Janina Fisher – Somatic Interventions for Treating Complex Trauma with Janina Fisher, Ph.D.

Outline

The Neurobiological Legacy of TraumaThe Neurobiological Legacy of Trauma

• How the mind and body react to threat and dangerHow the mind and body react to threat and danger
• Autonomic arousal and affect toleranceAutonomic arousal and affect tolerance
• Inability to feel safe in the bodyInability to feel safe in the body
• Loss of the ability to self-witnessLoss of the ability to self-witness

The Nature of Traumatic MemoryThe Nature of Traumatic Memory

• “The body keeps the score” (Van der Kolk)“The body keeps the score” (Van der Kolk)
• Implicit memories: is it memory?Implicit memories: is it memory?
• Remembering situationally: ‘here’ or ‘there’?Remembering situationally: ‘here’ or ‘there’?

Neurobiologically-informed Trauma TreatmentNeurobiologically-informed Trauma Treatment

• Regulating the traumatized nervous system and restoring a witnessing selfRegulating the traumatized nervous system and restoring a witnessing self
• Psychoeducation: knowledge is powerPsychoeducation: knowledge is power
• Reframing the symptomsReframing the symptoms
• Avoid ‘self-defeating stories’ (Meichenbaum)Avoid ‘self-defeating stories’ (Meichenbaum)
• Treat the symptoms, not just the eventTreat the symptoms, not just the event

Sensorimotor PsychotherapySensorimotor Psychotherapy

• Trauma and procedural learningTrauma and procedural learning
• Tracking the body as a source of informationTracking the body as a source of information
• Use the language of the bodyUse the language of the body
• Body-centered techniques into talking therapy treatmentsBody-centered techniques into talking therapy treatments

Mindfulness and NeuroplasticityMindfulness and Neuroplasticity

• Mindfulness practices in therapyMindfulness practices in therapy
• Differentiate thoughts, feelings and body experienceDifferentiate thoughts, feelings and body experience
• Dual awareness of everyday experienceDual awareness of everyday experience
• Teach mindfulness to clientsTeach mindfulness to clients

Challenges of Trauma TreatmentChallenges of Trauma Treatment

• Secondary symptoms: anger, self-harm and suicidality, aggression, substance abuse, and eating disordersSecondary symptoms: anger, self-harm and suicidality, aggression, substance abuse, and eating disorders
• Treatment-resistant depression and anxietyTreatment-resistant depression and anxiety
• Complex symptoms as manifestations of animal defense responsesComplex symptoms as manifestations of animal defense responses

Therapy as a Laboratory for the Practice of New ActionsTherapy as a Laboratory for the Practice of New Actions

• Dis-identifying with the symptomsDis-identifying with the symptoms
• Develop a new language and a new storyDevelop a new language and a new story
• Capitalize on somatic resources for modulating the nervous systemCapitalize on somatic resources for modulating the nervous system
• New resources that address specific trauma symptomsNew resources that address specific trauma symptoms

The Role of NeuroplasticityThe Role of Neuroplasticity

• Neuroplastic brain changeNeuroplastic brain change
• Principles of neuroplasticityPrinciples of neuroplasticity
• Treatments to enhance neuroplastic effectsTreatments to enhance neuroplastic effects

Somatic Resolution of Traumatic EventsSomatic Resolution of Traumatic Events

• Repair and transformation rather than re-processingRepair and transformation rather than re-processing
• Address uninvited memoryAddress uninvited memory
• Tell the story to ourselves: creating internal safetyTell the story to ourselves: creating internal safety
• Right brain-to-right brain communication: feeling safe with othersRight brain-to-right brain communication: feeling safe with others