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Therapy in a Nutshell

Why do I feel so numb? Why can't I cry? Working through Emotional Numbing and Dissociation

Therapy in a Nutshell

Therapy in a Nutshell -Emma McAdam

Mental Health, Education, Health & Fitness:mental Health, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 658 Ratings

🗓️ 7 November 2025

⏱️ 15 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Emotional numbing and dissociation is often a response to trauma, grief or loss. You might feel empty, dead inside, or like you can't cry. Numbness is a common symptom of PTSD. Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership check out our free course Grounding Skills for Stress, Anxiety and PTSD: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/grounding-skills-for-anxiety-stress-and-ptsd/?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube Full Video w/ Thomas: https://youtu.be/mIypaYoKXQg Embodiment playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-FLbFboMWs&list=PLiUrrIiqidTVO0sPOvlvYyAc0XJhsQQi8 Emotional numbness can feel like you’re cut off from life—flat, disconnected, or like you’re just going through the motions. Many people describe feeling blank, unable to cry, or watching life from the outside. This experience is more common than you think, and it’s often a nervous system response to overwhelming stress or trauma. In this video, Emma McAdam from Therapy in a Nutshell explains why people go numb or experience dissociation, and what you can do about it. We’ll explore the science of the freeze response, how numbing protects us when emotions are too big, and why it shows up after trauma, grief, chronic stress, or burnout. Learn how to stop nightmares and night terrors in adults, understand PTSD-related sleep issues, and get practical treatment tips for better rest and recovery. Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership What’s the difference between nightmares and night terrors—and how do you stop them, especially in adults? In this video, we break down nightmares vs night terrors, including how they relate to PTSD, trauma, and stress. Learn how to recognize the signs of nightmare disorder, and what treatments like Imagery Rehearsal Therapy, trauma-focused therapy, and sleep hygiene can do to help. We also explore night terrors in adults, which are rare but sometimes linked to PTSD. Whether you're seeking effective night terrors treatment, support for trauma-related sleep issues, or just want to understand why your sleep feels so disturbing, this video offers insight and real tools. If you or a loved one suffer from intense dreams or frightening sleep episodes, you’re not alone—and healing is possible. #Nightmares #NightTerrors #NightTerrorsInAdults #HowToStopNightmaresInAdults #NightmareDisorder #PTSD #sleeptherapy Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.therapyinanutshell.com Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books  Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome back to another episode of the Therapy in a Nutshell podcast. I'm Emma McAdam and I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist.

0:07.1

And this podcast is all about taking the life-changing, but usually kind of complicated topics of therapy and boiling them down into simple, easy-to-understand concepts that you can use in your daily life.

0:18.8

If you find today's episode as helpful to you,

0:20.9

please pass it on to someone else who could benefit from it as well. Each podcast

0:24.5

episode comes from a corresponding video you can find on the Therapy in a Nutshell YouTube

0:28.6

channel. Also, these podcasts are educational and don't replace the advice or direction you may

0:33.4

be receiving from a therapist or other health professionals. Now please enjoy the episode.

0:37.9

The other day in my live call with my members, a member asked this question, how do I recognize

0:44.2

my emotions when I feel blank? I don't see where I fit on the emotions wheel. Now, most people know

0:51.1

that naming an emotion is the first step to working through it.

0:55.7

But what if you just feel empty?

0:58.3

Like, you just can't cry, or maybe you feel flat or numb or shut down or even dead inside.

1:05.1

Now, this can be confusing and scary, but it's actually your body's natural survival response.

1:10.1

So in this video, we'll talk about why people feel numb,

1:12.6

and more importantly, five things you can do to help you start feeling again.

1:20.6

Emotional numbness is a common experience, and here's what it can look like.

1:26.6

Feeling flat, both physically and emotionally.

1:30.3

Losing motivation or interest in things that once brought you joy.

1:33.3

Not feeling happiness, but not even feeling sadness either.

1:37.3

Feeling detached, like you're watching your life happen from the outside.

1:41.3

Now if you relate to any of that, I would say you're not broken.

1:44.9

You're experiencing a nervous system response. But a response to what? Like, why do we go numb?

...

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