In this video the client presents in a hyper-aroused, distressed state after being triggered by a recent hurricane. Though he was not physically hurt in this hurricane, it activated memories of a terrifying hurricane he experienced as a four-year-old child. At that time, his parents left him and his young sister and brother alone in their house and went to a party knowing that a major hurricane was approaching. The hurricane with 75 mile-per-hour winds knocked out power in the house leaving the children alone in the dark with the wind howling and the trees bending in half. He and his siblings left the house and together made their way to a neighbor’s for safety. On the way there, grasping his sibling’s hands, he was nearly blown away by the gale force wind. This early trauma was distressing not only because it was life-threatening, but also because of the careless neglect of his parents.
In order to create safety, we began by installing resources, setting up signals for stop and keep going and establishing a metaphor to use for creating distance. It was essential in this case that he feel safe with me as he processed his traumas. I tapped on his knees for the bilateral stimulation, which he later described as comforting. In this video you will see the three-part protocol: I target the trauma from the past linked to the current problem first (the hurricane trauma when he was four years old), then process the present (the more recent hurricane), and finally he imagines a future scenario. At the end of the session the client said, “I’m here, I’m more grounded.” He felt that he could handle what came and that in the more recent hurricane he did what he had to do. For the future he was making appropriate preparations for his home. He felt solid, relaxed and confident he could manage.
Length: 55 minutes
Digital Download Option: $50.00
