November '24 - International Stress Awareness Day: November 6th, 2024
November 6th is International Stress Awareness Day, dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of stress on our lives and promoting the best strategies to manage it more effectively. In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become the norm for most people, affecting our mental and emotional well-being and devastating our physical health.
Stress is a natural response to difficult situations, triggering the body’s “fight or flight” or “fawn” response to perceived threats. We know that developmental trauma leads to chronic dysregulation of the Autonomic Nervous System. (See Peter Levine’s Slide below) For those of us with 6 or more of the most common Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE Test is below) research shows that life expectancy is diminished by 20 years as well as skyrocketing statistics of all of the top killers like being seven times more likely to die of ischemic heart disease and four times more likely to die of COPD. That is how sick profound stress makes us! We know chronic stress has a hugely detrimental effect on our health and nothing produces lifelong stress like unresolved trauma.
Recognizing the signs of stress is the first step towards effectively managing it. Common symptoms of Flight, Fight, Fawn or “Stuck On” stress include Insomnia, Anxiety, Panic, Irritability, Difficulty Concentrating, Muscle Tension, Appetite Issues, and Restlessness (See Levine’s chart) I believe Brainspotting is the most potent and effective tool for regulating the chronic flood of cortisol and adrenaline implicit in those of us who are “Stuck On”. This leads to inflammation and chronic disease, including all auto-immune conditions and heart and lung disease. Those who are “Stuck Off” or in a prolonged Freeze response suffer from Chronic Fatigue, Poor Digestion, Dissociation, Disconnection or Isolation, and difficulty performing everyday tasks. There are health issues associated with the freeze response as well.
As Brainspotting practitioners, it is important to make a list of all childhood and adult traumas (or disturbing experiences) and to Brainspot every single one. However, it is also crucial to identify the primary coping mechanisms of Flight, Fight, Fawn or Freeze and to Brainspot the felt sense of the survival strategy. Your life may depend on it. I did six Brainspotting sessions on one thing- my “pushing” coping which was a combination of the Fawn and Flight survival strategies. I saw a substantial drop in my “Stuck On” nervous system afterward and knew I was living in a much more Coherent state- my nervous system moved into regulation. We often do not know it is crucial to go after the FFFF responses. In Internal Family Systems, Dick Schwartz calls them protector parts/ strategies. I have attached the Flight, Fight, Fawn and Freeze signs and symptoms for your use with your clients. I would highly recommend each of you do a session or two on your own survival coping strategies as well as an Expansion spot on where you feel the most calm, grounded and safe. You will feel the difference and so will your clients! Please see the button below for free resources regarding Brainspotting and stress.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am grateful for all of you,
Lisa Larson
If you are interested in learning more about going after your client's survival coping strategy instead of trauma while Brainspotting, come and join the Trauma Mama Hour November 21st from 12:00 - 1:15 PM PST.
Trauma Mama Hour: November 2024
***Please note: To protect the privacy of our demo volunteers, TM hours ARE NOT recorded for distribution.***
Time: Nov 21, 2024 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85875494572?pwd=QrHrnfYsy1EPcSxUVZxIbWNPt8W4PD.1
Meeting ID: 858 7549 4572
Passcode: 220482