The dance I am referring to is the slow, gentle, titrated releases or dissipations referred to as “the warble” [1] noteworthy during SRT treatment. Overwhelming trauma response [unprocessed] contained within the clients trauma vortex is simultaneously supported and grounded by the therapist’s ability to hold/self-regulate as the client taps into their innate resources available in their healing vortex. The ebb + flow of the warble represents energy shifts, movement between the vortices and is a shared experience where both parties are changed by the dance. Trauma is part of the human condition and in order to help another, helping professionals must first heal themselves.
Survival, integration and reconciliation from traumatic lifetime events [TLE] are the most important relational, adaptive and healing matters that affect connections and the quality life. Survivors with C-PTSD typically need help learning how to connect, trust, regain a sense of self in a secure, safe therapeutic relations. The critical ‘missing’ factors noted in a survivor’s existence with C-PTSD secondary to early childhood attachment, neglect and abuse experiences and formation of a core trauma wound. What do trauma test scores from a healed control group reveal as compared to the client group populations? Since 1995, I remain a primary investigator for MOT: Research – test instruments [2] and continue to search for, find controls to aid in the understanding of clients with core wounds and suggested criteria of C-PTSD phenomena.
To date, 9 people [7 female/2 males; 5 professionals/4 lay people] met criteria [see below] and were randomized into the Control Group. Within this small group of control subjects, 4/9 [44%] presented with no evidence of a core trauma wound and accompanying C-PTSD phenomena implying healthy growth, development and maturation with an ability to accommodate/modulate [self-regulate] stress and trauma response. In 1993, the beginning of formulating MOT, my husband and I volunteered and were randomized into the MOT: Control Group. Since this time, one control has died [natural causes] and I completed my core [medical trauma] healing work in 2004. There are 51 clients randomized into the Grief Group, 132 into the Childhood Abuse Group, and 44 into the Cultic/Ritual Abuse Group.
The control group is sparse and needs more subjects. If there are any professionals willing to volunteer for trauma testing and join the control group by answering:
- No to a history of childhood neglect/abuse and securely attached,
- No to a presence, problem or history of addictive disease [exceptions: tobacco smokers, coffee drinkers],
- Yes to completion of healing of personal crisis/trauma/grievous life events, and
- Yes willing to volunteer, complete trauma-related research test instruments with randomization into the MOT: Research Control Group, then
- Please contact me @ [email protected]
The MOT research goal is to randomize a minimum of 25 people, who meet the above criteria, into the control group to determine norms. During the past 25 years of providing front-line trauma-counselling services, the deterrents to healing remain: who cares, who pays and what are the cost factors? The only thing that hasn’t changed is the on-going incidence, lack of protection and help for children enduring deep-seated ‘invisible’ core wounds. All that changes is their name and the legion of silent childhood survivors of early childhood neglect and abuse march on.
Author: Dr. Linda AK Thompson, PsyD, PACCC, CCC, FAAETS
Owner, Matrix of Trauma (© MOT ™): Research, Advocacy, Healing
References:
CFTRE (2002 – 2004). SRT – Foundation + Advanced Certificate Courses http://www.cftre.com
Thompson, Linda A.K. (1996). The Matrix of Trauma: A dissertation – partial fulfilment for requirements for degree of doctor of psychological traumatology in psychological assessments and etymology. © Unpublished/Sealed. Summit University of Louisiana, New Orleans: Louisiana.
*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA