When it comes to the treatment of trauma, our work often centers on our clients’ feelings and sensations . . . . . . and sometimes, those sensations can present as physical pain. In the video below, Peter Levine, PhD shares a powerful story of how he helped a man trace the source of his […]
PTSD and Emotional Trauma Affects Partners of Veterans, Too
Caring for someone with PTSD can sometimes lead to secondary trauma. And researchers at the University of Utah wondered just how bad that secondary trauma could be. While completing her graduate studies, Catherine Caska Wallace, PhD and her research team studied two groups of male veterans, along with their female partners. In 32 couples, the […]
How to Rebuild Secure Attachment After Trauma
When a person experiences trauma, there’s one key factor that can play an important role in whether or not PTSD symptoms develop – and that’s secure attachment. But what happens when someone has never had a connection to a secure attachment figure? How can we help our client build the feelings of safety that are […]
What Happens in the Brain During Trauma? [Infographic]
After trauma, our clients are often left with many painful sensations and emotions . . . . . . including shame and guilt. And that’s especially true if they weren’t able to protect themselves or escape. That’s why it can be so useful to help our clients understand how their brain and body did work […]
How to Integrate the Brain and Prevent Dissociation After Trauma
Trauma affects nearly every area of a person’s brain. Not only that, but trauma disrupts the connections in the brain. And when the brain isn’t integrated, it impacts the nervous system and the entire body. So how can we work with clients to repair integration after trauma? In the video clip below, Pat Ogden, PhD […]
Working with Clients Who Feel "Never Good Enough"
People constantly compare themselves against messages they receive from friends, family, media, and our culture. And those messages often contribute to feelings of “never good enough”: Not attractive enough. Not intelligent enough. Not thin enough. Not successful enough. For many of our clients, they’ve encountered these types of messages from a very young age, and […]
What’s Underneath a Client’s Anger?
When a client erupts in anger, what’s really going on? While anger is a normal and sometimes necessary emotion, it can escalate all too quickly once triggered. And that can lead to devastating choices and consequences. In the video below, ten experts share their perspectives on what drives anger, and how they approach it. Take […]
Expert Strategies for Helping Clients Get "Unstuck"
One of the main reasons clients come to see us is that they’re stuck – in one way or another. Maybe they’ve got limiting beliefs about what they can, or can’t, accomplish. Sometimes the fear of trying something new holds people back. When a client is stuck, it’s often useful to consider how other practitioners […]
The Body’s Adaptive Response to Trauma
The pain from trauma runs deep, and its impact lingers in both the brain and body. And so often, people who have experienced trauma are embarrassed by their body’s response to the event – the way it shut down on them when they needed protection most. But in the video below, Stephen Porges, PhD explains […]
How to Get to the Heart of Resistance
The moment a client begins to resist, progress often comes to a crashing halt. But with the right strategies and a little creativity, we can usually get people back on course. For instance, when Marsha Linehan, PhD encounters resistance, she often starts to chip away at it by asking one key question. In the video […]