It used to be that when working with trauma, so much of our focus centered on helping clients process their traumatic experience.
But over the past several years, we’ve gained a better understanding that that’s just one piece of the work – and perhaps now more than ever, we understand that multiple approaches are often needed to address different facets of a client’s trauma.
For example, researchers like Martin Bohus, PhD are finding that social traumas like traumatic invalidation can play just as much of role in the development of PTSD as the traumatic event itself.
In the video below, Martin walks us through the link between traumatic invalidation and PTSD and why it often requires a distinct treatment plan.
Have a look.
And I would say when our psychological apparatus evolved, the first thing we learned is you have to stay in your group, whenever it counts. Since if you lose your group, you’re dead. So this means whenever you are threatened to be rejected by your group or getting out of your group, it’s a question of life and death. So when you think of social synchronization and what this means? My emotional system is equal to the system of my peer group, is the primary basic for survival. Social invalidation then means that my basic principle of social survival is questioned.
And so this means you are threatened all the time. You don’t know what to do, you don’t know how to interpret messages from others. You don’t know how to interpret your own messages. This means you are always on the level of fear of being rejected and abandoned, and this means you cannot do anything else but this. This means this patient cannot stay alone since they’re ruminating all the time. What happens is outside they cannot trust anybody and so on.
So when targeting this, I wouldn’t say that intrusions are less important than traumatic invalidation. It’s the same. The basic idea is that you understand these are two different systems. And the idea that some psychotherapists often have is that they have this one treatment for all systems. So if you treat the intrusions, then everything gets back. That’s not true. It’s like you have a multiple organ problem: you have a heart, you have a liver, and you have a spleen.
And if you have problems in the heart, the liver and the spleen, and you only take the spleen, then you have still problems in the heart and the liver. And then you have therapists who say, “Okay, the spleen is the most important. The other ones I don’t think so much.” I say, “No, no, no, you have three problems, and you have to target all these three. Otherwise you can save one problem, but this doesn’t mean that this client can create a life worth living.”
And so for this reason, I meanwhile think that if you want to understand complex PTSD, we have to consider at least the disorder is a dual hit [inaudible 00:04:50] pathogenesis. The first hit is the trauma, which may be sexual or physical trauma. And the other is a social trauma decision. And so going more in deeper details that this is a different mental process than the trauma itself and it requires a different treatment approach, then we get a little bit closer to the thing.
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Now we’d like to hear from you. What strategies have you used to work with the impact of traumatic invalidation? Leave a comment below and let us know.
Jim Fitzgibbon here. I am myself a relational gestalt psychotherapist .
it’s the first time I heard this differentiation explicitly. for me this is affirming, re-cognition of experience
this is like long awaited manna from heaven. I will pass it on to my supervisees and, am already implicitly working this way.
I’m grateful to Martin Bohus
Traumatic invalidation sounds like something I’ve been exploring a lot lately in relation to racism, sexism and also partly, being the youngest in the family. But til now I’ve been thinking of it as shame, which is also about being cast out from the group.
I thought that invalidation/shame following the overwhelming experience is what prevents the feelings from being processed and crystallises them into trauma.
So what’s the difference between traumatic invalidation and traumatic shame? Is it just that the first refers more to the social context (what is done to you) while the second refers to the resulting feeling (what happens inside you)?
I’m glad to see attention on the subject of social trauma. As someone diagnosed with cPTSD in 2018, I understand social trauma perpetuated on another as the inability of one (family member, friend, or other – and hopefully not a therapist) to understand/comprehend the complexity of a trauma event at a neurological level and its effect. While understandable in some cases, it’s no less painful. Deep Brain Reorientation (DBR) has been surprisingly successful where other therapies have not, in my case. For too long, there have been well-meaning therapists who simply want/prefer ‘talk’ therapy but don’t realize that doesn’t really get to the heart of resolving the neurological impact of trauma and, in some cases, re-traumatizes an individual. Thank you for the additional insight in such posts like this one.
I have worked with ASD children, families, and adults for over 40+ years. I am finding increasingly with adults that they have been treated as having valid perceptions of reality including specific interpersonal exchanges. They are often considered brain damaged so their voices are routinely ignored and they are told
overtly they are less than human. This form of social trauma in the ASD population has been under appreciated resulting in little
research. They may be particularly vulnerable to being “erased”
creating many forms of maladaptive responses; e.g. diffuse identity, constricted affect, primitive self-protection.
I think it needs to be a topic of its own with other neuro diverse populations.
Thank you. Two words explain a lot of what I have felt
I am not a clinician. I have started following the Nicabm’s weekly video course as a potential victim of trauma. I am a recovering alcoholic, w/ a depression diagnosis. And doing OK. But, none of my docs no why I hate to eat. I literally hate brushing my teeth. I don’t want to spend time with my (adult) kids. Or grandkids…don’tliketobetouched…etc…. I’m fairly certain (after watching session 1) that I finally no why. thanx.
After educating myself about all my disorders and feeling exactly same. Do you suffer any mental health problems or traumatic experiences. I thought mine was just burnt out from caring for my elderly mum and 2 boys on the spectrum as well as me fitting in out out of it. Now joining the dots and alot makes sense. For me I believe I was diagnosed wrongly. But who knows majority of the disorders have same traits systems etc. Or you have main one with another 10 codependent issues.. Anyway I know I’m ancient hahaha but I think mine autistic, huh doesn’t really matter but it explains all my sensory issues. To loud, overwhelming. Any little noise. Some days I can’t even brush my hair.
Invalidation kills. I’m a seasoned therapist and survivor of early intangible trauma who struggled with self-invalidation for 26 years while writing my book “No Sticks or Stones: Healing cPTSD when the Trauma wasn’t physical.” I’d think, “Other people had real trauma, much worse stuff than mine; I’m just a lazy spoiled brat crybaby who just doesn’t try hard enough.” Even today with my book getting sweet validating reviews on Amazon, I get triggered when, for example, I hear Janina, for whom I have enormous respect, assert that emotional neglect isn’t trauma. Triggered, I sink into a hopeless shame “resignation stupor” that I have to muster many personal and professional resources to pull myself out of. This is infant/nursery stuff–trauma–that makes all the later societal stuff much harder to acknowledge and address. Thanks Ruth, NICABM, presenters and commenters. It’s good to know I’m not the only one.
Personalizing all incoming information/data is an easy habit to develop. I experience that too, but what has helped me was realizing “that’s their BS, not mine.” I’ve also use a somatic gesture if I’m feeling “weighed down” (essentially integrating it):
⬇️↔️⬇️
⬇️👐⬇️
➡️⬆️⬅️
palms out, draw a box in front of you, then move hands to the middle and push. Hope the emojis help.
I have started to use this somatic gesture and it has really helped me focus. Thank you for sharing it.
Finally a whole being approach, thank you so much for this vital work. Just as I learned that a multidisciplinary approach was the only way to navigate the complex intractable conditions I had, like Endometriosis, still misunderstood and misdiagnosed.
The providers offered their best but that was a singular approach which failed and caused more trauma and harm.
My coaching practice is attracting providers in trauma and I am grateful to be able to offer language and resources they can trust and respect, as we create healthier habits around their traumas.
I have learned many feel unable to seek therapy as they fear losing their licenses and this is a growing epidemic in our healthcare systems. We MUST acquire knowledge and skills to serve those who serve our communities in ways we cannot.
As a non-binary individual and counsellor who works regularly with people who belong to marginalized groups, I wonder how often traumatic invalidation is connected to dynamics of oppression and racism.
Interesting
Marta. I am deeply touched and much of what you’ve written resonates so deeply for me. I find there aren’t trauma trained therapists where I live, in central Florida. I’ve been self healing for about 3 years in this field of CPTSD. I’ve had 30+ years of therapy… most of it talk therapy. I am eager to learn more and my biggest hope is I will find a trauma trained therapist who takes Medicare. I find it hard to swallow that many many many traumatologists do NOT take my insurance. There’s such a huge need for millions of us to heal. I only wish I could find someone (besides myself) to guide my through this deep and necessary healing.
From one self healer to another: may we conquer what lives in our bodies and be able to thrive instead of survive.
Val Retired Educator
Deltona, Florida
Great piece – invalidation trauma is often overlooked… That whole idea just settled into me and the truth of it ‘fit’. Thank you!
I agree Rachel, Many people in the helping professions are judgy and have an agenda. You have to find the person that one feels safe with and is open to all possibilities and realties. It is deep psyche work. I myself have been in this recovery since sixteen. I experienced many judgy and controlling therapists gurus, energy workers etc. I had to recover from trauma from therapy and the medical profession. ultimately I am my own healer and I had educate myself to many paths and approaches. It is hard painful work. It is constant recovery and diving into new layers.. and there is a lot of deep shadow work. it is very complex and very deep. It is a deep rupture to the soul and heart. I have been healing from PTSD for many many years since childhood and I was misdiagnosed for many many years or minimalized. Until I was told I had PTSD and trauma was in the body then everything started to make sense.. and why so many strategies were not working for me. But being an artist and writer and doing dreamwork took me deep into my psyche where I could talk to my own soul.. in my own language. and non verbally experience my own truth and own feelings. it is a life time recovery
I know exactly what this is -and its deep, deep roots in the human psyche. In fact, research has clearly show that experimental subjects will stay in a room with firm alarms going off, and smoke coming under the door, if others in the room (paid actors) all refuse to react to the signs of fire. They would stay and basically be killed by fire rather than buck group nonchalance. So, being gaslit by numerous people leads to one HAVING to reject ones own’s perceptions and conclusions. A huge Injury!!
No wonder our clients tell us stories seeking outside perspective on their experiences. Somatic therapists can be so judgy about “going into story,” and thus miss the boat of the deeper injury the client is struggling to address. Further invalidating said client!! But how to treat effectively???
@Rachel. Yes, the implicit invalidation that goes along with, as you put it so well, being “judgy about ‘going into story’,” adds an extra layer of pain and desperate self-invalidation. For me, hearing your validating words counts as an aspect of “effective treatment.”
continued. bloom quote, their conflicts and feelings. It means programs that focus on non verbal expression including art, music, movement, theatre and sports. are vital adjuncts to any community healing efforts and should no be eliminated It means that the arts plays a central role in community healing and serving as”the bridge across the black hole of trauma. ”
BTW you I have and MS. in counseling psychology, certification in metaphysics and breathwork.. published writer, artist and director and producer of the Telling.. 2010.
As a professional and personally experiencing PTSD and trauma I have studied and engaged in many approaches, studies and strategies over the last forty or more years Using approaches: art, writing, theatre, breath work, somatic catharsis, jungian dream work, mystical approaches, energy work. guided imagery, hypnotherapy, family generational trauma, 12 step, recovery work (codependency addiction) cognitive therapy, compassionate inquiry, mindfulness, I am eclectic and always adding to my medicine bag. Also equine therapy and working with animals is wonderul,
I believe it is also more effective if the clinician is always in their own recovery healing process with trauma and PTSD. You can only take someone as far as you have gone. Bloom 1996 stated: “The implication of this information about memory and trauma are extensive, it means environments designed to intervene in the life of suffering people must provide an abundance of opportunities to talk and talk and talk about their experience, their past lives
This is a very interesting concept. The healthy version is how I feel when I go on vacation to a very different country or landscape. How do I react to the totally different neurosensory etc environment. Just a minimal thought that’s easier for me to relate to than the very real problem of the total neurosensory surround loss that this tape refers to.
Hi
Yes good point made about the social isolation and fears of rejection in the world of a complex PTSD client.
Alice Miller has said a lot about social rejection and an author like this can be used as a validator of what happened, when noone of the family of origin or other group/ society is able to take responsibility they are in fear as well.
Learning to be alone is important. There are people out there who are trustworthy and will validate. If social fear is so strong that it hinders to find this people, we can connect to truthtelling authors. Increased knowledge about the brain, neurological effects and about neuroplasticity plus realizing that the traumatic experience is shared worldwide with so many humans, can lead to a new mature form of taking steps out.
I work with children, a d with those who experience peer rejection I have a series of short animal videos we watch together, showing animals expelled from one group and how they join another. This seems to give a normalising framework and of course an opportunity to reflect on the trauma within third person (third animal) distancing. Watching vids also seems less ‘weird’ for children who already feel very different. It seems to have proven a good starting point
Where can I find such videos?
Also interested
Great pointer, Katherine! Thank you for sharing🙏🏻
Until now, I didn’t work well with this, and I never experienced good help for myself neither.
I experienced myself the rejection of my core family and even of my kids (after revealing sexual abuse by our father) and there is rejection or break in some friendships. Because I’m still stuck there, I even put my practice as a counsellor and coach on hold. So yes, I’m very curious and happy to learn and understand …