I believe that we have within us everything we need to Heal our issues from the past. Dysfunctional patterns and stress disconnect us from accessing all of our strengths and keep us connected to a story we have created about ourselves.  We then perceive current events through that story creating continued feelings of unworthiness, insecurity, lack of safety, and others in our lives. Because the subconscious and unconscious minds reside in the body and because our body communicates with our brain, our traumas get triggered in the body and the body activates the fire alarm in the brain (amygdala) and we go into fight or flight, or we just shut down.  The same thoughts we had during the trauma are now projected onto the persons in the present moment. We now see threat even when it does not exist. We do not need to live in survival, we are not being chased by a tiger, even though our physiological response is similar. When triggered, our body does not feel safe, so it is important in therapy to treat the body until the brain stops flooding epinephrine (adrenaline) and the person is restored to themselves and a feeling of safety.  It is then possible to feel emotions and connect with the traumatic event without activation of the old brain.

Trauma and the movement into the old brain can cause bursts of anger, rage and periods of feeling and or acting out of control.  We can feel like running or fighting. Many times we disconnect with alcohol, co-dependency or other disconnecting behaviors such as chronic busyness.   Clients learn to develop an observing part of themselves, so they are able to intervene in this physiological response and calm their body. Many Mental health diagnoses can be given when in fact unresolved trauma can be the cause.   It can be necessary on occasion to refer for mental health medications to assist the individual as they heal these issues.

Types of trauma:  Birth trauma, early separation from mom or dad, due to hospitalization,  bullying, being shamed by a teacher, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, parent not able to be there when a child needs them as in the case of mental illness, death, divorce sudden death of a family member, parental hospitalization, alcoholism and or drug addiction and others.  Many times persons do not remember their trauma, they just have the symptoms of anxiety, panic, depression, anger or others.

Practices of Compassion, Forgiveness and Mindfulness are used to assist the person in developing self love and love for others. Clearing projections and seeing things realistically allow relationships to heal and allow for the creation of new ways of being for the individual.  There is more room inside to stay connected to our essence. I believe we all have a purpose in our life and that healing our mental health issues becomes the path to that purpose.