Trends in Psychology, Trauma, Post Traumatic Growth, and Movement Medicine
As someone who is currently in school furthering their education in the field of Psychology with a focus on counseling and trauma, it is important to be aware of different trends in this field while staying up to date on current research and how the field is changing. This information will help to make better decisions when choosing which avenue to go down, as well as being prepared upon graduation for what to expect on this career path. There are three areas this writing will focus on in the field of Psychology: trauma, post-traumatic growth, and movement medicine. This essay will look at different professional organizations, peer reviewed journals, and social media's influence to get a better understanding of the direction this field of study and profession is taking.
With my own history of trauma and addiction I have seen first hand what over medication and lack of movement can do to people and their mental health. I have also seen and experienced something called Post Traumatic Growth, leading me to the world of Movement Therapy in the form of hiking. Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) is known as “what can happen when someone who has difficulty bouncing back experiences a traumatic event that challenges his or her core beliefs, endures psychological struggle (even a mental illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder), and then ultimately finds a sense of personal growth. It's a process that takes a lot of time, energy and struggle”(Collier, 2016). Post Traumatic Growth can have a profound impact on an individual and how they go on to live life after a traumatic event.
While not many studies have been conducted thus far the ones that have been done show significant data that suggest a positive correlation between people who have suffered trauma and the way in which physical movement (bottom down approach) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (top up approach) can work together to positively impact the brain and nervous system leading to healing and resilience. “Sometimes traditional therapy for trauma patients gives people short-fix solutions to help them resume daily functions, such as sleep or work, but may not provide them with a way of living ‘beyond just getting by .... We've got to attend to their experience of life and how meaningful, satisfied and fulfilling it is’ “ (Collier, 2016). Understanding the limited yet positive research that has been done correlating trauma, movement medicine, and post traumatic growth makes me excited to continue studying this field and being a part of its growth with more research being done, as well as bringing awareness and understanding to alternate therapies for healing.
Even with limited studies on the benefits of Movement Therapy for those who have experienced trauma, the research that has been done especially by Harris, and Dorsey, as well as Bremmer (2006), Bellis et al. (2010), Shaefer et al. (2006), Wenigar et al. (2008), and Van Der Kolk (2014), Duros and Crowely, Cook et al. (2014) all speak to importance of connecting the mind and body back together safely before moving on to top up approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The research indicates that the same parts of the brain that are affected by the trauma-the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, also experience healing during Dance/Movement Therapy. By reconnecting clients with their own body and its senestations they can relearn how to rewire their nervous system to respond appropriately.
In the article “Mindfulness and Dance/Movement Therapy for Treating Trauma”, Jennifer Frank Tantia states,
Present awareness through mindfulness creates a foundation for embodiment, an enlivened sense of oneself in the world. Dance/movement therapy can facilitate the movement from mindfulness to embodiment by helping a client to kinesthetically engage with sensations, images, emotions and memories, leading to improved physical, mental and emotional well-being (Tantia, n.d.).
The nervous system is our body's security alarm, it signals when something is wrong and alerts the rest of our body to fight, flight, or freeze. When someone experiences a traumatic event the nervous system becomes overwhelmed. If a client is diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) the alarm tends to continue to sound, even if there is no real danger present. These symptoms can show up in the form of stomach aches, depression, and anxiety, to name a few. In order to get the alarm system to function properly it needs to learn how to be regulated again. “Trauma can cause brain circuits to reroute, the thalamus to shut down, the prefrontal cortex to be compromised by an overactive limbic brain and the amygdala to be hyper-vigilance, causing nervous systems secrete a continual flow of stress hormones into the bloodstream ”(Goggin, 2018). This information is important to look at and note, especially when we talk about clients who have experienced multiple traumas throughout their lives. Tantia speaks to this by stating,
For clients who have experienced complex trauma (exposure to multiple traumas or prolonged exposure to extreme levels of stress), there is a clear body/mind split that might best be addressed as it is prior to attempting an integration. Trauma is felt and held in the body; therefore, to avoid or “block out” feeling any part of the trauma, clients also avoid or “block” their embodied experience. Under these circumstances, even mindfulness applied as attention to the body can feel overwhelming and possibly retraumatizing. For work with these clients I suggest that mindfulness does not have to start with attention directly to the body, but may begin from outside of the body (Tantia, n.d.).
Looking at the trends in the research that has been done and the growing curiosity around Movement Therapy makes me even more motivated to continue my education and enter this field in my career. As someone who has had first hand experience in Post Traumatic Growth and Movement Therapy with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and can speak to its benefits, I look forward to helping more people find their resilience after trauma.
When dealing with trauma it is important to look at multiple different therapies and the research around them. As we evolve and learn more about the mind/body connection, it is important to stay up to date on how information is changing as well as different modes of therapy. In the article, “The Efficacy of Dance/Movement Therapy for Trauma Affected Youth: A Literature Review", it discusses how most therapies for trauma are top down approaches which means they focus mainly on processing the trauma through dialogue. While these therapies are beneficial they do not address the body's somatic response to the trauma. This research suggests that before we focus on top down approaches to trauma, the first focus should be on bottom up. This helps the client to alleviate the physical symptoms of the trauma like anxiety, dissociation, and panic attacks, as three examples. Once the client is able to manage the physical symptoms then top down approaches should be used to help the client talk through their trauma.
Through my research on trauma, post traumatic growth, and movement medicine I found a lot of support about the benefits of moving the body through Dance Therapy to help those struggling with trauma navigate their healing. This type of healing connects the mind, body, and spirit together, and it is believed all three of these aspects are affected when trauma happens. Post traumatic growth helps people with their self-perception, social experiences, health effects, and can change the way in which they view life and their traumatic experience.
This information is important to know and continue to study in the field of Psychology because it may be more beneficial for clients dealing with PTSD. It may help them heal quicker and more efficiently. Clients who experience PTSD can oftentimes experience dissociation as well which makes them feel disconnected to their own bodies and minds. Movement Therapy helps to bring presences back into the body and allows the client to experience themselves in a safe way. Movement therapy can be a little trickier when dealing with clients who have anxiety or panic attacks because an elevated heart rate can trigger panic and anxiety. For these clients it is best to engage in slower movement therapy, like DMT (dance movement therapy) in the beginning.
As on-going research continues it is imperative to stay up to date on new information and therapies regarding trauma, PTSD, and post-traumatic growth. Referencing organizations like the American Psychological Association, The National Center for PTSD, The National Alliance on Mental Health, American Dance Therapy Association, and the Boulder Crest Foundation can help those studying or working in this field stay up to date on the latest information and research. All of these organizations are involved in research about psychology, trauma, movement therapy, and post-traumatic growth. These different professional organizations provide advocacy, apps (for phones), education, events, journals, memberships, practice, and resources about trauma and mental health. As the field of psychology, especially around trauma, and the different forms of therapies that work for healing expands it is crucial for counselors, therapists, and those in academia to have the latest and most up to date information. Staying current allows them to help their clients heal, adjust their practice as needed, or continue on-going research to find the best solutions to helping the mind and body heal from traumatic events. These professional organizations provide ample amounts of information, and should be referenced frequently.
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