Explanations of Trauma and the Body from 3 Experts

Hello! Last time I talked more about how trauma affects our body, and this time I want to provide 3 short clips with summaries from leading experts in the trauma field.

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk's how to detoxify the body from trauma- "People want to forget trauma because it is too much". Trauma therapy is  important because 1) people are able to tell the truth about what happened, without feeling shame about it, as well as helping them not feel stuck or isolated; 2) After trauma, we see things differently and experience things differently. Trauma can be stored in the body, not just the brain. Feelings of disgust and horror in the body are a part of what needs to be addressed, too. People try and numb these feelings (often with drugs or alcohol). Instead, we need to help re-acquaint ourselves with our bodies and help calm our bodies down. Yoga is highly effective to help calm the body and to learn to be aware of how we move our bodies.

Dr. Peter Levine's how trauma gets stuck- He does a great job explaining how our energy gets stuck or locked after trauma and doesn't get released. But it shows up in other ways- flashbacks, nightmares, reliving experiences, chronic pain, chronic stiffness. Resolving trauma has to include recognizing that trauma has effects emotional, cognitively and physiological. The body heals a little bit by little bit- it can't just be done all at once or the body will get flooded and overwhelmed. When we do trauma therapy little bit by little bit, it helps neutralize rather than flood.

Dr. Pat Ogden talks about "Contact statements". Contact statements are statements made about the present moment experiences that incorporate the body's response. This is used to bring awareness to the body's reaction to different topics, statements, and beliefs. Another important part of trauma therapy is noticing words or feelings that come up as our body is having different reactions to our environment. This helps us to be mindful of what is actually happening to determine if it is a trauma response, or something that is occurring in the present moment.

I hope you were able to find something helpful!

 Thanks for reading and being in connection with me,

Steph