When you help someone to heal from trauma, they are not the only one who benefits. Healing is like throwing a pebble into a pond. It sends ripples out in all directions. Which is why, as the 2012 Trauma Therapy Series draws to a close, I can’t help but feel grateful… Over 7,938 practitioners, according […]
Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Female Rape Victims
PTSD can occur when someone experiences a single traumatic event. But what happens when a person is exposed to a traumatic environment over a long period of time? Healing from PTSD is challenging enough, but a person with a history of trauma who is re-traumatized is often likely to develop what’s called complex PTSD. Patricia […]
Women in Abusive Relationships: Their Telomeres Tell the Story
We know that trauma has a significant psychological impact, but it has long-term biological consequences as well. In the past we’ve talked about how trauma affects the body, such as increasing chances for irritable bowel syndrome. This is another case that exemplifies this effect, but this time, using telomeres. As we’ve mentioned before, telomeres are […]
The Polyvagal Theory in Action – How Heart Rate Figures into Trauma Treatments
How can the body and its natural processes be tools for treating trauma? The Polyvagal Theory helps us answer this question by explaining how people process their environment and how the body regulates itself in the face of stress and trauma. Watch the video below as Stephen Porges, PhD, creator of the Polyvagal Theory, shares […]
Trauma and Resilience: What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger?
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Although most of us have probably heard this euphemism before, a recent study looked at traumatic life experiences to see how true this saying really was. Published in the Current Directions in Psychological Science, Mark D. Seery, PhD and his colleagues from the University of Buffalo, delved […]
How Does Childhood Trauma Impact Adult Relationships?
Romance can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling, but for many people it can also be quite a challenge. Beyond the normal hurdles of developing and sustaining relationships, recent research suggests that childhood abuse and neglect might make people more vulnerable to troubled romantic relationships in adulthood. Professor Golan Shahar and Dana Lassri, of Ben-Gurion University […]
Can Trauma Be a Factor in IBS?
Trauma can cause a slew of symptoms including panic, distress, sleeping disorders, and in some cases, flashbacks. But, can trauma be a factor in Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS)? Some might think that psychological trauma would only have psychological repercussions, but a recent study presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s annual scientific meeting shows that […]
Can Loving Relationships Help in Treating the Wounds of Trauma?
Trauma can be overwhelmingly difficult to deal with alone. And further, it ultimately affects more than just the person who initially suffered the trauma. It’s very common for it to affect an intimate relationship, as well as the whole family. Thus, couples therapy can be an effective tool. Watch this video as Dr. Sue Johnson […]
Can This One Exercise Unlock Your Brain’s Natural Anti-Anxiety Drug?
What one exercise can boost feel-good chemicals in your brain while reducing anxiety and improving your mood? The answer is yoga. In a study lead by Chris Streeter, MD he and his colleagues from the Boston University School of Medicine found that yoga reduced anxiety, improved mood, and boosted the anti-anxiety neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) […]
How Trauma Traps Survivors in the Past – A Look at Trauma Therapy with Bessel van der Kolk, MD
One of the perils of trauma is that it can destroy a survivor’s sense of time. But when this happens, how can we help to restore it? Recently, I spoke with Bessel van der Kolk, MD, considered the world’s leading expert in post-traumatic stress. Watch below as Bessel explains how trauma affects our patients’ sense […]