When I was in my twenties I went to a therapist who immediately took me back to my one of my core trauma experiences which had happened when I was younger than five. It was absolutely terrifying, and I ran from that office and never went back. I wound up being grateful for that experience because, at 66 years old and after a year of ongoing therapy, I was able to revisit that experience in that office, just for a second. But a second was enough, and the result of that was a feeling of strength and empowerment, because I instantly knew where all my problems were coming from. The memories had always been there (some of them) but the emotion was not, and when I was able to connect with that emotion, I KNEW. It validated everything! The addictions, the depression, the anxiety disorders, the ADD, the inability to connect with people, all of it. I was sad and angry, but at the same time I felt like a strong focused adult instead of my usual childlike, dissociated self. I was my authentic self at last. Of course since then I've gone back and forth, but I've been able to experience my authentic self more and more. That revisiting was a breakthrough for me.
@@nourhealing2516 I don't remember, it was long ago. But there should be therapists out there who would be willing to do age regression hypnosis, and if all else fails, you can hire a hypnotist who can do age regression. Any hypnotist worth their salt should be able to do age regression. I think they cost less than $200 for a session I understand people even use them to find things that they've lost. Are you in therapy? You might ask your therapist about it, they might be willing. I signed up for aura which is like $11 or $12 a month, and gives you zoom access to hypnotherapists. I don't know their level of expertise, I only just signed up to it. But I figure they can help me with all kinds of things like sleep, eating, habits, and so on. At least I'm going to give it a try and see
That therapist was from 40 years ago, doubt he/she still practices. Look for one in your area who is genuine (shows real positive emotions & empathy) and not a closer.@@nourhealing2516
@@nourhealing2516 I don't remember, it was many years ago. But many therapists, I believe, can do hypnosis. I would look up hypnotherapy online. You could call and ask about time regression hypnosis and Trauma.
I am 76 now. When I was born I was artificially induced 3 wks early and when I got home my grandma told my mom I had to go back in the womb. So, for the next 2 1/2 yrs I was kept in a closet and touched only when fed, diapered and given enemas. When I was 40 asked my mom what happened to me? I was a suicidal drunk, got a college degree then ignored it. Chit chat did not work. EMDR worked for a while. Rebirthing had temporary benefits. I started taking clonazepam before bed for non-epileptic seizures in deep sleep. Today, I started reading "Waking the Tiger" When I got to the story with Bob Barklay's unfrozen fortitude something clicked in me and I began taking on that role in my mind, going back to nasty adults and kids as a smiling super kid. I felt great to mock them especially when I remember how I used to hide from everyone in a distant shopping mall after school. Then, when I got to chapter 7, reading about the animal side, I had another epiphany. Not being that fond of people I started considering my animal body a little deeper. Suddenly, i realized my body is trying to help me, protect me! Sure, I hated cramps, rapid heart beats, etc., but they ARE proof something was here fighting back for me! I had been doing some YT meditations with Sukie Baxter and Irene Lyon and they certainly pointed me in the right direction but after all they got their direction from Dr. Levine. Thank you, Doctor.
J knell- I am being helped greatly by slowly doing Irene Lyon's exercises and watching her videos, etc. She is a big help to me at 68, and I hope they are fortifying and helpful to you as well. She is big on going slow so as not to overwelm our nervous systems. Learning to slow down and actually focus , bit by bit here.
Use body sensing, posture and breathwork to renegotiate the pangs brought on by negative and unmitigated imagination. Over and over and over again. This is the work.
Thank you for this interview, Mr. Atherton. I wish people would pay attention to Dr. Levine because 90% of humanity is reeling under some kind of trauma, thus preventing us from healing, as individuals and as a collective. The world would be so much more pleasant to live in if we healed.
I also had extreme birth trauma and it has been such a challenge in my life.. I was so grateful to hear someone speaking to levine about this type of trauma specificly.. this helped my awareness expand so much .. thank you.. I have retraumatized myself over and over because of my family being dysfunctional and abusive and codependent as a unit ... so this helps me so much truly I don't know how to be safe from the possible consequences of my stupidity mistakes and ignorances due to these cycles of trauma and dissociation and numbness.. I wish there was help for healing myself from the traumas and clearing my traumatic past and experiences but AT LEAST! now I have some hopefulness thank you Peter and Richard!
This is a extremely helpful conversation and information on trauma. I wish every therapist would share this with each client -ongoingly, it is so helpful to know the process we are going through as we receive therapy. Brilliant.
I recently listened to partook in the exercises within his work Healing Trauma Audiobook Thank you sir your wonderful voice that exudes your ability to understand others. You seem to be one of kind. Thank you I've sent it to my daughter. Thank you!
Hi Kay, I'm not sure if you're talking about me Dr Levine, but either way, I'm glad that you enjoyed the interview. I hope that your daughter finds it useful.
Thank you for this profound interview. Cheers to all the work that you’re doing individually/collectively. Healing is possible. Dr. Peter Levine is a blessing to humanity. 👍🏼❤️ Identifying the cause of my own trauma definitely brought me to a healing path. Grateful to be awakened and learning to BEing present in the here and now. And self-regulate, soothe, heal inside out through art therapy. Love, compassion, empathy, radical acceptance & forgiveness because we’re all here to learn, grow, and become better human beings. Blessings.🙏🏼
Or a at home audience I have been dealing with birth and abuse trauma and a constant build up of illnesses and wasn't offered help til I was 49 and most of it was found by myself.
Yes, we're at a stage in human evolution where trauma recovery is possible, but unfortunately only for those with plenty of resources or resourcefulness and for those willing to look very hard. I must have tried 8 or 10 modalities before I found the two that made a difference for me: Primal Therapy and Rolfing.
I think the body resists the trauma, even little traumas, such as a sibling not liking you. Rehashing sounds like justifying or accepting what happened but doesn't help the feeling go away that we were not liked. Facing it with our bodies and not resisting how it hurts us is healing. So yes, it takes a body experience to heal and let the experience or hurt in for a while. I agree, rehashing or re-thinking doesn't usually help. It just puts an adult spin on a child pain.
I've found that I've need body work and I've need to work on my past. Rehashing useless. Re-living blow and blow and allowing myself to feel every iota of pain has been 100% necessary to cure myself of the neuroses stemming from the early trauma.
Richard, as a fellow primaler I was hoping you might have challenged Levine's previous statement as fact that to feel a feeling fully, directly, without 'titrating' or 'pendulating' is necessarily "retraumatizing". I posted this comment on one of his other videos. Sorry for the length: What has worked for me, I’m sure is probably too scary for most trauma survivors to consider, but is safe (with the right experiential foundation), and gets to the very root of the trauma, and undoes the effects, in the short run, and over time, in my experience. Pretty much all of the techniques, methods, approaches I’ve seen seem to be about trying to get away from the discomfort, to soothe it away, visualize, tap, self-talk it away. But for me, the issue is that the pain from the original trauma was not fully processed at the time, because of overload of the system, so it is stored in ‘cellular memory’, or ‘body memories’. By fully processed, I mean fully felt, in the body. If a child has a very painful experience and is allowed the full, truthful expression, with a parent or loving adult present, they won’t store the pain, with all it’s symptoms that cause problems later. A brief history: had an alcoholic father, and other major dysfunction growing up. In my early twenties, went through a period over some months of trying to heal myself of what I considered ’stomach problems’, and other issues in that general mid area of my body (prostatitis, bladder infection, ulcer, etc,) and back issues, by fasting, restricting my diet, other obsessive compulsive extreme behaviors (exercise, etc.). Came very close to dying (a few weeks away, a doctor told me). Stopped the behaviors and began a search for what was wrong with me, what and why it happened. Was led to a process that facilitates the connection with and release of the deep pain stored in the body, usually beyond conscious memory. I began to experience real relief/release from my symptoms, physically, emotionally, a feeling of safety (to use Dr. Levine's words), for the first time. I discovered, over the course of many months, that I had, as a toddler, been violently sexually abused by my alcoholic father (in blackout), and experienced abuse from my older brother. Before that, I had no conscious memory of those early experiences. So, what I learned to do, at first with a facilitator/therapist, and later on my own, was when the symptoms of trauma arise, in my case, extreme terror, anger, feelings of impending doom, impending violence, instead of trying to get away from them, I learned (in a safe, reasonably soundproof setting) to allow the body to bring the feelings to the surface, and then when the body/emotional body (sometimes referred to as the ‘pain body’) is allowed to fully connect, the body begins to release the pain by fully feeling it, not as an act of will or intention, but completely spontaneously, by letting go into the pain. I discovered that what I thought would kill me (fully feeling, going with the pain) when it had a chance to flow, to express itself in it’s pure truth, that it, like a wave, rose, broke, and dissipated safely, afterwards triggering endorphins to flow, feelings of well being, and deep relaxation to happen naturally. The real suffering was more in the resistance to feeling the feelings. When the pain/the feelings were allowed to fully connect, in the body and being, and begin to flow, it almost felt good (even the most horrendous, unspeakable pain), like I had been waiting to do that all my life. I discovered that the body/our being will only bring to the surface what can be handled at a given time, and then shut down again. So, seemingly paradoxically, but not really, the way to the other side of the extreme, unbearable feelings of discomfort was to go into them, not try to manage, unless I was in a situation where I was not able to process. I could put the pain on a ‘back burner’, and when it was safe, allow myself to feel the feelings, and get release. Gentle deep breathing is very helpful to facilitate the flow of feelings, to undo 'freeze', shutdown, a blocked, locked up body. What I meant in the opening to this comment by ‘’right experiential foundation’ is needed, is that if a person, a trauma survivor, is able to go through this kind of processing, some kind of security in the present is necessary, primarily I think in the form of at least one person that is truly safe, not abusive, trustworthy (support system; therapist who understands, friend, 12 step support group like Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families, or other safe support people, though their may be some people to avoid within these groups who are not safe), and some kind of sound spiritual principles (like, but not exclusive to, the 12 steps) to live by. And probably enough experience with those loving, accepting, trustworthy people, to provide a new experience in the present of real safety, very different than whatever abuse or neglect we experienced in childhood. Ideally, it probably is necessary, at least in the beginning, and for a while, to be able to be in touch with someone who truly understands, from personal experience, this kind of direct processing/release of deep feelings, deep pain. With time, more and more trust in the process, and the loving, compassionate Higher Power behind and guiding it happens, and we can learn how to do the deep self care needed (that we didn't learn in childhood) to take care of ourselves on an ongoing basis. When a person opens up, becomes vulnerable to the degree necessary to do this kind of deep processing, when old defenses, dissociation begin to fall away, it is vitally important to avoid reckless exposure to people and situations (usually our original abusers/perpetrators, or other destructive people) to avoid unnecessary overload which can have destructive effects to us, and jam up the flow of our process and progress in our life. If overload happens, we can learn how to move through it and get back on track. But life will happen, and the situations that arise (best not from reckless exposure) will naturally trigger us, and the feelings that arise are the catalyst to access the deeper, 'original' source of the pain. Very important; this is not ‘getting out feelings’ characterized by deliberate hitting, screaming, punching a punching bag, etc. This may be useful to facilitate the beginning of getting in touch with feelings, allowing the feelings to begin to flow, but as soon as possible then, to just let go completely and allow the body to take over. It is necessary to have a real connection and release, and integration, for the body/emotional body, to fully connect and move, spontaneously, make sounds on it’s own (not directed by the will/intention). When this connection happens the sounds, words, movements will be those of whatever age the experience is rooted in, originated. The body/emotional body/our spirit has its own wisdom and knows how to release, process, heal. A facilitator (best someone who has direct experience of this kind of processing) might be important in the beginning but not to do much, mainly just to witness with empathy, to stay out of the way when the feelings begin to flow. Possibly with deep empathy, could help to connect with words, questions, to help trigger a real connection with the feelings, the original pain. But, after a point, talking can also take a person away from the source of their feelings. It is important that the person being present/facilitating is able just to be present with the expression of deep emotional pain, without needing to 'fix' us. Wish I could have been more brief in my comment, but felt it important to be clear and as thorough as possible to minimize misunderstanding, if possible. I received criticism of this, my process from a facilitator of the Levine approach, I believe because she did not understand it, or my experience. I was not there (heard it second hand later from my girlfriend at the time, who talked about her understanding of my process) so could not explain, defend it. The Levine approach may have some value for a person who is too afraid of, or not ready for this approach, I don’t have any judgments. But I do feel that it doesn’t seem to allow the kind of full connection that I write about. Unfortunately, Levine and others mischaracterize opening to and directly feeling the full intensity of trauma feelings as “retraumatizing”. It is not, if a person is ready to feel them, and still, we can trust the wisdom of the body and our being to only bring to the surface what we can safely process, if we are not pushing or being pushed into something we are not ready to process. Even the dreaded feelings of overwhelm, can be felt and processed safely. They characterize the experience of trauma. They rise, break, and dissipate like other feelings, if allowed to connect and flow. Here’s a link below with more info. Please excuse the offensive, misleading visual image. I requested it's removal but the writer didn't see the need. I was able to learn to process on my own, and did not go formally go through the institute that is connected to this form of therapy, but started with a trained Primal therapist, whose job is to mostly be a compassionate witness, not to talk much. I don’t think of it as therapy which implies a man made/devised/thought up technique or method, so I just call it the ‘primal process’. www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-therapy/201002/cool-intervention-3-primal-therapy
Hi Lawrence - thank you so much for this comment. Yes, you're absolutely right, the deep healing that it sounds like we've both experienced, only comes from fully feeling; total surrender to that early pain through re-living the trauma. You're right that perhaps I could have challenged more. That's good feedback. I also appreciate that you added in the point of having sound spiritual principles to live by whilst healing. I think getting close to the pain, 'grazing the pain', as many like Levine advocate, can be powerful in terms of gaining insight into our behaviours, but it may not be sufficient for permanent resolution.
Found Levine's "Tiger" book many years ago, tremendously helpful both as a personal portal into non or less reactive states, and to assist my clients. Also needed: mndfulness/mediation (MBSR); somatic 'listening' skills; Voice Dialogue to Listen fully to any and all 'parts' of myself, with kindness, acceptance, appreciation for the roles/jobs they play, and realizing the traumatic reactions are always attempts to keep us/get us safe --and hopefully loved, protected. Also - shamanic journey'dreamwork and tantric induction granted me skills in creating the spaciousness in which to discover what needs were 'hidden' in my triggered epsiodes. -- I experienced in utero and birth traumas, sexual invasions, lack of healthy attachments to either parent --and suicidal depressions attended ends of lover relations: but here I am, in my mid 70s -- thriving. Blessings on our brows --thanks for your program, thank you Peter.
The interviewer performs the key roles of listening and not interrupting. However, when it came to the personal stuff... From @20:03, there's a glaring absence of the proper question: 'what do you think of this opinion of myself' ...Instead, it's 'allow me to tell you all about me'. There's no engagement with the experienced therapist's disinterest in his misguided self-justifications. When Peter speaks again, he hints: 'you think you're experiencing gut intuition, but actually you're denying truth in order to replay your traumas'. I hope that message went in eventually.
I mean, living is trauma. Like we talk about childhood and attachment styles but life can ruin all of that. Even if you have it good as a kid you get to adulthood and you discover it's all unmitigated psychotic levels of chaos and then even the most well-adjusted person, how can they cope with that?
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Re-living or enacting a past traumatic event --can only be useful IF we can bear witness to it: i.e., our Awareness/Consciousness outside the drama --is holding the Space for the revisit.
just one observation. generally speaking and not regarding PTSD, especially regarding childhood, not everything needs to be labeled as trauma. that word is traumatic in itself. there is a book called I am OK, you are OK where they explain perfectly about how kids can learn thing in the wrong way by making wrong conclusions which obviously happen in an automatic way and goes right into subconscious processes. so basically my point is let us not forget that besides trauma there are other issues such as mentioned in that book and let us include authors such as Thomas Anthony Harris into our read. because obviously there is no one answer or solution to the psychological problems. like, there are so many pieces in that puzzle. do not expect one person to solve that riddle. what helped me is finding the underlying thoughts because from my experience they are the source of emotions and maybe we could even say they are one and the same thing
Do you yourself see a clear connection between trauma and fibromyalgia? My mother has it, but she rarely speaks about it. I'm 25 and just realized these last hears how messed up my parents are. She one time just casually said that her father (who died of cancer before I was born) was an alcoholic and that it is a family secret and shall never be spoken about. Also she said that she was briefly married to a psychopath for a while. It's weird to see your parents as really, strangers, with their own lives you know nothing about. I'm trying to make sense of what's up with my parents. My dad has severe parkinsons to the point he can barely speak any more, and he has been abandoned by his family. My mother is repulsed by him and bullies him pretty badly. She bullied me too, in her teens. I'm the child that most resembles her. What could happen to a child that leads to chronic pain? Wish you healing!
I'm sorry.i can't listen2the sound quality. Now I have nerve damage in my left ear so I'm very sensitive 2pitch!! Sorry!💚💖🌷🍂 thanks anyway. I'll try older difrent vid
I wish Peter would speak of things we do in our dreams when we probably dream that we are fixing something. I kept dreaming tha there were foes getting into my house through a terrace door that was unloe cked terrifying me (a nightmare) until one day I had a dream where I learned to lock it). Connection with EMDR and so on. What happens in the brain.
This guy interviewing peter made me laugh through the whole video, he was confused as to where to place his hands lol, his mind is like oh it’s probably not a good idea to put my finger in my mouth, oh that’s not a good place either, let’s see if it’s comfortable here, goddam where am I supposed to lol
Great information very helpful but jeez let the interviewer finish his questions/thoughts. I wanted to know the rest of what he was asking and most times he couldn't get it all the way out.
Maybe because you are not sharing enough and liking enough.Try that and maybe the others will buy in I instead our automatic inclination is to shift the blame...alot said right ? I know but hopefully you can give it a thought
The guys stuttering in combination with the shit connection come together for an unholy mess worst than my life situation. I can safely say that by the end of this video I developed anger issues and my ASP became worst. Thanks a lot.
He looks annoyed this Mr zLevine, he is having his breakfast, thankyou, shut up! Joking, I go into all these states, swimming and stimulants work, terrible neglect in childhood!😊
When I was in my twenties I went to a therapist who immediately took me back to my one of my core trauma experiences which had happened when I was younger than five. It was absolutely terrifying, and I ran from that office and never went back. I wound up being grateful for that experience because, at 66 years old and after a year of ongoing therapy, I was able to revisit that experience in that office, just for a second. But a second was enough, and the result of that was a feeling of strength and empowerment, because I instantly knew where all my problems were coming from. The memories had always been there (some of them) but the emotion was not, and when I was able to connect with that emotion, I KNEW. It validated everything! The addictions, the depression, the anxiety disorders, the ADD, the inability to connect with people, all of it. I was sad and angry, but at the same time I felt like a strong focused adult instead of my usual childlike, dissociated self. I was my authentic self at last. Of course since then I've gone back and forth, but I've been able to experience my authentic self more and more. That revisiting was a breakthrough for me.
I want to visit that therapist please , can you please tell me how can i reach him ?
@@nourhealing2516 I don't remember, it was long ago. But there should be therapists out there who would be willing to do age regression hypnosis, and if all else fails, you can hire a hypnotist who can do age regression. Any hypnotist worth their salt should be able to do age regression. I think they cost less than $200 for a session I understand people even use them to find things that they've lost. Are you in therapy? You might ask your therapist about it, they might be willing. I signed up for aura which is like $11 or $12 a month, and gives you zoom access to hypnotherapists. I don't know their level of expertise, I only just signed up to it. But I figure they can help me with all kinds of things like sleep, eating, habits, and so on. At least I'm going to give it a try and see
That therapist was from 40 years ago, doubt he/she still practices. Look for one in your area who is genuine (shows real positive emotions & empathy) and not a closer.@@nourhealing2516
This is fascinating. Enlightening.
@@nourhealing2516 I don't remember, it was many years ago. But many therapists, I believe, can do hypnosis. I would look up hypnotherapy online. You could call and ask about time regression hypnosis and Trauma.
I am 76 now. When I was born I was artificially induced 3 wks early and when I got home my grandma told my mom I had to go back in the womb. So, for the next 2 1/2 yrs I was kept in a closet and touched only when fed, diapered and given enemas. When I was 40 asked my mom what happened to me? I was a suicidal drunk, got a college degree then ignored it. Chit chat did not work. EMDR worked for a while. Rebirthing had temporary benefits. I started taking clonazepam before bed for non-epileptic seizures in deep sleep.
Today, I started reading "Waking the Tiger" When I got to the story with Bob Barklay's unfrozen fortitude something clicked in me and I began taking on that role in my mind, going back to nasty adults and kids as a smiling super kid. I felt great to mock them especially when
I remember how I used to hide from everyone in a distant shopping mall after school.
Then, when I got to chapter 7, reading about the animal side, I had another epiphany. Not being that fond of people I started considering my animal body a little deeper. Suddenly, i realized my body is trying to help me, protect me! Sure, I hated cramps, rapid heart beats, etc., but they ARE proof something was here fighting back for me!
I had been doing some YT meditations with Sukie Baxter and Irene Lyon and they certainly pointed me in the right direction but after all they got their direction from Dr. Levine.
Thank you, Doctor.
Yes, we can skirt around our trauma for a while, but in the end, we must dive in if we want to heal.
Hey i hope all going good now and you are more closer to yourself..
I hope you are finding peace on your healing journey. I am sending you solace and love. ❤🕊
J knell- I am being helped greatly by slowly doing Irene Lyon's exercises and watching her videos, etc. She is a big help to me at 68, and I hope they are fortifying and helpful to you as well. She is big on going slow so as not to overwelm our nervous systems. Learning to slow down and actually focus , bit by bit here.
You said cramp~can you tell me more about what you meant? Curious. Thank you and I hope you are healing well.
A beautiful time sitting at the feet of a wise and kind teacher of humanity
Use body sensing, posture and breathwork to renegotiate the pangs brought on by negative and unmitigated imagination. Over and over and over again. This is the work.
what a cosmic bright man he is ......
Thank you for this interview, Mr. Atherton.
I wish people would pay attention to Dr. Levine because 90% of humanity is reeling under some kind of trauma, thus preventing us from healing, as individuals and as a collective. The world would be so much more pleasant to live in if we healed.
Thank you, Indira. Yes, healing ourselves is the greatest act of kindness we can perform for others.
God bless Thank you both to Dr Levine & Richard. We need more of these incredibly valuable sharings & rause awareness of C PTSD
💜💜💜
I also had extreme birth trauma and it has been such a challenge in my life.. I was so grateful to hear someone speaking to levine about this type of trauma specificly.. this helped my awareness expand so much .. thank you.. I have retraumatized myself over and over because of my family being dysfunctional and abusive and codependent as a unit ... so this helps me so much truly I don't know how to be safe from the possible consequences of my stupidity mistakes and ignorances due to these cycles of trauma and dissociation and numbness.. I wish there was help for healing myself from the traumas and clearing my traumatic past and experiences but AT LEAST! now I have some hopefulness thank you Peter and Richard!
I'm glad that it helped Esparenza.
Thanks Richard for your interview with Peter Levine
My pleasure Lorri.
This is a extremely helpful conversation and information on trauma. I wish every therapist would share this with each client -ongoingly, it is so helpful to know the process we are going through as we receive therapy. Brilliant.
Glad you liked it.
I recently listened to partook in the exercises within his work Healing Trauma Audiobook
Thank you sir your wonderful voice that exudes your ability to understand others. You seem to be one of kind. Thank you
I've sent it to my daughter. Thank you!
Hi Kay, I'm not sure if you're talking about me Dr Levine, but either way, I'm glad that you enjoyed the interview. I hope that your daughter finds it useful.
17:45 is Wake the Tiger Example. Imagination and intuition.
Thank you for this profound interview. Cheers to all the work that you’re doing individually/collectively. Healing is possible. Dr. Peter Levine is a blessing to humanity. 👍🏼❤️
Identifying the cause of my own trauma definitely brought me to a healing path. Grateful to be awakened and learning to BEing present in the here and now. And self-regulate, soothe, heal inside out through art therapy. Love, compassion, empathy, radical acceptance & forgiveness because we’re all here to learn, grow, and become better human beings.
Blessings.🙏🏼
Thank you Happy Heart Express.
Synchronicity strikes again. Spent the afternoon talking with my son (not biological but spiritual son) who needs to hear this. Namaste
Namaste too.
Bonjour too too
Thanks for posting. I listened to his tapes on Sounds True years ago and it was a big help for me in dealing with trauma.
Fascinating. Thank you.
Or a at home audience I have been dealing with birth and abuse trauma and a constant build up of illnesses and wasn't offered help til I was 49 and most of it was found by myself.
Yes, we're at a stage in human evolution where trauma recovery is possible, but unfortunately only for those with plenty of resources or resourcefulness and for those willing to look very hard. I must have tried 8 or 10 modalities before I found the two that made a difference for me: Primal Therapy and Rolfing.
Body work is much better than rehashing past for some. 👍👍
I think the body resists the trauma, even little traumas, such as a sibling not liking you. Rehashing sounds like justifying or accepting what happened but doesn't help the feeling go away that we were not liked. Facing it with our bodies and not resisting how it hurts us is healing. So yes, it takes a body experience to heal and let the experience or hurt in for a while. I agree, rehashing or re-thinking doesn't usually help. It just puts an adult spin on a child pain.
I've found that I've need body work and I've need to work on my past. Rehashing useless. Re-living blow and blow and allowing myself to feel every iota of pain has been 100% necessary to cure myself of the neuroses stemming from the early trauma.
Richard, as a fellow primaler I was hoping you might have challenged Levine's previous statement as fact that to feel a feeling fully, directly, without 'titrating' or 'pendulating' is necessarily "retraumatizing". I posted this comment on one of his other videos. Sorry for the length:
What has worked for me, I’m sure is probably too scary for most trauma survivors to consider, but is safe (with the right experiential foundation), and gets to the very root of the trauma, and undoes the effects, in the short run, and over time, in my experience.
Pretty much all of the techniques, methods, approaches I’ve seen seem to be about trying to get away from the discomfort, to soothe it away, visualize, tap, self-talk it away. But for me, the issue is that the pain from the original trauma was not fully processed at the time, because of overload of the system, so it is stored in ‘cellular memory’, or ‘body memories’. By fully processed, I mean fully felt, in the body. If a child has a very painful experience and is allowed the full, truthful expression, with a parent or loving adult present, they won’t store the pain, with all it’s symptoms that cause problems later.
A brief history: had an alcoholic father, and other major dysfunction growing up. In my early twenties, went through a period over some months of trying to heal myself of what I considered ’stomach problems’, and other issues in that general mid area of my body (prostatitis, bladder infection, ulcer, etc,) and back issues, by fasting, restricting my diet, other obsessive compulsive extreme behaviors (exercise, etc.). Came very close to dying (a few weeks away, a doctor told me). Stopped the behaviors and began a search for what was wrong with me, what and why it happened.
Was led to a process that facilitates the connection with and release of the deep pain stored in the body, usually beyond conscious memory. I began to experience real relief/release from my symptoms, physically, emotionally, a feeling of safety (to use Dr. Levine's words), for the first time.
I discovered, over the course of many months, that I had, as a toddler, been violently sexually abused by my alcoholic father (in blackout), and experienced abuse from my older brother. Before that, I had no conscious memory of those early experiences.
So, what I learned to do, at first with a facilitator/therapist, and later on my own, was when the symptoms of trauma arise, in my case, extreme terror, anger, feelings of impending doom, impending violence, instead of trying to get away from them, I learned (in a safe, reasonably soundproof setting) to allow the body to bring the feelings to the surface, and then when the body/emotional body (sometimes referred to as the ‘pain body’) is allowed to fully connect, the body begins to release the pain by fully feeling it, not as an act of will or intention, but completely spontaneously, by letting go into the pain.
I discovered that what I thought would kill me (fully feeling, going with the pain) when it had a chance to flow, to express itself in it’s pure truth, that it, like a wave, rose, broke, and dissipated safely, afterwards triggering endorphins to flow, feelings of well being, and deep relaxation to happen naturally. The real suffering was more in the resistance to feeling the feelings. When the pain/the feelings were allowed to fully connect, in the body and being, and begin to flow, it almost felt good (even the most horrendous, unspeakable pain), like I had been waiting to do that all my life. I discovered that the body/our being will only bring to the surface what can be handled at a given time, and then shut down again.
So, seemingly paradoxically, but not really, the way to the other side of the extreme, unbearable feelings of discomfort was to go into them, not try to manage, unless I was in a situation where I was not able to process. I could put the pain on a ‘back burner’, and when it was safe, allow myself to feel the feelings, and get release.
Gentle deep breathing is very helpful to facilitate the flow of feelings, to undo 'freeze', shutdown, a blocked, locked up body.
What I meant in the opening to this comment by ‘’right experiential foundation’ is needed, is that if a person, a trauma survivor, is able to go through this kind of processing, some kind of security in the present is necessary, primarily I think in the form of at least one person that is truly safe, not abusive, trustworthy (support system; therapist who understands, friend, 12 step support group like Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families, or other safe support people, though their may be some people to avoid within these groups who are not safe), and some kind of sound spiritual principles (like, but not exclusive to, the 12 steps) to live by. And probably enough experience with those loving, accepting, trustworthy people, to provide a new experience in the present of real safety, very different than whatever abuse or neglect we experienced in childhood.
Ideally, it probably is necessary, at least in the beginning, and for a while, to be able to be in touch with someone who truly understands, from personal experience, this kind of direct processing/release of deep feelings, deep pain. With time, more and more trust in the process, and the loving, compassionate Higher Power behind and guiding it happens, and we can learn how to do the deep self care needed (that we didn't learn in childhood) to take care of ourselves on an ongoing basis. When a person opens up, becomes vulnerable to the degree necessary to do this kind of deep processing, when old defenses, dissociation begin to fall away, it is vitally important to avoid reckless exposure to people and situations (usually our original abusers/perpetrators, or other destructive people) to avoid unnecessary overload which can have destructive effects to us, and jam up the flow of our process and progress in our life. If overload happens, we can learn how to move through it and get back on track. But life will happen, and the situations that arise (best not from reckless exposure) will naturally trigger us, and the feelings that arise are the catalyst to access the deeper, 'original' source of the pain.
Very important; this is not ‘getting out feelings’ characterized by deliberate hitting, screaming, punching a punching bag, etc. This may be useful to facilitate the beginning of getting in touch with feelings, allowing the feelings to begin to flow, but as soon as possible then, to just let go completely and allow the body to take over. It is necessary to have a real connection and release, and integration, for the body/emotional body, to fully connect and move, spontaneously, make sounds on it’s own (not directed by the will/intention). When this connection happens the sounds, words, movements will be those of whatever age the experience is rooted in, originated. The body/emotional body/our spirit has its own wisdom and knows how to release, process, heal.
A facilitator (best someone who has direct experience of this kind of processing) might be important in the beginning but not to do much, mainly just to witness with empathy, to stay out of the way when the feelings begin to flow. Possibly with deep empathy, could help to connect with words, questions, to help trigger a real connection with the feelings, the original pain. But, after a point, talking can also take a person away from the source of their feelings. It is important that the person being present/facilitating is able just to be present with the expression of deep emotional pain, without needing to 'fix' us.
Wish I could have been more brief in my comment, but felt it important to be clear and as thorough as possible to minimize misunderstanding, if possible. I received criticism of this, my process from a facilitator of the Levine approach, I believe because she did not understand it, or my experience. I was not there (heard it second hand later from my girlfriend at the time, who talked about her understanding of my process) so could not explain, defend it.
The Levine approach may have some value for a person who is too afraid of, or not ready for this approach, I don’t have any judgments. But I do feel that it doesn’t seem to allow the kind of full connection that I write about. Unfortunately, Levine and others mischaracterize opening to and directly feeling the full intensity of trauma feelings as “retraumatizing”. It is not, if a person is ready to feel them, and still, we can trust the wisdom of the body and our being to only bring to the surface what we can safely process, if we are not pushing or being pushed into something we are not ready to process. Even the dreaded feelings of overwhelm, can be felt and processed safely. They characterize the experience of trauma. They rise, break, and dissipate like other feelings, if allowed to connect and flow.
Here’s a link below with more info.
Please excuse the offensive, misleading visual image. I requested it's removal but the writer didn't see the need. I was able to learn to process on my own, and did not go formally go through the institute that is connected to this form of therapy, but started with a trained Primal therapist, whose job is to mostly be a compassionate witness, not to talk much. I don’t think of it as therapy which implies a man made/devised/thought up technique or method, so I just call it the ‘primal process’.
www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-therapy/201002/cool-intervention-3-primal-therapy
Hi Lawrence - thank you so much for this comment. Yes, you're absolutely right, the deep healing that it sounds like we've both experienced, only comes from fully feeling; total surrender to that early pain through re-living the trauma.
You're right that perhaps I could have challenged more. That's good feedback.
I also appreciate that you added in the point of having sound spiritual principles to live by whilst healing.
I think getting close to the pain, 'grazing the pain', as many like Levine advocate, can be powerful in terms of gaining insight into our behaviours, but it may not be sufficient for permanent resolution.
Thank you for this comment. I found it very perceptive, kind and helpful.
This is so meaning ful . Thank you.
Found Levine's "Tiger" book many years ago, tremendously helpful both as a personal portal into non or less reactive states, and to assist my clients. Also needed: mndfulness/mediation (MBSR); somatic 'listening' skills; Voice Dialogue to Listen fully to any and all 'parts' of myself, with kindness, acceptance, appreciation for the roles/jobs they play, and realizing the traumatic reactions are always attempts to keep us/get us safe --and hopefully loved, protected. Also - shamanic journey'dreamwork and tantric induction granted me skills in creating the spaciousness in which to discover what needs were 'hidden' in my triggered epsiodes. -- I experienced in utero and birth traumas, sexual invasions, lack of healthy attachments to either parent --and suicidal depressions attended ends of lover relations: but here I am, in my mid 70s -- thriving. Blessings on our brows --thanks for your program, thank you Peter.
That's great Marcia.
A great interview. Such interesting content and perfect balance between interviewer and guest. Thanks
Thank you
The interviewer performs the key roles of listening and not interrupting. However, when it came to the personal stuff...
From @20:03, there's a glaring absence of the proper question: 'what do you think of this opinion of myself' ...Instead, it's 'allow me to tell you all about me'. There's no engagement with the experienced therapist's disinterest in his misguided self-justifications.
When Peter speaks again, he hints: 'you think you're experiencing gut intuition, but actually you're denying truth in order to replay your traumas'.
I hope that message went in eventually.
Thanks, Dr. and Richard. Very informative.
I am so happy about this podcast finding me! ❤
thankyou both. Great material.🙏🌹
This is wondeeful thankyou :)
Thank you James
On Trauma: “Does a fish know it’s in water?” 👏👍🤝 🙌
Who says it's water ?
As we were shown in the Matrix, it could be........LOL
The fear of attachment..Bingo!
deep gratitude! ... !!! :)
I mean, living is trauma. Like we talk about childhood and attachment styles but life can ruin all of that. Even if you have it good as a kid you get to adulthood and you discover it's all unmitigated psychotic levels of chaos and then even the most well-adjusted person, how can they cope with that?
I would that life is only trauma for the traumatised. I don't experience life that say since I've gotten into trauma-release work.
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Thank you for sharing
My pleasure Rudy.
Wonderful, thank you! 🌞
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thankyou so much!
Read his book years ago. Worthwhile work on trauma release. 💫
Re-living or enacting a past traumatic event --can only be useful IF we can bear witness to it: i.e., our Awareness/Consciousness outside the drama --is holding the Space for the revisit.
Agree with that Marcia
Wow this is deep
Thank u
Thank you Robin.
Thank you Richard for this great vidéo. You mention fascia work. Could you give more information about that, what kind of work ? Thank you in advance
i found tremendous help with Myo Fascial Release.
more folks should hear this?
have some points!
I was trying to get with a woman that had alot of trauma n i realized i wanted to protect her
Does anyone know if the training program he talks about developing at the end for chronic conditions is available yet?
I’m wondering this as well.
Not sure - maybe check his website.
You could also check out "the cure for chronic pain" with Nicole Sachs, which is about journaling and releasing trauma stored in the body!
training programs available through his website.
The part where Peter cough in his tea was funny
just one observation. generally speaking and not regarding PTSD, especially regarding childhood, not everything needs to be labeled as trauma. that word is traumatic in itself. there is a book called I am OK, you are OK where they explain perfectly about how kids can learn thing in the wrong way by making wrong conclusions which obviously happen in an automatic way and goes right into subconscious processes. so basically my point is let us not forget that besides trauma there are other issues such as mentioned in that book and let us include authors such as Thomas Anthony Harris into our read. because obviously there is no one answer or solution to the psychological problems. like, there are so many pieces in that puzzle. do not expect one person to solve that riddle.
what helped me is finding the underlying thoughts because from my experience they are the source of emotions and maybe we could even say they are one and the same thing
How can I participate to a group for healing my symptoms of fibromyalgia and live a better life.
Do you yourself see a clear connection between trauma and fibromyalgia? My mother has it, but she rarely speaks about it. I'm 25 and just realized these last hears how messed up my parents are. She one time just casually said that her father (who died of cancer before I was born) was an alcoholic and that it is a family secret and shall never be spoken about. Also she said that she was briefly married to a psychopath for a while. It's weird to see your parents as really, strangers, with their own lives you know nothing about.
I'm trying to make sense of what's up with my parents. My dad has severe parkinsons to the point he can barely speak any more, and he has been abandoned by his family. My mother is repulsed by him and bullies him pretty badly. She bullied me too, in her teens. I'm the child that most resembles her.
What could happen to a child that leads to chronic pain? Wish you healing!
11:52+ for Nancy's story
Could trauma play a type of music (sensory something) in the body?
Wow, what an interesting idea! I never thought of that!
Great question!
Terrific question!
Yes, I believe so Marie-Pierre, like a pattern that suffuses the whole body, where some parts play more loudly than others.
@@BeingHumanPodcast Beautifully worded, sweet music.
Great content.....thanks much.
Is Urinel Track Disease...UTD anyway connect to trauma or panic attack disease????
Dunno, but bed-wetting is common in troubled kids.
Yes, listen to the last 10 minutes.
Hi, at minute 50, what is the body work that you mentioned that you did that helped with flexibility? Thank you.
Rolfing
Thank you
Does anyone know how I can find the program for fibromyalgia and CFS type conditions?
When you say program, what you mean Daniel? As in a show, or treatment method, or something else?
@@RichardKingDoesOne Peter mentions a course about this in the podcast
@@Daniel_TransformationCoach Ah OK, I will do some research.
@DanielBombastic, you should join the mailing list at somaticexperiencing.com/. They offer information about their upcoming programs there.
I'm sorry.i can't listen2the sound quality. Now I have nerve damage in my left ear so I'm very sensitive 2pitch!! Sorry!💚💖🌷🍂 thanks anyway. I'll try older difrent vid
I wish Peter would speak of things we do in our dreams when we probably dream that we are fixing something. I kept dreaming tha there were foes getting into my house through a terrace door that was unloe cked terrifying me (a nightmare) until one day I had a dream where I learned to lock it). Connection with EMDR and so on. What happens in the brain.
Can I go to a 3 day retreat with Peter levine? Thanks
Shame I didn't get offered this
I started a lot my work just doing exercises from books: John Bradshaw, Jean Jensen to name a couple.
Peter needs organic honey, pollen and propolis for his throat. Plus copious ginger tea.
Scott McQuate is the Truth!
Thanks for the video(*_*)
This guy interviewing peter made me laugh through the whole video, he was confused as to where to place his hands lol, his mind is like oh it’s probably not a good idea to put my finger in my mouth, oh that’s not a good place either, let’s see if it’s comfortable here, goddam where am I supposed to lol
You got me! I need to manage those hands :)
Aymane benlechheb He is being transparent and open in the conversation which is much more important than your need to criticize his hands.
This must be really hard
Richard, I mainly saw your earnestness and attention. Thank you for this interview
@@artandculture5262 Yes!
Great information very helpful but jeez let the interviewer finish his questions/thoughts. I wanted to know the rest of what he was asking and most times he couldn't get it all the way out.
Too bad a lot of these therapies are unaffordable and not covered by insurance.
I have found that 'bibliotherapy' can go a long way. If you can find 'Cure by Crying', this is a great DIY manual for deep therapy.
@@RichardKingDoesOne thanks
@@123gp1833 My pleasure Georgia
Umm... Why does this channel only have 2.7k subscribers?
I know--I think I am late to the party
Maybe because you are not sharing enough and liking enough.Try that and maybe the others will buy in I instead our automatic inclination is to shift the blame...alot said right ? I know but hopefully you can give it a thought
I wanted to post this for Elon Musk to listen to, but now I can't. What's wrong with being an individual and creating a better planet for humanity?
36.. this girl, she was abused… ya. So dismissive. Although abuse is common, May we still hold respect in our words and voice
👍
Thank you Jen.
I was cringing because the host had not bothered to find out how pronounce his guest's name correctly
Correct. One of my earlier interviews!
The guys stuttering in combination with the shit connection come together for an unholy mess worst than my life situation. I can safely say that by the end of this video I developed anger issues and my ASP became worst. Thanks a lot.
Do you stutter?
Exp so it can be looked back on; unexperiencible present; not living
Peter Levine might be a great scientist but he is not a great listener.
Shame posting such a bad recording, one misses important things that Peter is saying😪
Maybe, I'll do another with better audio.
I just appreciate that he posted the content at all. A lot of people are benefitting from even this imperfect recording.
More than enough to focus on what they are discussing and trying to help..
@@Makeupandmuscles827 f
He looks annoyed this Mr zLevine, he is having his breakfast, thankyou, shut up! Joking, I go into all these states, swimming and stimulants work, terrible neglect in childhood!😊
Copycat models with new names.
What's he copying?