Treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder

The Resolution of Trauma: Healing the Symptoms

Post traumatic stress disorder is a state of physiology, not a state of mind. Because shock trauma causes a physiological (biologically natural) response, its effect is not under your control. ‘Talk’ counselling or cognitive-behavioural therapy usually will not resolve the symptoms. A particular way of working with shock trauma is required.

In traumatic shock the nervous system must be allowed to resolve an unfinished pattern. The energy that has been mobilised to deal with the threat must be discharged. Working with the physiological response is essential in helping traumatised people release stored survival energy and complete interrupted biological patterns that are overwhelming the nervous system.

Trauma: The freeze response

Both humans and wild animals have intricate biological systems which become activated in response to perceived life threatening situations. When overwhelmed by a threat where fight or flight is not possible animals and humans enter a freeze response (also known as immobility).

Animals quickly return to normal by surrendering to the involuntary mechanism that allows their nervous system to ‘discharge’ their excess survival energy and re-establish equilibrium. Humans tend to override instinctual systems with the rational part of their brain.

This ‘higher’ brain structure blocks involuntary discharge of the nervous system. Thus the body remains in this highly charged frozen state, leaving the body in a condition like that of a car with the brakes and accelerator floored at the same time. Containing this energy can cause symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, mood disorders, chronic pain, phobias and depression.

Because physical sensation is the language of the instinctual brain, the tracking of subtle body experience creates a natural opening for the involuntary release to occur. By guiding people gently into the realm of body sensation, somatic work helps them to regulate their own nervous system.

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder

Symptoms of trauma (PTSD) show up in many other ‘diagnoses’ in the medical system, such as: ADHD, OCD, Mood Disorders, Sleep Disorders, Chronic Pain/Fatigue,Phobias and Anxiety/Depression. However the general public is not aware yet that in the case where shock trauma is the root cause of these disorders the individual can heal successfully, without drugs and through engaging in Somatic Psychotherapy. In many cases a person can have significantly decreased symptoms after 4-12 sessions. Children engaging in Somatic Psychotherapy can recover more rapidly.

An example; a young man of 16 who had a high level of anxiety, difficulty concentrating/learning at school and a fairly severe stutter, following engaging in Somatic Psychotherapy for 2 months (8 sessions) was receiving A’s in some subjects, and was speaking normally and enjoying school.

This level of improvement is the norm rather than the exception.

To read more about this I recommend:

Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma ~ Dr Peter Levine
Embodying the Mind & Minding the Body ~ Dr Ian Macnaughton

About the author

Frances Ross, M.Ed, R.C.C.,S.E.P has been practising Counselling and Psychotherapy since 1976. She has studied and practised a range of models and techniques including Jungian, Adlerian, Family systems, Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, Bodynamics (Developmental Somatic Psychology), Psyche and Soma (Verbal, Intuitive and Somatic Psychotherapy) and Somatic Experiencing.

She is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner having trained with Dr Peter Levine. She has worked with Trauma Resolution in Vancouver,BC, in Doctors offices, Schools and for Vancouver Victims Compensation. She is currently running a private practice in Richmond-on-Thames.

For more information about Frances visit her GoToSee therapist page here

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