Trauma and the Brain - 01/09/24
Dr Maria Tucknott, HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist and accredited EMDR therapist briefly talks about trauma and the brain. Read more in our blog
This is a short blog about how trauma impacts the brain. Please be aware that this is a very, very simplified explanation (see references for further reading) but it one that I find useful to share with my clients as a starting point.
Top Down Approach to Trauma
The Top down approach to trauma focuses on the cognitive part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex. This part is in charge of thinking,reasoning and rationalising. Top-Down approaches help us change our negative thoughts or beliefs about ourselves so that we can stop being limited by them.
Sounds good doesn’t it? If you feel anxious, just tell yourself there is nothing to be afraid of. Hmm.. if only it were that simple. The problem is that the deeper regions of the brain which are responsible for survival (fight/flight) are in a hyper distressed state. By the time a thought pops into your head, your body has already sent the signal that you are unsafe and you have already begun to react.
This doesn’t mean all top-down trauma therapies like CBT or Trauma Focused CBT are redundant. Of course not. Some people find these approaches helpful. But if a top-down approach hasn’t worked for you, it doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It just means you may benefit from something different like a Bottom-Up approach.
Bottom-Up approach to Trauma
The Bottom-Up approach to trauma focuses on the reptilian and limbic brain (the non-verbal & emotional parts). These parts are in charge of our body, our behavioural and emotional responses AND the fight,flight & freeze responses. When we experience trauma, our body reacts instantly and the thinking part (prefrontal cortex) shuts down. The priority is survival. This means that trauma not only gets stored in the body, it can also get stuck in the body. Have you ever noticed that when you are “triggered”, it’soften a physical response? (i.e. panic, fear, physical pain, muscle tension etc). This is due to the body holding onto trauma in the form of emotional memories.
Bottom-Up approaches, facilitate the processing of trauma symptoms within the body and help regulate the nervous system. Once the body feels safe, it becomes easier to engage with the prefrontal cortex and explore cognitions
To paraphrase Peter Levine: “You cannot properly process thoughts if your insides are telling you that you are standing in front of a tiger”
Trauma Therapy in Hertford
Dr Maria Tucknott is a Private Clinical Psychologist and EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner. Both her and her team of independent psychologists offer EMDR Therapy face to face and online. If you would like to explore whether EMDR therapy in Hertford can help, then get in touch today and book an appointment.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, this is a very simplified explanation to aid understanding. Neurobiology is a complex field and depending on the level of specificity you want, I would strongly recommend that you do further reading by clicking the references below.
References:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721420917687?fbclid=IwY2xjawFWqHxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQvixs2v6zylleG_QAF14nrMGcRk59vcE-joNWI053fEIwmWIthEGi3CqA_aem_bhUxyHRs1G6cet3JUgdIGw
https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com/books/seven-and-a-half-lessons-about-the-brain/