Tag: Trauma

Breast Cancer and its Impact on Mental Health

Posted on by TriWellness in Blog, Uncategorized

Overview of Breast cancer

Breast cancer is a common cancer that impacts mostly women, but has a history of impacting 1% of men. Breast cancer is characterized by the formation of cancer cells in the breast tissue. Some common symptoms of breast cancer are lumps within the breast tissue, changes in size, shape, or appearance, changes in skin around the breast and nipple. Regular mammograms and self-examinations can assist in early detection and resulting better prognosis (Mayo Clinic, April 2022).

Breast surgeon, Dr. Judy C. Boughey, M.D. explains breast cancer.

Types of breast cancer

There are eight types of breast cancer.

Angiosarcoma

  • Cancer cells in the lining of blood vessels and lymph vessels
  • This a a rare cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

  • Abnormal cells in the milk duct
  • Earliest type of breast cancer that is noninvasive, and has a low risk of spreading

INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER

  • A type of breast cancer that develops rapidly
  • Symptoms include red, swollen, and tender breasts
  • This is a rare cancer

invasive lobular carcinoma

  • A cancer that begins at the lobules of the breast (the milk producing glands)
  • These cancer cells have the ability to spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)

  • Abnormal cell formation in the lobules
  • Not a cancer, however individuals with this diagnosis have an increased risk of developing breast cancer
  • This is an uncommon condition

Male Breast Cancer

  • Cancerous cells in the male breast tissue
  • This is a rare condition

Paget’s Disease of the Breast

  • The disease starts at the nipple and extends outwards to areola
  • This condition is a rare type of cancer

Recurrent Breast Cancer

  • Breast cancer that reoccurs after treatment
  • Cancerous cells evade treatment

Risk Factors that impact Breast Cancer

The following are risk factors that can affect the development of breast cancer. However, having one or more of the following factors, does not necessarily imply that one will develop breast cancer.

  • Physically a female
  • Older in age
  • Personal or family history of breast cancer
  • Genes (BRCA1 & BRCA2 are known genes that increases the risk of cancer)
  • If you have been exposed to radiation
  • Obesity
  • Start of menstruation before 12 years old
  • Starting menopause at a later age
  • Having your first child after the age 30 or not having been pregnant
  • Postmenopausal hormone therapy
  • Drinking alcohol

Prevention and treatment

Breast cancer prevention involves lifestyle changes from diet and movement, and regular self exams and breast cancer screenings. In cases of high risk, your physician may recommend preventive medications or surgery.

Despite risks and prevention, sometimes an individual may still develop breast cancer. Due to intensive research, there are several treatments available.

Surgery

There are several different types of surgeries which is contingent on the severity of the breast cancer. Lumpectomy is utilized to remove the specific region around the tumor. A mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast, depending on the spread of the cancer it may involve the removal of both breasts. Another type of surgery involves the removal of certain lymph nodes; the amount of lymph nodes removed depends on the spread of the cancer. After the removal of the tissue, some patients may want to get a referral to a plastic surgeon for reconstructive surgery.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is another treatment strategy used to treat cancer. It involves x-ray or proton energy that targeted to the infected region. These beams of energy can be externally implemented or internally implemented, as in brachytherapy. Common side-effects of radiation therapy are fatigue, swollen or redness around the targeted region

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that involves utilizing medication to treat the cancerous cells. This treatment may be used prior to surgery to decrease the size of the tumors in the breast tissue. Other times, chemotherapy may be used post-surgery in high risk cases of the cancer returning. Chemotherapy is also used to treat cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. This treatment is known to have several side effects, from hair loss to vomiting, and a compromised immune system.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy blocks certain hormones, mainly estrogen or progesterone, depending on the specific cancer. Much like chemotherapy, this treatment may be used before surgery (to shrink the tumor), during, or after surgery. This treatment have several side effects depending on the type of treatment received. Common side effects are hot flashes, vaginal dryness, or night sweats.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of therapy that utilizes the patient’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells. This therapy impedes the cancer from hijacking the patient’s immune system. Immunotherapy is effective in cases where the patient does not have receptors for estrogen, progesterone, or HER2.

Targeted Medications

This type of treatment strategy uses specific medications to target specific abnormalities in the infected cells. Through research, scientists have found specific abnormalities called the HER2, this is type of protein that assists the cancer cells to grow and survive. By targeting the HER2, it can attack the protein without harming the healthy cells and restricting the growth of cancer cells.

the impact of diagnosis on mental health

Receiving the diagnosis of breast cancer and the subsequent treatments can understandably impact one’s mental health. From experiencing the stages of grief of what was to the treatments’ side effects as well as the impact of the treatment on the patient, there are several areas that can influence the patient’s and their family’s mental health.

Mood changes

One’s mood can be impacted at any stage of breast cancer. In the initial stage of being diagnosed with breast cancer, it can come as a shock if it was a sudden diagnosis. Some patients and their families noted experiencing The Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief or anticipatory grief. Certain aforementioned treatments can impact mood by causing hormonal changes, resulting in fluctuations in mood.

Other treatment strategies can also affect mood as a result of the physical side-effects. Increased fatigue and decreased energy can result in depressed mood due the lack of engagement in previously enjoyable activities, energizing movement activities, or general functionality. Surgery can affect how one view’s themselves which impact their self-esteem and mood.

Anxiety

Anxiety is another common mental health condition connected to the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Patients may experience concern and worry about their prognosis and the impact of treatment. Some people who have experienced recurrent breast cancer or other cancers may feel anxious about the effectiveness of treatment this time.

Some individuals who have experienced recurrent breast cancer or other cancers may also experience medical trauma. Medical trauma is an experiential response to pain, serious illness, and medical procedures. Considering that breast cancer can lead to a person feeling a sense of shock, loss of the sense of control, life-altering or even life-threatening treatments/prognoses, and conditions experienced at the hospital and with clinicians, patients develop medical trauma.

Strategies for managing mental health

As important it is to seek medical treatment for breast cancer, it is also important to take care of one’s mental health. As previously mentioned, there are several factors that can impact a patient’s and their family’s mental health. It is important to seek help.

Community support groups are a great resource for patients’ and their families to support each other and to receive support in difficult times. In the Chicagoland area, Lurie Cancer Center lists several local support groups. The National Breast Cancer Foundation also provides some resources on finding support groups nation-wide. American Society of Clinical Oncology also provides some international resources and support in several languages for several different types of cancers.

Individual or family therapy is another strategy that can assist patients and their families cope with the mental health conditions that impact them. In therapy, individuals will have a safe space to process their diagnosis, prognosis, treatment process, and other aspects that may arise during the process. Therapist also assist individuals in the development of coping strategies to manage whatever stressors may arise outside of therapy.

Resources

Breast Cancer

How Breast Cancer can Affect Mental Health

On Death & Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy, and Their Own Families. 50th Anniversary Ed., Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, Aug 2014.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Foundation

Anticipatory Grief: Mourning a Life before it’s Gone, A. Drakulich, 2021.

Public Fact Sheet for Medical Trauma Survivors

Receiving the diagnosis for Breast Cancer can be challenging, however you are not alone. Clinicians at TriWellness are trained in health psychology can provide assistance in this difficult time.

This month’s post was written by our Chronic Illness specialist, Aarti S. Felder, MA, LCPC, BCN.

Schedule an appointment with Aarti S. Felder, MA, LCPC, BCN

HISTORY AND HEALTH OF HISPANIC-LATINO PEOPLE

Posted on by TriWellness in Blog

“You are not lucky to be here. The world needs your perspective. They are lucky to have you.”

– Antonio Tijerino, President & CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

Each year from September 15th to October 15th, National Hispanic-Latino Heritage month is recognized. This month is to celebrate the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of people whose ancestors come from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Spain. This month originally started as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, and was expanded to a full 31-days in 1988. The month begins on September 15th because that is the anniversary of the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; Sept 16th is the anniversary of Mexico’s independence, Sept 18th
is the anniversary of Chile’s independence, and September 21st is when Belize declared its
independence; also Día de la Raza is on Oct 12th falling within the month.

Now the terms Hispanic and Latino encompass 62.1 million people (18.7% of the population in 2020) and has been steadily increasing for the past few decades. Originally the term “Hispanic” came from United States census’s need to categorize people and the term was used for “Americans who identify themselves as being of Spanish-speaking background and trace their origin or descent from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, and other Spanish-speaking countries.” This excluded Brazil as it is a Portuguese-speaking country even though it is part of South America. There is a lot of discourse about the term “Hispanic” because of the fact that it highlights the colonial legacy of these diverse countries, especially with the emphasis being on Spanish-speaking. There is also discourse around the term “Latinx” when used to describe this community because of how gendered terms are in Spanish, and because Latinx came from academia and not the community; Latine or Latin are often preferred, but there is no consensus because this community is full of different people with different opinions.

It’s easy to see how this diverse group is often lumped into one by the dominant culture, because that’s easier than having to learn the histories and cultures of 45 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. There are many cultural strengths seen in this community, but that implies that the whole community is a monolith. Each of these countries has a culture, history, and people groups that existed before colonization, was impacted by colonization in different ways, and have developed into their modern way of being in different ways.

These things can lead to vastly different experiences in the United States that can impact mental health. For example, the stress and/or trauma of immigrating to the U.S. would be different for a person coming from Honduras seeking asylum at the southern border compared with someone coming from Puerto Rico which is a U.S. territory. For either of these people, if they were Spanish-speaking, wherever they ended up it would often be assumed that they are a Mexican immigrant, a common microaggression. There are also the impacts of other forms of discrimination such as colorism and racism. The stresses of these experiences can cause psychological and physical harm. This can include physical affects like headaches, muscle tension or pain, chest pain, fatigue, stomach issues, and sleep problems; mood issues like anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation or focus, feeling overwhelmed, irritability or anger, and sadness or depression; or behavioral issues like over- or under- eating, angry outbursts, drug or alcohol misuse, and social withdrawal. There can also higher risk for issues such as diabetes, substance use, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disorders. This can also impact interpersonal relationships and the ability to have strong social support. Often in communities of color, it is seen as a weakness to be dealing with mental health struggles which can lead to further isolation and further issues.

“Acknowledge and embrace the person you are, imperfections and all. That’s the highest service we can achieve: to give back and give to ourselves in the best way we know.”

-Dr. Paul Bonin Rodriguez

Living in a society that ignores your needs and piles stressors on makes it hard, but there are ways to approach healing despite that. First looking at the strength that is to be found within many cultural values such as family connections, community connection, respect, trust, and dignity.
Here are some suggestions to begin individual healing:

  • Take care of your physical health
    • Eat healthy and get 7-8 hours of sleep
    • Stay physically active by making space for joyous movement in your life
    • Explore relaxation techniques such as deep breathing
  • Connect with a community that will reaffirm your humanity in a society that dismisses it
  • Seek out healing practices consistent with your beliefs
  • Take breaks from technology and social media

This process can be difficult but important for one’s wellbeing and functioning. You have the skills to heal, and we can help.

Resources

https://www.history.com/topics/hispanic-history/hispanic-heritage-month
https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/09/15/who-is-hispanic/
Adames, H.Y., & Chavez-Dueñas, N.Y. (2017). Cultural foundations and interventions in Latino/a mental health: History, theory, and within group differences. New York, NY: Routledge Press.

This month’s blog post was written by Jessie Duncan, MA, LPC NCC, our Chronic Illness and Lantinx Mental Health Specialist.

Contact Jessie Duncan, MA, LPC, NCC

Sleep and neurofeedback

Posted on by TriWellness in Blog 
Come Sleep! O Sleep, the certain knot of peace, 
The baiting-place of wit, the balm of woe, 
The poor man's wealth, the prisoner's release, 
Th' indifferent judge between the high and low. 
With shield of proof shield me from out the prease 
Of those fierce darts despair at me doth throw: 
O make in me those civil wars to cease; 
I will good tribute pay, if thou do so. 
Take thou of me smooth pillows, sweetest bed, 
A chamber deaf to noise and blind to light, 
A rosy garland and a weary head: 
And if these things, as being thine by right, 
Move not thy heavy grace, thou shalt in me, 
Livelier than elsewhere, Stella's image see.
-Sir Philip Sidney

The importance of sleep

Sleep is an important function of all living creatures, everyone in the animal kingdom has some variation of a sleep wake cycle. However why is sleep so important in humans? Research has shown that sleep has many functions.

Sleep helps us to consolidate what we have learned into memory through acquisition (information introduced to our brain), consolidation (the process of memorizing the information in the brain), and recall (information being brought up in any mental state). Those who have impaired sleep, can have impacts on memory and learning (Healthy Sleep, 2007).

Another example of the importance of sleep is its impact on mood. Having a good night sleep can lead to feeling energized, motivated, and content. In the reverse, impaired sleep or insomnia can lead to irritability, increased stress, or even the development of a mood disorder (Get Sleep, 2008).

Sleep also has an impact on body restoration. Certain hormones are released during sleep that is responsible for tissue repair and muscle growth. Another restorative factor sleep can assist in cognitive functioning, which may impact in learning and memory. Recent research has also found the importance of sleep on Neuroplasticity.

We previously believed in the idea that if we don’t use certain neurons through practice our brain loses the capacity to use it in the future (use or lose it principle). We now know that it isn’t true, as our brain has what is called Neuroplasticity, which the brain’s ability to form new neurological connections. We do this in everyday life, from learning something new (even if it is small), to sleep, to psychotherapy. We are making new neurological connections without realizing it! Proper sleep helps strengthen and these newer neurlogical connections.

Conditions that effect sleep

Knowing that sleep is very important and its impact that it can have on our brain, mind, and body, what happens when certain conditions impair sleep?

Mental Health CONDITIONS

There are several mental health conditions that can impact sleep. Anxiety, for example, can severely impact sleep. During the first part of the pandemic, many people were experiencing fear, uncertainty, stress, and many other emotions that naturally turned into anxiety. When one is feeling anxious their mind can race, especially while laying in bed trying to fall asleep. As a result of the anxiety, many individuals struggled to get enough sleep which could also further impact their mood.

Another symptom of anxiety that impacts sleep is hyperarousal, the state of being excessively alert. Therefore, when one is trying to sleep while also experiencing hyperarousal, they may be quick to awaken from even the smallest of stimuli (hearing a small thud from the apartment above, for example) and ready to react. 

Certain types of anxiety can also lead to nightmares. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other anxiety and stress disorders can cause night terrors and nightmares that can impact a person’s relationship to sleep. Due to the fear of having night terrors or nightmares, one can also experience anticipatory anxiety.

Depression is another mental health condition that can impact sleep. Depression can impair sleep as well as sleep can impact depression. Due to this relationship, it can be difficult to know which condition caused which symptom. Depression is characterized by experiencing sleep-related symptoms of insomnia, hypersomnia, as well as having abnormal levels of Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is important for regulation of sleep as well as other bodily functions. 

Medical conditions

There are also several medical conditions that impact sleep. In fact, there are several sleep disorders that can be treated with medication or devices, such as Sleep Apnea, a disorder that is related to breathing disruptions, and Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder related to regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. These are just a few types of sleep disorders, however there are many more conditions that fall under the umbrella of sleep disorders. There are also several chronic medical conditions that impact sleep.

Inflammatory chronic conditions such as, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, can impair one’s sleep leading to the symptom of fatigue. Sleep disturbances can be a result of pain impacting one’s sleep, as pain is common in areas of inflammation. When someone is experiencing pain it can lead to mood dysregulation resulting in sleep disturbance conjointly with the the physical discomfort. Furthermore, research has shown that sleep disturbance can result in higher levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, suggesting that sleep impairment and inflammation are directly correlated. 

Much like the aforementioned inflammatory conditions as well as cancer can impact one’s immunity. Our immune system is very important in our ability to fight off infections, and for those with a compromised immune system, contraction of infections can be regular occurrence or fear of contraction. Research has also found that sleep impacts immunity; when one has impaired sleep their immune system has difficulty fighting off infections. This also can further compound an already compromised immune system, leading to increased infections and overall feeling of being unwell, increased inflammation, and the cyclical nature of impaired sleep. (Simpson & Dinges, 2007).

Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene is defined by the healthy habits one practices on a regular basis to promote restful sleep. The Sleep Foundation lists some great steps to improve sleep hygiene that is summarized below.

Setting a consistent sleep schedule

  • Go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, regardless of weekend day
  • If you want to change your bedtime/wake up routine, make changes gradually
  • Try not to take as many naps; if you do take naps, have short 10-20 minute naps in the early afternoon

Have a bed time routine

  • Having a consistent bedtime routine can prep your mind for bedtime
  • Take 30 minutes to wind down before going to bed by doing something relaxing and not stimulating
  • Refrain form using electronics 30-60 minutes before bed, as the screens can be overstimulating to your brain
  • If you haven’t fallen asleep within 20 minutes of lying in your bed, get out of bed, do something relaxing, and then try again

Have healthy daily habits

  • Try and get some sunlight exposure to promote healthy circadian rhythm
  • Build a exercise/movement routine that is right for your ability
  • Limit smoking and alcohol consumption
  • Skipping on caffeinated beverages in the afternoon and evening
  • Try to eat and drink 2 hours before bed (be mindful of heaving/spicy meals); if you need to eat or drink something before bed try to make it small to not wake you up in the middle of the night
  • Regulate activity in bed to only sleep and sex

Having a restful and Relaxing environment

  • Having a bed, pillow, and sheets that matches your comfort needs
  • Have a cool and dark sleeping environment
  • Have devices that block or drown out noise (i.e. ear plugs, noise cancelling machines, etc.) to not wake you in the middle of the night

Neurofeedback as a treatment strategy for sleep impairment

Now we know why sleep is important, what can affect sleep, and how we can improve sleep with proper sleep hygiene. But what if sleep hygiene isn’t enough to get a good night’s rest and there are more underlying issues that impact sleep. Therapy can be very helpful if the underlying symptom of sleep impairment originates from a mental health condition. However if there is a neurological reason for sleep challenges (either from mental health or medical conditions) a treatment strategy must address the neurological source of the disturbance. 

Neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that encourages healthy neurological connections through the use of training one’s brain to effectively operate in specific conditions. Therefore, in regards to sleep, Neurofeedback training promotes healthy brain activity during the sleep state by regulating one’s brainwaves. 

In some cases, sleep and brain activity can be effected by the situation. In one study looking at college students with sleep onset insomnia, they found that poor sleepers had difficulty regulating their alpha brainwave. This suggested the use of neuro-regulating therapies to promote neuroflexibility (Buckelew et. al., 2013).

In another study that focused on the Central Nervous System, researchers studied the effects of electromyography tele-biofeedback versus tele-neurofeedback in subjects with insomnia. They found that not only does neurofeedback improved the amount of sleep in subjects, but also the efficacy of remote neurofeedback (Cortoos, 2010).

As previously mentioned, chronic health conditions can impact sleep, such as fibromyalgia, a condition where a patient experiences pain throughout their body and experience several other symptoms (including sleep disturbance and fatigue). In a study that researched the efficacy of neurofeedback in patients with fibromyalgia, researchers found that neurofeedback protocols that focused on alpha brainwave and sensorimotor rhythm regulation in an 8-week program produced significant results. Patients experienced sleep improvement and pain severity reduction (Wu, Fang, et al., 2021).

Neurofeedback is an evidence-based treatment strategy that does not utilize pharmaceutical intervention to treat sleep problems. In some cases, neurofeedback conjoint with behavioral modifications can drastically improve, if not alleviate, symptoms of fatigue due to sleep impairment.

Resources

Anxiety and Sleep, Suni, E., Sleep Foundation (March 2022).

Buckelew et. al, Neuroflexibility and Sleep Onset Insomnia Among College Students: Implications for Neurotherapy, Journal of Neurotherapy (2013). doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10874208.2013.784681

Cortoos, A., De Valck, E., Arns, M. et al. An Exploratory Study on the Effects of Tele-neurofeedback and Tele-biofeedback on Objective and Subjective Sleep in Patients with Primary Insomnia. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 35, 125–134 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-009-9116-z

Get Sleep– Harvard Medical School

Gorgoni et. al., Is Sleep Essential for Neural Plasticity in Humans, and How Does It Affect Motor and Cognitive Recovery?. Hindawi, 2013. doi: 10.1155/2013/103949

Healthy Sleep– Harvard Medical School

Sleep Disorders, Rehman, A., Sleep Foundation (December 2020)

Sleep and Inflammation, Simpson & Dinges, Wiley (December 2007)

Yu-Lin Wu, Su-Chen Fang, Shih-Ching Chen, Chen-Jei Tai, Pei-Shan Tsai, Effects of Neurofeedback on Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Pain Management Nursing, Volume 22, Issue 6 (2021).

Board Certified Clinicians at TriWellness Provide Neurofeedback

Learn more about Neurofeedback
Learn more about remote neurofeedback
Schedule a free consultation for Neurofeedback

This month’s blog post was written by Aarti S. Felder, MA, LCPC, BCN, our Chronic Illness Specialist and Board Certified in Neurofeedback Therapist.

Schedule an Appointment with Aarti S. Felder, MA, LCPC, BCN

Benefits of Yoga and Movement to Mental health

Posted on by TriWellness in Blog, Uncategorized

Close your eyes and notice if you are carrying any stress in your body in this moment. Maybe in the jaw or stomach? Now, try to create space around the tension or stress by sending the energy of the breath around the tension. Breath regulation is beneficial in allowing people to slow down into what is happening right now.

When we experience stress or trauma, it can live in the body and can create a stress response in people of all ages. The stress response may be varying in levels such as clenching your jaw, tensing your body, needing to leave the room, or having a panic attack. 

While it is happening, it can seem scary. There is some good news. Stress response can be controlled using modalities such as mindfulness, yoga, as well as therapeutic touch such as acupuncture or massage along with therapy. 

This gives us the ability to regulate and recalibrate the autonomic nervous system, to control a stress response. In children, similar activity to assist in this release of stress include needing movement, play, and joyful engagement. These are all considered bottom-up methods, which calm physical tensions in the body, and shifts people out of flight/fight to reorganize people’s perception of danger. Basically, it can help you feel better.

Memories of trauma can but not always, lead to physiological symptoms such as autoimmune disorders, or skeletal muscular problems. Why? Because there is a proven mind, brain, and body connection to stress. 

“So how can we help that? I am a busy person and life is hard.” When we practice asana (yoga movements) no matter how modified, gentle, or vigorous, a reconnection and ability to warmly love self exists. This then shifts to other areas of life including but not limited to diet, relationships, energy, etc, which helps us to feel better.

Proven studies exist to show the physiological benefits and shifts in breathing exercises which change when a person becomes upset, is having a trauma memory, or is well regulated. Interpreting physical sensations is called interoreception, which allows people to have a relationship with their interior world and self. To be able to understand what the body needs, allows people the ability to tune into nourishing and healing the self.

Studies exist that show after twenty weeks of one weekly yoga class in people who have experienced stress and trauma, there are increases in activation of brain structures involved in stress regulation. These brain structures include the insula, and medial prefrontal cortex. Does this have to be only yoga? No! For some it could be running, reiki, massage, or even gardening.

Feeling safe in our bodies allows people to communicate previously overwhelmed situations that were not easily felt or talked about.

Children and adults can be taught self-regulation skills. The act of educating about physical sensations and becoming friends with our bodies, can assist in healing. Yoga, therapeutic touch such as acupuncture or massage, and breath work in addition to talk therapy may help you feel better. Contact us to start your journey to wellness.

Resources

Chirokas, Dennis, C., & Bradshaw, M. (2021). Phenomenological Reflections of Trauma Survivors on Healing Through Yoga. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(S2), 7512505186–7512505186p1. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.75S2-RP186

Gulden, & Jennings, L. (2016). How Yoga Helps Heal Interpersonal Trauma: Perspectives and Themes from 11 Interpersonal Trauma Survivors. International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 26(1), 21–. https://doi.org/10.17761/IJYT2016_Research_Gulden_E-pub

Van der Kolk. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Publishing Group.

This month’s blog post was written by TriWellness’s newest counseling intern, Rebecca Caliendo, MM, who has been teaching yoga from 2016.

Contact REbecca Caliendo, MM

Uncovering Mysteries of Trauma and EMDR

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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an 8-phase, evidence-based treatment for trauma. In order to understand the function of EMDR, it is helpful to understand what is trauma. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes trauma as “events or circumstances experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening, which result in adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and well-being.” One of the simplest, working definitions of trauma I have come across is that trauma is any experience or event that is too much, too soon or too fast for our nervous system to handle, especially if we can’t reach a successful resolution. Trauma does not reside in a specific event or experience, but rather in the physiological response within the nervous system. Working within this definition of trauma, it is easy to see how trauma can put individuals  at a greater risk for health-risk behaviors and chronic health conditions later in life, though few people realize there is a connection.  Health-risk behaviors and how those impact our lives, as well as somatic symptoms associated with trauma are typically what brings people to therapy.

The EMDR approach to treatment of trauma believes past emotionally charged experiences and their impact on our central nervous system, are overly influencing your present emotions, sensations, and thoughts about yourself. EMDR processing helps to break through the emotional blocks that prevent people from living adaptive and emotionally healthy lives. Additionally, allowing our bodies and minds to retrieve and “reprocess” these events, which we were not able to do before, i.e., “too much, too soon, too fast,” Another way I like to explain this process is like retrieving an old misplaced file from the hard drive, editing and saving it in a new location.

So how on earth is that possible, you might ask? Well, our brains already possess the tools for this job. It’s called Rapid Eye Movement, otherwise known as REM. When we go to sleep, we (ideally) fall into what we call REM sleep. For someone with a sleep disorder, they are likely not getting much of this. This is the stage of sleep that allows our brains to process the input from the day. REM sleep is essential for our health. EMDR essentially replicates this rapid eye movement through a process called bi-lateral stimulation. This can be achieved by either tracking the clinicians’ fingers in a swift, left-right pattern for a certain number of “sets,” or it can be achieved through tactile stimulation by holding a small vibrating device, that we call “tappers”, in each hand. The tappers alternate in the same left-right sequence. A third option is auditory, which involves binaural tones heard through headphones. All methods are effective, and it is based on client preference as well as to which the clinician will use. Some clients who suffer from migraines may find that finger tracking causes strain on the eyes and can possibly trigger a headache. In cases such as this, one of the other methods would be best.

One thing that many clients like about EMDR, is that it is not necessary to talk about all the details of your experiences with the clinician for them to be processed. All that is required is for the client to think about the experience or event. This process essentially fires up the affected neural networks in the brain that we have triggered. Once processing is complete, the client’s recollection is NOT erased, but is experienced differently. Instead of reliving the experience, with all its intensity, it loses the emotional and physical charge. Our brains have essentially “digested” it.  I like to compare it to looking at the event out the window of a train and just watching it pass by without the mental or physical impact that use to accompany such recollection.

Helpful resources

http://www.emdria.org/

www.EMDRConsulting.com

www.EMDR.com

http://www.emdrnetwork.com/

If you are interested in learning more about EMDR or would like to schedule an appointment, reach out through the contact page or call our office.

This article was written by Tonya Nowlin, MA, LPC. To learn more about Tonya please visit her bio.