Every one of us experiences stress all too often. We try to calm ourselves down or distract ourselves from what we feel. We may find that we stay very busy to avoid our feelings, for example.
In the case of trauma, people experience pain that breaks through their defense mechanisms-even years after the trauma occurred. There are many types of trauma.
It is important to know, too, that untreated trauma can cause damage to our nervous system (The Trauma Spectrum; Robert Scaer, 2005). When the trauma is stored, the body can remain in a state of hyper-vigilance (part of PTSD) that is destructive. Imagine overusing and stressing any part of our body-or even a machine we use regularly.
We now know that trauma occurs on a spectrum and is not always recognized as such. It is not uncommon for a woman to have been sexually abused, for example. It is also traumatic to grow up in an environment with violence, physical and or emotional. Alcoholic families are often chaotic and confusing to grow up in. Of course our veterans are being traumatized in huge numbers now as they serve overseas.
EEG Biofeedback has been shown to treat many conditions including PTSD.
Issues that have shown statistically significant improvement in studies include: addiction, depression, pain, affective disorders, learning disabilities, Asperger's, migraines, epilepsy, memory, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
In addition to
EEG Biofeedback, I utilize
Brainspotting (see Arizona Brainspotting Center on this website and:
http://www.brainspotting.pro/) to treat trauma gently and at "warp speed."
Feedback to the brain allows the brain to recognize and down-regulate distress. This is the principle behind both Brainspotting and EEG Biofeedback. In other words, our brains were made to heal. The challenge has been that we are so reactive to the trauma experience that that the healing has not been possible. BOTH OF THESE NEWER TECHNIQUES CREATE A DEEP CALM THAT ALLOWS NATURAL PROCESSING TO TAKE PLACE!
Regardless of the techniques used, any effective procedure that supports clients processing their pain with the help of a caring professional will allow for a more productive and pain-free life that may be surprising and well-worth the effort.
