Trauma Training Tip
Like many of us I suspect, I spend some part of each day longing to somehow contribute to a greater capacity for diplomatic solutions to the violence in the Middle East. The history of trauma and threat and the ongoing loss of life that is both overwhelming the region and providing fodder for more and greater dysregulation in its future citizens is overwhelming. The burden of traumatic stress on the bodies, minds, and spirits of all of us who care for life and long for peace gets heavier and heavier every day.
The arc of trauma in the Middle East is 100’s of years old. There are decades and decades of thwarted impulses to protect and defend the lives of individuals and those perceived as vulnerable. This is true for Israelis and for Palestinians from diverse religions, ethnicities, economic classes, genders, and sexual expressions. It is also true for Jews and for Palestinians all over the world – each carrying an epigenetic, ancestral imprint of thwarted protection.
So much fear. So many tendrils impacting how this arc of trauma is expressed in the biology of the people and the politics of the region.
It’s Winter and the experiences of our ancestors who were threatened by the harshness of this season remains in our tissues and our psychology. Do I have enough food stored away? Do I have enough fuel to keep warm? How long will it last? Even with a grocery store on the corner and central heat, we remain vulnerable to paralyzing fear in this long and difficult season. Fear makes accessing our frontal cortex difficult. It is harder to think expansively, creatively, compassionately, or thoughtfully. That we are in Winter makes it even harder to discern creative solutions for people on all sides of this conflict.
The social and political polarization that we experience in the United States – and which some would say is the incubator for world-wide polarization – promotes racism, anti-semitism, sexism, and prejudice against gender non-conforming people. It has created a vibration that features contraction, rigidity, and lack of capacity to see people who are different from ourselves as worthy of compassion, understanding, and safety. The more unsettled people are, the easier we are manipulated by fascists, tyrants, and zealots. This too affects the capacity of the people of the region to find non-violent solutions to what feels so impossible. It is the “fuel” that contributes to triggering impulsive violence.
I would say the world’s Ventral Vagus nerve, responsible for our sense of connection with ourselves, others, nature, culture, and spirit is profoundly contracted and compromised by fear – historic and current, individual and cultural, local and global.
What is the role of healers here in the United States? I say it’s a pretty important one and it all happens right here in our communities. Can we, one by one, support transformation of the vibration of polarization in our communities that feeds world-wide polarization, and mitigate the export of discordance coming from the United States to the Middle East, Ukraine, and elsewhere?
Even the most skilled diplomat will not be able to help two parties discern nuanced, relational, and creative solutions to very real problems when the parties are paralyzed by fear and are unable to access their Ventral Vagus/Heart Spirit.
We have so much to offer – and it is all right here in our own back yards. Let’s use our presence and our skills to mitigate the arousal in our communities. It’s so important.
Alaine’s Two Cents
At the Thousand Oaks Tao of Trauma Water/Signal Threat module we got to talking about the history of trauma in the Middle East, the fear and terror of the people there, and its impact on choices people are making. We decided we should take time to hold the kidney/adrenal of the Middle East to help the region access their most thoughtful, compassionate, and creative Frontal Cortex. So rich. Beautiful images came to me of parents comforting children, of soldiers finding ease and being less impulsive. The atmosphere in the classroom transformed. So tender. Amazing actually. Highly recommend that we all do this – in groups is best. See Chapter 7 of The Tao of Trauma for information on the Kidney/Adrenal hold.
On the use of touch, this from The Tao of Trauma:
“Likely because of its deep physiological and relational impact, touch can be a double-edged sword for trauma survivors. It can both trigger the perception of threat and provide a critical container for safety. Using touch with trauma survivors is similar to early humans harnessing fire – it is a potent force, with potential to inflict harm if used inappropriately, but it is also life sustaining and nourishing when understood and used appropriately. Like our ancestors, who over time, learned to manage fire, survive cold winters, cook food and advance society, we can learn to use touch as a life-sustaining and coherence-building tool.” (pages 79-80).
This rich article by psychologist, ethics consultant, and forensic expert, Ofer Zur, explores the use of touch in clinical settings. So helpful!
Check This Out!
Tao of Trauma Clinical Assistant, Kaylie Hopper, L.Ac., of Los Angeles, CA has a monthly newsletter: Hopper Acupuncture & Somatics. She shares stories, tips, and reflections based on the foundations of East Asian Medicine, Somatic Experiencing, and life.
In January 2024 she began a new series called, “A Year of Curiosity” – a monthly newsletter exploring a different theme each month, all with the goal of creating a container for ourselves that allows us to experience the full spectrum of what it is to be human.
I’m a subscriber and I highly recommend her insights, reflections, and wisdom.
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Clinical Curiosity
Where is your clinical curiosity carrying you?
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