Each person’s nervous system is unique in it’s resiliency and ability to balance between excitation and relaxation in response to a life filled with novelty. Trauma is defined as any event(s) that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope with challenge, resulting in a lack of emotional and physical well-being. We may get “stuck” in an over activated hyper-vigilant state, or simply feel immobilized, numb and unable to take action. Other symptoms may include sleep & eating disorders, depression/ anxiety, emotional dis-regulation & physical pain.
Healing our Nervous System
Events such as car accidents, emotional/physical abuse, medical interventions /surgery (even elective), loss of a loved one or large life transitions may impact our autonomic nervous system’s ability to regulate between excitation & relaxation, as well as our ability to protect ourselves.
More severe trauma caused by violence, assault and sexual abuse may result in post traumatic stress symptoms, including nightmares, flashbacks and intense emotional anxiety and fear mixed with numbing episodes of dissociation and feelings of isolation. We may literally loose our social nervous system and ability to bond and receive support, ending up in isolation.
Cranial Sacral therapy provides additional support for Somatic Psychotherapy & Trauma Resolution .
Nervous system regulation and balance are restored within a safe consistent therapeutic relationship that re-patterns the neurobiology of the brain to a more relaxed and flexible state that includes resolution of developmental and specific traumatic events. Ultimately there is a resiliency and balance that is restored in our autonomic nervous system that allows for feelings of excitation balanced with relaxation and ease. Using a combination of trauma resolution skills & bodycentered interventions, we support the “discharge “ of our autonomic nervous system, releasing held shock or adrenaline type energy. In trauma resolution there is a focus on restoring protective survival responses such as flight (leaving a situation) or fighting back by finding our voice and setting safe boundaries. If we are taken by surprise and not having enough time to react, we maybe unable to complete our protective impulses. When startled or “triggered” by our environment, we might also go into a “protective” freeze response and potentially dissociation, still missing the opportunity to go to our more adaptive survival responses. In either case, the natural biological responses to protect ourselves are still stored in our body, waiting for completion. Using Somatic Experience techniques enables us to slow down and resource ourselves enough to restore and complete our natural survival impulses.