Trauma Therapy
Lightspring Counseling Center offers a variety of trauma therapy techniques, including a number of state-of-the-art brain-based rapid release therapies.
Trauma therapy has changed dramatically in the last ten years because of brain-imaging research and pioneering work in neurology. What we understand now about the brain and trauma has completely changed our approach to resolving symptoms.
Modern trauma therapy is based on the following new information about the brain:
Traumatic experiences produce new brain cells that are locked into a state of alarm. These alarm cells tend to trigger at the same time that other, similar alarm cells are triggered. When adjacent brain cells are activated at the same time repeatedly they link together, creating a network. If alarm cells continue to link to other alarm cells, the network of alarm cells becomes progressively larger, and an individual feels increasing levels of fear and anxiety.
Networks of alarm cells can be neutralized if they are connected with networks of cells holding positive emotions. However, the alarm networks and the positive networks must be activated at the same time repeatedly for this to happen.
If this neutralizing action does not occur, the networks of alarm remain active in the deep brain (diencephalon and brainstem) indefinitely. Some very extensive research on trauma known as the “Adverse Childhood Experiences studies” or “ACE” studies shows that unresolved traumatic experiences are still producing depression, anxiety, addictive behaviors and a host of physical health problems four or five decades after traumatic events occurred.)
Alarm networks that are not neutralized drive the production of higher levels of stress hormones, including coritsol and adrenalin. When cortisol levels stay high for a long period of time, brain cells begin to die in the hippocampus area of the brain. The hippocampus region actually shrinks when an individual has prolonged states of stress, or is stuck in unresolved trauma. This loss of brain cells leads to corisol-based depression, which does not respond well to standard serotonin-based antidepressants. Often clients with this kind of depression experience a small amount of improvement for a short time when they take antidepressants, but then depression symptoms will return.
As a result, anxiety and depression are often present together in the same individual.
An essential part of trauma therapy is using techniques that link the networks of alarm cells to networks of cells holding positive feelings. This must be done through techniques that activate the parts of the brain where the alarm network is housed. Traumatic emotions are housed in very deep and primitive areas of the brain, including the brain stem. These deep brain areas do not respond well to words and language, and are not close to the parts of the brain that use words, so talk therapies and cognitive therapies often fail to produce the necessary linking.
Rapid linking can be achieved by using the “language” of the deep brain, which is sensation and emotion. As a result, the fastest linking strategies in modern trauma therapy are those that involve the creation of calming sensations through physical stimuli. Release therapies based on tapping, eye movement, and breathing exercises work well in a therapy session. In fact, these types of release techniques can link an alarm network to a positive network so quickly that some specialized trauma therapists have been able to consistently eliminate phobias in a single, one-hour session.
Body workers such as acupuncturists and massage therapists have sometimes specialized quite successfully in trauma release. That happens because body work is sensation-based and generally soothing.
Neurofeedback is also effective in trauma therapy. In neurofeedback,brain wave monitoring equipment is used to train an individual to slow their brain waves down to alpha and theta waves states. These states are soothing and relaxing, similar to those produced by meditation or massage. By training the brain to stay in these slow, calming and pleasant states, neurofeedback also produces the positive network linking needed for trauma release.
Meditation, guided imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation techniques can produce the same alpha and theta wave states that are produced in neurofeedback. Individuals can learn to master these techniques on their own, and can gradually become skilled at releasing their own trauma feelings and memories. Initially, however, a therapist is usually needed until the client learns necessary pacing skills and masters the mental discipline required to use these techniques for emotional release.
At the Lightspring Counseling Center we have therapists who stay up to date on the most current trauma therapy research, and are trained in a variety of sensation-based release therapies. Two of our therapists are trained in modern trauma therapies that including EMDR (eye movement), SKY (Breathing), EFT (tapping and eye movement) Touch for Health (tapping, rubbing and holding acupressure points), relaxation training and guided imagery.
We also work very closely with professionals who provide additional resources, for trauma therapy, including neurofeedback, acupuncture and energy therapies.
The transformation of trauma therapy in the last ten years can be considered as dramatic and significant as the transformation of medicine that came with the discovery of antibiotics. If you or someone you know has struggled with anxiety, phobias, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for many years, and has been unable to resolve it, even with therapy, please call us. We have had a high rate of successes with these types of clients. Trauma treatment is a whole new science.
