Trauma leaves an imprint not only in our minds, but also on our bodies and energy fields. Somatic symptoms such as muscle tension or pain, digestive issues and low energy are often telltale signs that trauma hasn’t been properly dealt with.
Techniques such as Art Receptivity Therapy (ART) can be utilized to unlock any stuck emotions. Other energy psychotherapy approaches, including Thought Field Therapy (TFT), Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Ask and Receive and others may also help treat trauma-inducing experiences.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
ART is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach that utilizes eye movements, voluntary image replacement and relaxation techniques to assist people in processing distressful memories and decreasing emotional or physical responses. ART can be used to address various forms of psychological stressors including trauma. The goal of ART therapy is to help clients overcome fears and achieve a sense of control over their lives; according to the American Psychological Association this therapy may even be effective against PTSD, anxiety and depression.
Comparative to other forms of psychotherapy, ART is less time-intensive and requires fewer sessions than others; its implementation is easier too; often used alongside CBT or EMDR therapies as an adjunctive form. While relatively new therapy, research into its potential benefits has proven encouraging; in a 2020 randomized controlled trial ART was found effective at treating PTSD and complex grief symptoms.
In a typical session, your therapist will guide you to visualize images that elicit negative emotions, such as painful events or memories. As you recall these images, they’ll move their hands back and forth while performing similar eye movements as recalling them; experts believe these eye movements alter how the brain stores these memories and make them more readily accessible in long-term memory storage – once trauma memories have moved into long-term storage they can be replaced with positive images or metaphors.
More research must be conducted to understand how and why ART works and its effectiveness, especially given that its components remain unknown as sources for reduction of PTSD symptoms reported in clinical trials. Furthermore, more low risk of bias comparative studies are necessary to enable statistical synthesis.
Somatic Therapy
Somatic Therapy is an energy therapy approach to trauma resolution that uses body awareness to connect people to their emotions and relieve trapped tension. Somatic Therapy takes into account that traumatizing events may leave an emotional charge in our bodies that manifests as chronic pain or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Somatic techniques such as breathwork and body awareness allow individuals to become more conscious of bodily sensations and emotional responses while learning to regulate emotions more efficiently, thus helping prevent impulse behaviors or substance use.
Somatic therapy practitioners include psychologists, licensed professional counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists as well as massage therapists or bodyworkers who utilize bodily interventions to treat trauma. Their goal is to recognize the body’s innate wisdom while drawing upon internal resources in a supportive therapeutic environment. Somatic techniques used may include guided imagery, meditation, mindfulness as well as body scanning exercises such as breathing exercises movement touch visualization.
Somatic Experiencing (SE), is another type of somatic therapy developed by Peter Levine to heal people’s bodies after trauma. By drawing people’s attention back into their bodies and exploring physical sensations, feelings, behaviors as well as deeper unconscious images that contribute to suffering, it aids reconnecting people to their physiology while safely discharging survival energies trapped within fight-flight-or-freeze responses.
Though there have been few scientific studies conducted on SE, anecdotal evidence supports its effectiveness for treating trauma-related symptoms and related problems. Unfortunately, due to political and systemic barriers that make funding holistic approaches harder than traditional talk therapy therapies.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an approach designed to help individuals regulate their emotions and reduce stress and anxiety. It involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment – such as by paying attention to how your feet land or hearing the wind on your face; exercises could include paying attention to sensations like footsteps clacking against pavement or hearing its wind whip against skin; also body scan meditation which focuses on each part of body simultaneously to reduce chronic stress that causes trauma symptoms.
Studies demonstrate how mindfulness practices can strengthen connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, making people less sensitive to perceived threats. They can also assist people in controlling their emotions more effectively – an especially vital skill for individuals who have endured trauma.
Mindfulness differs from EMDR in its focus of leading clients toward adaptive resolution of trauma memories by being less directive in its approach, instead concentrating on cultivating presence of mind and enhancing capacity for self-reflection. Through principles such as titration and pendulation, mindfulness therapy may meet the safety requirements for vulnerable client presentations such as dissociation (Tempone-Wiltshire 2024).
Trauma Resolution Energy Therapy involves techniques that enable you to access a deeper sense of well-being – that essential core part of you – quickly. This healing work removes obstacles from the path leading to Your True Self (your deeper part). Reestablishing this connection can be achieved through guided visualizations, meditations and subtle energy techniques combined with guided visualisations; trauma was caused by disconnection with this deeper self, thus ending its painful legacy. By addressing root causes such as disconnection from energy fields as well as clearing any blockages or imbalances present, trauma can be resolved effectively while ending their painful legacy and ending their painful legacy quickly and permanently.
Meditation
Meditation has been shown to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it should never replace medical treatment; to determine whether meditation would benefit you best speak to your healthcare professional for advice about which form would best fit your lifestyle and needs. They will offer tips and recommendations as to which kind would work for you best.
Meditation is an inexact term that differs across cultures and traditions, often used to refer to practices claimed to train the attention of the mind or foster calmness and compassion. Due to the difficulty associated with classifying meditation, conducting scientific research into different methods of practice becomes challenging; some studies indicate regular mediation increases brain size and grey matter volume while increasing intelligence, creativity, immune strength strengthening as well as lowering heart rate blood pressure and cholesterol.
At TRET, we teach guided visualizations and meditations to help you regain direct access to a deeper sense of wellbeing. We also help remove any obstructions to reaching Your True Self that have been blocking its presence – this allows your trauma memories no longer being triggered and prevents symptoms of PTSD from appearing.
TRET involves subtle energy work to address blockages and imbalances in the body’s energy field, which may cause emotional distress. This technique was pioneered by Roger Callahan – one of the founders of energy psychology. Callahan found that distress is encoded within one’s energy system (known as their ‘thought field”) which he conceptualised as the body. Callahan then devised set tapping sequences called algorithms which could disperse distress through muscle-testing diagnosis – dispelling any thought patterns which cause discomfort by dispersing them within its energy systems and body energy systems.
Self-Compassion
Self-compassion can assist clients in healing from trauma by processing memories, confronting negative emotions and challenging negative beliefs; as well as reducing stress levels and improving physical well-being. Teaching this important life skill comes in various forms. One approach involves mindfulness meditation practiced on others before turning that same kindness inward; another way involves including self-compassion practices into daily routines such as nourishing one’s body with healthy food or practicing loving-kindness meditation or engaging in other forms of relaxation and stress relief activities such as massage.
Self-compassion encompasses three components, including mindfulness, self-kindness and common humanity. Mindfulness involves being aware of thoughts and feelings without judgement – the first step toward building self-compassion as it helps recognize pain without self-blaming or taking things too personally. Self-kindness refers to showing yourself compassion during difficult times such as when disappointment or defeat arise. Finally, common humanity recognizes we’re all humans experiencing struggle as part of life itself.
Studies have revealed that individuals who practice self-compassion tend to experience lower rates of depression and anxiety as well as better overall health outcomes than those who don’t practice this form of mindfulness. Such individuals also tend to be more resilient in the face of hardship or trauma-inducing events and more likely to prosper regardless of any adverse repercussions or hardship.
Kristin Neff’s (2003) Self-Compassion Scale can help you assess your level of self-compassion. With 26 items rated from almost never (rated one) to always five (five), the scale provides a useful measure. Furthermore, you’ll find some self-compassion activities here and here as well as information about the difference between self-love and narcissism.
