As a trauma-informed psychotherapist, I am passionate about supporting individuals on their healing journeys, knowing that trauma work is rarely a straightforward or singular path. Trauma is complex, affecting the body, mind, and spirit, and therefore requires a holistic approach that respects each individual’s unique experience and needs. I believe that effective trauma therapy must draw from multiple modalities, integrating somatic, neurological, and psychological techniques to provide comprehensive support. Trauma affects every facet of a person’s being, and just as it is multi-layered in its impact, healing must also encompass multiple dimensions to be truly transformative.
Trauma is not merely an event but a lasting imprint on both mind and body, creating enduring patterns that often lead to challenges in coping and regulation. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk emphasizes this point in The Body Keeps the Score, explaining that trauma lives within the body, altering one’s sense of safety, connection, and resilience. Van der Kolk’s work highlights how trauma disrupts brain circuitry and nervous system regulation, leaving individuals in chronic states of stress and hyperarousal (van der Kolk, 2014).
Dr. Gabor Maté, through his work on addiction in In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, explores trauma’s roots from a psychosocial lens, viewing addiction as an escape from unresolved pain. Maté argues that addiction is not about the substance itself but about managing the internal discomfort that trauma creates. In this way, addiction becomes a self-soothing mechanism to cope with disrupted self-regulation and identity (Maté, 2010).
Dr. Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing model examines trauma as an unprocessed “survival energy” trapped within the body, which leads to physiological and emotional imbalances. Levine’s methods gently guide individuals to release this energy, allowing their nervous systems to reset and restore balance (Levine, 1997). This somatic approach complements Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, which highlights trauma’s effects on the vagus nerve and its role in our “social engagement system.” Porges suggests that trauma dysregulates the nervous system, leaving individuals stuck in survival modes (fight, flight, or freeze), and that healing occurs through grounding and self-regulation techniques (Porges, 2011).
Dr. Francine Shapiro’s EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) adds another critical layer to trauma healing. EMDR focuses on the brain’s processing of traumatic memories, which can become “stuck” and trigger maladaptive responses. EMDR allows the brain to reprocess these memories through bilateral stimulation, reducing the intensity of emotional responses linked to trauma (Shapiro, 2017).
Resmaa Menakem, a psychotherapist, expands the understanding of trauma to encompass both personal and collective experiences, with a specific focus on racial and intergenerational trauma. He highlights how trauma is not only psychological but also somatic, stored in the body and transmitted across generations. Menakem emphasizes somatic practices to heal deeply embedded trauma patterns and address physiological responses rooted in historical and cultural experiences. His work underscores the importance of “body-centered” healing within communities, advocating for practices that help release the generational pain and stress that individuals carry, often unconsciously, in their bodies. This focus on collective healing emphasizes that personal well-being is intertwined with broader societal transformation.
Known for her work on integrative and body-based approaches, Dr. Janine Kreft contributes a unique perspective to the field, blending psychology with energy-based and holistic methods. Kreft incorporates Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), or “tapping,” to help release stored trauma within the body’s energy systems. Her approach aligns with the growing emphasis on nervous system regulation and energy work in trauma recovery. Kreft’s methods focus on addressing trauma’s impacts on the body’s energy channels and promoting self-soothing practices that engage both mind and body.
Healing Approaches: Integrating Body, Mind, and Spirit
The collective insights of these trauma experts advocate for a comprehensive approach that draws from body-centered practices, mindfulness, and neurological techniques to support trauma recovery. Dr. Tara Brach, for example, emphasizes mindfulness and compassion as core elements of trauma work. Her teachings help clients engage with their experiences in a nonjudgmental way, fostering resilience and self-compassion essential for recovery (Brach, 2003).
Together, these perspectives reveal that trauma healing is most effective when it integrates approaches that address body, mind, and energy. This holistic trauma treatment model includes:
Body-Based Healing (Somatic Therapy and Polyvagal Theory): Techniques like Somatic Experiencing (Levine) and Polyvagal-informed approaches (Porges) guide individuals to reconnect with their bodies and safely release stored tension.
Neurological Reprocessing (EMDR): Shapiro’s EMDR reprocesses traumatic memories, helping individuals desensitize from and integrate traumatic experiences in ways that allow for emotional release.
Energy-Based and Mindfulness Techniques: Kreft’s work with EFT and Brach’s mindfulness practices work in tandem, clearing blocked emotional energy and fostering self-compassion.
Why Holistic Trauma Healing Matters
The research and clinical work of van der Kolk, Maté, Levine, Kreft, Porges, Shapiro, Brach, and Menakem show that trauma affects not only the psyche but the entire physiological and energetic systems of a person. Holistic trauma healing, therefore, aims to go beyond symptom management, addressing trauma’s root causes and offering pathways to resilience and transformation. This integrative approach acknowledges that trauma is not just a memory or an event but an experience that reshapes the entire self, and thus requires a multidimensional healing journey.
In essence, the collective wisdom of these experts shows that trauma healing is most effective when it considers the entire person. Integrating the insights from each approach, trauma therapy can support individuals in moving from mere survival to a place of empowerment, connection, and resilience.
References
Brach, T. (2003). Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha.
Kreft, J. (n.d.). Integrative Trauma Healing Practices.
Levine, P. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma.
Maté, G. (2010). In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction.
Menakem, R. (2017). My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies.
Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation.
Shapiro, F. (2017). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Third Edition: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures.
van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.
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