Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma
Do you have a view of what trauma is, and how widespread it is? I used to think it was something awful that happened to a small minority of people who’d been in a disaster or a war zone. Now, I believe that many people and organisations are affected by trauma: it’s one of the elephants in the room of our times.
What’s more, it’s pretty certain that trauma is becoming rapidly more widespread. One reason is that, as the Climate Psychology Alliance and others have observed, the climate crisis is so alarming and overwhelming that it’s inherently traumatic, and it restimulates trauma from earlier in our lives.
I have several friends who are professional psychotherapists and counsellors: they clearly regard Bessel as the authority on trauma, and that’s fully justified by this superb book. He knows all the research, and led many key studies himself, but this is an outstandingly wise, humane, compassionate guide to a painful topic.
His central point is that much of the disruptive behaviour we see in teenagers and adults arises from trauma in childhood, but most of those trying to deal with the disruption (teachers, healthcare, social services) respond with regulation or medication, and have no idea what a trauma-informed response would be.
The first half of the book is a clear description of all the learning about trauma in recent decades, including its physiological and social impacts. More useful for lay readers is Part V, Paths to Recovery, which is almost half of the book.
One of the inspiring things about Bessel is his commitment to reducing trauma impacts at source: he played a major role in setting up the National Child Traumatic Stress Network in the US, which has 150 centres across the country, and trains professionals such as teachers and social workers.
The many case studies in the book are sometimes painful to read, but also touching and very practical, such as examples of how a primary school teacher can use simple, trauma-aware methods like wrapping in a blanket to calm a disruptive child. Or this one: “Kids as young as three can blow soap bubbles and learn that when they slow down their breathing to six breaths a minute … they will feel more calm and focussed.”
One of my interests in this field is group processes for trauma, because the issue is so widespread that one-on-one therapy can’t address it. He highlights the ways that trauma destroys the ability to trust others, but shows how much healing can also come collectively. Here are some of his examples:
- Drama workshops with troubled teenagers give them a structure to voice strong feelings and relate to each other.
- A moving example of a group of rape victims in South Africa: “the women sat slumped over – sad and frozen … I felt myself mentally collapse as well. Then one of the women started to hum … slowly a rhythm emerged … Soon the whole group was singing, moving, getting up to dance.”
- He admires the Pesso System: a bit like constellations, but with people acting as the ideal parents someone never had.
Bessel has reservations about some of the therapies and medications often used for trauma, such as CBT and EMDR: the latter can help with trauma experienced in adulthood, but not childhood. There are better options, but they require more time and skill.
This book will test whether you see the glass as half full or half empty. It opens a window on a world of many suffering individuals, often poorly supported: but it also offers an inspiring picture of how to help them. Let’s hope more people act on it.
You can see more about his work at www.besselvanderkolk.com.