Trauma is fundamentally a disconnection from our true selves, leaving its mark on both the body and mind. A situation in which we experienced such overwhelming helplessness that we had to shut down. Trauma in childhood could be from painful things we experienced, but also from positive things we didn’t experience such as regular and stable emotional attunement from our caregivers. It’s a disconnection from our authentic feelings, times when we were unable to express how we truly felt. Often it is not the emotion itself that is the problem but our attempts not to feel it, which ultimately leads us into more suffering. Healing comes with feeling safe enough to go back to painful memories and express these trapped or repressed emotions in the present moment. Being able to really experience our emotions safely with another attuned human being allows for a shift in energy. Emotions are just energy wanting to move through us, and so when we open ourselves up to this possibility, we allow our body to release and come back into balance. We make space and restore the movement within us so that life can flow through us more freely.
“We make space and restore the movement within us so more of life can flow through us.”
“Many of us go through life disconnected from our bodies, ignoring its messages and signals that something is out of balance.”
The body stores and holds every experience we have lived through. It has wise and ingenious built-in survival mechanisms, allowing us to endure traumatic events and live on. Many of us go through life disconnected from our bodies, ignoring its messages and signals that something is out of balance. During sessions we can release this trapped energy as we pay attention to what shows up, getting curious and learning to follow the body’s cues to get us back into equilibrium and harmony.
We are always unconsciously picking up clues in our environment of safety or danger. Responsible for assessing threat or connection and regulating appropriate responses is our autonomic nervous system. Trauma can greatly impact our capacity to self-regulate. Part of this work is learning how to regulate ourselves with more flexibility and resilience, to notice when we are out of a calm state and develop tools to move us back into a more regulated state.
“Responsible for assessing threat or connection and regulating appropriate responses is our autonomic nervous system.”
“As we become more aware of what is going on for us in the present moment, we develop self-compassion and strengthen our ability to self-regulate.”
More and more studies are showing how mindfulness practises can help support trauma recovery. Mindfulness is being able to be with whatever is present, without judgement. As we become more aware of what is going on for us in the present moment, we develop self-compassion and strengthen our ability to self-regulate. Advances in neuroplasticity are showing that survivors of trauma can begin to re-wire the mind through mindfulness practises, leading to more inner peace, self-regulation and harmony in relationships.
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart.
Who looks outside dreams, who looks inside awakens.”
CARL JUNG