From Stress to Trauma
Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and Depression
In my practice of craniosacral therapy, I work with the body and its sensations in a safe, calm space. Here, the system can slow down and connect to an intuitive intelligence, reminding the body and mind of it's ability to tune down, to de-stress. In the space thus created this gentle therapy can offer distance to stressful situations.
A very high percentage of people experience depression at some time in their lives. Causes for it are as individual as the persons who suffer, but may possibly be summed up as an overwhelming feeling of helpnessness in dealing with pain caused by trauma through grief, loss, break of trust or other. The impact on the sufferers is emormous and there may seem to be no way out. Sufferers will look for whichever means they have at their disposal to alleviate or dull the pain, some seeking a physical high of some sort; sometimes the means chosen may have the effect to deepen and prolongue the suffering.
Pre-, peri- and postnatal adverse experiences, attachment and abandonment issues have a great influence of how we see the world and how he can deal with the strains and stresses of our lives. BCST can offer a safe environment where to process difficult experiences without re-traumatising.
Craniosacral sessions can help to create a new relationship to the suffering, to the body and the self by creating a calm distance to and a stillness around the original trauma energy. In sessions we work on finding ways to relate to the trauma and oneself, by giving access to new and pleasant sensations, and helping to raise physical and emotional awareness in a safe and positive space.
In some ways unfortunately for us, we have a highly developed brain structure, which does not help us to shake off stress and trauma as our 'cousins' (animals in the wild) would. Our ability to think and reason often stands in the way of our natural innate ability to heal. This does not mean that we cannot access this innate ability though, if we engage the wisdom of our 'reptilian' (sensasions) and 'mammilian' (emotions) brains, which often get overridden by the rational (thinking) brain. In craniosacral sessions, having reached deep stillness, the body often literally shakes off the trauma.
Even though stress is a natural and necessary part of our existence, it can be experienced as overwhelming, and this is when stress becomes distress and can cause states of anxiety. There will be times in all our lives when this happens to us, and our modern society is geared towards creating an enormous amount of stress for us, adding to the load. When stress becomes distress and anxiety, the mind races and the bodies functions are limited to survival mode.
Craniosacral therapy engages the natural rest- and destress mode of the body - the parasympathetic nervous system - and thus can help to re-balance the body and mind.