Severe trauma or chronic emotional trauma as associated with PTSD or CPTSD changes the amygdala, the part of the brain that governs fear, stress, flight or fight, e.t.c. These traumas cause the amygdala to enlarge. This enlargement leads to an over activity, which translates into an overactive fear and stress response. When this happens, we can get easily triggered, and become afraid or stressed over things that don’t make sense. The logical side of the brain ends up “malfunctioning” and doesn’t communicate well with the rest of the brain. With the brain being in a state of hyper alertness, it becomes unwilling to listen to logic which is a very uncomfortable place to live.

This stress response doesn’t go away unless we are able to work on reprogramming it. Our brain is plastic, thus it has the ability to change when given the right tools to alter the stress response.

What can we do?

On your own you can practice mindful meditation. MRI research showed after 10-12 weeks of mindful meditation, the amygdala begins to shrink back to normal size and the prefrontal cortex, basically the rational portion of the brain, becomes thicker and stronger, causing the brain to become less emotional, more rational and less reactive.

Another thing you can do in conjunction with meditation is neurofeedback sessions. NeurOptimal® Neurofeedback balances the central nervous system, helps break the trauma pathways and create new pathways in the brain so that the emotional triggers drop and your stress response is decreased WITHOUT having to experience the trauma all over again.
One does not have to live with the constant pain and suffering from trauma when we have tools to change the unwanted effects from stressful events.

No one should suffer and I want to help. Do you know anyone who needs to hear this? Message me to set up a demo session to learn more and please pass along the info to someone it may help.

For more info on ptsd and your brain you can read there links below:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201809/how-ptsd-and-trauma-affect-your-brain-functioning%3famp

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201809/how-ptsd-and-trauma-affect-your-brain-functioning%3famp

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If we can change some of these unconscious brain patterns we will consciously make healthier choices, break addictions, move past what is holding us back from operating at our optimal level.

Many therapies involve the therapist bringing the client into a state where they are to recall the traumatic event and re-frame the event to try to change the reaction to it, and change the physiological chemicals stored on the memories. But this process can be an uncomfortable one, which most clients do not want to re-experience. The beauty of Neuroptimal® Neurofeedback is that these intense traumatic memories stored in the unconscious do not need to be recalled, relived, or even discussed with the trainer, to be changed and have a positive affect on the clients “operating system” and how they will respond to their internal and external world.

Contact me for a demo, I want to help. 

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