How to Manage Intrusive Thoughts and Difficult Emotions After Trauma

After an earthquake, the ground may stop moving, but for many people, the experience continues in the mind and body.

Thoughts such as “What if it happens again?”, “What if something happens to my family?”, or “I don’t feel safe” may appear repeatedly. A sound, vibration, image, news report, or even a physical sensation can bring back memories of what happened and trigger fear, anxiety, or tension.

These experiences can be especially intense when aftershocks continue, homes have been damaged, or there is ongoing uncertainty about what will happen next.

As part of Commit and Act Proyecto Colombia’s response to communities affected by the recent earthquakes, we offered a free psychoeducational workshop online on how to manage intrusive thoughts and difficult emotions after a traumatic experience.

The workshop was facilitated by  Sabrina Mautner, LMHC and co-hosted by our volunteer therapist, Catalina Fortich, LMHC, and it provided education about trauma, stress, and emotional regulation, along with practical tools such as breathing exercises, grounding techniques, visualization, muscle relaxation, and cognitive strategies that may help children and adults cope with periods of increased emotional distress.

Below is a summary of the webinar:

What Are Intrusive Thoughts After Trauma?

Intrusive thoughts are thoughts, images, memories, or worries that appear involuntarily and may feel difficult to control.

After an earthquake or other natural disaster, a person may experience thoughts such as:

• “It is going to happen again.”

• “We are not safe.”

• “Something bad is going to happen.”

• “I won’t be able to handle it.”

• “I have to stay alert all the time.”

• “What if the next one is worse?”

Images of the earthquake, memories of what happened, or persistent concerns about the safety of family members and loved ones may also arise.

The presence of these thoughts does not necessarily mean that something bad is going to happen. They may reflect the brain’s continued effort to understand, process, and respond to an experience that was perceived as threatening or overwhelming.

Trauma: When the Experience Continues After the Danger Has Passed

A traumatic experience can temporarily overwhelm our usual ability to process what has happened. During a threat, the brain and body focus on survival. Afterward, we may continue reacting to signals associated with the experience. This is why some people affected by an earthquake may experience anxiety, fear, irritability, difficulty sleeping, frequent startle responses, muscle tension, problems concentrating, or a persistent feeling that something else is about to happen.

Others may feel disconnected, exhausted, numb, or emotionally shut down.

Understanding these reactions can help us respond to ourselves with greater compassion.

Instead of asking, “Why can’t I stop thinking about this?” we might begin asking:

“What is my mind or body trying to protect me from right now?”

The Cognitive Triangle: Thoughts, Emotions, and Behaviors

During the webinar, we explored the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

What we think can influence how we feel and how we respond.

For example:

Thought: “If I feel a vibration, another earthquake must be coming.”

Emotion: Fear and anxiety.

Physical response: Muscle tension, increased heart rate, or rapid breathing.

Behavior: Constantly checking the environment, avoiding sleep, or remaining on high alert.

This does not mean we should ignore real risks. After a natural disaster, some safety concerns may be completely justified.

The goal is to learn how to distinguish between a threat that is happening right now and an alarm response connected to something that happened in the past.

Don’t Have to Fight Every Thought

When an intrusive thought appears, our first reaction may be to try to eliminate it immediately. However, the more we struggle against certain thoughts, the more persistent they may feel. An alternative is to learn to notice the thought and ask:

What am I thinking right now?

What emotion is connected to this thought?

What information do I have in this moment?

Is there another way to understand what is happening?

The goal is not to force ourselves to think positively. Instead, we can work toward developing a more flexible perspective based on the information available in the present moment.

Grounding Techniques to Return to the Present

Grounding techniques are strategies designed to bring our attention back to the present moment. After a traumatic experience, grounding can be helpful when the mind becomes caught in memories of the past or worries about the future.

The Five Senses Technique

One grounding strategy involves intentionally observing the environment through our senses. We can identify things we see, sensations we can feel through touch, sounds we hear, scents we notice, and other sensory details around us.

The purpose is to provide the brain with concrete information:

“I am here. This is the present moment.”

This technique can also be adapted for children by turning it into an exploration activity or game.

Breathing to Manage Stress and Anxiety

When we experience fear or anxiety, our breathing may become faster and shallower.

Slow, controlled breathing exercises may help some people gradually reduce physiological activation. During the workshop, participants practiced diaphragmatic breathing strategies while paying attention to the rhythm of inhaling and exhaling.

Following an exact number is less important than avoiding forced breathing. The practice should feel comfortable and allow the person to gradually reconnect with the body.

Some people may also find gentle sensory cues, such as a familiar and pleasant scent, helpful as long as the scent feels comfortable and is not associated with distressing memories.

Visualizing a Calm or Peaceful Place

Another strategy involves imagining a real or imagined place associated with calm, comfort, or safety.

We might ask ourselves:

What can I see there?

What sounds do I hear?

What temperature do I notice?

What colors or details can I observe?

Visualization is not intended to deny what is happening. Instead, it may offer the body a brief opportunity to rest from ongoing activation.

Muscle Relaxation to Release Tension

Stress and fear can also accumulate in the body. The shoulders may remain elevated, the jaw may tighten, or muscles may stay tense without us even realizing it.

Progressive muscle relaxation can help us recognize the difference between tension and relaxation. For children, these exercises can be transformed into simple and imaginative activities: squeezing the hands into fists and then releasing them, lifting and relaxing the shoulders, or imagining the body gradually changing from stiff and tense to soft and relaxed.

How Can We Help Children After an Earthquake?

Children may also experience intrusive thoughts, fear of another earthquake, difficulty sleeping, worries about separating from caregivers, or increased sensitivity to sounds and movement.

Adults can help by providing simple, age-appropriate information, maintaining routines whenever possible, and validating children’s emotions without unnecessarily increasing fear.

We can also teach children breathing exercises, grounding techniques, muscle relaxation, drawing, and other forms of emotional expression.

A simple question might be:

“What could help your body feel a little calmer right now?”

The goal is not to convince a child that something dangerous will never happen again. We cannot offer guarantees that we do not have.

Instead, we can communicate that trusted adults are present, there are plans for responding to emergencies, and children do not have to manage difficult emotions alone.

Emotional Regulation Does Not Mean Ignoring Danger

After an earthquake, conversations about emotional regulation must acknowledge an important reality: some people may continue to experience aftershocks, structural damage, housing and work disruptions, and uncertainty. Regulating the nervous system does not mean convincing ourselves that everything is fine.

Instead, we can learn to ask:

“Is there a danger that requires action right now, or is my alarm system responding to a memory or a future possibility?”

When there is a real risk, we should respond to that risk. When we are physically safe but our body remains in a state of alarm, we can use strategies to help ourselves gradually return to the present. Remind yourself to be patient with the process of your brain learning that you're safe!

All Emotions are Welcome

Fear, sadness, anger, uncertainty, and frustration can all be understandable responses after a traumatic experience. The goal of emotional regulation is not to eliminate uncomfortable emotions. Instead, we can learn to experience an emotion without allowing it to automatically determine our next action.

We can feel afraid and breathe.

We can feel sad and seek connection.

We can feel uncertain and focus on what we can do today.

We can remember what happened while also returning to the present moment.

Recovery Also Happens in Community

After a natural disaster, social and community support can become an important part of recovery. Community workshops provide opportunities for people to learn practical tools, ask questions, share experiences, and recognize that others may be experiencing similar emotional responses.

At Commit and Act Proyecto Colombia, we believe that education about trauma and mental health should be accessible to the communities that need it. With the support of professionals and volunteers who generously donate their time and expertise, we continue to offer free educational workshops, trauma-informed resources, emotional regulation strategies, and psychological support resources for people affected by the earthquakes the clinicians working with the survivors.

When Should You Consider Seeking Psychological Support After an Earthquake?

Many emotional reactions following a traumatic event may gradually decrease over time, particularly when people have access to safety, social support, and appropriate resources.

However, professional support may be helpful when intrusive thoughts, fear, anxiety, traumatic memories, sleep difficulties, avoidance, or emotional disconnection remain intense or significantly interfere with daily life.

Seeking help does not mean that someone has failed to cope with the experience. It may simply mean that additional support is needed to process something extraordinarily difficult.

Continuing the Recovery Together

The effects of an earthquake do not disappear when the ground stops moving.

Communities need time to rebuild homes and physical spaces, but they also need time to restore routines, trust, connection, and emotional well-being.

At Commit and Act Proyecto Colombia, we remain committed to supporting this process through education, prevention, community resources, and access to mental health support.

We cannot control everything that happens around us, but we can learn tools to respond to our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations with greater awareness, flexibility, and compassion.

Most importantly, we can remember that we do not have to navigate the emotional impact of a traumatic experience alone.

About Commit and Act Proyecto Colombia

Commit and Act Proyecto Colombia is a nonprofit organization committed to expanding access to mental health resources and psychological support for communities affected by trauma, violence, vulnerable circumstances, and natural disasters.

Through the collaboration of professionals, volunteers, and donors, we develop educational workshops, community resources, and psychological support initiatives designed to strengthen resilience and emotional well-being.

This content is intended for educational and supportive purposes and does not replace an individualized mental health evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. If you or a loved one is experiencing severe or persistent symptoms following a traumatic experience, consider seeking support from a qualified mental health professional.

To learn more about commit and act Proyecto Colombia, please contact us at commitandactcolombia@gmail.com.