1) Neurobiology and Trauma Treatment

In sessions with me, I'll also be looking for the way your nervous system is "wired". The study of neurobiology has taught psychotherapists a whole new way of working with people.

We know that trauma of various sorts has a tremendous impact on the way a child, adolescent or adult, feels inside, and behaves outwardly.

Trauma is defined as any event or relationship which overwhelms the nervous system's ability to protect itself. Any event, big or small, that throws us into fight, flight or freeze has the potential to cause a long-lasting trauma.

But what does trauma do to the brain? When a personundergoes a traumatic event, extreme fear, or chronic mis- treatment and mis-attunement, the brain chemistry actually CHANGES. This is called "Fear Circuity". It is the way our brain tries to protect us frombeing hurt again. The problem is that Fear Circuitry often sets up behaviors that are mal-adaptive or unwanted. At this point, a persontends to realize they need help to change the patterns in their brain. Doing this, in turn, will change they way they feel and act.”