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Psychotherapists are the pillars of mental health support.
They are our sounding boards and voices of reason.
They offer coping mechanisms and help us process difficult emotions.
Theres no doubt that talk therapy has saved lives.
Many people who experience trauma find that there are healing modalities that work hand-in-hand with talk therapy.
Deborah Korn, PsyD is a psychologist, teacher, and co-author of Every Memory Deserves Respect, which focuses on the healing power of EMDR.
Some of these practiceslikereiki, yoga, and trauma-sensitive massagehave rich histories and have existed for hundreds of years.
Others, likevirtual reality therapy, are relatively new.
Whats clear is that theres no one set way to heal.
What exactly is trauma?
Trauma takes root in the brain and body, so both require care.
To be a human being alive in this world is to experience trauma, she says.
Even just the process of being born can be pretty traumatizing.
Of course, she also honors that there are vastly different degrees of trauma.
About ready for some positive news?
Deborah Korn, PsyD is a psychologist, teacher, and co-author of Every Memory Deserves Respect, which focuses on the healing power of EMDR.
Whats important to understand is that every part of our body is connected to each other.
This is exactly why Dr. Gordon says trauma healing should go deeper than talk therapy on its own.
(If youve ever experienced tummy troubles because youre stressed, youve experienced a taste of this first-hand.)
He emphasizes that trauma takes root in the brain and body, so both require care.
But this doesnt just happen during the traumatic event itself.
She recently co-wrote a book about EMDR as trauma healing,Every Memory Deserves Respect($16).
What EMDR is focused on is getting the brain to work functionally again.
Because it cant function properly when its stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown mode.
She explains that EMDR was developed in 1987 by a psychologist namedFrancine Shapiro, PhD.
I was in a black hole of depression that I was desperate to get out of, she says.
As Olsen moved her eyes back and forth, tracking the therapists finger, she said it felt hypnotizing.
I was brought right back to the scene.
I could smell the room and see the fibers in the carpet.
It was so vivid, she says.
I had all this pent of rage I didnt realize, she says.
Fortunately, Olsen says the second time she did EMDR, she it was healing for her.
We spent much more time talking.
She co-authored a scientific paper abouthow virtual reality can help someone overcome anxiety.
Virtual reality is really good at tricking your brain, she says.
A therapist can help them work up to that.
First, they may spend time around cars, just touching them.
Another example Dr. Boeldt gives is using virtual reality to get over a fear of heights.
But Dr. Boeldt says as VR headsets become more affordable, the actual equipment is more accessible.
Some therapists are also using YouTube as a cheaper way to do it, she says.
Dr. Gordon says trauma can manifest in many different physical symptoms.
Fatigue, trouble sleeping, aches and pains, and digestive issues can all be tied to trauma.
Often, people are unaware of the connection even within themselves, he says.
Its truly up to them how much they want to share.
For some survivors of trauma, this may be their first time experiencing a safe touch, McGreal says.
Its also used to help build a positive relationship with the body.
It was actually my talk therapist who recommended I try reiki, Chin says.
What reiki did for me was that it helped me feel more comfortable in my body.
Chin opted for the hammock.
She remembers soft music playing and incense.
Then, she sat down with me, and we talked about what was going to happen next.
That way, there wouldnt be any surprises, Chin says.
During the session, the reiki practitioner wrapped Chin in blankets.
I could just feel the energy running through my body.
I feel like it helped release the negative energy, Chin says.
She has done several reiki sessions since, including avirtual reiki sessionduring the pandemic.
When they were forced to close up shop due to COVID-19 financial strains, they took it online.
They suggest asking questions like, what sounds interesting to you?
What are you drawn to?
Then, just go for it.
These ways of healing also, they say, can complement each other.
(Or EMDR or virtual reality session for that matter.)
Taking steps toward healing is the beginning of building resiliencyand theres immense power in that.
Trauma isnt all that can be inherited; healing and resiliency can be inherited, too.
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