From Islands to Landmasses: Gradually Increasing a Sense of Safety within the Body
As I try to understand the effects of psychological trauma, often it’s the body that tells the story. This was certainly the case with Jennifer (as I will call her). During our first meeting, she entered my office with a veneer of aloofness, but her eyes told a different story; they were darting about, quickly scanning me and my office for any signs of threat. She sat lightly and uprightly on her chair, legs ready to spring into action. Her breathing was shallow and quick, and was probably matched by her racing heart. Her eyes hungrily snatched-up any movement inside and outside my office – always on the prowl for signs of danger. Hers was the body of someone who didn’t know safety and probably hadn’t known safety for a long time.
During our second meeting, Jennifer and I talked about what it was like for her to always feel as though she was on “red-alert”. We talked about her constant scanning of the environment and what that felt like in her body. She described a wad of tightness in her belly that was almost always there – a persistent bodily reminder that she must never let her guard down. Her body was constantly ready to attack or to escape. Read more
