“Trauma is not what happens to you. Trauma is what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you”
Dr Gabor Mate.
Haptic CPTSD therapy ( Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) or( Childhood Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
CPTSD is a set of negative events that repeat in our lives from childhood. More often than not the traumas are carried as memories in our brain and bodies. This manifests its self in different forms. Intense or extreme emotional out bursts that are not warranted for the situation is common. This is known as dysregulation. From my experience, I find that symptoms of disfunction can be related back to dysregulation and CPTSD. Depression for example need not be just depression but can come from a much deeper root. As part of the recovery program, I use clay as a medium. This is not art therapy per se as we don’t make anything that resembles art, but make things as representation of emotions and feelings of the past, present or future. This for of recovery is fun and interesting as it shows you how to trust again and grounds you in the present.
Haptic Trauma therapy (HTT) is especially good for symptoms of:
- Post-traumatic stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating due to fear, upsetting thoughts, or unwelcomed physical (body) sensations. Intense and disturbing emotional reactions that seem incongruent with the present situation.
- Abuse, attack, accidents, flashbacks or nightmares.
- Feeling frozen or stuck in familiar circumstances without understanding why.
- Difficulty enjoying life, feeling hopeful, and experiencing pleasure.
- Early relationship wounds, neglect, harsh parenting, divorce, child-parent separations.
- Persistent and regular negative thoughts about oneself.
- Difficulty maintaining a job, a family, marriage, friendships and other relationships.
- Feeling detached from one’s self and the world.
- Suicidal thoughts.
- Very focused thoughts on issues that are not really relevant to their lives. (conspiracy theories}
- Brain fog
Behavior indicators:
- Excessive anger, worry, sadness or fear
- Aggressive behavior (hurting others or self)
- Separation anxiety
- Excessive shyness
- Behavioral regression
- Low self esteem
- Learning or other school problems
- Sleep, eating or self-isolation problems
- Preoccupation with sexual behavior
- Difficulty adjusting to family changes
- Physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches that have no medical cause
- Isolation Sleep patterns are upside down. Physical or mental shut down, sudden need to sleep (not Narcolepsy)
- Complaining about muscle pain
- Temper tantrums and excessive shouting
- Not understanding things or misunderstanding things / conversations / instructions
- Withdrawal from social contact
- Sexual obsession or hyperactivity
- Very quickly and easily bored
- Obsessed with TV or smart phone apps
