Restoring The Connection

Mind

What Psychotherapy Does:
Changes The Story

When we are able to gain insight into how our stories enforce our protective survival states we can begin to change the stories. We recognize the people, places, and situations that trigger our survival states and we begin to notice that our negative beliefs are not true and the shame we feel belongs to others, and not to us. We become masters of our body and mind. We are able to be present instead of living with fear, anger, hopelessness, and distress.

The first step to gaining insight into our stories and survival states (fight, flight, freeze) is to notice the feelings when we are in each state. We map the feelings and become aware of what survival state we are experiencing and we begin to notice when we feel safe.

Once we understand how we feel in each state we begin to identify the thoughts, feelings, people, places, and situations that trigger survival states. We also identify the same elements that enable us to feel safe, safe enough to explore people, places and situations we were once unable to explore.

The mapping exercises developed by Deb Dana (rhythymofregulation.com) build upon each other and provide the ability to identify and create resources that enable greater feelings of safety. The maps change the stories.

Incorporating Eye-Movement, Desensitization, and Reprocessing (EMDR) into the mapping exercises helps to identify the beliefs, feelings, and body sensations that create negative stories. Reprocessing the negative beliefs to more positive ones changes the story from a once traumatic belief to a more useful belief where self-blame and shame are no longer true.

The EMDR process allows new associations to form between the traumatic or distressing memory and more adaptive information because the prefrontal cortex is online and processes the information using logic, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. We develop a greater understanding of the traumatic or distressing events and the experience or belief loses its emotional charge and can be viewed objectively (from the outside looking in).

Our perspective shifts and we attain a positive belief about ourselves that didn’t feel true at the time of the trauma.

EMDR is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy. The technique uses bilateral stimulation (BLS) in the form of eye movements, and tactile or auditory tones. BLS used in EMDR Therapy seems to unlock the nervous system and desensitize the trauma memories (reducing emotional distress and memory vividness) by allowing the mind and body to process the experience. The bilateral stimulation causes both sides of the brain to focus; traumatic material located in the limbic system, the right side of the brain is processed by the prefrontal cortex areas located on the left side of the brain.

EMDR provides relief much faster than other forms of psychotherapy. Talking about traumatic or distressing events triggers our bodies and brains to re-enact the trauma and healing doesn’t take place.

Lastly, EMDR is endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense.

Body

 What Polyvagal Informed Yoga Can Do:
It Brings a Sense Of Safety, Awareness, and Connection Back to the Body

Our bodies are intelligent communicators. Learning to read signs like elevated heart rate and shallow, rapid breathing can empower us to understand what is happening in the physical body.

Knowing which survival state we are in (flight, fight or freeze) enables us to feel more in control and less overwhelmed because we understand what is happening in our bodies.

Once we have that awareness, we can start to work within the physical body to heal and recover. Learning to identify these clues becomes an opportunity to create a way out of the story around the traumatic experience.

Using tools to reconnect to the body and show it is safe right now, we can move out of a protective survival state and back into feeling safe, social, and connected. (See Deb Dana rhythyofregulation.com)

The goal is to safely and comfortably reconnect with your physical home, your body. Utilizing these tools and skills will help begin to heal the nervous system as you navigate out of a fight, flight, and/or freeze with more ease and speed beyond our sessions and into the challenges of daily life.