Basic Understanding of Trauma

We are using the term trauma in reference to psychology, the brain, and the nervous system, not a physical wound. People often avoid facing trauma because it is so painful. We have already lived through the traumatic event or period, but still feel the negative effects in our life. Dr. Peter Levine refers to trauma as a dysregulation of the nervous system. It is possible to heal the nervous system and enjoy life after trauma.

We are all somewhere on the continuum of how greatly we have been affected by abuse, neglect and traumatic events. There are no downsides to exploring issues and suffering through a trauma lens first. As we heal and reconnect with ourselves, our window of tolerance widens and we find we are able to better stay in the present moment. Balancing and strengthening our nervous system is beneficial regardless of whether our issues are caused by unresolved trauma or something else. Developing resilience and resourcing our brain is always helpful. We move out into the world of social trust. Our minds become calmer and less driven. Safety IS the treatment.

• Adverse Childhood Experiences Score (ACES)

  Researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) discovered in the 1990s that childhood neglect and trauma were far more pervasive than previously thought. Trauma has a lasting impact, negatively affecting all areas of people’s lives including physical and mental health, finances, violence, and addiction.

• Core Deficiency Beliefs

  A (false) core deficiency belief forms based on ongoing experiences starting in early childhood. When we feel unloved, we begin to feel we are unlovable. When we are neglected, we feel we are unworthy of attention. We conclude that there must be something fundamentally wrong with us. This is not true.

• Crisis or Shock Trauma (Big T trauma)

  Refers to a terrifying event where a person experiences or witnesses a threat to their life or that of someone close to them. This can happen to anyone and to a person at any age. First Responders and people in the military may experience this type of trauma in their work. We all experienced this with the abrupt change in and threat to our lives with Covid-19.

• Chronic Trauma

  Refers to and includes neglect and abuse that occurs repeatedly over a long period of time. People experiencing chronic trauma may also have incidents of crisis or shock trauma where they feel their life is at risk. 

• Developmental or Childhood Trauma

  Occurs when a child experiences or witnesses multiple exposures to abuse, abandonment or betrayal, and does not experience safe, consistent caretaking. This has a negative effect on the developing brain and nervous system. In addition, positive development fails to happen as it would if the child was safe and cared for. The effects of Developmental Trauma continue into adult life. People with Developmental Trauma who are highly affected in adult life may be diagnosed with Complex PTSD.

• Disconnection

  From ourselves, others, and the present moment is a common response to traumatic events.

• Fear of Trauma Stored In our Body

  We store unresolved trauma from overwhelming experiences in our bodies. The original traumatic experience felt life-threatening and our system protected us from feeling it. The next step is to be sure we never feel that threat and terror again. Present moment awareness is necessary to avoid retraumatizing and to release stored trauma.

• Fight/Flight/Freeze Survival System

  Refers to automatic processes generated in our primitive brain to ensure our physical survival. It activates when we perceive danger. People with trauma in their background are often stuck on yellow or red alert causing a multitude of problems. When faced with emotional threat, we can add fawning or please/appease to our range of survival responses.

• Intergenerational Trauma

  Refers to factors that move through generations. Some of this is through genetics and some is through treatment.

• Mindfulness

  Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally. It’s about knowing what is on your mind.”

• Neuroception

  Our unconscious assessment of safety and threat. Our brain scans our environment and uses evidence from our past experiences to predict safety and activate fight/ flight/ freeze/ fawn survival strategies

• Neuroplasticity

  Was discovered in the mid 1990’s. The brain is capable of developing new neural networks throughout our entire life.

• Sensation, Energy, Feelings

  I use these three terms interchangeably to refer to an experience in our body, like butterflies in the stomach or apprehension felt in the back of our neck and shoulders. The emotion of sadness, for instance, will also be located in our body, perhaps as a feeling of heaviness in the heart area. Fear might be felt as a tight fist or clenching in the gut. This is our nervous system responding to our environment and experience. Charged energy or being triggered refers to a higher level of intensity. Unprocessed trauma is stored in our body as sensation or energy.

• Velcro Effect

  Words and images that are stuck to or associated with sensations, feelings, and energy in our body. We look separately at the three elements of words, images, and sensations to release the Velcro. “The brain is like Teflon for positive experiences and Velcro for negative.” Dr Rick Hanson, neuropsychologist

• PTSD or PTS

  Post Traumatic Stress (Disorder) develops in some people after a shocking, scary or dangerous event. This includes people in war and domestic situations. Symptoms include hypervigilance, flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety. A background in childhood of Developmental Trauma can set the stage for acute PTSD as an adult.

• Post Traumatic Growth and Resilience

  Most people recover from shock or crisis trauma within several months and some even experience Post Traumatic Growth and increased resilience. Dr. Martin Seligman is a pioneer in the emerging field of positive psychology that researches effective ways to increase our resilience and mental strength before and after traumatic events.  

• Somatic Mindfulness Inquiry

  Trauma is stored in our body as sensation with associated memories. With somatic mindfulness inquiry, we stay present in the safety of this moment as we connect with our deeper layers. We learn to stay grounded in awareness in our body and breath. If necessary, we use tapping or tracing to break the trance of thoughts. We are looking to stay in that sweet spot of being deeply engaged and simultaneously aware that we are a well resourced adult who is witnessing and welcoming what is here.