Trauma, Stress & Skin: How IEMT Supports Healing Beyond the Surface

We often think of the skin as something purely physical — a barrier, a covering, a layer to protect us from the outside world. But in truth, our skin is a messenger. It reflects what’s happening deep within the nervous system, often carrying the weight of unresolved stress, grief, or trauma.

This connection between the mind, the body, and the skin is at the heart of psychodermatology — the study of how stress and emotions influence dermatological conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and chronic skin eruptions.

And increasingly, therapies that address the emotional root of stress are showing remarkable results. One approach is Integral Eye Movement Therapy (IEMT).

The Evidence: A Case of Psoriasis Resolved in One Session

In a peer-reviewed case study published by Moore & Manea, a patient experiencing psoriasis flare-ups underwent a single session of IEMT.

The result? The skin cleared completely — and the client remained in remission for over two years. Read the case study here.

While every individual is unique, this study highlights a vital point: when we address the psychogenic (emotionally rooted) components of skin conditions, the body can begin to release the stress patterns that keep symptoms alive.

The Psychosomatic Link: Skin, Stress & the Nervous System

Conditions such as eczema and psoriasis are often exacerbated by stress. Why?

Because when the amygdala (the brain’s fear centre) senses threat, it signals the body to flood with cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, this chronic activation weakens the immune system, fuels inflammation, and disrupts the delicate balance of skin health.

For many people, this cycle becomes a painful loop:

1. Stress or trauma triggers a flare.

2. The skin eruption causes more stress.

3. The nervous system stays “on alert,” preventing healing.

This is where IEMT offers something different.

What Is IEMT?

Integral Eye Movement Therapy is a content-free, rapid-change process that works by shifting the emotional imprints we hold around memories, trauma, and identity.

Through guided eye movements, the brain is able to access stored patterns of feeling — often linked to unresolved grief, fear, or identity-level beliefs — and reprocess them.

Clients don’t need to re-live or retell every detail of their story. Instead, the emotional charge is released, and the nervous system is freed from overwhelm.

Real-World Experience: A Client’s Testimony

One of my clients recently described their experience after a single IEMT session:

“It was absolutely brilliant… I could feel the ease in my body as we talked through what was coming up. One of the main things that surfaced was grief I didn’t even expect. There was a lot of release. I felt really light afterwards — my eyes actually felt more open. I couldn’t have done that by myself.”

This testimony echoes what the research has shown: IEMT is not only quick and gentle, but profoundly effective in releasing emotional burdens that the body continues to carry.

Why This Matters

• Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema often have a significant emotional and identity-level component.

• By working with the nervous system and emotional memory, IEMT helps the body shift out of chronic stress loops.

• Both research and lived experience point to IEMT as a promising complementary therapy in psychodermatology.

The Bigger Picture: Healing from the Inside Out

Your skin, your emotions, your nervous system — they are not separate. They speak the same language.

When we create safety in the nervous system and release the hidden imprints of trauma, the body is free to heal. For some, that may mean calmer emotions and a lighter mind. For others, it may mean real, measurable changes in chronic conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

An Invitation

If you live with a stress-linked skin condition — or you’re curious about how unresolved trauma might be impacting your health — IEMT can offer a way forward.

I offer both 1:1 programmes and my Rebalance & Rebuild group programme, where we work with tools such as IEMT, SSP, and somatic practices to restore balance to the nervous system and create space for healing.

[Click here to learn more] or get in touch directly to explore how I can support you.

Your body is always speaking. The question is — are you ready to listen, and give it the chance to heal?

Have a listen to Claire's story of IEMT and Coaching and how this has supported her to step into more agency with her body