BRAIN, BODY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA

BRAIN, BODY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA By Tina Bonnett, Ed.D, Certified Trauma Integration Clinician

THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE

We all know that psychological trauma, especially if left untreated, can lead to a host of mental health conditions. But

what’s less commonly recognized are the ways in which unprocessed trauma can wreak havoc on the body as well.

For those of us who dedicate our lives to emergency services and are often subjected to trauma at work as well as in our personal lives, this is critically important. What do we understand about psychological trauma, and how it impacts the brain and body, specifically for those in the emergency services sector? What services are available to help us process those experiences?

At some point in our lives we all face experiences that are psychologically

harmful. We can all benefit from a basic understanding of the neurobiology - the scientific study of the nervous system, decision-making, compassion, and relational intelligence.

THE BODY & UNDISCHARGED TRAUMATIC STRESS

OUR BODIES USUALLY RESPOND TO UNPROCESSED TRAUMA IN THREE WAYS:

FIGHT, FLIGHT, OR FREEZE

Often these responses are triggered – not always consciously – by sensory reminders such as smell, touch, taste, sound and sight. Being “stuck on” can cause symptoms such as anxiety, an exaggerated startle response, hypervigilance and hostility, while being “stuck off” can produce symptoms such as chronic fatigue, disassociation, depression and even poor digestion.

Often what is needed for this release is guidance from a certified trauma clinician.

BODIES CAN GET

STUCK OR

ON STUCK OFF

WHEN TRAUMA IS NOT DISCHARGED UNPROCESSED TRAUMA IS

STORED AS TENSION IN OUR MUSCLES UNTIL IT CAN BE RELEASED

A PATH TO INTEGRATION AND HEALING

For healing to occur, the brain and body need to learn that the danger has passed so that the person can live in the present and re-establish a baseline of regulation and safety.

The key to this is making connections with others, including trauma clinicians, who can assist in figuring out what effects trauma is having on the brain and body. It’s important for the trauma survivor to be given opportunities to process the trauma in order to re-wire the brain. This can then

direct the body to move into action only when real danger arises, instead of being activated by past traumatic experiences.

Integrating traumatic memories so that the brain and body can work together and at their best is critical for healing as well as for maintaining well-regulated emotions, behaviour, and perspective.

This integrative model of therapy helps the trauma survivor release some of the “charge” they feel in their body. It can also restore the trauma victim’s capacity to assess and respond to future stresses. In integrative trauma processing clinical sessions, the client is invited to tell their trauma stories and also gently prompted to relive the sensory associations tied to those experiences, engaging the brain and body. Opportunities also exist to reframe messages to the brain. The goal is to train the brain and body to rationalize, saying, “That happened in the past, but I am safe now.”

It is crucial that emergency service professionals pay close attention to what their brains and bodies are revealing about undischarged, stored psychological

trauma. There is no shame in being a first responder who has faced trauma because it is almost a given for those who work in a profession dedicated to minimizing stress and harm for others. The field of traumatology is ever-expanding, as are the organizations working within it and the treatment approaches. Emergency services members are encouraged to check out the treatment options available and commit to self-care if they suspect that personal or professional experiences may be lingering as trauma in their brain and body.

Knowledge of and access to trauma-related services should be not be the exception to the rule, but central in all emergency

service environments. A great example of an organization of professionals trained and certified to treat psychological trauma is the Attachment & Trauma Treatment Centre for Healing (ATTCH) which can be found at attachment-and-traumatreatment-centre-for-healing.com, where an Integrative Trauma and Attachment Model (ITATM®) is used to treat trauma and promote healing.