How Trauma Affects Your Third Eye (And How to Reclaim Your Clarity)
Ever felt that "gut feeling" or just knew something was off, even if you couldn't explain why? That's your Third Eye Chakra at work – your inner compass for intuition, insight, and deeper wisdom. When this powerful energy center is balanced, it's like having crystal-clear vision for your life, allowing you to trust your instincts and see beyond the surface.
But what happens when that inner guidance gets cloudy, especially after difficult or traumatic experiences? You might find yourself constantly second-guessing, struggling with a persistent mental fog, or feeling completely disconnected from your own inner knowing. These are often clear signals that your third eye chakra needs some gentle attention and healing.
What Even Is a Chakra? (A Quick Look!)
If "chakras" are new to you, they are simply energy centers within your body. Think of them as energetic hubs that influence your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. When these wheels of energy are spinning freely, you often feel more balanced and at ease. If they're a bit sluggish or overactive, you might notice some bumps in your daily life.
The Third Eye Chakra: Your Seat of Intuition and Inner Vision
In the simplest terms, your third eye chakra (or Ajna – pronounced "Ahj-nah") is your body's powerful center of intuition, insight, and inner wisdom. It's located right between your eyebrows, often depicted as a single eye, and it's associated with the element of light and the color indigo or deep blue. Think of it like your inner visionary, helping you perceive truths beyond what your physical eyes can see.
When this energy center is balanced, that inner vision is clear and strong. You feel:
Intuitive: You trust your gut feelings and inner knowing.
Clear-headed: Your thoughts are focused, and decisions come with ease.
Insightful: You can understand situations and people on a deeper level.
Imaginative: Your creativity and ability to visualize flourish.
Perceptive: You notice subtle cues and patterns others might miss.
Wisdom-Guided: You feel connected to a deeper understanding of life.
But when it's out of balance, that inner vision can feel cloudy, overwhelmed, or even non-existent. It's tied to our early experiences of trusting our instincts, being encouraged to explore new ideas, and feeling safe to perceive the world in our own unique way.
Honoring the Roots of the Third Eye (Ajna)
Like all chakras, the chakra system originates from ancient Indian spiritual traditions. The Third Eye Chakra, Ajna, is the sixth energy center in the body. Its Sanskrit name translates to "to perceive" or "to command," reflecting its connection to our capacity for conscious awareness, intuition, and mental clarity. It represents our inner teacher, our ability to gain insight, and our relationship with our perception of reality.
A healthy Ajna means feeling trusting of your instincts, having a clear mental landscape, and embracing a healthy sense of your own inner wisdom. When it’s out of balance, that sense of inner knowing can feel diminished or overwhelming.
When Trauma Blurs Your Inner Sight: Signs Your Third Eye Needs Support
Life happens, and often, trauma can impact our ability to trust what we see, feel, and know. When you experience trauma, especially if your perceptions were denied or distorted, your third eye chakra can become deeply affected. It might feel unsafe to see clearly, or your intuition might go into overdrive trying to protect you. When it's out of balance due to trauma, you might experience:
Confusion & Disorientation: Feeling lost, unable to make clear decisions, or a persistent sense of mental fog.
Difficulty Trusting Your Intuition: Constantly second-guessing your gut feelings, even when they're accurate, due to past experiences of betrayal or invalidation.
Hyper-Vigilance or Numbness: Either constantly scanning for threats (overactive third eye) or feeling completely disconnected and numb to your inner signals (underactive third eye).
Distorted Perceptions: Struggling to discern reality, misinterpreting social cues, or feeling paranoid.
Memory Issues & Flashbacks: Your mind may struggle to process information clearly, leading to intrusive thoughts or difficulty forming new memories.
Lack of Vision/Hope: Feeling uninspired, unable to imagine a positive future, or struggling to plan ahead.
Physical Symptoms: Since it's located in the head area, imbalances can sometimes manifest as chronic headaches, eye strain, sinus issues, or sleep disturbances. Note: Always discuss medical concerns with your physician. Chakra work does not replace medical care or medical advice.
This isn't about blaming yourself; it's about noticing how your nervous system has adapted to protect you. Your body holds wisdom, and these feelings are often signals that something needs attention, and that healing is possible.
Clearing Your Sight: Healing Your Third Eye Chakra After Trauma
The beautiful thing about the third eye chakra is its inherent capacity for insight and clarity. Healing after trauma involves gently creating a safe space for your intuition to re-emerge and your perceptions to realign.
Practice Mindful Awareness (With Support): Learning to observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment is crucial. If trusting your internal experience feels scary or difficult, therapy (especially EMDR) can provide a safe, structured space to process overwhelming experiences and build a new relationship with your inner knowing. It’s about gently building capacity to be present with what is.
Engage in Grounding Practices: When your intuition feels chaotic or absent, grounding can bring you back to the present. This could be deep breathing, walking in nature, connecting with your senses (smelling an essential oil, feeling textures), or simple body scans. Focus on feeling safe and present in your body.
Cultivate Gentle Self-Inquiry: Often, a traumatized third eye means we've stopped asking ourselves deep questions or exploring our inner landscape. Practice gentle self-inquiry through journaling or reflection, asking questions like, "What do I truly need right now?" or "What does my intuition tell me about this?" without needing immediate answers.
Conscious Visualization for Safety & Future: Start with small visualizations that create a sense of safety or calm. This could be imagining a peaceful place, or visualizing a simple, positive daily interaction. Over time, as capacity builds, you can visualize positive future outcomes, helping to rebuild hope and direction.
Reiki + Energy Healing for Clarity & Calming: Just like with other chakras, energy healing practices can be a wonderful complement to therapy. When confusion, hyper-vigilance, or a sense of inner numbness overwhelm your intuition, gentle energy work like Reiki can help clear stagnant energy and invite a more vibrant, balanced flow within your energy system, supporting your natural capacity for clarity and inner wisdom.
EMDR Therapy for Processing Trauma: If your feelings of confusion, lack of trust in intuition, or distorted perceptions stem from past trauma, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful, research-backed therapy. It helps your brain and body gently reprocess distressing memories and experiences that may be keeping your third eye blocked or overwhelmed. By working through what's holding you back, EMDR can help release deep-seated fears or distortions, allowing for greater access to your natural insight, inner clarity, and genuine wisdom.
This month, we are thrilled to announce a special collaboration with our dear friend Edith Caballero at Lotus Love Box. Lotus Love Box is a Mental Health, Sobriety, and Self-Care Package company curated by Edith Caballero, LCSW, YT-200, Reiki II.
You deserve to trust your inner compass, see clearly, and feel connected to your inner wisdom, even after challenging experiences. Healing your third eye chakra isn't about forcing psychic abilities, but about gently clearing the path for your natural insight and well-being to shine through.
If you're feeling stuck in confusion or struggling to trust your intuition, remember you don't have to navigate it alone.
Ready to start trusting yourself again? Book a FREE consult for therapy here (FL, SC, & TN residents).
👋 Follow @holistictherapywithsabrina to learn more about EMDR, inner child healing, and embracing your authentic self, from a therapist who truly gets it.
🪷 Follow @lotuslovebox for more holistic gifts for mental health and sobriety. Each box is Reiki-infused and therapist-curated. Follow along for coping skills, humor, and healing tools.
About the author: Sabrina Cruz, LCSW, RYT-200 is a psychotherapist and yoga teacher who truly values holistic care. She supports women to break free from people-pleasing and unapologetically embody their light. HHWS specializes in people pleasing, anxiety, and childhood wounds to help you heal from trauma, reparent your inner child, and embrace your authentic self.
This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for mental health or medical advice. The Chakra System can be used an adjunctive to mental health therapy but not replace professional support.
Lotus Love Box Disclaimer: “These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. My products or information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements are not meant to replace the advice of a healthcare professional. Do not rely on the information on our website as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you may be suffering from any medical or mental health condition, you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice or discontinue medical treatment because of information on our website.
Crystal: Using crystals or stones for healing is an alternative therapeutic technique that is used for alleviating conditions and protecting against disease. Using crystals for healing dates centuries back. Many believe that crystals act as conduits for healing — allowing positive, healing energy to flow into the body as negative, disease-causing energy flows out. Crystal healing is however considered a pseudoscience given that there is no evidence of crystals healing such conditions.
Please note that all crystal shapes and sizes are not the same. Crystal sizes range from 1 - 2 inches in length.”