Reducing Trauma

Table of Contents

01 02 03

What is Trauma? Causes of Trauma Symptoms of

Trauma

04 05

Healing Trauma Key Takeaways

 What is
Trauma?
 “Trauma” refers to debilitating symptoms that
many people suffer from in the aftermath of
perceived life-threatening or overwhelming
experiences.
 Trauma occurs when both internal and external
resources are inadequate to cope with external
threat (Vander Kolk, 1989).
 Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible
event like an accident, crime, natural disaster,
physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing
or witnessing violence, death of a loved one, war,
and more (APA, 2017).
Causes of Trauma
The obvious causes of trauma are,
 War
 Severe childhood emotional,
physical, or sexual abuse
 Neglect, betrayal, or abandonment
during childhood
 Experiencing or witnessing violence
 Rape
 Catastrophic injuries and illnesses
Causes of Trauma
Causes of Trauma

The less obvious causes of trauma are,

• Very minor automobile accidents

• Invasive medical and dental procedures, particularly when performed
on children who are restrained or anesthetized .
• Falls and other so-called minor injuries, especially when children or
elderly people are involved.
• Natural disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires,
and floods.
• Being left alone, especially in young children and babies.
• Exposure to extreme heat or cold, especially in children and babies.
• Sudden loud noises, especially in children and babies.
• Birth stress, for both mother and infant.
Symptoms of Trauma
Dissociation and Feelings of
DenialDissociation Helplessness,
ConstrictionThis acts as a protective Immobility, and
response mechanism, shielding FreezingHelplessn
Hyper
optimizes focus on us from overwhelming ess acts as the
arousalPhysical
the threat by arousal, fear, and nervous
symptoms (e.g.,
altering breathing, pain. system&a
increase in heart
muscle tone, and Denial pos;s brake,
rate, sweating,
posture. Blood creates disconnection countering hyper
difficulty
flow shifts to the between a person and arousal. This is not
breathing (rapid,
muscles for their feelings or ordinary
shallow, panting,
defensive action, memories of a helplessness but a
etc.), cold sweats,
digestion slows, traumatic event. This profound state of
tingling, and
and numbness or can manifest as collapse and
muscular tension.
shutdown may denying the event immobilization,
occur. occurred or leaving a person
downplaying its feeling utterly
significance. powerless.
 An unusual and problematic
symptom is “Compulsion to
repeat” the actions that
Other Symptoms of Trauma caused the problems in the
first place.
Early Symptoms Later Symptoms
 Hypervigilance (being "on guard" at all  Panic attacks, anxiety and phobias
times)  Mental “blankness” or spaced-out
 Extreme sensitivity to light and sound feelings
 Exaggerated emotional and startle  Avoidance behavior
responses  Attraction to dangerous situations
 Nightmares and night terrors  Addictive behaviors
 Abrupt mood swings  Exaggerated or diminished sexual
 Shame and lack of self-worth activity
 Intrusive imagery or flashbacks  Amnesia and forgetfulness
 Hyperactivity  Inability to love, or bond with other
 Reduced ability to deal with stress individuals
 Difficulty sleeping  Fear of dying
 Self-mutilation (severe abuse, self-
inflicted cutting, etc.)
 Loss of sustainable beliefs (religious
beliefs)
 Healing Trauma
Healing trauma requires a structured
approach for effective recovery.

Peter A. Levine proposed a 12 phase

healing program for pople suffering
from trauma.

According to Levine
“Body sensations rather than
intense emotions are the key to
healing trauma.”
 12 Phases of Healing
Program
3rdGroup –
Discharging 4thGroup –
2ndGroup – Activations Completion:
1stGroup – Returning to
Tracking Skills Phase 7 – Fight response:
Preparatory Equilibrium
Phases Phase 4 – From “felt natural aggression vs
sense” to tracking violence Phase 11 –
Phase 1 – Safety and Orientation: moving
specific sensations Phase 8 – Flight response:
containment exercises from internal to
Phase 5 – Tracking natural escapes vs anxiety
Phase 2 – Grounding external environment
activations: sensations, Phase 9 – Strength and and social
and centering
images, thoughts and resilience vs collapse and engagement
Phase 3 – Building emotions relief
resources Phase 12 – Setting and
Phase 6 – Pendulations Phase 10 – Uncoupling integrating into your
fear from the immobility body’s new normal
response
Phase 1: Safety and Containment
Exercises
The purpose is to regain safety and control by reconnecting with the body.

Muscle
Shower
Exercise
Exercise

Tapping String
Exercise Boundar
y
Exercise
Phase 2-3: Grounding, Centering and
Building Resources
The purpose is to enhance stability and resource building.

Animal
Exercise

Chair Exercise Paper and

Pen
Exercise
 Phase 4: Felt Sense to Tracking
Sensations
The purpose
Eugene is to
Gendlin, understand
“Felt sense”theis language of body
not a mental experiences.
experience but a physical one. A
bodily awareness of a situation, person or an event.

- Seeing a blue summer sky dotted with soft white clouds.

- Walking along a country road.
- Watching a group of brightly dressed children singing ethnic folk songs.
- Enjoying conversation with a friend.

Ask yourself a question, “How you are

doing?”
Conflict-free Exercise:
- Have a point to focus (can be anything/person) and begin to sense the body.
- In next step, focus when you had felt like yourself most in the past few days.
Simply note your body sensations.
- Then, go a little back in time, last 2 weeks and then a month.
- Slowly, come back to the present.
 Phase 5-6: Tracking Activations and
Pendulations
The purpose
Separate is to understand
sensations, thoughts,the language
feelings and of body experiences.
images that may arouse positive
or negative feelings.

Ask yourself a question, “I just had a thought. What

do I begin to notice in my body?”

Pendulations:
Take a deep breath.
Imagine a situation that can be overwhelming or disturbing for you.
Focus how your physical sensations begin to change. Experience it.
You will feel overwhelmed (contraction), however eventually these feelings will shift
(moving towards expansion).
Do it until you start to pendulate from dread and helplessness to curiosity and
exploration.
 Phase 7: Fight Response: Natural Aggression
Vs Violence
The purpose is to discharge bodily activations through exercises.
In order to defend ourselves, nature has designed us to be aggressive (healthy
aggression). However, traumatized people abort their aggression, thus become
fearful of re-engaging in life.

Push Hands Exercise Back Pushing Exercise

Phase 8: Flight Response: Natural Escapes
Vs Anxiety
The purpose is to discharge bodily activations through exercises.

If a person is traumatized it’s because they

were unable to escape (flight).

Exercise: Sit in a comfortable chair with a

pillow under your feet. Close your eyes and
start imagining a situation in which you
wanted to run but couldn’t do it in past but
now during this exercise you would run to a
safe place.
Phase 9-10: Strength and Resilience Vs
Collapse and Relief
The purpose is to discharge bodily activations through exercises.

Feelings of collapse is an incomplete response to the traumatizing event. By

going in and out of it, one can gain sense of strength and resilience.

Exercise: Remember an event when you feel collapsed (ashamed or defeated),

let the feelings of collapse stay until you reach an end point. After that start
straightening you back and shoulders and neck and feel the sensations of
openness and expansion.

Uncoupling fear from the immobility response; so that the stuck energy in our
body is freed and a complete response is generated.
Phase 11-12: Orientation, Setting and
Integrating Into Your Body’s New Normal
The purpose is to shift from internal to external engagement.

It’s a natural response to reach out and contact

with outer environment and individuals you
have in your life.

Motown song “It takes one to stand in dark

alone…. It takes two to let the light shine
through.”

Setting and integrating into your body’s new

normal.
Key Takeways
 Understanding Trauma is Essential
Recognizing trauma’s effects is vital for personal healing.
 Trauma Affects Mind and Body
Trauma has far-reaching impacts on both mental and physical
health.
 Healing is a Structured Process
Healing involves distinct phases that require exploration and
engagement.
 Importance of Bodily Sensations
Engaging with bodily sensations is crucial in the healing
journey.
 Support Systems are Crucial
Access to support and resources significantly enhances
recovery.
References
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