Flashbacks in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Surviving The Flood
Therapies I received
Developemental Needs Meeting Strategy Therapy- healing childhood wounds through ego states which are different parts of you as a child that are stuck in the past due to trauma, abuse or unmet needs. For Example: In my family, we woudl run out of food alot so that can be a trigger for me today. If I feel that there isn't enough food in the house, I will go overbuy because I am fearful of running out of food and having my children feel the hurt I felt as I went to bed hungry. I used to buy so much food that it would spoil before my family could eat it all.
To help this issue, I learned a copying skill. I plan meals ahead of time for my family and buy for those meals. By having a meal plan, it reassures my child within that the food will not run out so that I don't get triggered back to the past.
Please visit this website http://www.dnmsinstitute.com/aboutdnms.html it explains ego states in great detail. You may be surprised to find out why you behave the way you do. There is a slide show/ video that is very interesting and it explains the ego states and the process you need to go through with your therapist to heal the child within.
Internal Family Systems - describes why you behave the way you do such as why you get triggered by certain situations, smells, sounds. Why you have repeating destructive patterns. For example, for me I overeat to obesity and bad cholestrol because I am afraid to be thin because my belief system is that I will get raped again if I look good. I was 14 years old and 130 pounds when I was raped the first time. So I need to work on exercising but in order for me to be successful and keep the weight off, I need to ignore my child within (protector) that tells me I don't need to exercise, or that I will get hurt again if I am thin, your too tired to exercise, etc.
Please see this U-Tube video by Derek Scott Internal Family Systems - it really helped me to understand why I keep getting thin and then when a man besides my husband notices me I stop exercising and start to eat again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibMlGs6Q4kk
Also visit website http://www.goodtherapy.org/Internal_Family_Systems_Therapy.html for more detailed information on therapy and the Internal Family System.
Attachment Therapy - because I didn't attach well with my parents because of the neglect, abuse, and trauma. Attachment therapy is using my adult self- ego state to be the role model to connect and heal my child within by meeting her unmet needs of protection, love, food, acceptance, confidence, self esteem and self worth, etc.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is method that was developed by psychologist Shapiro (1989, 2001) that helps resolve symptoms resulting from disturbing and unresolved life experiences. This therapy is based on the beliefs, that symptoms arise when disturbing events are poorly processed by the brain. These symptoms can be eliminated when disturbing events can be fully processed and integrated by the brain. (Oshkosh Counseling and Wellness Center)
For more information on EMDR Therapy, please visit: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/pdf/emdr.pdf
Brainspotting - is a therapy where they locate the spot in your brain where the trauma is frozen and keeping you regressing to the child when you are triggered. This therapy helps to release the memory and to heal the child within. Please go to http://www.brainspotting.pro/page/what-brainspotting to read about the treatment.
Guided Imagery- Helped me to become one with my child within and to understand spiritually what she needed from my adult self to heal.
Resource Building- Helped when the EMDR was surfacing too many memories at one time, we would switch to the resource building. This was in the form of listening to postive affirmation statements while listening to soft music. My therapist offered ways on how I could cope better such as making an emergency bag. The bag would be used when I would get triggered and start to relive my trauma through flashbacks, body memories, smells, noises, etc. It would be filled of things that made me feel good such as a candle with tea, reminders of the coping skills I learned in therapy, my healing binder that showed how far I have come, and more.
Art Therapy- This therapy helped me to be creative and work through my trauma in a less painful way. I have done several collages, developed a sample book cover, a survior doll that represents all the pain the child within endured and how she healed.
Each collage tells part of my story. The meaning of each collage is discussed in my book. Look at them and see what it means to you.
These are affirmation cards that my therapist gave to me as a gift and it helped me through some tough times.
The middle one gave me the courage and strength to write my book so I could tell my story and help others.
Photos on this site by: Alex & Natalie Photography-alexandnatalie.com Experience their professionalism, creativity, and personal touch they bring to each photo project. Natalie and Alex are willing to travel to your destination.
