A challenging event which one person may move on from with no lasting ill effects may leave another person severely incapacitated.

When we are traumatised, our nervous system is dysregulated so that we respond to life in an inappropriate way.

An example that is commonly given is the war veteran who hears a car back-fire and reacts instinctively - but inappropriately - by diving for cover

Other possibilities are angry or violent outbursts, tearfulness, panic attacks, anxiety, fearfulness, flashbacks, hypervigilence, emotional and/or physical numbness, erratic thought patterns, "freezing" (being unable to think or move), tendencies towards isolation and/or difficulties in relationship, disturbed sleep and lack of bodily awareness. This is not an exhaustive list!

Trauma resides in the nervous system and not in the story of the event.

The survival responses of orientation, fight, flight and freeze can become locked into our bodies.

Simply talking about trauma can exacerbate the situation: our nervous system may not be able to distinguish the difference between the original event and the reliving of it through telling the story over again, and we may end up re-traumatised as a result.

Our nervous system has an innate ability to resolve trauma, given the right conditions.

By bringing awareness to our bodies little by little, in a safe and contained manner, and following what emerges in a way which does not overwhelm the nervous system, past traumas can be released and resolution can be achieved.

We can once more regain our resilience and experience the joy of living fully in the present moment.

I am not currently taking on new clients but please email me to register an interest if you might like to pursue sessions in future.

"Trauma is a disorder in the ability to be in the here and now."
Bessel van der Kolk

"If you are trying to help the person work with the core of the trauma response, you have to talk to that level of the nervous system."
Peter Levine

For more information about Somatic Experiencing (SE) read this interview with Peter Levine, or this article by Benjamin Fry.

Recent article on PTSD after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina