Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) affects the lives of many across the world. In Canada alone 9.2% of
individuals will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetimes and many more will
suffer from symptoms associated with trauma exposure. Experiencing a trauma can
leave an impression on the brain and body triggering emotional and physiological
responses. These can include feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, sadness, fear,
and panic, an inability to focus and concentrate, loss of self-control,
avoidance behaviour and social withdrawal, flashbacks to the traumatic event, and
in severe cases thoughts of suicide. Individuals may also experience physical
symptoms like sweating, heart pounding or racing, headaches, and muscle cramps
especially when triggered or recalling memories of the traumatic event. Treating
PTSD by targeting the body, brain and mind can result in successful reduction
of many of these symptoms. If not treated, symptoms can worsen over time and
have a devastating impact on daily functioning, relationships, and life in
general.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s book, The Body Keeps the Score, provides a
wonderful account of his work with real-life trauma experiences, a worthy
explanation of changes that occur in the traumatized brain and body, as well as
a description of the evolution of trauma treatment. Dr. van der Kolk highlights
two trauma-specific interventions that have gained popularity and success in
the treatment of trauma symptoms in recent years, Eye Movement Desensitization
and Reprocessing (EMDR) and neurofeedback.
EMDR is a type of psychotherapy that
can help you process the memories associated with your trauma. The goal is for
you to no longer find the experience distressing. In sessions, you will work with
a therapist who assists you in engaging in a series of eye movements while
recalling and focusing on specific details of the traumatic memory. Through
EMDR, the memory becomes less pervasive and intense as it becomes integrated with
other memories of the past.
Common results of EMDR sessions
include:
- Reduction in distress and flashbacks brought on by the memory
- Diminished emotional and physical symptoms
- Improvement in daily functioning and living and interpersonal
relationships
- An ability to recall the traumatic event without being triggered
- Improved stress management
Just like EMDR, neurofeedback can
help you recover and heal from your trauma. When you experience a traumatic event,
there are changes that occur in their central nervous system and body. Brain patterns
and frequencies are rewired and dysregulated which affects trauma symptoms.
Neurofeedback works by gently pushing the brain out of stuck patterns and stabilizing
the brain and thus weakens the client’s response to the trauma. It
does this by focusing on brain wave frequencies and sends a slightly different
frequency back to the brain. For a few seconds, the brain is given something to
do by copying the new frequency. After a few sessions of neurofeedback, clients
may begin to experience the following:
- Improvement in
executive functioning (i.e. improved ability to plan and organize activities,
move from one task to another with more ease, improved and clearer focus,
attention, and concentration)
- Improvement in sleep
and reduction in flashbacks and nightmares related to trauma
- Reduction in thought
looping
- Reduced emotional
and physical symptoms associated with the trauma
- Improved control
over one’s emotions
EMDR and neurofeedback have been
found to be effective in treating PTSD and trauma symptoms even when compared
to other forms of trauma treatment like medications. One major benefit to EMDR
and neurofeedback treatments is that clients experience little to no side
effects and the approaches are considered safe. At Nicole McCance Psychology
and the Toronto Neurofeedback and Psychotherapy
Centre, we are pleased to offer our clients struggling with trauma the option
of EMDR therapy, neurofeedback, or a combined therapeutic approach.
“Unlike
other forms of psychological disorders, the core issue in trauma is
reality.”
― Bessel
A. van der Kolk,