Lecture on Understanding Trauma and Its Release

Introduction

• Speaker: Irene, somatic experiencing practitioner with degrees in exercise physiology and biomedical/health science.
• Main Questions: What is trauma? How is it released?

Defining Trauma

• Traditional View: Trauma is often associated with the event (e.g., accident, attack).
• New Perspective: Trauma isn't just the event, but how it affects the physiology, particularly the nervous system.
• Clinical Contributors: Concepts from Peter LaVine, Robert Scare, Bessel Vanderkolk, Kathy Kain.

The Nervous System

• Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): Governs automatic physiological functions (e.g., digestion, heart rate).
  • Sympathetic Nervous System: Fight/flight response.
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System: Rest/digest—more nuanced as explained by Polyvagal Theory.

Polyvagal Theory

• Developed by Stephen Porges.
• Describes how the vagus nerve affects parasympathetic responses and social engagement.
• System shifts from safety (rest/digest) to threat response (fight/flight) to freeze (shutdown).

Stored Trauma and Disregulation

• Trauma vs. Disregulation: Impact observed in chronic illnesses, autoimmune diseases, mental health issues, etc.
• Trauma in Physiology: Different people experience impacts differently (cardiovascular, immune system, psyche).

Understanding Trauma Release

• Release Mechanism: Not one-size-fits-all; involves processing and integrating emotions and physiological responses.
• Integration: More about understanding and reintegrating trapped stress.

Processing Trauma

• Immediate Reaction to Stress: Important to pause and feel the stress response (example: stubbing a toe).
• Early Development and Trauma: Caregiver's role in child’s regulation, and how it affects physiological responses.
• Impact of Unprocessed Trauma: Leads to chronic activation or shutdown in the nervous system.

Releasing Trauma

• Methods: Not just about shaking; involves a variety of physiological and emotional responses.
• Education and Awareness: Crucial to understand body’s autonomic responses and impulses.
• Following Impulses: Learning to track and respond to body cues (e.g., hunger, thirst, need to rest).

Practical Implications

• Self-Regulation: Important to self-regulate and re-learn body awareness.
• Impact of Lack of Caregiver Attunement: Leads to flawed self-regulation in later life.
• Healing Process: Involves education, impulse-following, and nervous system capacity building.

Conclusion

• Individual Journey: Recognizing individual needs and past experiences to tailor the healing process.
• Ongoing Practice: Regular engagement with body awareness and physiological cues as part of healing.
• Resources: Encouragement to seek further resources and education for deeper understanding.