EMDR is a psychotherapy treatment that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy, people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain required a long time to heal, EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body heals from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates a similar sequence of events that occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of the disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes. (What is EMDR?)
Neurofeedback (NFB) is a type of biofeedback in which a brain-based training tool is used to optimize brain function. A non-invasive, drug-free treatment that encourages the brain to develop healthier patterns of activity. A type of biofeedback that uses the brain’s own potential and capacity to self-regulate, to improve mood, energy, clarity, sleep, performance, focus, and more. Neurofeedback is an interactive experience between the brain and the body supporting connection. Sensors are placed on the scalp to read real-time brain-wave activity. The brainwave activity is then reflected back to the person through visual, auditory, and tactile feedback, creating a mirror. This allows the brain to make corrections. The individual then experiences symptom reduction and improved functioning as the brain achieves more desirable states. Neurofeedback is customized for each brain, based on presenting symptoms and identified goals. A comprehensive screening allows the technician to understand specific individual goals and develop protocols based on the unique needs of each client.
WHAT IS THE NEURO AFFECTIVE RELATIONAL MODEL (NARM®)?
Many of the difficulties we experience in our adult lives are rooted in early experiences of abuse, neglect, and conditioning by our early caregivers that result in the disconnect from our authentic selves. NARM utilizes a bottom-up (Somatic mindfulness and regulation of the nervous system) and a top-down (our thoughts and limiting beliefs we tell ourselves) approach to address attachment, relational and developmental trauma. Developed by Dr. Laurence Heller, NARM works with the early, unconscious patterns developed in childhood that helped us at one time but is now in the way of living fully. NARM is integrated psychotherapy that marries the cognitive process and the somatic experience allowing for total healing. (www.drlaurenceheller.com)
When we experience anything less than nurturing, there is a tendency for our Self to split into parts. Parts that are more vulnerable become exiled and other parts begin to protect. These protectors care for us but ultimately will create disconnection with our Self. Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an approach to psychotherapy that identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities or families within each person’s mental system. These sub-personalities consist of wounded parts and painful emotions such as anger and shame, and parts that try to control and protect the person from the pain of the wounded parts. The sub-personalities are often in conflict with each other and with one’s core Self, a concept that describes the confident, compassionate, whole-person that is at the core of every individual. IFS focuses on healing the wounded parts and restoring mental balance and harmony by changing the dynamics that create discord among the sub-personalities and the Self.
IFS was developed in the 1990s by family therapist Richard Schwartz, Ph.D., who developed the concept of an undamaged core Self that is the essence of whom you are and identified three different types of sub-personalities or families that reside within each person, in addition to the Self. These include wounded and suppressed parts called exiles, protective parts called managers, that keep the exiled parts suppressed, and other protective parts called firefighters, that distract the Self from the pain of exiled parts when they are released. For example, an exiled part may be the trauma and anger of earlier abuse, emotions that are suppressed by the manager, while the firefighter may be alcohol addiction or behavior such as overeating that distracts the client from facing and re-experiencing those uncomfortable emotions. These parts can be healed, transformed, and better managed by the Self by achieving the three goals of IFS:
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Free the parts from their extreme roles
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Restore trust in the Self
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Coordinate and harmonize the Self and the parts, so they can work together as a team with the Self in charge.
WHAT IS INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS?
WHAT IS POST INDUCTION THERAPY?
The nature of a child is precious, vulnerable, imperfectly perfect, dependent, spontaneous, and open. When children experience trauma, in the forms of less than nurturing parenting/caregiving/environment, their ability to develop mature selves is impacted. Natural characteristics of the child become distorted into survival traits that later form the core symptoms of codependency in adults. Post Induction Therapy for Developmental Immaturity Treatment (formerly known as co-dependence) is a therapy modality designed to treat the effects of childhood trauma and resulting issues of developmental immaturity. The intervention strategies which compromise Post Induction Therapy originated as a result of experimental application of strategies developed to treat the effects of childhood trauma. Post-Induction Therapy facilitates empowerment and healing of our clients who have suffered physical abuse, sexual abuse, rape, and other trauma, including emotional and relational trauma suffered in their family of origin. The basis of the Post Induction therapy intervention is the concept of carried fear, shame, and other feelings. These strategies were developed by Pia Mellody through her work at The Meadows inpatient treatment center.