. the professional politics behind its advocacy don't make me feel too great (i hate politics & power within the profession, though i know it's just a fact of life); and the premise on which it is based upon (eye movements are essential to treatment success) doesn't hold up under the weight of evidence. however, i know that many people find it useful and i think that's great they have found something that they believe in, can commit to and that works for them. at the same time, i just bring up my opinion (and i know there are some people who wish i wouldn't) because i get the feeling that in many boards like this that EMDR is touted as "the" way to recover from trauma, and that people who manage to do it are very strong individuals (whereas others who take "less intense" forms of exposure therapy are kind of "soft").

i like your perspective, ((((miss C)))), that it's ALL trauma work. even when i'm just talking about uni and stuff, pdoc points out that we're building our relationship too, and that's really important to me when it comes to even venturing near the trauma stuff.