The Body-Brain Connection: Understanding Trauma and Brain-Based Medicine

by | Aug 1, 2023 | 0 comments

Understanding the Body-Brain Relationship

Traditionally, the body and brain were seen as separate entities, with the brain being the primary source of intellect and the body merely acting as a vessel. However, as our understanding of neuroscience and trauma deepens, we now realize that this perception is far from accurate. The body-brain connection is a complex system where the cognitive brain and the deeper emotional system continuously interact, often outside our conscious awareness.

The Significance of the Body-Brain Connection

The body brain, residing beneath our cognitive brain, holds valuable information and influences our cognitive processes. It regulates our deep emotional responses, signaling hunger, anger, fear, or sadness. This subcortical brain, which includes the basal ganglia, is where trauma tends to be stored. While traditional talk therapy focuses on understanding trauma cognitively, it often falls short in providing lasting relief. That is because the core of traumatic experiences resides in the body brain, beyond our cognitive reach.

Going Beyond Cognitive Understanding

When we experience triggers related to past trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety, our reactions are not a conscious choice but rather a product of the body brain’s activation. The fight-or-flight response kicks in, signaling danger or threatening situations. Our emotional system interprets the world as either bad, dangerous, or unwelcoming, causing us to freeze, fight, or flee. These responses are deeply emotional, bypassing our cognitive intellect.

Exploring Brain-Based Therapies

To truly address the impact of trauma, therapies like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), QEEG brain mapping, brain spotting, or somatic and sensory-motor psychotherapy are crucial. These approaches tap into the depths of our emotional system, allowing us to access and process trauma stored in the body brain. Unlike prescriptive therapy, brain-based therapy focuses on connecting with and experiencing our deep emotional states, rather than offering quick fixes or intellectual insights.

My Experience with Brain Spotting

During my personal journey with brain spotting, I discovered a profound emotional experience that had always been present but remained unrecognized. Although the underlying emotions persisted, I gained the ability to acknowledge their presence and consciously choose my subsequent actions. While the intellectual understanding of the traumatic event may remain unchanged, I no longer panic or become overwhelmed in triggering situations. Brain spotting enabled me to recognize, validate, and release these emotions, transforming my response patterns.

The Body-Brain Connection: Emotional and Physical Footprints

The body brain stores information not as visual images or intellectual comprehension but as emotional and physical footprints. When we encounter triggers, our body remembers, often manifesting as muscular tension, migraines, cold sensations in the stomach, or a constricting chest. These physical reactions are accompanied by an energetic defensive posture, as our sensory-motor system mobilizes to protect us. By acknowledging and sitting with these experiences, we can begin to understand the profound impact of the body brain on our daily lives.

 

The body-brain connection highlights the vital role our bodies play in shaping our experiences and responses. Brain-based therapies provide a pathway to access and process deeply rooted traumas that cognitive approaches often overlook. As we navigate the complexities of our emotional lives, it is essential to recognize the power of the body brain and its influence on our overall well-being. By engaging with this concept and exploring brain-based therapies, we can find healing, resilience, and a newfound sense of control over our emotions.

Therapy, Spirituality, and Mysticism

Therapy, Spirituality, and Mysticism

In the medieval period it was common to take pilgrimages to the holy land from mainland Europe. The trip was an opportunity to face one’s fears and learn to know the deepest parts of self. The trip was long and dangerous. The terrain and culture were different from...

What Happens to the Eye During a Brainspotting Therapy Session?

What Happens to the Eye During a Brainspotting Therapy Session?

Brainspotting is a revolutionary new therapy for trauma and PTSD. We use many modalities of therapy at Taproot Therapy Collective, but brainspotting is one of the most effective treatments for PTSD and lowering anxiety that I've ever found. when doing brain spotting...

I Speak, Therefore I Am; Don’t you think?

I Speak, Therefore I Am; Don’t you think?

So different from the Midwest, where the possibilities sprawled bright and endless in every direction. He wondered if people in the Himalayas and Andes were affected similarly. Did they live in the passive voice, as if their lives were not really happening but instead...

Book Review of of Aztec Philosophy by James Maffie

Book Review of of Aztec Philosophy by James Maffie

Unlocking the Mysteries of Aztec Philosophy When Hernán Cortés and his expedition arrived in the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, in 1519, they were initially received with curiosity and even reverence by the Aztec emperor, Montezuma II.The Aztecs, interpreting the...

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *