Levine - Healing Trauma

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PETER A. LEVINE, PHD, holds doctorates in medical biophysics and psychology. He is the developer of Somatic Experiencing, a bodybased, naturalistic approach to healing trauma, which he has developed during the past forty years. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP), in recognition of his original and pioneering work in trauma. He also received an honorary award as the Reiss-Davis Chair for his lifetime contributions to infant and child psychiatry.

Dr. Levine served as a stress consultant for NASA in the early space shuttle development. He has served on the APA (American Psychological Association) Presidents Initiative and the International Psychologists for Social Responsibility Task Force for responding to large-scale disasters and ethno-political warfare.

He is the author of several bestselling books on trauma, including Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma, published in twenty-four languages, Trauma Through a Childs Eyes, and Trauma-Proofing Your Kids: A Parents Guide for Instilling Confidence, Joy and Resilience. His most recent (magnum opus) book is In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. More information is available at traumahealing.com and somaticexperiencing.com. His latest book from Sounds True is Freedom from Pain: Discover Your Bodys Power to overcome Physical Pain, co-authored with Maggie Phillips, PhD.

I WISH TO THANK the many people that I have worked with, for their courage and for the privilege of having let me walk with them on their journeys. In particular I am indebted to the children and babies who have graced me with their miraculous innocence and soaring spirits. Through their childs play they have illuminated the wisdom of the organism to heal and to become whole.

To my parents, Morris and Helen, I give thanks for the gift of life, the vehicle for the expression of my work, and for their continued full and unequivocal support from both sides of the physical plane. To Pouncer, the Dingo dog, who has been my guide into the animal world as well a constant companion, and who at the age of seventeen, joyfully, chased his last rabbit: thank you for showing me the vital joy of corporeal life.

I thank my many amazingly talented students and colleagues both for their support and for challenging me; particularly my appreciation goes to the dedicated teachers of Somatic Experiencing for continuing to bring this work into the world. I thank, especially, my dear friend Maggie Kline for her generous help and support for this and other projects. In addition, I offer appreciation to Maureen Harrington for her help. I also thank Mitchell Clute of Sounds True, for his artful production, as well as Alice Feinstein and the other production people at Sounds True for their creativity and professionalism. And, finally, my gratitude is to Tami Simon for her vision and ongoing support in bringing these ideas and tools to the public.

I thank, finally, fate, destiny, synchronicity, or even blind luck and coincidence for my unusual path in life and work. I have had the opportunity and honor to share such deep and rich experiences with so many of my clients, students, and colleagues over these many short years.

PETER A. LEVINE, PH.D.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on this approach, known as Somatic Experiencing, and Peter A. Levines work through the Foundation for Human Enrichment, please visit web site, you can access information about Peter A. Levines teaching schedule, as well as a directory of practitioners trained by the Foundation for Human Enrichment.

For further reading on the subject of healing trauma, see Peter A. Levines Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma: The Innate Capacity to Transform overwhelming experiences (North Atlantic Books, 1997).

If you believe that your healing journey would benefit from consultation with a trained therapist, there are many local resources that can help you find an appropriate professional to work with. Remember, you are the consumer: dont be afraid to ask potential therapists questions about their training, background, and experience in working with trauma.

TRAUMA IS THE MOST AVOIDED, ignored, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering. When I use the word trauma, I am talking here about the often debilitating symptoms that many people suffer from in the aftermath of perceived life-threatening or overwhelming experiences. Recently, trauma has been used as a buzzword to replace everyday stress, as in, I had a traumatic day at work. However, this use is completely misleading. While it is true that all traumatic events are stressful, all stressful events are not traumatic.

UNIQUE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL

When it comes to trauma, no two people are exactly alike. What proves harmful over the long term to one person may be exhilarating to another. There are many factors involved in the wide range of response to threat. These responses depend upon genetic make-up, an individuals history of trauma, even his or her family dynamics. It is vital that we appreciate these differences. Simply knowing that certain kinds of early childhood experiences can severely diminish our ability to cope and be present in the world may elicit compassion and support rather than harsh judgment, both for ourselves and for others.

Perhaps the most important thing I have learned about trauma is that people, especially children, can be overwhelmed by what we usually think of as common everyday events. Until recently, our understanding of trauma was limited to shell-shocked soldiers who have been devastated by war, victims of severe abuse or violence, and those who have suffered catastrophic accidents and injuries. This narrow view could not be further from the truth.

The fact is that, over time, a series of seemingly minor mishaps can have a damaging effect on a person. Trauma does not have to stem from a major catastrophe. Some common triggering events include:

Automobile accidents (even fender benders)

Routine invasive medical procedures

Loss of loved ones

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes

Even falling off a bicycle can be overwhelming to a child under certain circumstances. We will discuss those circumstances later. For now, I will simply say that almost all of us have experienced some form of trauma, either directly or indirectly.

For this reason, I sincerely believe that just about everyone can benefit from doing the Twelve-Phase Healing Trauma Program.

People often ask me to define trauma. After thirty years, this is still a challenge. What I do know is that we become traumatized when our ability to respond to a perceived threat is in some way overwhelmed. This inability to adequately respond can impact us in obvious ways, as well as ways that are subtle.