For most patients, the COVID-19 crisis has created a “new normal.” They may be stuck at home, unable to work, or feeling isolated from dear friends and family. This all can leave people feeling helpless. So what can we do to help patients regain a sense of agency during the pandemic? Bessel van der Kolk, […]
How Limbic System Therapy Can Help Resolve Trauma
When we’re working with clients who have experienced trauma, targeting the limbic system can make our interventions more effective. But what is the limbic system, and why is limbic system therapy so useful in treating trauma? In the video below, Bessel van der Kolk, MD answers these questions and explains why he uses this kind […]
How to Help a Client Come Back into Their Window of Tolerance
The window of tolerance is such an important concept when we’re working with trauma and dysregulation. For clients who have experienced trauma, that window often becomes quite narrow. They may space out and dissociate, or get too angry or anxious to focus. Or, they might fluctuate between hyper- and hypo-arousal. When they’re too far outside […]
How Drama and Theater Can Rewire Limiting Beliefs
As practitioners, we sometimes have to be creative in coming up with interventions that will work for a particular patient. And this can be especially true when clients have deeply rooted limiting beliefs about themselves after trauma. Bessel van der Kolk, MD is a master at coming up with creative approaches to help clients work […]
Could Yoga Hold the Key to Healing a Patient’s Trauma?
Approximately 10 million women in America have been physically assaulted at some time in their life. Yes, that’s a sobering statistic. But the far-reaching effects of violence against women are even darker. Over a third of these survivors experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with increased rates of depression, obesity and heart disease. So how do we […]