Integrative Trauma Treatment
Acupuncture and Somatic Experiencing
In Traditional Chinese Medicine the use of Acupuncture is used to asses and treat the state of dynamic homeostasis in the body, the harmonizing elements of the five major energetic elements of air, fire, water, earth, and metal. Like Somatic Experiencing it is a naturalistic approach to health. Over time, the consequences of accumulative stress from a traumatic history lead to the dysregulation of this balanced internal ecosystem, such as an over abundance of fire, (too much heat/yang), that may lead to emotional irritability, symptoms of chronic inflammation, constipation, anxiety… If one is deficient in fire, dampness may occur, tending someone to feel depressed, suffer from fatigue, and creates symptoms of stagnation, like hemorrhoids. When the energetic elements of the body are in balance and harmony it can most efficiently utilize it’s self-healing properties.
Somatic Experiencing is also a naturalistic approach, that supports the body in healing trauma by helping set the conditions to support the nervous system in healing and unwinding from trauma and symptoms of distress caused by traumatic stress. It is a non-invasive therapy. The advantage of combining Somatic Experiencing with Acupuncture is to unite these powerful, naturalistic modalities, both focused on empowering the natural agency of the five billion year old organism we live inside of into its optimum capacity for self-healing.
Both Acupuncture and Somatic Experiencing remove the obstacles to energetic flow, empowering an optimal functioning physiological state of health.
When the body is in an active state of suppressing past traumatic stress, the resulting bracing patterns can be considered as an intense charge of stagnant energy, or a rapid cycling of stagnant to explosive energy. It becomes a pernicious cycle of stress and overwhelm, depletion and compensation, leading to further stress, and further overwhelm.
Symptoms of an early traumatic history, may range from addictions and eating disorders, to autoimmune disorders like Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and diabetes. Somatic Experiencing can help heal the root of the early trauma, the ongoing source of stress and free up a greater capacity of the body’s healing intelligence to address the symptoms of imbalance. Acupuncture will continue to support and empower the body in this direction, as well as provide further nutrients such as nutrition, herbs, and supplements. When the body is in balance, and energy is flowing, a positive cycle of flow and efficiency.
Somatic Experiencing may address the root cause of an original trauma, and the physiological reaction still organizing around that specific event or series of events. If we have develop an eating disorder in our best efforts to manage the disorganized harmony from internal stress, our body will have suffered not only from the trauma but from the long-term negative effects of the management compensation, such as binging or purging in anorexia or bulimia. Acupuncture may address the symptoms of this compensatory strategy by bringing in herbs, nutrition, and stress management, offering the experience of feeling better and more in balance.
An Acupuncturist may examine the client’s tongue for shape, size, color, accumulation, or coating that hint at these internal restrictions. They may asses the strength or weakness of the pulse in either wrist, and other diagnostic expressions of disharmony in the rhythmic pulsations of balanced health. An Acupuncturist can differentiate qualities of pulse as indicative of certain patterns of dysregulation.
Somatic Experiencing addresses the central nervous system functioning, particularly any trauma-based sensorimotor instructions leading to restrictions in the myofascial (muscles and fascia) layers. Resolving the incomplete impulses of survival physiology frees up the deep instinctual preoccupation with the simultaneous dilemma of force and inhibition bracing pattern common in traumatic events. When the powerful force of this instinctual survival charge is successfully worked through to completion through Somatic Experiencing, the more subtle energetics of an Acupuncture treatment, such as organ, digestive, and respiratory system can be utilized more effectively. Subsequently, the adjunct use of Acupuncture with Somatic Experiencing gives the body a little bit more energy, flow, and regulation, even if superficial, to deal with the more pressing business of the traumatic shock or development trauma.
Life Coaching and Somatic Experiencing
Integrative trauma treatment is a holistic approach to healing. As we heal our trauma we may start sensing that there is more—expansion, joy, creativity, and service to others available, but not know how to get there. Full recovery requires more than healing trauma, but also returning to the world in a new, powerful, and more vital way. As Marisa Handler expertly names it; “Integration has been the key for me: Somatic Experiencing for the ground level up and inquiry for the top down——dismantling old beliefs born from trauma——mindfulness, dance and movement for the in-between!
Naturopathic Medicine and Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing helps peel away the layers of stress physiology, returning the body to a state of dynamic flow, and Naturopathic Medicine helps resolve the symptoms resulting from the long term chronic physiological distress on the body.
If we experience trauma we frequently struggle with co-occurring symptoms, such as; irritability, numbness, anxiety or depression, digestive and other physical issues. Due to the amount of energy it takes to suppress the internal traumatic stress our whole immune system may become compromised, contributing to mental fogginess, chronic pain, and other stress-based diseases.
Long term traumatic symptoms tax the body. The long term, chronic state of stress is a restrictive force on the biology, leading to an imbalanced state. Traumatic bracing patterns held in the physiology impair the organ, respiratory, immune, fluid, vascular, digestive, and reproductive systems. The long term management of traumatic distress can be confusing to naturopathic practitioners not trained in the physiological effects of trauma. The sometimes elusive physical symptoms causing the complaint can be daunting to somatic experiencing practitioners not trained to provide the many holistic approaches of alternative medicine, like homeopathy, herbalism, and acupuncture. The collaborative approach of these two naturalistic, body-based modalities to the healing of trauma, and long-term physiological distress of traumatic stress, offers clients a tremendous support.
