Trauma reorganizes our minds, brains, bodies, and perceptions. It alters not just how we think or the content of our thoughts, but also our capacity to think at all. After trauma, the world is experienced through a different lens. A person who carries trauma can become focused on suppressing what they interpret as thoughts, feelings, and sensations of inner chaos at the expense of flowing and spontaneous engagement in relationship and life. The attempts made to exert control over their physiological reactions can result in many physical and emotional symptoms. These are including long term health issues, memory and attention loss, sleep disorders, inability to regulate arousal, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and other autoimmune diseases. Yet traumatized people cannot recover until they become familiar and befriend the sensations happening in their bodies. That is perhaps the most difficult component of treatment. Though difficult, it is very possible and life changing.

Dissociation:

One major indicator of trauma is what is called dissociation. Dissociation may be described and felt in many ways. Most commonly it is experienced as frozen states, numbness or inability to feel parts or all of the self, a vacancy of the body.

The overwhelming experience is split off and fragmented, so that the emotions, sounds, images, thoughts, and physical sensations related to the trauma take on a life of their own. The sensory fragments of memory intrude into the present, where they are literally re-lived. As long as the trauma is not resolved, the stress hormones that the body secretes to protect itself keep circulating. (Van der Kolk, “The Body Keeps The Score”).

At the heart of dissociation is a protective mechanism, so embodiment cannot be forced. Instead, increasing tolerance, regulation, and symptom awareness and management is recommended. They should all be integrated gradually through methods like somatic and yoga therapy.

Bringing In the Body:

On a basic level, trauma affects the physical body’s functions. Therefore effective trauma treatment should address sleep, appetite, digestion, arousal of the nervous system, and touch. These basic bodily functions affect and also show symptoms of the overall equilibrium of our well being. As discussed previously, due to the natural reaction of dissociation in trauma, many traumatized children and adults cannot identify what their bodily sensations mean though.

“Being frightened means that you live in a body that is always on guard. Angry people live in angry bodies. The bodies of child-abuse victims are tense and defensive until they find a way to relax and feel safe. In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them. Physical self-awareness is the first step in releasing the tyranny of the past.” (Van der Kolk, “The Body Keeps the Score”).

Slow & Steady:

Asking traumatized individuals to notice sensations for the first time can be distressing or triggering. It is also where the healing begins- gently and slowly.  If images and physical sensations bombard the person with trauma, the somatic or yoga therapist is trained with ways to stem the rushing waves of sensation and emotion. These therapists can help them tolerate and change their arousal by directing the clients’ attention. Underneath the intensity of the fear and anger might be things like pressure, heat, muscular tension, tingling, feeling hollow, etc. This anchors the arousal to the present moment. This not only helps understanding of the past, but transforms the present and future.

Moving Forward Resiliently:

Therapists can also help clients find the resources of their individual bodies. Some examples may be their connection to the earth, their awareness of breath, or sensations of relaxation or pleasure. No matter how faintly they coexist with a triggering, resources are a way back “into” embodiment. When the inner world feels less chaotic, we are less vulnerable to the past. We are less likely to activate the old patterns of our emotional brains. “Only after learning to bear what is going on inside can we start to befriend, rather than obliterate, the emotions that keep

The post Trauma and the Body first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Trauma and the Body appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

What ARE these? I think many people think everyone has a similar understanding of “yes” and “no”, what’s “right” and “wrong”. This is just not the case. Everyone is unique, and our personal experiences as well as experiences of our families, communities, and cultures will make our boundary perspectives individual.

To begin, boundaries are where you end and another begins, and not just in the physical sense. Also imagine the energetic sense: how our thoughts, feelings, and words affect others and are affected by others. A common notion of boundaries seems to stem from the recovery group therapy model. The idea of “saying no” to what feels harmful to one’s self, as well as asking or giving consent. That’s a great place to begin, but boundaries are much more than saying no.

Boundary Contemplation Practice:

Noticing when you’re “migrating into someone else’s experience,” as yoga therapist Bo Forbes puts it. This is the essence of knowing our healthy boundaries. An example of noticing a migration might be feeling like something is off when you’re in conversation with someone or directly after. “Whatever is happening here (remain curious), I have a felt sense of someone controlling, gas-lighting, criticizing, blaming, or I cannot stop thinking about someone. I know I want to regain my center/remain in control of myself, etc.” Having that awareness can begin the neurological re-patterning of boundary. That is where we slow down and get clear on what actually is happening. A “check yourself before you wreck yourself” moment or two.

It’s not always super crisp in the experience of the boundary blurring. Oftentimes it is so hard wired and habitual. We really need a “check yourself” moment to not take on another’s energy/thoughts/feelings and change the pattern. You can ask yourself when triggered, “How do I feel in this moment?” “Is what I’m feeling “mine?” “If not mine, how can I differentiate what is mine and what is the other person’s right now?” When you are taking on another’s experience so deeply, and when you are fixating on another, the bottom line is there is an overwhelming sense of losing your own experience and lack of connection to self. This is disorienting, ungrounding, and throws anyone out of balance! It’s also not helpful to the other party!

When we lose our sense of boundaries, we are not fully present with ourselves momentarily or longer. If we become conscious of the pattern, we can change our energy through relaxation and disconnection from the energetic entanglement, as well as holding compassion for ourself and the other person. When we take responsibility of our boundaries, it helps the whole relationship.

Remember:

Boundaries are a way of building your connection to your intuition, and knowing how to better take care of your needs. At first, this might be difficult, or upset some people who need to understand your boundaries. In the long run, with conscious awareness and healthy communication around it, it is better for the relationship and systemic dynamic to speak up about your experience. “Mindful conscious people are the most effective agents of change.” Judith Orloff.

If you would like to know more about embodied boundary work or to meet with me, a certified yoga and somatic therapist- call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 or check out our website at www.specializedtherapy.com.

The post Highly Sensitive People and Empaths: Boundaries! first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Highly Sensitive People and Empaths: Boundaries! appeared first on Specialized Therapy.