Modalities

Bottom-up approaches are fast becoming the most recognized approach to more effective therapy for trauma and stress-related disorders. The Brave Steps approach uses a unique blend of multiple modalities, the basis of which are defined below.

The Brain

Many new and leading edge discoveries are currently being made in the field of neuroscience. Thanks to those on the forefront such as Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk, Steven Porges, Paul Mclean, Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun, to name just a few, new light is being shed on how we should be approaching the recognition, understanding and treatment of trauma related neurological responses experienced by humans. I dive into uncovering much of the underpinnings of these discoveries in my blog post here.

There is a particular area of the brain that is responsible for our survival. This area is known as the limbic brain, which many of us have heard about: this is where the stress response, or the Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn response initiates. A lesser known area of the brain stem that 'plugs' into the limbic brain is the RAS or the Reticular Activating System, which is also an important part of the limbic system that needs to be considered and worked with in order for trauma work to be effective.

Of course, there is also the Vagus nerve, that large expansive system of innervation that travels from the base of our skull down the neck and innervates all our crucial organs, all of which are responsible for sending chemical messengers to the brain in a complex system of communication about our state of 'safety' or wellness. All of this is part of the ever-important nervous system, and like any system, it requires a series of checks and balances to be in place in order to remain healthy.

Unfortunately, most of Western medical approaches only serve to mask the symptoms of a dis-regulated nervous system. It takes a deep understanding of the body's response to stress, from activation to deactivation, in order to fully grasp what the body requires in order to find balance again. Our very complex system is wired for survival, and despite sometimes doing this in rudimentary ways, it also holds the innate intelligence to restore balance to itself.

With a new found and deeper understanding of this process by watching mammals in the wild and in working with survivors of war-torn areas, neuroscientists have tested their hypotheses and have found some key ways in which the body responds naturally to the invitation to find balance again, both psychologically as well as physically. Together with formalized training in psychiatric care, and through inner exploration of the psyche, sensations, and facilitated movement, we re-learn the language of our bodies and discover what it needs, while providing a safe space for this to animate.

This is where the Brave Steps program shines. Through Case Studies and qualitative experiments, the process was honed, and a blended approach was developed, offering this powerful way to invite healing to people from all walks of life and experience. Experience this with personal or group Compassion Key therapy sessions.

The Body

Our body is a complex machine, and it is in constant communication energetically, hormonally and through nerve impulses with our brain and various endocrine organs. Together, when operating smoothly, it is a wondrous place for us to reside. When things go awry, however, it can become the most uncomfortable seat in the house.

Understanding how our body communicates with all our systems, and how we are all innately wired with wisdom to find our way back to a place of balance where healing happens, is not something that only 'special ' people know. We are all equipped with the same capacity.

By teaching you how to move your body, how to create space and how to go start spending more time 'inward', you begin your own healing journey that can be profound, rapid and exciting. This is done through the use of gentle and easy somatic therapies that have a proven track record for bringing peace to your inner world and your body back to a place where it can heal on its own. Our TRE sessions help reconnect the brain to body awareness, allowing for profound healing on cellular levels.

The Breath

According to wilderness survivalists, a human can survive 3 weeks without food, three days without water and only 3 minutes without air. Of course, this can vary depending on circumstances as well.

Air is life, and how well we breathe plays a role in how well we live.

When a person is in a stress or trauma response, our breathing is affected. The body is in a heightened state in order to be able to react swiftly to any perceived threats. As a result, we breathe to run, and not to sustain long term health. These changes in our breathing can have long term affects on our health, leading to a decline in health from the increase in oxidative stress and hormones flooding our system.

People with high levels of stress or trauma in their lives often need to be taught how to breathe again. Most of us don't realize we're not breathing properly until we are shown how we should be breathing.