The mind dissociates from paying attention to what is intolerable; the body dissociates as well, through compensating activation which we call shock. This is the central distinction between trauma and complex trauma, between PTSD and complex PTSD. This is the clinical definition of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Exposure to sustained, repeated or multiple traumas, particularly in childhood, resulting in a complex symptom presentation. This includes not only post-traumatic stress symptoms, but also other symptoms reflecting disturbances predominantly in affective and interpersonal self-regulatory capacities such as difficulties with anxious arousal, anger management, dissociative symptoms and aggressive or socially avoidant behaviors.3
These other symptoms are really defenses which formed early on and were effective at surviving the ongoing trauma by allowing body and mind to dissociate. In a sense, the person is now accompanied by a powerful companion, a protective bodyguard for the traumatized and overwhelmed person to hide behind. Creating this bodyguard comes at a steep price, however: the person must turn over to the bodyguard the set of defensive behaviors, the moment-to-moment decision making about when and how to protect him or her. So the bodyguard might perceive an imminent threat, whether there is actually one or not, and throw himself in front of the one he is sworn to protect, suddenly, without warning or explanation or even rational purpose. That happens when I begin to experience loneliness and my protector ushers me into the kitchen to eat three pieces of cake; or when I experience that my boss is angry at me and my protector forces me into the nearest hiding place; or when I experience my spouse getting cozy with someone I consider to be a rival for her affection and my protector explodes in a jealous rage.
The result is a split in the individual. The bodyguard develops into a powerful neurotic pathology in the form of addictions, thought disorders, anxieties, depression and other self-sabotaging behaviors.
These behaviors are the psychological component of the protection, i.e., the adaptation to the perceived threat. Shock is the physiological component, the same dissociative and defensive pattern embedded in the autonomic nervous system. The bodyguard (who shares the body’s real estate with the conscious ego-self) has conscripted the body to its service and manages to step into control, to take the steering wheel away from the conscious ego-self through control of the nervous system. The over-eater literally “finds herself eating desserts” despite the conscious ego-self’s best intentions not to do so. The bodyguard has taken control of the part of her that carries the willpower and ability to make healthy choices by putting it to sleep (parasympathetic shock) or by distracting it with busyness (sympathetic shock).
It is important to recognize that the bodyguard is just doing its job, what it was selected for so long ago and trained to do: protecting you. It is not malevolent, bad or mean-spirited, any more than the ocean is when it rises up in a tsunami. It is just doing instinctually what comes naturally. We showed great courage and wisdom as children in seeking out and finding a powerful ally to help us deal with the trauma. Surely now as adults we can find the courage and wisdom to confront those same powerful forces (bodyguards) to renegotiate the arrangement.
The way to retrain or recondition the bodyguard is to retake control of the body’s nervous system. When the bodyguard cannot usurp the body through sleep or distractions, the conscious ego-self is returned to its rightful place at the steering wheel. And then I can choose to say to the bodyguard, “Thank you for trying to help me, but right now there is no threat. So take a break. I’ll take it from here. And that means I won’t eat cake right now; I’m going to deal with my loneliness in a different way. Maybe I’ll call a friend.”
Hypnotherapy is a preferred method of working with both the psychological component and the physiological component of C-PTSD.
PSYCHOTHERAPY, HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION
In psychotherapy, we basically follow the prescription discovered by Freud of retrieving traumatic memories, bringing unconscious material into consciousness, expressing the attached emotions and releasing the trauma. In the process, traumas are resolved and we return to the normality of social adaptation, free of symptoms. Our goal is a well-adapted life with a sense of personal power and healthy relationships. The ultimate goal is a happy life.
In healing, we expand the goal of our intervention from symptom relief to system optimization. It might be seen as the difference between reparative medicine and naturopathy. We also bring spiritual connection (the client’s and the healer’s) into the process, accessed through intuition and experienced as the grace of God. We use more powerful techniques to access deeper levels of the unconscious, bringing forgiveness and acceptance. Our goals are self-actualization, the expression of unconditional love in healthy community and service to others. The ultimate goal is a harmonious, balanced life.
In transformation, we begin by following the same therapeutic process. We might call this phase of transformation regressive, going to the source of lessened capacity and healing it. We don’t stop there, however. We continue the healing into the psycho-spiritual realm, overcoming normality and achieving (returning to) wholeness. We might call this phase of transformation progressive, evolutionary growth into self-actualization. We transcend the limitations of generally accepted ordinary reality. We release the attachments to people and things that keep us captive and limited and work toward karmic liberation, clarity of psychic vision (listening to and following the quiet, infallible inner voice) and reaching the highest expression of love in the surrender of the ego to the will of God. The ultimate goal is a life of moments so balanced and conscious that one maintains equanimity, composure and spiritual focus even at the moment of death.
People usually seek therapy for quick solutions to immediate problems. Perhaps they have an addiction or anxiety or a relationship issue which they know they need to address. Unfortunately, therapeutic treatment is symptomatic and can often result in symptom replacement.
Healing, on the other hand, requires an in-depth look at what life is about, the purpose and meaning of existence and how to more fully express oneself in this lifetime. In healing work, we recognize the interconnectedness of the whole person. We go deeper, to the level of early trauma, and resolve what was left unresolved. We know that true healing clears up the problem, symptom and cause, leaving the person healthy and prepared to fight off future infections, be they physical or emotional.
In transformational work, we see the symptom as a clue to the deeper spiritual issue with which the person is involved. The symptom can actually lead through the deeper emotional work, clearing out ego issues that block spiritual connection. For example, a person who is continually upset with his/her relationship partner is so preoccupied with these projections that it prevents him or her from looking deeper at the real source of the hurt and anger.
A hindrance to transformation is the support we may receive to not change. The process of transformation often results in estrangement from those who have been our companions in ordinary life. As we develop new insights, new interests, new life scripts and life goals, those in our companionship circle who haven’t changed in a like manner are no longer able to effectively support us. They may even try to sabotage our growth in a new direction, and support us to turn back to the old ways. This is especially common with relationships that have involved addictions or other behaviors designed to keep us numb and asleep.
However, we can create healthy community, a network of new companions, like-minded and supportive of our newly expanded perspectives. This is a community of seekers on the same path who value consciousness over unconsciousness. After spending time with people who share our souls on the deepest levels, it is difficult to go back to cocktail parties and idle chit-chat. It becomes boring to spend time with people who are not honest about their feelings and are still highly involved in feeding their hungry egos.
ACHIEVING