Quieting the fear-driven brain

Sylvia, a bright woman in her 30s, had experienced trauma as a girl and then again in college. She had done several years of talk therapy, but still could not quiet her body’s sense of alarm. Researchers have learned that the amygdala - the little “smoke detector” in our brain - can be set off in less than a thousandth of a second, and from there, a whole cascade of physiological and emotional responses can happen before we have any ability to consciously control it.

For those with a history of trauma, this cycle of alarm and reactivity can happen at the slightest of triggers. In Sylvia’s case, she would experience frequent panic attacks and nightmares. It was very difficult for her to be out in public, anymore.

The book, The Body Keeps the Score, by leading trauma researcher, Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. emphasizes the way that trauma is memorized by our cells and muscles, making it difficult to shift our body’s response to triggers. He recommends Neurofeedback as an effective way to intervene in this mechanism.

Sylvia came to Neurofeedback after reading van der Kolk’s book. In her first session she wore a tight-fitting cap with sensors in it, during a digital EEG recording of her brain rhythms. Clinicians were able to see patterns in the map that correlated with Sylvia’s brain being in a highly aroused and vigilant state.

When Sylvia returned for her follow-up sessions, special individualized settings were used to teach Sylvia’s brain and nervous system to gently shift into a calmer and more regulated state. In this way, the emotional and physical body is more resilient to triggers, and can ideally recover faster if there is a re-stimulation.

Sylvia continued Neurofeedback for about 20 sessions until her physiology had memorized the changes enough to hold on to them indefinitely. Her nightmares and panic attacks became a rarity, and she found it much easier to be out in public again. She was more confident and focused, as well.

Neurofeedback is also endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Mayo Clinic.

Gretchen Morse, DMA, is Board Certified in Neurofeedback and serves on the Board of the Midwest Society for Behavioral Medicine and Biofeedback. For information, call her at 517/290-4965, visit her website at www.mmneuro.com , or “Like” Mid-Michigan Neurofeedback on Facebook.