Robert Scaer, M.D. provides an in depth description the origins of trauma and its impact on the brain and body. [Important points in this Presentation: How the Brain Works in Trauma? 3:35 min; History of trauma 3:45 min; World War I -- Trauma, Dissociation, and PTSD 9:17 min; The Roots of Trauma 10:57 min; The "Freeze Response" to Trauma 11:30 min; Hypnosis similar to freeze response 13:41 min; The importance of "discharging" the freeze response 14:38 min; Humans and some other animals cannot discharge the freeze response 17:58 min; Trauma as faulty memory 18:45 min; Unprocessed Trauma leads to a conditioned response to EVERY cue (internal or external) associated with original danger even though the threat is no longer present 20:52 min; Brain systems that must be changed in order to heal trauma 23:25 min; The cingulate gyrus is associated with maternal/infant bonding, therefore bonding is critical in the therapeutic relationship and in the efficacy of healing trauma 26:56 min; The conditioned trauma responses become self-perpetuating unless fully processed and healed 27:38 min; Resiliency vs. Vulnerability to trauma occurs in childhood 20:13 min; Impaired attachment and developmental trauma lead to a LIFETIME of autonomic and emotional dysregulation 30:39 min. [ http://www.traumasoma.com/ ]
Janet Seahorn, Ph.D. discusses the origins and of trauma, its impact on the brain, and the development of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). [Important points in this presentation: 0:45 min; 3:48 min; 4:52 min; 6:17 min; 6:50 min; 8:06 min; 11:14 min; 12:06 min; TED TALKS - TEDxCSU]
Emma McAdam of "Therapy in a Nutshell" offers a great explanation of the body's response to trauma or trauma triggers from the perspective of the "Polyvagal Theory." Three states of the nervous system according to Polyvagal Theory: 1) Safety [parasympathetic response]; 2) Activation - Flight, Fight, Freeze response [sympathetic response]; and, 3) Overwhelm/Shut Down response ["primitive" parasympathetic response] = 0:31 min; A healthy nervous system is: 1) Adaptive & Accurate; 2) Has a broad range of emotions; 3) If stressed - you can take action and then return to a calm state; and, your nervous system can be trained and modified. = 1:07 min; So, how can you modify your nervous system? Via a "bottom up" approach to nervous system regulation -- calm your body to calm your mind = 2:37 min; Description of an anxious nervous system -- that is Sympathetically Dominant [Flight/Fight/Freeze response is "stuck on"] = 3:15 min; This N.S. state can be the result of trauma, chronic stress, simply a habit of worrying to much, or just not knowing how to self-regulate = 5:10 min; But, you can re-wire your brain by consciously choosing to practice various interventions that engage the parasympathetic response in your body = 5:40 min; Discussion of nervous system hypo-arousal -- when your body goes into a shut down and conserve mode. Occurs if overwhelmed by a threat or experienced chronic stress. If you become "stuck" in this mode it is a trauma response where you N.S. gets "stuck off" = 6:28 min; = 7:56.
David Grand, Ph.D., the developer of Brainspotting, explains the origins of trauma, and the importance of brain based treatments for effective trauma processing and resolution. [Important points in this presentation: What is trauma? 1:25 min; Examples of trauma 2:20 min; Developmental trauma 3:14 min; Complex Trauma 3:46 min; How the Brain works 3:56 min; Impact of trauma on the brain 4:44 min; Where is trauma "held"? 6:24 min; Why talk therapy is not sufficient for treating trauma 6:44 min; Importance of the therapeutic relationship in all therapy 7:04 min; Brianspottinng - brain based therapy 7:46 min; Trauma is treatable by brain based and body based therapies and interventions 9:44 min. [www.healingtreenonprofit.org ].