Developmental trauma(cptsd, early trauma) can also look like neglect and abandonment. So, on the surface life looks just fine, but mom or dad or both work too much, are depressed themselves, don't know how to connect(lack love or affection), have their own mental/emotional issues, have addictions etc. All these things result in neglect of some sort, while you have never had an accident, never been hit, never been yelled at etc. Just mentioning this because cptsd does not have to be from an event, it can arise due to things looking "normal" that happened over time, this is often overlooked.
Yes. Alllll of this. In addition to that, my brain legit HATES electricity and I grew up in cluttered chaos because my single mom who was always working and had her own demons she was dealing with is a packrat. And to compensate for reduced executive function, I inadvertently turned myself into an adrenaline junkie when I was a kid, to get stuff done.
Dave, thanks for this. I often downplay my trauma but as a sensitive, it is still trauma! As a 3 yr old I rocked myself to sleep when my parents caught hard. Usually alcohol induced, Mom would spend Sat and Sun morning combing the rats out of my very long hair.
I had anxiety/depression as a kid (narc mother and bullied severely in school), locked myself in my room for days crying. I have had Agoraphobia for over 15 years (I’m 45). Autoimmune diseases by late 20s. Full blown complex chronic illnesses (mostly neurological) by 36. Been mostly house bound since. I’ve just kind of realised the illness and agoraphobia mimic my childhood staying alone in my room as outside world too scary. Thank you Irene for your guidance. I have spent years trying to heal but your information and instruction seem like they might be the answer for me 🙏🏻
Totally relate! I’m also agoraphobic and housebound with neurological symptoms. Also was stuck inside in early childhood, frozen with fear. Escaped through stories and imagination and dissociation-same as now. Hard to imagine another way at 52. Solidarity and empathy. ❤️
@@schuylerkaren4222 wow, I’ve never met anyone else in the same situation. I’m so glad you have also found this work. I would love to connect with you via Facebook or email if you’re interested?
Great video, always appreciate your teaching. I would invite updated information that migraine is now recognized as a disease, more than a headache and beyond a syndrome. The hyper excitatory elements within the calcium channels have more recently revealed a type of misfiring within the brain itself. Mine is more complicated as I do have Ehlers danlo syndrome, along with fibromuscular dysplasia, so each case is unique. Breathing practices that support the parasympathetic nervous system toward rest & digest can sometimes “slow the onset” of a migraine blossoming into a full episode for me. Others, not. My trigeminal nerve has now also joined the “party” on occasion and that’s escalated pain beyond anything I’ve experienced before. As a HeartMath resilience trainer and certified mindfulness meditation teacher, your work has been deeply informative. As trauma sensitive practitioners it’s also important to be certain someone’s condition is their fault in some way.
Thank you, Irene, for this video. It was an eye opener for sure. I have migraines, anxiety and unhealed early trauma for sure. I didnt realize that being premature born was an early trauma and surgeries when I was a baby. I have issues from an event in my life when I was 13 of saving my brother's life. I cannot to this day describe verbally what I saw and cannot get past it or the abuse I went through from my mom's husband from 9-16 yrs. old (to my knowledge). I was going through ptsd when I was 16 yrs. old and that was difficult to go through. Thank you for this video. I will have to check out more of your videos for sure.
Great! Thank you for your clear explanation. So important to know. I so often heard my condition was too complex. My docter litteraly said ‘Don’t bather me’ when I suggested that maybe there was a connection between all my ‘complains’. So healing, this recognition!
I have had chronic pain for over 3 years now…and only just recently I have notice improvements in my symptoms. This work takes time. I have been dealing with trauma for almost 50 years, so I don’t think it’s realistic to have my system healed in a month or two, given the length and severity of abuse I had experienced in my life. Small steps! I find also, that celebrating the smallest shifts in my system is very important! For examples, asking for something that I wouldn’t have before. Notice the shift and celebrate.
I get severe Migraines, thank you for this video, it helps to understand this. Yes, I lost my father to Leukaemia when I was 7years old, after that the headaches started. I had my first full blown migraine with aura at the age of 12 after a hockey game on a hot day.
wow 2:00 minutes in and I feel so validated. why is it that traditional therapists dont know about this. I feel so stuck and frustrated trying to find the help and support i need to thrive and heal in this life and it has been impossible. Keeping a job has been hard and i feel like a burden to my family and husband but the reality is that my body is so dysregulated. I feel constantly stuck in the constricted freeze mode with loads of fight or flight energy below. its so hard to release that clamp of freeze.
Hi Fifi Earth Wanderer, Jen here from Team Lyon. It can be frustrating for sure to find people who are knowledgeable about this work. Have you checked out Irene's free and paid resources? I'll link to two or her free resources and to the 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up (a paid offering). The "Tune Up" is a self-study course that Irene developed to teach people the basics of this work. free Healing Trauma video training - 21daytuneup.com 4 Simple Steps to Calm Overwhelm - irenelyon.com/4-steps-to-calm-overwhelm/ The 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up - 21daytuneup.com
I wish I had the funds to take your course. It seems like you need money to heal (with resources, health food, supplements, supplies, free time) but I’m in such a chronic state of illness, pain and anxiety that I can’t work to pay for it all. It’s a dead and cycle and I don’t know what to do ): I’m only in my early 20’s, this was never the life I imagined for myself and it’s heartbreaking. It all started when I was 12
Hi Vickie, Seth here with Team Lyon. Irene will be releasing a video on healing on a budget soon, so keep an eye out for that! In the meantime, definitely check out her free resources and keep learning here! There is a lot you can do for free! Free Resource center - irenelyon.com/free-resources-2/ Sample Neurosensory Exercises - ua-cam.com/play/PL_tIcR-r0CU5Xss_Mq1buU-tWdYVQksjI.html
I love your videos Irene. They are so illuminating!❤️Would you please do a video about the trauma of people who survived growing up on apocalyptic cults and left as adults after enduring continued emotional/psychological abuse in the name of “God”? There are a lot of us out here dealing with the after effects of religious dogma imposed on us as young children. This negatively affected/impacted who we are and how we interact with others and the world around us. Lots of gratitude!🥰
Hey MarcelainKY, Seth here again. Irene just reminded me that she actually did a video interview on this kind of thing years ago. This one is from someone who escaped the Mormon faith, which is certainly cultish in many ways, so there may be some overlap in what you are working with. Here it is... irenelyon.com/2021/01/31/healing-religious-trauma-navigating-faith-crises/
You have so many videos about this topic, one must have tons of energy to watch/ listening to all of this and then also do something about it. Makes me think it's impossible to heal. Also is this scientifically backed up or are these hypothesis?
I totally agree! I tried to take her class at the beginning of the year and I have so many symptoms going on with my system that I couldn't keep up. It was overload. They say to take your time, little minute steps. But the way the program is set up, it was still stressful to do. So sadly to say that I had to quit. ☹ I probably needed assistance to do the program but couldn't afford that too. Plus that might have been even more overload, I don't know.
I'm finding it difficult to know where to start, but I believe that's symptomatic of freeze anyway. Moving out of whatever syndrome ails us is going to be painful - predominantly emotionally and mentally. We have a form of comfort in the familiarity of the day-to-day pattern we go through. The information is extensive and dense, yet it's all applicable knowledge. I'm trying to find a counsellor willing to support me through the process, yet also willing to commit to acknowledging the verity of Polyvagal Theory. I've spent much time in traditional therapy, in having acupuncture, hypnotherapy and in consulting doctors who dole out drugs in the hope they'll still the anxiety or low mood. Nothing has had a lasting effect because the root cause of the problems isn't acted upon - the treatments are on the symptoms. Polyvagal Theory and Somatic Experiencing address the underlying imbalance at work in the traumatised whole of the individual. In reality there are a significant number of humans who accept their unease/dis-ease as who they are, rather than seeking an explanation in their exposure to whatever trauma they will have suffered and accepted as an acceptable life event or life period i.e. growing up in a toxic atmosphere. Find a way of effecting healing. I say this to myself as much as anyone else. It is self-compassionate to embark on healing - to find barriers is condemning oneself to being imprisoned.
@@JoyJoy-rr5qo Did you start with sbsm. If so you should try starting with the 21 tune up instead. That is a better place to start when too overwhelmed. If you have the sbsm the 21 tune up is included. Or just choose one exercise from the program that you like and do that over and over again until you feel ready to try another from ? I'm in my fourth round of sbsm and I still haven't been all through the program but definitely still experiencing healing
@@susjv7032 Yes, I tried that one too. I was still overwhelmed. So I quit. I still have the program. I have a condition called Internal Waking Tremors, (also Fibromyalgia, etc.) I definitely believe it's related to my highly sensitive traumatized nervous system. I have a long history of traumas. I've been through traditional therapy and many doctors (30+) with no avail. I wish I had someone to help me through it all. Now it just feels useless.
Irene, thank you - could you pleeeeeease do a video just about AGORAPHOBIA? There’s so little educational empowering info about it out there 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@Missgevious I've started working with the 15 min neurosensory exercise which is on YT and one drop in class. It has helped with increasing my capacity. For example, when other drivers tailgated me in the recent past, I would go straight to alarm 🚨 mode and all the emotions that go with that. Now I remain neutral and much calmer through these events.
@@Missgevious I wholeheartedly recommend the 21-day Nervous System Tune-up. I just finished it--so helpful as a starting point. I'm going to immediately do it again to cement the learning. As Irene said, the healing is a process and the practices become a lifestyle. Patience is required. That being said, I've already experienced some very interesting and helpful shifts. Really good stuff.
Since I read Gabor Mate's book I was looking for a connection between emotional or mental issues with migraine but couldn't find any decent resources or answers online. The thing is, my migraines aren't tied to periods of greater stress or emotional turmoil so I don't really know... I'd be interested in more content on the topic of migraine if there's more to say :-)
Hi That's Mental, Jen here from Team Lyon. Migraines often have a nervous system component, so Irene's teaching about nervous system regulation and dysregulation can apply to migraines too. One way that we work with migraines in this work is to get curious about what's called the prodromal, and the pre-prodromal - what is the first sign that a migraine is coming on? And once you notice that, are you able to notice what before this? I'll link to Irene's free Healing Trauma video training as it can be a good place to start if you haven't yet seen it. free Healing Trauma video training - irenelyon.com/healing-trauma
Fascinating. I have complex trauma, migraine, fibromyalgia, and recently developed atypical migraine with aura. The anxious-but-frozen profile is absolutely me! Wondering how autism fits in here, as I recently self-diagnosed and trying to figure out how this all connects somatically. How autism affects the nervous system; one thing is my interoception is not great! 😅
Whoa, it's like I wrote this myself. I too wonder if I have autism (or could it be regression?). Recently my headache seems worse then "normal". I have fibromyalgia, restless legs and been diagnosed with depression and acute stress disorder in the past. Apparantly doc's papers showed I have ptsd dating a few years back, but it has been canceled 2 years ago? I saw an end date on the papers, so I'm confused about that. Currently I've started therapy to figure my past out, since it's enabling me to go forward. I've canceled the intake in the past. I was afraid and thought "I was better". I found this video very informative and it seems to suit my situation too. Much healing to you, take care 🌌💖💫
@@bbdn5123 If you wonder about autism, I recommend finding resources written by autistic individuals (rather than just by professionals writing about autism). I started following autistic people on Twitter, and their descriptions of their inner experiences was a revelation. Autism runs in my family, but not all of us were tested when this was discovered. Truly, it’s helped so much to understand this crucial aspect of my identity. ❤️
Hi Schuyler Karen, Jen here from Team Lyon. There is still much to be learned about autism, and they are finding that in some cases early/developmental trauma can be a contributing factor. And interception can be improved! That's a bit part of what this work entails.
What if my mother developed a thyroid illness directly after having me. A lot of people would just say that’s something normal that happens to women but I don’t buy it, I think it’s most likely stress related. I was also very shy from basically birth throughout childhood.
Hi Re Re, Jen here from Team Lyon. The endocrine system is often impacted by stress and trauma, so it's quite possible that there could be a link between your birth experience (and stresses prior to then) and your mother's thyroid condition.
Sure thing. Here is the link: irenelyon.com/2020/01/18/why-am-i-waking-up-in-a-panic-attack-the-last-month-in-review/ If future, always try searching for those keywords and my name, it should pop up in the search function. Enjoy.
This is a really interesting video thanks! I’m finding great benefits from doing your 21 system tune up along with another course teaching breathing techniques . I’m just wondering, with some of the breathing it’s advised to hold your breath for as long as possible after the breathing. In your opinion, is this helpful? Or is holding our breath putting us more into freeze? Thank you!
Hi Vicki, Seth here with Team Lyon. Yeah, that kind of breath work is really not useful at all when it comes to healing trauma. It's much more useful to notice what the breath wants to do naturally, and to simply be with that while remaining present. If one feels overwhelmed by this experience, then it may be useful to impose some kind of breathing pattern, but holding your breath will only make the system more activated. Instead, focus on long exhales, which slow the heart rate. Here's three videos (two short, one long) that I recommend checking out... ua-cam.com/video/TjCbue81Qjg/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/fDO6omYP824/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/k5tXiV7svJk/v-deo.html
What do you all make of body twitching? I experience a lot twitching especially during breathwork & following high stress days (or weeks/years). It often creates insomnia because my body is having such a hard time relaxing. Drinking calm (magnesium) generally helps. Slow breathing helps but usually requires atleast 30 minutes of belly expanding breaths to find equilibrium.
Hi Earth is Magic, Jen here from Team Lyon. In this work, twitching is often an expression of previously bound sympathetic nervous system actuation moving through the body. If it happens after breath work and takes a while to move through, it may be a sign to do less and/or to take steps to grow nervous system capacity.
Hi CHILI ART, Jen here from Team Lyon. Have you seen Irene's resources related to Healthy Aggression? Learning healthy ways to express aggression (including feelings of anger) can often be transformative. What is Healthy Aggression? - irenelyon.com/2019/08/19/what-is-healthy-aggression/ Healthy Aggression: The Way to Un-Frustrate Frustration - sethlyon.com/healthy-aggression-the-way-to-un-frustrate-frustration/
@@IreneLyon thank you I go from 0 to fire in one second and supres it becouse it's too much one time I got temperature from my own anger.and usualy after that is sadnes.Does Irene have one on one therapy?And how much is session if yes?Iv tryd so much therapists nothing worked .
@@chiliart8056, Jen here again. What you describe where you go from 0 to fire is very common for those of us with a history of early/developmental trauma. Often other approaches don't get to the root of the problem because they don't work with the survival physiology that's driving the responses. Irene doesn't practice 1-1 work any more, and a nervous system practitioner who's trained in working with early/developmental trauma should be able to help. I'll share a few links where you can search for a practitioner, and to a video Irene created about finding a good somatic practitioner. You might also check out Irene's 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up. It can be a great way to learn some basic nervous system education and practices. How to Find a Good Somatic Practitioner - ua-cam.com/video/04XF7ANnqGk/v-deo.html Team Lyon - irenelyon.com/meet-the-team/ Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Directory - directory.traumahealing.org Co-Regulating Touch - coregulatingtouch.com 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up - 21daytuneup.com
Hi Irene, interesting video to watch - thankyou! I am a Clinical Psychologist in Australia and founder of Mind Life Flow online. Have you used or encouraged others to use mindfulness practices to aid anxiety symptoms and pain/discomfort? Can be very helpful- what are your thoughts?
Hi Mind Life flow, Seth here with Team Lyon. There are certainly elements of mindfulness that are part of the work we do. However, most mindfulness practices are asking the person to simply observe their internal experience as it is, and not react, and this can be completely overwhelming for people with unresolved trauma, because their internal experience, as it is, is terrifying. So while we help guide people into noticing their internal experience in many ways, that is always tempered by also supporting them in coming OUT of the internal experience and into the external environment as needed, or to be aware of both simultaneously, and we also place a lot of focus on understanding the usefulness of external resources as needed, all of which are practices that are not taught in most mindfulness practices. Also, when it comes to trauma, simply observing is often not enough. Part of resolving trauma means allowing the body to speak, express, move in ways that didn't get to happen - incomplete expressions that are stuck in the emotional body, or incomplete protective response impulses that are stuck in the nervous system. So we encourage our clients to not just observe if it feels like they need to act, rather we encourage them to explore those impulses in contained, life-giving ways, all of which is often also not addressed in mindfulness practice.
Can having a few things that I’m going to mention create this response? I’m researching this for him . He had meningoencephalitis at age 7, that affected my son’s nervous system and changed his personality, affect him at 36, after a severe TBI, and a year and a half ago, he had mold toxicity which manifested Lyme co-infections. He then got neurological and psychological problems, psychosis, and paranoia, which he still has. The anxiety is awful, and he scrunches his face and body, and picks at a knuckle with other OCD symptoms. Then, he had Covid in January and it’s May. He’s never been able to function in social situations. I believe right now he is stuck in some freeze and anxiety response and can’t heal. He has forward head posture and neck blockages according to scans. He has had such severe head pressure, with ear popping, since January when Covid hit him. He’s been to every doctor imaginable, but I think the mold toxicity is still there and he has a problem with his parasympathetic nervous system. I also believe he has some type of meningitis again, unless he has the syndrome you’re talking about. He has everything you just mentioned! I’m scared snd he is too! He wants to die because he sees no way out.
Hi Kathryn Willette, Jen here from Team Lyon. Yes, the things you mention can create dysregulation in the nervous system, which can impact the way we experience ourselves and the world around us, and can impair our ability to heal. I can definitely see how it would be scary for you and overwhelming for your son. It takes time, and much healing is often possibly when we work with the physiology in this way. When early trauma is in the picture, it can be important to work with a program and/or a nervous system practitioner who has specific training in working with early/developmental trauma. Irene offers a course that teaches some basics related to this work, it's called the 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up. She also teaches a more comprehensive program called SmartBody SmartMind, it will next be offered in September. Irene also has a lot of great free resources, so I'll link to some of those in case you'd like to learn more. You might also consider looking into working with a trained practitioner if that's an option and your on is interested. I'll share a few related links to that too. And know that steps you take to grow your own regulation will likely benefit your son too. Resources: Free Healing Trauma video training - irenelyon.com/healing-trauma 4 Surprisingly Simple Steps to Calm Overwhelm - irenelyon.com/4-steps-to-calm-overwhelm/ Irene's Course & Program: The 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up - 21daytuneup.com SmartBody SmartMind - smartbodysmartmind.com Finding a Practitioner: Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Directory - directory.traumahealing.org Co-Regulating Touch - coregulatingtouch.com
@@IreneLyon THANK YOU! The only problem is that he never follows through! Is there an inpatient place where he could start? I had him do some eye exercises, and I think it helped him a little. I was actually looking at this for myself because I have chronic pain after a lot of trauma and chronic illnesses. I was going to an upper cervical chiropractor, and I noticed it calmed me down after I went a few times. I didn’t even realize I needed that. I started getting my son to go, but he never follows through with anything. Plus, his sitting and standing like a vulture doesn’t help! I appreciate your response! 🙏💕💫
@@Tinyteacher1111 - Seth here with Team Lyon. Unfortunately there are no inpatient clinics that we know of that offer this work. It sounds like one on one sessions with a good practitioner would be the best option.
@@IreneLyon We found a wonderful neuropsychologist! He’s been doing this type and f thing for 25 years, and he started with hypnotherapy, tapping, affirmations, etc. I want to go, but my former husband paid for this, and I doubt he’ll pay for me! Lol!
@@Tinyteacher1111, great to hear you found someone! One thing you might consider over time is talking to him about whether he has training in working with early/developmental trauma from a nervous system/physiological perspective. It is an emerging field, so sometimes even very experienced practitioners may not have this experience.
Sofia Fantin, Jen here from Team Lyon. Yes, a burning head can also be a symptom. It's always prudent to get checked out by a trained medical professional if you're concerned, and there are many strange symptoms that we can experience in response to trauma and nervous system dysregulation.
Flight or shutting down may involve deep withdrawal in the body. A trainer in an intensive 2 year somatic psychotherapy training course I attended in the 90s said she felt I withdrew into my bones when I was a baby due to being left without human contact too often. Non verbal And unconscious. Would love to know if there's a way to track and access this process. I've done so much work however this pattern still wreaks havoc in my life.
Hello, Sophia from Team Lyon here. Thank you for your comment and share. If you are looking to find a practitioner for private sessions, who could help you track and access a specific memory, Irene strongly suggests taking some time to watch a video she created detailing “How to find a good practitioner.” We also recommend taking a look over the Team Lyon page as many have their own practices and accept clients. Two directories that might be of help are: Somatic Experiencing practitioners: directory.traumahealing.org/ Feldenkrais practitioners: feldenkrais.com/practitioner-search/ Please also check Irene's paid programs that teach you how to work with your nervous system and become your own medicine: irenelyon.com/programs/ We wish you the best on your healing journey.
Dear Team Irene! As someone who struggles with PMDD (=premenstrual dysphoric disorder), which entails migraine and anxiety for me, I think that the content of this video can be applied big time. The diagnosis, that affects about 1 in 20 women, is quite "new" and there's not much help from doctors yet, not even awareness. I just recently started attending self help circles and reading whatever people are writing in facebook groups concerning this disorder. But I find it very frustrating, that it is mostly dealt with as if the disorder just fell from the sky or as if it was coincidence, who is affected, who's not. I know from my family, what trauma probably contributed to this, I've had trauma that maybe led to me having it. But online people are just exchanging info on what medication works best for them and how much of it. If there's a chance that in the future you could make a video with your holistic view about PMDD, I'd be more than happy. I mean - come on! Women becoming furious, aggressive, full of rage at the time that our hormones actually make us more attuned, sensitive, vulnerable and perceptive - could it be more obvious? When we're forced (by society, by our caregivers) to suppress our emotions - at some point they're gonna come out. That point is the luteal phase of the female cycle. And all that women are talking about online, is that they're sad, depressed and irritable once a month, but they don't go deeper, don't connect the dots and look at the way they're handling their emotions the rest of the month/cycle. I'm really passionate about this needing to shift as well. Not just everybody be happy, that there's finally a name for the suffering (PMDs), which we then can put it in a box and work against with pills.
Id love to hear more or any references/videos about this 9 months post Parfums and my period hasn't returned or the hormonal migraines and depression I get. But I also heard there is a point in the cycle where you have more energy and one where you need more rest and women aren't allowing or able to allow themselves that? It was in a video but I can't remember
Hi A Life in Music, Jen here from Team Lyon. As you suggest, we do see a connection between this work and many menstrual cycle related symptoms. I'll pass along your request to Irene specifically on this topic, and know that nervous system dysregulation (and regulation, as it grows) impacts all systems in the body, so causes to contributes to many chronic conditions and "mystery" symptoms. If you haven't already watched Irene's free Healing Trauma video series, you might consider giving that a watch. free Healing Trauma video training - irenelyon.com/healing-trauma
Wow I use to faint all the time as a kid. In my 20’s, living far far away from home, an old fiancé (that forced sex on me at my 18th year, this is a thumbnail) visited me, just showed up and called. We met. He wanted sex and pot. I stood my ground kicked him out of my place and said don’t come back. He flew home and spread lies about my morals and that I was into pot at my aunt’s church. She stood up for me to his parents and thought my parents also stand up for me. Her knowing nothing about our home life. My parents believed the lies. Not knowing this I flew home for a visit on a Friday. My dad verbally attacked me about this new story to me on the Saturday. Relatives were invited on Sunday. I got a friend to race me to the airport in the 70’s when you could catch a flight the same day you wanted to get away. My rotten mother flew out without letting me. My brother picked her up at the airport and kept her secret. They drive up to take me to lunch. My mother sarcastically asks how do you like someone showing as a surprise as she feels my back and asks where my bra is. After lunch she doesn’t stay with my brother who abandons me. She stays with me. She hammers me with calling me a whore and how ashamed she and my father are of me. She kept sputtering on as I passed out. Back story. Bullied by both parents hence went to live near my oldest brother off the mainland USA. Molested by my father, groomed from childhood. Was my mothers maid and nanny to two younger brothers from the time I was six. I was the only female amongst 5 brothers. We were Christians. Honor thy father and mother. I had no voice around either of them. another thumbnail. In 2018 of November I had a craniotomy. I was 66. All the buried twilight zone became my living reality as if it were a occurring at that moment 1 month post brain surgery. Surgeon told me its common for PTSD to set in post surgery. Here I am watching you and Dr Ramani on utube. I’ve been in therapy since 28 years of age due to shame of what I could remember and my first appointments with a psychiatrist acted like I was wasting her time. Then sought therapy and meds for daily panic attacks while raising my toddler children on my own in my thirties. Since it didn’t go well the first telling my ruptured childhood over the next 25 years I didn’t mention much except needed help with boundaries with my mother and needed meds to take my panic attacks away. Ran away from abusive husband. Thumbnail again. If I had known about narcissism. I would have support to restrict my other from just inviting herself and stay with me and my kids for 3 to 6 mos. My kids were stronger than me. They would ask to leave at grade school age. I was too afraid to make her angry. Thumbnail
Hello. I have I belive, CPTSD(not medically examinated)but have symptoms, not professionally worked on, except meditation a lot. I think this caused of my mom had psychosis and was diagnosen with persecuitin insanity when i was very little and in early childhood. This continued for 35 years, until she died at the age of 74, most of the time in in an institution. I got diabetes nr 1 when I was 22, (55 now) and wonder if this and a stuck life situation now can relate to this cause.? My whole life has ben a fight flight or freeze situation, and this familysubject could we never talk about, and has never been really healed. I have tried Peter Levines methode of my own, but not quite got the hang of the finishing, and do not know what is best to further do now?
Hi Sigmund Eimhjellen, Jen here from team Lyon. Yes, having a mentally ill mother can definitely lead to physical, mental and emotional conditions and symptoms. It's great hear that you explored Peter's work. He is a pioneer and his teachings are powerful, and they tend to focus more on shock (or event) trauma than on early/developmental trauma. You asked what to do now - I'll link to Irene's free video training which may be helpful to watch, and also to the 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up, the paid self-study course that Irene developed to teach people the basics of this nervous system approach. free Healing Trauma video training - irenelyon.com/healing-trauma 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up - 21daytuneup.com
I'm fascinated by your branding and marketing. You speak as if you are a therapist, you present material, programs, and say "my clients." Your website and UA-cam videos smack if exactly what a therapist does. Why don't you become licensed so that you can put claim to your work?
Hi Tina, Seth here with Team Lyon. As somatic practitioners highly trained in nervous system based trauma resolution we do see clients privately, and Irene does work with thousands of students in her online programs, but we have a different designation than those trained in the fields of psychology or psychiatry. We are Somatic Trauma Specialists, not therapists. Irene has trained extensively in all the gold-standard somatic approaches - Somatic Experiencing, Feldenkrais, and Somatic Practice, and she also has a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology and a Masters degree in Biomedical Science. If you are interested in reading Irene's full bio you can do so here... irenelyon.com/meet-irene/
Developmental trauma(cptsd, early trauma) can also look like neglect and abandonment. So, on the surface life looks just fine, but mom or dad or both work too much, are depressed themselves, don't know how to connect(lack love or affection), have their own mental/emotional issues, have addictions etc. All these things result in neglect of some sort, while you have never had an accident, never been hit, never been yelled at etc. Just mentioning this because cptsd does not have to be from an event, it can arise due to things looking "normal" that happened over time, this is often overlooked.
Thanks. I was going to write a comment saying the same thing. She gave many examples of trauma, but didn't really address developmental trauma.
Yes. Alllll of this.
In addition to that, my brain legit HATES electricity and I grew up in cluttered chaos because my single mom who was always working and had her own demons she was dealing with is a packrat. And to compensate for reduced executive function, I inadvertently turned myself into an adrenaline junkie when I was a kid, to get stuff done.
Dave, thanks for this. I often downplay my trauma but as a sensitive, it is still trauma! As a 3 yr old I rocked myself to sleep when my parents caught hard. Usually alcohol induced, Mom would spend Sat and Sun morning combing the rats out of my very long hair.
So true. Often misunderstood.
I had anxiety/depression as a kid (narc mother and bullied severely in school), locked myself in my room for days crying. I have had Agoraphobia for over 15 years (I’m 45). Autoimmune diseases by late 20s. Full blown complex chronic illnesses (mostly neurological) by 36. Been mostly house bound since. I’ve just kind of realised the illness and agoraphobia mimic my childhood staying alone in my room as outside world too scary.
Thank you Irene for your guidance. I have spent years trying to heal but your information and instruction seem like they might be the answer for me 🙏🏻
Totally relate! I’m also agoraphobic and housebound with neurological symptoms. Also was stuck inside in early childhood, frozen with fear. Escaped through stories and imagination and dissociation-same as now. Hard to imagine another way at 52. Solidarity and empathy. ❤️
@@schuylerkaren4222 wow, I’ve never met anyone else in the same situation. I’m so glad you have also found this work. I would love to connect with you via Facebook or email if you’re interested?
@@Missgevious I’m on Facebook under the same name as here to connect. ☺️
more healing your way
Great video, always appreciate your teaching. I would invite updated information that migraine is now recognized as a disease, more than a headache and beyond a syndrome. The hyper excitatory elements within the calcium channels have more recently revealed a type of misfiring within the brain itself. Mine is more complicated as I do have Ehlers danlo syndrome, along with fibromuscular dysplasia, so each case is unique. Breathing practices that support the parasympathetic nervous system toward rest & digest can sometimes “slow the onset” of a migraine blossoming into a full episode for me. Others, not. My trigeminal nerve has now also joined the “party” on occasion and that’s escalated pain beyond anything I’ve experienced before. As a HeartMath resilience trainer and certified mindfulness meditation teacher, your work has been deeply informative. As trauma sensitive practitioners it’s also important to be certain someone’s condition is their fault in some way.
Thank you, Irene, for this video. It was an eye opener for sure. I have migraines, anxiety and unhealed early trauma for sure. I didnt realize that being premature born was an early trauma and surgeries when I was a baby. I have issues from an event in my life when I was 13 of saving my brother's life. I cannot to this day describe verbally what I saw and cannot get past it or the abuse I went through from my mom's husband from 9-16 yrs. old (to my knowledge). I was going through ptsd when I was 16 yrs. old and that was difficult to go through. Thank you for this video. I will have to check out more of your videos for sure.
Great! Thank you for your clear explanation. So important to know. I so often heard my condition was too complex. My docter litteraly said ‘Don’t bather me’ when I suggested that maybe there was a connection between all my ‘complains’. So healing, this recognition!
I have had chronic pain for over 3 years now…and only just recently I have notice improvements in my symptoms. This work takes time. I have been dealing with trauma for almost 50 years, so I don’t think it’s realistic to have my system healed in a month or two, given the length and severity of abuse I had experienced in my life. Small steps! I find also, that celebrating the smallest shifts in my system is very important! For examples, asking for something that I wouldn’t have before. Notice the shift and celebrate.
Way to go!!
What about fawn
I get severe Migraines, thank you for this video, it helps to understand this. Yes, I lost my father to Leukaemia when I was 7years old, after that the headaches started. I had my first full blown migraine with aura at the age of 12 after a hockey game on a hot day.
wow 2:00 minutes in and I feel so validated. why is it that traditional therapists dont know about this. I feel so stuck and frustrated trying to find the help and support i need to thrive and heal in this life and it has been impossible. Keeping a job has been hard and i feel like a burden to my family and husband but the reality is that my body is so dysregulated. I feel constantly stuck in the constricted freeze mode with loads of fight or flight energy below. its so hard to release that clamp of freeze.
Hi Fifi Earth Wanderer, Jen here from Team Lyon. It can be frustrating for sure to find people who are knowledgeable about this work. Have you checked out Irene's free and paid resources? I'll link to two or her free resources and to the 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up (a paid offering). The "Tune Up" is a self-study course that Irene developed to teach people the basics of this work.
free Healing Trauma video training - 21daytuneup.com
4 Simple Steps to Calm Overwhelm - irenelyon.com/4-steps-to-calm-overwhelm/
The 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up - 21daytuneup.com
I wish I had the funds to take your course. It seems like you need money to heal (with resources, health food, supplements, supplies, free time) but I’m in such a chronic state of illness, pain and anxiety that I can’t work to pay for it all. It’s a dead and cycle and I don’t know what to do ): I’m only in my early 20’s, this was never the life I imagined for myself and it’s heartbreaking. It all started when I was 12
Hi Vickie, Seth here with Team Lyon. Irene will be releasing a video on healing on a budget soon, so keep an eye out for that! In the meantime, definitely check out her free resources and keep learning here! There is a lot you can do for free!
Free Resource center - irenelyon.com/free-resources-2/
Sample Neurosensory Exercises - ua-cam.com/play/PL_tIcR-r0CU5Xss_Mq1buU-tWdYVQksjI.html
I love your videos Irene. They are so illuminating!❤️Would you please do a video about the trauma of people who survived growing up on apocalyptic cults and left as adults after enduring continued emotional/psychological abuse in the name of “God”? There are a lot of us out here dealing with the after effects of religious dogma imposed on us as young children. This negatively affected/impacted who we are and how we interact with others and the world around us. Lots of gratitude!🥰
Thanks for the suggestion marcelainKY, this is Seth with Team Lyon. I'll pass this along to Irene!
Hey MarcelainKY, Seth here again. Irene just reminded me that she actually did a video interview on this kind of thing years ago. This one is from someone who escaped the Mormon faith, which is certainly cultish in many ways, so there may be some overlap in what you are working with. Here it is... irenelyon.com/2021/01/31/healing-religious-trauma-navigating-faith-crises/
Thank you so much, Seth!❤️
You have so many videos about this topic, one must have tons of energy to watch/ listening to all of this and then also do something about it. Makes me think it's impossible to heal. Also is this scientifically backed up or are these hypothesis?
The 21 day tune up can be helpful if you feel overwhelmed because the information is organized and given to you step by step
I totally agree! I tried to take her class at the beginning of the year and I have so many symptoms going on with my system that I couldn't keep up. It was overload. They say to take your time, little minute steps. But the way the program is set up, it was still stressful to do. So sadly to say that I had to quit. ☹ I probably needed assistance to do the program but couldn't afford that too. Plus that might have been even more overload, I don't know.
I'm finding it difficult to know where to start, but I believe that's symptomatic of freeze anyway. Moving out of whatever syndrome ails us is going to be painful - predominantly emotionally and mentally. We have a form of comfort in the familiarity of the day-to-day pattern we go through. The information is extensive and dense, yet it's all applicable knowledge. I'm trying to find a counsellor willing to support me through the process, yet also willing to commit to acknowledging the verity of Polyvagal Theory. I've spent much time in traditional therapy, in having acupuncture, hypnotherapy and in consulting doctors who dole out drugs in the hope they'll still the anxiety or low mood. Nothing has had a lasting effect because the root cause of the problems isn't acted upon - the treatments are on the symptoms. Polyvagal Theory and Somatic Experiencing address the underlying imbalance at work in the traumatised whole of the individual. In reality there are a significant number of humans who accept their unease/dis-ease as who they are, rather than seeking an explanation in their exposure to whatever trauma they will have suffered and accepted as an acceptable life event or life period i.e. growing up in a toxic atmosphere. Find a way of effecting healing. I say this to myself as much as anyone else. It is self-compassionate to embark on healing - to find barriers is condemning oneself to being imprisoned.
@@JoyJoy-rr5qo Did you start with sbsm. If so you should try starting with the 21 tune up instead. That is a better place to start when too overwhelmed. If you have the sbsm the 21 tune up is included. Or just choose one exercise from the program that you like and do that over and over again until you feel ready to try another from ? I'm in my fourth round of sbsm and I still haven't been all through the program but definitely still experiencing healing
@@susjv7032 Yes, I tried that one too. I was still overwhelmed. So I quit. I still have the program. I have a condition called Internal Waking Tremors, (also Fibromyalgia, etc.) I definitely believe it's related to my highly sensitive traumatized nervous system. I have a long history of traumas. I've been through traditional therapy and many doctors (30+) with no avail. I wish I had someone to help me through it all. Now it just feels useless.
Irene, thank you - could you pleeeeeease do a video just about AGORAPHOBIA? There’s so little educational empowering info about it out there 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Agoraphobia and also Kenophobia...
@@lindalu7713 ❤️ have you done much of Irenes work? Or had any success with anything?
@@Missgevious I've started working with the 15 min neurosensory exercise which is on YT and one drop in class. It has helped with increasing my capacity. For example, when other drivers tailgated me in the recent past, I would go straight to alarm 🚨 mode and all the emotions that go with that. Now I remain neutral and much calmer through these events.
@@Missgevious I wholeheartedly recommend the 21-day Nervous System Tune-up. I just finished it--so helpful as a starting point. I'm going to immediately do it again to cement the learning. As Irene said, the healing is a process and the practices become a lifestyle. Patience is required. That being said, I've already experienced some very interesting and helpful shifts. Really good stuff.
@@TheKmartens thank you for sharing, that’s really encouraging to hear!
Since I read Gabor Mate's book I was looking for a connection between emotional or mental issues with migraine but couldn't find any decent resources or answers online. The thing is, my migraines aren't tied to periods of greater stress or emotional turmoil so I don't really know... I'd be interested in more content on the topic of migraine if there's more to say :-)
Hi That's Mental, Jen here from Team Lyon. Migraines often have a nervous system component, so Irene's teaching about nervous system regulation and dysregulation can apply to migraines too. One way that we work with migraines in this work is to get curious about what's called the prodromal, and the pre-prodromal - what is the first sign that a migraine is coming on? And once you notice that, are you able to notice what before this? I'll link to Irene's free Healing Trauma video training as it can be a good place to start if you haven't yet seen it.
free Healing Trauma video training - irenelyon.com/healing-trauma
Could be something going on unconsciously???
Fascinating. I have complex trauma, migraine, fibromyalgia, and recently developed atypical migraine with aura. The anxious-but-frozen profile is absolutely me! Wondering how autism fits in here, as I recently self-diagnosed and trying to figure out how this all connects somatically. How autism affects the nervous system; one thing is my interoception is not great! 😅
Whoa, it's like I wrote this myself. I too wonder if I have autism (or could it be regression?). Recently my headache seems worse then "normal". I have fibromyalgia, restless legs and been diagnosed with depression and acute stress disorder in the past. Apparantly doc's papers showed I have ptsd dating a few years back, but it has been canceled 2 years ago? I saw an end date on the papers, so I'm confused about that. Currently I've started therapy to figure my past out, since it's enabling me to go forward. I've canceled the intake in the past. I was afraid and thought "I was better". I found this video very informative and it seems to suit my situation too. Much healing to you, take care 🌌💖💫
@@bbdn5123 If you wonder about autism, I recommend finding resources written by autistic individuals (rather than just by professionals writing about autism). I started following autistic people on Twitter, and their descriptions of their inner experiences was a revelation. Autism runs in my family, but not all of us were tested when this was discovered. Truly, it’s helped so much to understand this crucial aspect of my identity. ❤️
Hi Schuyler Karen, Jen here from Team Lyon. There is still much to be learned about autism, and they are finding that in some cases early/developmental trauma can be a contributing factor. And interception can be improved! That's a bit part of what this work entails.
What if my mother developed a thyroid illness directly after having me. A lot of people would just say that’s something normal that happens to women but I don’t buy it, I think it’s most likely stress related. I was also very shy from basically birth throughout childhood.
Hi Re Re, Jen here from Team Lyon. The endocrine system is often impacted by stress and trauma, so it's quite possible that there could be a link between your birth experience (and stresses prior to then) and your mother's thyroid condition.
Irene can you please share the link to the video that you mentioned re why people might wake up at night in panic
Sure thing. Here is the link: irenelyon.com/2020/01/18/why-am-i-waking-up-in-a-panic-attack-the-last-month-in-review/
If future, always try searching for those keywords and my name, it should pop up in the search function. Enjoy.
This is a really interesting video thanks!
I’m finding great benefits from doing your 21 system tune up along with another course teaching breathing techniques . I’m just wondering, with some of the breathing it’s advised to hold your breath for as long as possible after the breathing. In your opinion, is this helpful? Or is holding our breath putting us more into freeze? Thank you!
Hi Vicki, Seth here with Team Lyon. Yeah, that kind of breath work is really not useful at all when it comes to healing trauma. It's much more useful to notice what the breath wants to do naturally, and to simply be with that while remaining present. If one feels overwhelmed by this experience, then it may be useful to impose some kind of breathing pattern, but holding your breath will only make the system more activated. Instead, focus on long exhales, which slow the heart rate. Here's three videos (two short, one long) that I recommend checking out...
ua-cam.com/video/TjCbue81Qjg/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/fDO6omYP824/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/k5tXiV7svJk/v-deo.html
What do you all make of body twitching?
I experience a lot twitching especially during breathwork & following high stress days (or weeks/years). It often creates insomnia because my body is having such a hard time relaxing. Drinking calm (magnesium) generally helps. Slow breathing helps but usually requires atleast 30 minutes of belly expanding breaths to find equilibrium.
Hi Earth is Magic, Jen here from Team Lyon. In this work, twitching is often an expression of previously bound sympathetic nervous system actuation moving through the body. If it happens after breath work and takes a while to move through, it may be a sign to do less and/or to take steps to grow nervous system capacity.
Sometimes when I get triggered and get angry I go to anxiety at the same time it's so hard to control I must walk at that point I can't stay In place
Hi CHILI ART, Jen here from Team Lyon. Have you seen Irene's resources related to Healthy Aggression? Learning healthy ways to express aggression (including feelings of anger) can often be transformative.
What is Healthy Aggression? - irenelyon.com/2019/08/19/what-is-healthy-aggression/
Healthy Aggression: The Way to Un-Frustrate Frustration - sethlyon.com/healthy-aggression-the-way-to-un-frustrate-frustration/
@@IreneLyon thank you I go from 0 to fire in one second and supres it becouse it's too much one time I got temperature from my own anger.and usualy after that is sadnes.Does Irene have one on one therapy?And how much is session if yes?Iv tryd so much therapists nothing worked .
@@chiliart8056, Jen here again. What you describe where you go from 0 to fire is very common for those of us with a history of early/developmental trauma. Often other approaches don't get to the root of the problem because they don't work with the survival physiology that's driving the responses.
Irene doesn't practice 1-1 work any more, and a nervous system practitioner who's trained in working with early/developmental trauma should be able to help. I'll share a few links where you can search for a practitioner, and to a video Irene created about finding a good somatic practitioner. You might also check out Irene's 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up. It can be a great way to learn some basic nervous system education and practices.
How to Find a Good Somatic Practitioner - ua-cam.com/video/04XF7ANnqGk/v-deo.html
Team Lyon - irenelyon.com/meet-the-team/
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Directory - directory.traumahealing.org
Co-Regulating Touch - coregulatingtouch.com
21 Day Nervous System Tune Up - 21daytuneup.com
Do edibles help? Also, is there a checklist for healing?
I went to do MRI brain i discover i have white matter hyperintensities t2w & flair I'm very worried 😢
Hi Irene, interesting video to watch - thankyou! I am a Clinical Psychologist in Australia and founder of Mind Life Flow online. Have you used or encouraged others to use mindfulness practices to aid anxiety symptoms and pain/discomfort? Can be very helpful- what are your thoughts?
Hi Mind Life flow, Seth here with Team Lyon. There are certainly elements of mindfulness that are part of the work we do. However, most mindfulness practices are asking the person to simply observe their internal experience as it is, and not react, and this can be completely overwhelming for people with unresolved trauma, because their internal experience, as it is, is terrifying.
So while we help guide people into noticing their internal experience in many ways, that is always tempered by also supporting them in coming OUT of the internal experience and into the external environment as needed, or to be aware of both simultaneously, and we also place a lot of focus on understanding the usefulness of external resources as needed, all of which are practices that are not taught in most mindfulness practices.
Also, when it comes to trauma, simply observing is often not enough. Part of resolving trauma means allowing the body to speak, express, move in ways that didn't get to happen - incomplete expressions that are stuck in the emotional body, or incomplete protective response impulses that are stuck in the nervous system. So we encourage our clients to not just observe if it feels like they need to act, rather we encourage them to explore those impulses in contained, life-giving ways, all of which is often also not addressed in mindfulness practice.
Can having a few things that I’m going to mention create this response? I’m researching this for him . He had meningoencephalitis at age 7, that affected my son’s nervous system and changed his personality, affect him at 36, after a severe TBI, and a year and a half ago, he had mold toxicity which manifested Lyme co-infections. He then got neurological and psychological problems, psychosis, and paranoia, which he still has. The anxiety is awful, and he scrunches his face and body, and picks at a knuckle with other OCD symptoms. Then, he had Covid in January and it’s May. He’s never been able to function in social situations.
I believe right now he is stuck in some freeze and anxiety response and can’t heal. He has forward head posture and neck blockages according to scans. He has had such severe head pressure, with ear popping, since January when Covid hit him.
He’s been to every doctor imaginable, but I think the mold toxicity is still there and he has a problem with his parasympathetic nervous system. I also believe he has some type of meningitis again, unless he has the syndrome you’re talking about.
He has everything you just mentioned! I’m scared snd he is too! He wants to die because he sees no way out.
Hi Kathryn Willette, Jen here from Team Lyon. Yes, the things you mention can create dysregulation in the nervous system, which can impact the way we experience ourselves and the world around us, and can impair our ability to heal. I can definitely see how it would be scary for you and overwhelming for your son. It takes time, and much healing is often possibly when we work with the physiology in this way. When early trauma is in the picture, it can be important to work with a program and/or a nervous system practitioner who has specific training in working with early/developmental trauma.
Irene offers a course that teaches some basics related to this work, it's called the 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up. She also teaches a more comprehensive program called SmartBody SmartMind, it will next be offered in September. Irene also has a lot of great free resources, so I'll link to some of those in case you'd like to learn more. You might also consider looking into working with a trained practitioner if that's an option and your on is interested. I'll share a few related links to that too. And know that steps you take to grow your own regulation will likely benefit your son too.
Resources:
Free Healing Trauma video training - irenelyon.com/healing-trauma
4 Surprisingly Simple Steps to Calm Overwhelm - irenelyon.com/4-steps-to-calm-overwhelm/
Irene's Course & Program:
The 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up - 21daytuneup.com
SmartBody SmartMind - smartbodysmartmind.com
Finding a Practitioner:
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Directory - directory.traumahealing.org
Co-Regulating Touch - coregulatingtouch.com
@@IreneLyon THANK YOU! The only problem is that he never follows through! Is there an inpatient place where he could start?
I had him do some eye exercises, and I think it helped him a little.
I was actually looking at this for myself because I have chronic pain after a lot of trauma and chronic illnesses. I was going to an upper cervical chiropractor, and I noticed it calmed me down after I went a few times. I didn’t even realize I needed that. I started getting my son to go, but he never follows through with anything. Plus, his sitting and standing like a vulture doesn’t help!
I appreciate your response! 🙏💕💫
@@Tinyteacher1111 - Seth here with Team Lyon. Unfortunately there are no inpatient clinics that we know of that offer this work. It sounds like one on one sessions with a good practitioner would be the best option.
@@IreneLyon We found a wonderful neuropsychologist! He’s been doing this type and f thing for 25 years, and he started with hypnotherapy, tapping, affirmations, etc. I want to go, but my former husband paid for this, and I doubt he’ll pay for me! Lol!
@@Tinyteacher1111, great to hear you found someone!
One thing you might consider over time is talking to him about whether he has training in working with early/developmental trauma from a nervous system/physiological perspective. It is an emerging field, so sometimes even very experienced practitioners may not have this experience.
Is a heavy burning head also a symptom? Like a feeling of having burning nerves in the head that find relief just by tilting the head forward …
Sofia Fantin, Jen here from Team Lyon. Yes, a burning head can also be a symptom. It's always prudent to get checked out by a trained medical professional if you're concerned, and there are many strange symptoms that we can experience in response to trauma and nervous system dysregulation.
@@IreneLyon thank you so so much for your work . I’ ve just bought the 21 -days- program . Couldn’t wait to start
Flight or shutting down may involve deep withdrawal in the body. A trainer in an intensive 2 year somatic psychotherapy training course I attended in the 90s said she felt I withdrew into my bones when I was a baby due to being left without human contact too often. Non verbal
And unconscious. Would love to know if there's a way to track and access this process. I've done so much work however this pattern still wreaks havoc in my life.
Hello, Sophia from Team Lyon here. Thank you for your comment and share.
If you are looking to find a practitioner for private sessions, who could help you track and access a specific memory, Irene strongly suggests taking some time to watch a video she created detailing “How to find a good practitioner.”
We also recommend taking a look over the Team Lyon page as many have their own practices and accept clients.
Two directories that might be of help are:
Somatic Experiencing practitioners: directory.traumahealing.org/
Feldenkrais practitioners: feldenkrais.com/practitioner-search/
Please also check Irene's paid programs that teach you how to work with your nervous system and become your own medicine: irenelyon.com/programs/
We wish you the best on your healing journey.
I wish doctors would know about theese things 😢
Dear Team Irene! As someone who struggles with PMDD (=premenstrual dysphoric disorder), which entails migraine and anxiety for me, I think that the content of this video can be applied big time. The diagnosis, that affects about 1 in 20 women, is quite "new" and there's not much help from doctors yet, not even awareness. I just recently started attending self help circles and reading whatever people are writing in facebook groups concerning this disorder. But I find it very frustrating, that it is mostly dealt with as if the disorder just fell from the sky or as if it was coincidence, who is affected, who's not. I know from my family, what trauma probably contributed to this, I've had trauma that maybe led to me having it. But online people are just exchanging info on what medication works best for them and how much of it. If there's a chance that in the future you could make a video with your holistic view about PMDD, I'd be more than happy. I mean - come on! Women becoming furious, aggressive, full of rage at the time that our hormones actually make us more attuned, sensitive, vulnerable and perceptive - could it be more obvious? When we're forced (by society, by our caregivers) to suppress our emotions - at some point they're gonna come out. That point is the luteal phase of the female cycle. And all that women are talking about online, is that they're sad, depressed and irritable once a month, but they don't go deeper, don't connect the dots and look at the way they're handling their emotions the rest of the month/cycle. I'm really passionate about this needing to shift as well. Not just everybody be happy, that there's finally a name for the suffering (PMDs), which we then can put it in a box and work against with pills.
Id love to hear more or any references/videos about this 9 months post Parfums and my period hasn't returned or the hormonal migraines and depression I get. But I also heard there is a point in the cycle where you have more energy and one where you need more rest and women aren't allowing or able to allow themselves that? It was in a video but I can't remember
Hi A Life in Music, Jen here from Team Lyon. As you suggest, we do see a connection between this work and many menstrual cycle related symptoms. I'll pass along your request to Irene specifically on this topic, and know that nervous system dysregulation (and regulation, as it grows) impacts all systems in the body, so causes to contributes to many chronic conditions and "mystery" symptoms. If you haven't already watched Irene's free Healing Trauma video series, you might consider giving that a watch.
free Healing Trauma video training - irenelyon.com/healing-trauma
Wow I use to faint all the time as a kid. In my 20’s, living far far away from home, an old fiancé (that forced sex on me at my 18th year, this is a thumbnail) visited me, just showed up and called. We met. He wanted sex and pot. I stood my ground kicked him out of my place and said don’t come back. He flew home and spread lies about my morals and that I was into pot at my aunt’s church. She stood up for me to his parents and thought my parents also stand up for me. Her knowing nothing about our home life. My parents believed the lies. Not knowing this I flew home for a visit on a Friday. My dad verbally attacked me about this new story to me on the Saturday. Relatives were invited on Sunday. I got a friend to race me to the airport in the 70’s when you could catch a flight the same day you wanted to get away. My rotten mother flew out without letting me. My brother picked her up at the airport and kept her secret. They drive up to take me to lunch. My mother sarcastically asks how do you like someone showing as a surprise as she feels my back and asks where my bra is. After lunch she doesn’t stay with my brother who abandons me. She stays with me. She hammers me with calling me a whore and how ashamed she and my father are of me. She kept sputtering on as I passed out. Back story. Bullied by both parents hence went to live near my oldest brother off the mainland USA. Molested by my father, groomed from childhood. Was my mothers maid and nanny to two younger brothers from the time I was six. I was the only female amongst 5 brothers. We were Christians. Honor thy father and mother. I had no voice around either of them. another thumbnail. In 2018 of November I had a craniotomy. I was 66. All the buried twilight zone became my living reality as if it were a
occurring at that moment 1 month post brain surgery. Surgeon told me its common for PTSD to set in post surgery. Here I am watching you and Dr Ramani on utube. I’ve been in therapy since 28 years of age due to shame of what I could remember and my first appointments with a psychiatrist acted like I was wasting her time. Then sought therapy and meds for daily panic attacks while raising my toddler children on my own in my thirties. Since it didn’t go well the first telling my ruptured childhood over the next 25 years I didn’t mention much except needed help with boundaries with my mother and needed meds to take my panic attacks away. Ran away from abusive husband. Thumbnail again. If I had known about narcissism. I would have support to restrict my other from just inviting herself and stay with me and my kids for 3 to 6 mos. My kids were stronger than me. They would ask to leave at grade school age. I was too afraid to make her angry. Thumbnail
Hello. I have I belive, CPTSD(not medically examinated)but have symptoms, not professionally worked on, except meditation a lot. I think this caused of my mom had psychosis and was diagnosen with persecuitin insanity when i was very little and in early childhood. This continued for 35 years, until she died at the age of 74, most of the time in in an institution. I got diabetes nr 1 when I was 22, (55 now) and wonder if this and a stuck life situation now can relate to this cause.? My whole life has ben a fight flight or freeze situation, and this familysubject could we never talk about, and has never been really healed. I have tried Peter Levines methode of my own, but not quite got the hang of the finishing, and do not know what is best to further do now?
Hi Sigmund Eimhjellen, Jen here from team Lyon. Yes, having a mentally ill mother can definitely lead to physical, mental and emotional conditions and symptoms. It's great hear that you explored Peter's work. He is a pioneer and his teachings are powerful, and they tend to focus more on shock (or event) trauma than on early/developmental trauma.
You asked what to do now - I'll link to Irene's free video training which may be helpful to watch, and also to the 21 Day Nervous System Tune Up, the paid self-study course that Irene developed to teach people the basics of this nervous system approach.
free Healing Trauma video training - irenelyon.com/healing-trauma
21 Day Nervous System Tune Up - 21daytuneup.com
I'm fascinated by your branding and marketing. You speak as if you are a therapist, you present material, programs, and say "my clients." Your website and UA-cam videos smack if exactly what a therapist does. Why don't you become licensed so that you can put claim to your work?
Hi Tina, Seth here with Team Lyon. As somatic practitioners highly trained in nervous system based trauma resolution we do see clients privately, and Irene does work with thousands of students in her online programs, but we have a different designation than those trained in the fields of psychology or psychiatry. We are Somatic Trauma Specialists, not therapists. Irene has trained extensively in all the gold-standard somatic approaches - Somatic Experiencing, Feldenkrais, and Somatic Practice, and she also has a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology and a Masters degree in Biomedical Science. If you are interested in reading Irene's full bio you can do so here... irenelyon.com/meet-irene/