Healing for Trauma

[ocean]

Okay, so are you looking for advice or not?

[Patrycia-Rose]

Absolutely. I'm open to anything I haven't tried or any suggestions, ideas, advice.

[ocean]

Okay. If I was you I would start doing some research into the nervous system. Every system in your body is governened by the NS - inluding the acidity / alkinity of your blood. Look into Sympathetic NS dominance versus Parasympathetic dominance. There's a researcher / MD called Dr. Stephen Porges who has created a theory called the Polyvagal theory. (Google it.) He does a lot of work in trauma. So does another doctor called Bessel Van der Kolk. I like them cos they're both scientists with a spiritual side, as opposed to spiritualists with a science side.

This is all very pretty grounded stuff, and it can be comforting in the face of spiritual exploration which too often veers into superstition.

Down the line you might want to try breathwork as a means of NS rebalancing, but you'd need to find a good teacher for this.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Patrycia-Rose

Thank you for acknowledging and not trying to dismiss my experience.

I have been googling for ten years and have tried many things, some of which have backfired, made the symptoms worse (without it then getting better) or created a new problem.

If the EFT I'm doing doesn't work, then I guess I'm going to have to live with it!

I think there is a lot to be said for being with it, and I remember a woman, who I meditated with for quite a while, once told me that she'd been horribly traumatised in the past, and during her meditation sittings it would all come up vividly for her, which was very difficult for her, but after a while, a long while, she said it started to come up more like an animation rather than vividly real, and she was better able to be with it in this way as it affected her much less. The truth of what has happened is the pathway of our lived experience - the fact of our lives - and it can't be taken away, but even though some of it is hard to live with, we have no option but to live with it. All of us have been wounded in some way, and it can be hard coming to peace with ourselves, but in one way or another, at some time in this life or future lives, we have to come to peace with all that has happened. The important thing for now is to know that all of this and all these feelings are our profound experience, and there is a tremendous beauty in all that went before us that makes us who we are today.

[Patrycia-Rose]

Thank you Ocean, that is a really useful starting place - and has the novelty of something I've not researched or known about! Thank you.

[Patrycia-Rose]

Originally Posted by Gem

All of us have been wounded in some way, and it can be hard coming to peace with ourselves, but in one way or another, at some time in this life or future lives, we have to come to peace with all that has happened.

I have been trying really hard to do this, including loads of forgiveness stuff. I think one of the major things is that the whole trauma wasn't necessary. I don't want to go into specifics but the whole situation was a medical blunder of the hugest kind imaginable! Which is where the anger comes in. I don't think I can ever feel 'at peace' with it but I'm trying, sometimes I feel at peace with it, others I don't. But I do also realise from a spiritual viewpoint, I would mostly likely have contracted to have that experience which I find somewhat comforting as that may also possibly mean I've contracted to overcome it. I feel really strongly that this is something I should / have to overcome myself, through whatever means.

[ocean]

Good luck xx

[Patrycia-Rose]

Ocean, thank you for your suggestions. I've had a very interesting day reading documents and watching a lot of Youtube videos about the Polyvagal theory and quite a few other videos on the brain's reaction to trauma and about the autonomic nervous system. The brain is changed by trauma. One video summed it up well by saying that "trauma is defined as any negative life event that occurs in a position of relative helplessness." And that helplessness is re-engaged so often that maintaining a state of fight or flight becomes a habit.

So I was keen to start hearing the healing methods to essentially re-balance the nervous system. Qui Gong was mentioned, along with EMDR, neuro feedback and somatic therapy. Neuro feedback and somatic therapy seemed to be out of the picture due to not being able to find anyone who specialises in my location. However, further research suggested the Bowen Technique was good for re-balancing the nervous system and treating trauma. I was able to find someone in my area. So I shall be looking further into this.

[ocean]

So glad its been of benefit! I found it all very reassuring too. I was also led to Bowen technique but ended up going for deep tissue massage instead - not "spiritual" but its recommended for people who are parasympathetic dominant. ( I was locked in Freeze state for many years.)

The best work is breath work as it directly influences the NS but its a huge area and you need to be gentle. I think its sensible for you to try Bowen first. Hopefully you find someone good. Let me know how you get on!

[Patrycia-Rose]

Originally Posted by ocean

So glad its been of benefit! I found it all very reassuring too. I was also led to Bowen technique but ended up going for deep tissue massage instead - not "spiritual" but its recommended for people who are parasympathetic dominant. ( I was locked in Freeze state for many years.)

The best work is breath work as it directly influences the NS but its a huge area and you need to be gentle. I think its sensible for you to try Bowen first. Hopefully you find someone good. Let me know how you get on!

Glad to hear that you came across Bowen too. I will go for that in the first instance as it would good to have a positive - hopefully- experience instead of all the disappointments.