Integration is the foundation of health and Well-Being.

Trauma separates you from yourself.
Integration restores your wholeness.

A Wall withe words: I am not afraid of storms for I am learning to sail my ship

What is Trauma?

The word trauma stems from the Greek word for wound. The energy from a trauma experience gets stuck in our body and can distract us from seeing our wholeness, our innate goodness.

In a simple description, trauma is an adverse experience that disrupts or overwhelms our nervous system, so we are not able to function well. It can occur as a result of not getting our basic needs met— our needs for connection, to be safe, to be seen, soothed and protected. It is now being illuminated that trauma is not what happened to us. Trauma is what happened inside us because of what happened to us.

“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathic witness.”

—Peter A. Levine PhD. Ergos Institute, Inc Somatic Experiencing .

As we softly notice and begin to feel the unresolved emotions and sensations in our body, the energy and information can begin to flow. Movement expands inner spaciousness for the stored trauma to resolve and be integrated into the nervous system and brain. Integration is the linkage of differentiated parts. In our mind, integration involves the linkage of separate aspects of mental processes to each other, such as thought with feeling, bodily sensation with logic. In a relationship, integration involves each person being respected for her or his differentiated self while at the same time being in relationship to others in empathic communication.

Interpersonal Neurobiology

Integration is at the heart of interpersonal neurobiology. When the parts of your system are integrated it promotes your ability to be present in the moment. The Mindsight Institute defines integration as “ the linkage of differentiated components of a system. Integration is viewed as the core mechanism in the cultivation of well-being. In an individual’s mind, integration involves the linkage of separate aspects of mental processes to each other, such as thought with feeling, bodily sensation with logic. In a relationship, integration entails each person being respected for her or his differentiated self while at the same time being in relationship to others in empathic communication.”

For more information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0

Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness

In the last 15-20 years, the compassionate intelligence of mindfulness practitioners has adapted the ancient practices and modern interpretations of mindfulness to include ways to experience the benefits of mindfulness when you have experienced trauma and when you are in a time of post-trauma learning and growth.

For more information:

“Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness “ Practices For Safe And Transformative Healing: A conversation with David Treleaven, author of “Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness .”

The Window of Tolerance and Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness—The importance of integration in trauma recovery: A conversation with David Treleaven and Dan Siegel, M.D.

Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness: The Power of Self-Nurturing: A talk with Tara Brach, spiritual meditation teacher : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBG3K4nHRb4

True Refuge Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart —Tara Brach, PH.D.

Polyvagal Theory

Polyvagal theory describes how our nervous system responds to cues of safety, threat and danger. Dr. Stephen Porges’ research developed a more nuanced understanding of how our autonomic (automatic) nervous system protects us with the fight / flight defensive responses and added the freeze defensive response. The autonomic nervous system has two main divisions: sympathetic — fight/flight, parasympathetic — rest/digest — tend/befriend. Your vagus nerve serves as the “on/off” switch to activate the pathways of your autonomic (it functions automatically) nervous system. When the vagus nerve is activated it responds like a telephone switchboard alerting you to cues of safety or threat. It works with two-way communication between brain and body — 80% of Vagus Nerve fibers are “sensory” meaning that they communicate messages from your body back up to your brain and 20% are motor neurons which affect changes in the body from the brain’s messages.

For more information:

Polyvagal Theory and the Process of Healing Trauma, Dr. Stephen Porges

Befriending Your Nervous System: Deb Dana

“Look for the glimmers.” Glimmers are the joy in the mundane- simple things that make you feel calm and safe—

An experiential practice facilitated by Dr. Arielle Schwartz
At the beginning of this recording, Arielle mentions IFS, which is Internal Family Systems, which was developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz.

Self Compassion Theory

One of the many benefits of self-compassion, which I think of as inner compassion, is how it cultivates feeling safe enough to try new things with less anxiety and fear of failure. As we offer ourselves inner compassion our resilience and our agency is nourished.

There are three interconnected elements of Self-Compassion Practice:

1. Mindful Awareness: The original definition of mindfulness proposed by Jon Kabat-Zinn: “Mindfulness is the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, with non-judgment.” And he sometimes adds, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.

2. Common humanity versus isolation: The very definition of being “human” means that one is mortal, vulnerable, and imperfect. Therefore, self-compassion involves recognizing that suffering and personal inadequacy is part of the shared human experience – something that we all go through rather than being something that happens to “me” alone.” — Kristin Neff

3. Self-kindness rather than judgment: which promotes opening our hearts to offer ourselves inner compassion, which flows into offering compassion to people in our world.

For more information:

Kristin Neff https://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2/

Harnessing Fierce Self-Compassion: a practice with Kristin Neff, Kristin describes the Yin and Yang energy of self-compassion. Yin, soft , gentle energy, Yang, fierce energy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GQl4FiISiQ

“Fierce self-compassion involves taking action in the world to protect, provide and motivate ourselves to alleviate suffering. It means saying “no” to others who are hurting us – drawing our boundaries firmly. Or saying “no” to our own harmful behaviors, so that we can be safe and healthy. It means giving ourselves what we genuinely need – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually – without subordinating our needs to those of others, so we can be authentic and fulfilled.” —- Kristin Neff

The 4 S’s of Attachment

When we have had a secure attachment in childhood and have felt Safe, Soothed, Seen (beyond being seen by the eyes), we feel inner and outer security—- and then as we have times when strong emotions are swirling, we can soothe ourselves with more ease and within less and less time — and then coherent words and actions can arise to express our needs or simply express what we are experiencing .

When you have experienced insecure attachment and trauma, repairing inner woundedness expands space to be present and to respond thoughtfully rather than react unawarely to strong emotions.

When you have experienced the trauma of insecure attachment you have inner scars. Scars are tough fibers and can protect you and scars can be rigid and make you less flexible —with awareness of both qualities the ability to respond thoughtfully rather than react unawarely becomes more flexible. Processing trauma, self-compassion practices, befriending my nervous system, and kind, compassionate relationships helped me to be with the scars with grace and acceptance.

The 4 S’s of attachment, posed by Dr. Dan Siegel, Mindsight Institute, is a tool I find very helpful to understand the elements of attachment.

The 4 S’s include:

Being Safe: Our original caregivers avoided actions and responses that frightened or hurt us. As adults, we can develop an ability to express our emotions and softly develop a sense of trust in our relationships and connections.
Being Seen: According to Dan Siegel’s research, this is not just seeing with the eyes. It is about being perceived deeply and empathically— our caregivers sensing our mind behind our actions and behavior — Being seen: nourishes our ability to feel included, to have a sense of belonging. As adults, we can more easily be in the present moment.
Being soothed and comforted by original caregivers: They helped us deal with difficult emotions and situations — Being soothed nourishes our embodied ability to soothe ourselves, which cultivates our resilience. As adults, we can softly befriend and regulate our nervous system during difficult or overwhelming times.
Being secure: When we feel secure, we develop an embodied sense of well-being.

The 4S’s of attachment can be a metaphor for fertilizing our garden of well-being.

What is well-being? Neuroscience now describes well-being as a set of skills. It’s fundamentally no different than learning to play the piano or ride a bike. From neuroscience research the four key aspects of well-being we experience are: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose.

Well-Being Is A Skill: A talk by Dr. Richie Davidson, Center For Heathy Minds, Madison, Wisconsin

Well-Being is a Skill: a written summary https://www.mindandlife.org/insight/well-being-is-a-skill/