Thoughts on the effects of trauma and how we can heal
Trauma's Effects on the Body and We Can Heal
In the years since 2006, when I began teaching yoga and offering massage and energy work, I've seen the wide variety of ways that the effects of trauma show up in the body. From the posture a person holds or the way their shoulders are hunched, to rapid breathing or the necessity for constant distraction.
It appears differently from person to person and can be a subtle, nagging experience or a full-on debilitating one. Trauma isn't always the result of a catastrophic emergency, like surviving a crisis situation. It can be caused by a seemingly insignificant event. The cause is not as important as how the body reacts to it. Whatever the body perceives as a threat is real and causes a reaction. Something that might not cause you to think twice could have a lasting effect on me because of how I’ve taken in the information of the event. Some factors that might impact my perspective can include my past experiences, my physical well being, my capacity for resilience, or my epigenetic history.
This body of study - Somatic Therapy, was first researched by Dr. Peter Levine, who writes about it in his groundbreaking book, Waking the Tiger, published back in 1997. In it, he describes how animals in the wild experience traumatic events and how their subsequent actions differ from humans. When a herd of impala senses danger as they graze, they immediately run from the threat of being captured by a hungry cheetah. If one young impala trips and loses precious seconds, it is singled out for the chase. When the cheetah eventually catches it, the impala falls to the ground, looking as though it is already dead. It instinctively goes into an altered state of consciousness, shared by all mammals when death seems imminent. This is called the “freeze” response. It's one of four primary traumatic responses we have when facing a threat to our lives.
Most of us have heard of the “fight or flight" responses. We recognize “flight" when we envision the impala running for its life. Or, if it was of equal strength to the cheetah, the impala might try to “fight” back.
The freeze response has been less well known for too long, but the ability to identify it is now being taught to police and EMS workers to understand why victims of rape and assault don’t fight or run from the attacker, but instead stay still and silent. (The New York Times 8/22/2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/22/briefing /rape-victims-trauma-response-biden-hawaii.html)
Even more obscure, as it is only recently being recognized as a trauma response, is “fawning”, which is where we abandon our own needs, to serve others in order to avoid conflict, criticism, or abuse. It's where we might try to please or appease a threat in order to keep ourselves safe and it's often learned in early childhood, developing into overly nice, people-pleasing behavior in adulthood.
The difference between animals and humans is that animals have a way of discharging the negative energy of trauma and humans typically don't. If the impala had escaped the clutches of the cheetah and lived to run away, what we would observe it do next would be a full body shake from head to tail to release the pent up rush of nervous feelings brought on by a life-or-death situation. It might also find the comfort of another impala to nuzzle with or stand near. It might go to a stream and drink big gulps of fresh water. It instinctively does the things that bring it back to homeostasis.
In contrast, humans typically survive an overwhelming threat and try to return to business as usual, as soon as possible. We're told to "buck up", "let it go" and "move on". But those are empty words without acknowledgement of the event, its after effects, or a physical remedy to release the anxious energy. When we are faced with a threat, our bodies naturally respond with a list of physical changes that prepare us to take on the danger: eyes dilate to take in more of our environment and look for an escape route, heart starts pumping faster to send more blood to the muscles in case they are needed to quickly run away, muscles tense, breath comes in fast and shallow. When we're on the other side of a threat - real or perceived, we need a way to release all that excess adrenaline and return to homeostasis too. Otherwise, we may experience lasting physiological or psychological effects when triggered by the memory of the initial threat.
Some of the symptoms of a body still living in a trauma response can include:
Hyperarousal or hyper vigilance - always on guard for the next fire to put out or shoe to drop and/or hyperactivity - always keeping busy so we don't have the time or energy to face what we're feeling below the surface.
Constriction - in the physical body, it may be harder to take a full breath or relax muscles; in the psyche, it may be a narrow way of thinking or an oppressive belief system, limiting ourselves of the full range of experiences due to fear or fear of being seen, or an inability to have close relationships. Or, on the opposite extreme, exaggerated emotional and startle responses, abrupt mood swings, feeling easily stressed out.
Dissociation - spacing out, forgetting things easily, living in denial, blocking out memories. Or, on the other extreme, having intrusive flashbacks, visualizations, or nightmares, and difficulty sleeping.
Trauma has a cycle.
First, the traumatic event happens >> the body, brain, every part of the self feels overwhelmed and reacts to the event >> the threat goes away >> (in an ideal situation) the body releases the negative energy of the event >> returns to homeostasis and is able to function and thrive in a healthy way. If another traumatic event occurs, the body utilizes the learned skills to return to homeostasis.
OR
The traumatic event takes happens >> overwhelm and reaction >> threat goes away >> (not ideal situation) the body stores the effects of the reaction, which can result in physical changes to the body and brain, potential for anxiety and depression to develop, atypical/high risk behavior, repetitive negative patterns emerge >> less able to function in a healthy way, higher likelihood of another traumatic event with undeveloped tools to manage it.
Which option do you want for yourself and those around you? What can we do to shift into a healthy cycle?
In order to counteract the freeze response, we need to learn how to thaw - melt the tension and relax the body.
To counter the fight response, we need to learn to take positive action, to meet the body’s need for movement in a healthy way.
To counter the flight response, we need to practice stillness, to sit with the uncomfortable memories and feelings that arise in a safe and quiet space.
To counter the fawn response, we need to get in touch with who we really are, what our boundaries are, what our needs and desires are, and give ourselves permission to voice these imperatives.
Knowing how important it is to direct healing towards a positive outcome, how would you approach a child who comes to you after an overwhelming event? Would you take them into your arms, offer them comfort and warmth, acknowledge the event and validate their feelings, compassionately listen and hold space as they describe things from their perspective and the accompanying sensations, emotions, thoughts? And if they needed to shake off the residual fear or nervous energy, would you help them in their release? Yes! We all would. We grown-ups need that same level of compassion to heal.
Now, I invite you to take a breath. Notice the fullness of your breath in, the small pause at the height of your inhale, the release of your exhale, and the still space before the next breath in.
Each breath is its own cycle as well.
A big part of the healing process is the act of simply taking a breath. Mindful breathing slows down our thoughts, helps our minds to focus on bodily sensations, the muscles start to relax and feelings of expansion and fluidity emerge. When I work with clients, whether one-on-one or in a group setting, the first thing we do is connect with our breath. It brings us home to ourselves, our bodies, and the present moment.
In this moment, we are safe.
In this moment, we are well.
The work I offer is all-encompassing and approaches healing through a holistic lens that looks at the body, heart, mind, spirit, the past, present, and future.
You might wonder how we can heal from events that have already happened. It doesn't matter how long ago a traumatic event occurred, the body carries the charge as though it has just happened. The mind is able to picture places and people from the past and imagine alternate outcomes and an ideal future. We can recreate the event, but this time with support and nurturing guidance to complete the cycle in the healthiest way possible.
These are the ingredients I work with, while also combining breathwork, vocalization, reiki, massage, yoga, and ceremony. I'll go into a little detail on each of these now.
I've touched on some of the benefits of breathwork, but there are more - a deep wellspring of tools actually, and they’re available to tap into with the practice of breathwork. There are forms of breathwork that incorporate arm movements to accentuate the fullness of the breath as well as associating colors, sounds, internal affirmations, and visualizations with each breath. Taking deep breaths clears the stale air at the bottom of the lungs and invites refreshing, rejuvenating new breath in, which brings more oxygen to the brain and allows us to think more clearly. The body, when taking in full, deep breaths takes on a wider, stronger posture which sends signals to the brain that the body is more capable and in control. Incorporating a longer exhale to inhale ratio stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the “rest and digest” response - the opposite of the sympathetic “fight or flight” response, so we feel more relaxed and calm. There are a variety of breathwork techniques, and I cater the technique to best suit the person and situation.
Because the throat is an area of the body that can hold onto so much emotion and is at high risk for feeling constricted, we use the tool of vocalization to release the "lump" in the throat, loosen the tight jaw, and to give voice to those emotions that swirl around down in the heart and the thoughts floating around up in the mind. Sound is a powerful vibration. The ancient yoga practitioners knew this and used mantra to help them find enlightenment. In his book, The Healing Power of Sound, Dr. Mitchell Gaynor presents research that demonstrates how integrating music, vocalization, breathing, and meditation can lower blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates, reduce cardiac complications, increase the immune response, and boost our natural opiates. Hearing your own voice, owning your unique sound can create a deep shift within that allows the dam to break so you can access suppressed feelings and speak with confidence. I’m here to bear witness and really hear you as I offer you guidance in practicing vocalization techniques.
Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique that begins with the receiver settling into a relaxed position either sitting in a chair or laying on a massage table. The practitioner’s hands are held slightly above or lightly upon various parts of the body - feet, legs, hips, belly, chest, throat, forehead, and crown. The receiver typically enters a twilight mind space where they are neither fully awake or fully asleep. There may be the sensation of vibration in the extremities, a current of air in the limbs and torso, or an unraveling of muscle tension, which can be understood as an energetic release. Images, thoughts, emotions, or memories may rise to the surface to be healed and discharged. I think of it as a way of connecting the body with the mind and integrating the healing, coming from Spirit, that I harness and direct through my hands to help you process and release trauma. Afterwards, there may be a range of experiences: from feelings of raw vulnerability as emotional layers peel back, to the clarity and euphoria of “leveling up” to the next stage of personal evolution. I’m here to support you through all of it, with tools such as: journaling, grounding, reading or listening to articles that nurture your growth.
Massage works in much the same way, but instead of a subtle touch that focuses on the energy centers of the body (called chakras), it focuses on the tension held in the muscles. There is Reiki energy coming through too and in a Reiki session, there is release of muscle tension too, but each respective session has its own focus. The massage I offer is a combination of the modalities I've trained in: Thai Yoga Massage, Cranio-sacral, myofascial, and traditional Swedish massage. Massage sessions offer deep relaxation and the feeling of being held in a warm, safe space. For those who have dissociated from their bodies due to trauma, massage can be the guide back to a sense of self and self-esteem. I cater the length of the session, the areas to zero in on, and the depth of pressure to the stated preference of the client. The ongoing support I offer post-massage includes: teaching safe and effective ways to self-soothe, self-massage, and manage stress.
Yoga as a therapeutic modality provides us the opportunity to process trauma in a way that balances the movements of the body, with the healing aspect of the breath, along with the philosophical tenets that invite us into a broader perspective of self awareness. In a yoga practice, we move the body in ways that make it feel empowered, strong, and flexible. We are able to heal unconscious wounds and create new neural pathways through these repetitive, therapeutic motions. The increased self awareness yoga imparts helps us clear emotional drama by inviting us to view ourselves on the micro level - as a unique individual impacted by our own history and desires; and on the macro level - as part of something greater than ourselves, something which is wise and caring. We embody those virtues of care and wisdom when we practice yoga. We feel them within ourselves first, as each pose highlights the intelligence of the body’s functions. The more we practice, the virtues multiply and ripple out to encompass loving compassion for the people, animals, and living world around us. The style of yoga I have studied and practiced for 27 years is therapeutic yoga, which incorporates meditation, philosophy, mantra (chanting sacred sounds), and pranayama (breathwork) -all which are proven to be beneficial for healing trauma.
Finally, ceremony as a healing tool for trauma addresses the soul's need to complete the cycle by being witnessed and guided across the threshold between two worlds. Instead of remaining stuck in the role of Victim, we engage in the ritual of ceremony and cross into the role of Hero. Ceremony acknowledges that a special transition is taking place and invites in Spirit to guide, protect, and bless the transition. We incorporate the elements, the directions, and the help of ancestors into the ceremony and raise the vibration of the trauma so that it transforms into fertile soil for growth instead of a heavy muck that could pull us down. Ceremony also creates a narrative of your experience so that the psyche can better process the life cycle of the trauma. There is a beginning, middle, and end. There are visual, audial, and tactile clues throughout the ceremony that inform the psyche that a change is taking place. Ceremony has the potential to retrieve and reunite lost pieces of a person’s soul with their bodies, and the feeling of “being in spiritual limbo” dissipates. I’ve held ceremonies for a variety of occasions, from the first Wedding ceremony in 2007 to the Mid-life Reawakening ceremony just last month and each time there is a transformation of the human spirit as it connects to the Great Spirit of Creation. Each ceremony is an opportunity for us to better understand ourselves, our experiences, and our role in this divine story.
To sum up, trauma is a pervasive fact of modern life that most of us have experienced, not just those who were soldiers or victims of attack or abuse. Our bodies don't differentiate between a real or perceived threat and when the cycle of experiencing the threat doesn't complete in a healthy way, there is potential for trauma to become locked in the body and affect our lives for years to come. When our bodies can discharge the pent-up fear from a traumatic event, the nervous system finds balance and freedom from that burden. A healing moment can ripple back to the past and forward into the future. Instead of rehashing old traumas, we can bring up the sensations in the body of what the trauma feels like and heal it in the present moment. Trauma is just energy that needs to complete its cycle without interruption. My gift to you is to offer this with compassion, validation, and care through the modalities of breathwork, vocalization, reiki, massage, yoga, and ceremony.