AVAIYA Univ is hosting a free online class "Healing From Childhood Trauma" Jul 29–Aug 6. 18 physicians, therapists & psychologists will present/talk a/b strategies to understand & heal from childhood trauma. For a list of presenters and to register go to https://www.avaiya.com/healing/?ap_id=vmead.
Thanks for posting, Kizzie. You really are tireless in finding new opportunities for healing for us, with all the links and organisations you post and now this! :cheer: :hug:
I've just signed up.
A lot of them pop up in Twitter and I just pass them along but you're welcome. :hug:
Thanks Kizzie, I have also signed up, and I've watched the first day's ones, and thought they were useful. I'm hoping to watch Day 2's - I think they remain online for 72 hours, so I'm hoping I can keep up. But I think they are useful. I've been making some notes, and I hope to reflect on them, when I get chance.
Hope :)
:thumbup:
I watched part of the first one - Dr. Siegel's - today and I also took some notes. I don't intend to try and keep up though. For me that would be too much, an overwhelm. I was particularly interested in what he said about shame; it was meaningful for me at this stage in healing.
I am also watching some of these classes, but I have ended up getting a bit anxious about the fact they are time-limited. I am wondering if they are available to view until the end of the day on August 6th, or whether it is 72 hours after that date (for all of them) - I am confused, and think it's down to my brain being foggy at the moment, as I'm in a series of EF's currently. I will try to read the information again, but I guess I'm putting this here - because it's bothered me that I feel rushed. Also I have been triggered by some of the stuff in the videos, so it's actually been quite hard to know whether I should continue to watch, and yet I really want to watch them, as I don't want to miss them, and I also don't want to have to afford to buy them, as I'd like to watch them whilst they are free.
Hope :)
They are all time-limited. Some have expired already. The ones from Aug. 6th will be available for 72 hours I imagine.
There have been free things of this type before, so there might be again.
I realised I couldn't take everything in at once. I did listen to a few more after Dr. Siegel's but I didn't listen until the end of any of them. I did take some notes on Dr. Siegel's and might add them here if I get round to it.
I found I couldn't concentrate on anything like this this week so I bought the package which gives you unlimited access and will go back to them at my leisure. If I'm able to share I will :)
Notes on Dr. Siegel's talk: 1st Part
When you're traumatised, integration within your brain is negatively affected. That in turn really affects your ability to react, detrimentally. And it affects regulatory stuff in body, soul and mind.
The good news: you can re-grow your brain. Mindfulness helps with this.
Attuned communication versus abuse/neglect. A caregiver is ideally attuned to a child in his/her care. The caregiver balances child's needs with his/her own. When this works well, it's called PART: present, attuned, resonating, trust.
When functioning, this gives rise to an integrated relationship, which in turn produces integration in our brains. Secure attachment and mindfulness go hand in hand.
Where your attention goes: that's where brain circuit stimulation also goes.
When you develop kindness, caring, concern, your body gets healthier because stress levels are reduced.
Notes on Dr. Siegel's talk: 2nd Part (of my notes)
Breath focus can be panic-inducing.
Sit in awareness and not be terrified. To develop curiosity, openness, even love.
Forgiveness is giving up hope for a better childhood.
Shame is an emotional state. It often feels heavy in your chest with nausea in your stomach.
Shame says "I'm damaged" and that leads to helplessness. It's easier, safer for child to believe they are damaged than that the parents are. Shame keeps you from going insane as a child.
In recovery, name the shame and understand it as a creative solution.
Dr. Siegel talks about a tool for recovery where you imagine a wheel. You see yourself in the hub but there are also points on the rim. He talked quite a lot about this and if I remember rightly the rim was present day, non EF. In healing you try for a dual focus of attention. Flashback is an implicit memory but try and stay in the present too. I'm more than happy to be corrected on this one since my notes on it are a bit scanty.
Blueberry, thanks for sharing your notes.
Quote from: Blueberry on August 05, 2019, 08:43:03 PM
Notes on Dr. Siegel's talk: 1st Part
The good news: you can re-grow your brain. Mindfulness helps with this.
When you develop kindness, caring, concern, your body gets healthier because stress levels are reduced.
Encouraging that healing can take place. Good reminder about kindness and care.
Quote from: Blueberry on August 05, 2019, 08:57:13 PM
Notes on Dr. Siegel's talk: 2nd Part (of my notes)
Shame is an emotional state. It often feels heavy in your chest with nausea in your stomach.
Shame says "I'm damaged" and that leads to helplessness. It's easier, safer for child to believe they are damaged than that the parents are. Shame keeps you from going insane as a child.
In recovery, name the shame and understand it as a creative solution.
Interesting idea. I need to explore this further.
Quote from: Blueberry on August 05, 2019, 08:57:13 PM
Notes on Dr. Siegel's talk: 2nd Part (of my notes)
Breath focus can be panic-inducing.
I'm confused about this one, because in therapy and in my reading, there is a big emphasis on taking deep breaths. Am I misunderstanding?
notalone, about the breathing being panic-inducing: that's for some people only. I wrote it down in my notes because it interested me. I have a lot of trouble just sitting breathing. Either I start falling asleep (so 'going away') or memories come back. I tend to hold my breath - it's easy for me to do it, past the time where I feel an impulse to breathe again.
I think 'just breathing' is difficult for people where the neck was involved in the traumatisation or where breathing was maybe restricted. Not that I can figure out for myself what that would have been in my case. Unless just the fact that I restricted my own breathing due to my body posture. (more on that when I write down my notes from Dr. Pat Ogden's interview).
Thanks. Makes sense. When I first started trying to breathe I found it very stressful because I took shallow breaths my whole life and I felt like I had an iron cage around my chest and stomach. I gave it up for awhile. When I came back to trying to take deep breaths, I had to go really slow. I could do about four and then I felt like I was suffocating. I still work at it, but I have come a long way, now that I look back.
Just my own quick note on the breathing issue.
I had heavy asthma as a kid (interestingly, it was far worse around FOO/abuse situations; i.e. lots of emotionally induced spasms). I retained a measure of this as an adult and soon ran into the 'take a deep breath etc.' involved in many meditative practices.
I guess mainly I've just learned to translate the breathing parts for myself to mean 'relaxed' breaths as, indeed, the deep stuff could prove problematic.
Even though the asthma has dwindled in recent years, I never fully adapted to the 'take a deep breath' instruction. Yet another alteration but it helps to keep the panic (emotional and physical) in check.
I have problems with deep breathing too. Very interesting about the connection between that and trauma involving the neck and/or restriction of breathing. I remember at least two instances of childhood trauma around that, one especially severe. It wouldn't surprise me if there were other such occasions, although I suppose the two I recall would have been enough to cause issues.
I also bought the course because I knew there was no way I could constructively consume all that material in only a week. I'm still unable to take in more than a little at a time without getting overwhelmed, and panicking about every new thing I learn that resonates because I fear that there's just too much and it's just too late for me to ever heal. That sends me right back to little B who has no idea why she exists, why everything hurts so much or whether there's any way out beyond the mythical promised land of "when I grow up".
"Why 'Take a Deep Breath' Can Be Terrible Advice" (https://medium.com/s/notes-on-changing-your-life/https-medium-com-laura-khoudari-dont-start-with-the-breath-3f4b7f5d3b33) - Trauma informed article about breathing.
Excerpt - On the surface, it makes a lot of sense to tell people to take a deep breath. We commonly think of deep breathing as a way to slow down time, our breath, and ultimately our autonomic nervous system. But guess what — lots of people with chronic stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, or complex post-traumatic stress disorder, will find this act at best, damn near impossible, and at worst, triggering.
This conversation reminds me of the book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness by David A Treleaven. I haven't read the entire book yet, just the Kindle free sample, but it looks really good. It recognises that practices such as mindfulness can be triggering for trauma survivors, and offers modifications to minimise the potential dangers.
Good article, Kizzie. Thanks for sharing. What the author said, rang true with my experience.
Notalone - Me as well :yes: Same for working out way back when - panting and being short of breath felt way too much like a panic attack to me. I would have loved to have a trauma informed exercise program available for reassurance, encouragement and slowly getting used to the healthier aspects of this type of breathing.
Snowdrop - Would love to hear your thoughts on the book when/if you read it. At first in recovery when I would try mindfulness it would tap into what I visualize as a raging hot lava flow in my mind of my trauma and I would end up overwhelmed. It makes sense now that I understand but back then I just thought I was failing at something else in life. :'(
Announcement: Just had an email from the organizers of this event. They've extended the date to listen to the presentations for free - https://www.avaiya.com/healing/schedule/:
Healing From Childhood Trauma has spread to people far and wide, and we know so many of you registered during the last couple of days, missing out on several classes.
With that in mind...we'd like to announce that from right now until Monday, August 12th at 10am Eastern Time, you'll have access to watch ALL the classes we aired during the masterclass!
Quote from: Kizzie on August 06, 2019, 04:28:43 PM
"Why 'Take a Deep Breath' Can Be Terrible Advice" (https://medium.com/s/notes-on-changing-your-life/https-medium-com-laura-khoudari-dont-start-with-the-breath-3f4b7f5d3b33) - Trauma informed article about breathing.
Thanks for this! :applause: :applause: I've just read the article and it makes a lot of sense out of my experience and difficulties so far with yoga, breathing etc. But also with the huge benefits I find in mantra chanting.