How can Hypnotherapy/Hypno-Psychotherapy help with Trauma and PTSD?
Let’s start with what Hypno-psychotherapy is
Hypnotherapy/Hypno-psychotherapy is a person-centred, result-focused, and integrative therapy combining clinical hypnosis and psychotherapy.
Hypnosis is a state of relaxation called trance. It is a consent state that the subject allows himself to enter, during which there is an altered state of conscious awareness (high degree of focused attention) and heightened suggestibility. It is a state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility to access the subconscious mind and facilitate therapeutic change. This enables the therapist and subject to work directly with the subconscious mind, where the issue lies, without rejection from the critical faculty of the mind, making it possible to dissect the root cause of the issue and transform it.
Various psychotherapeutic techniques can be used, which are not limited to:
Psychoeducation
Cognitive behavioural therapy
Interpersonal Relationship therapy
Relaxation strategies
Mindfulness
Other CBT interventions (particularly CBT Hypnotherapy)
Pain Management (CBT Hypnotherapy)
Psychosynthesis therapy (Self-development)
Psychosomatic therapy
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
Psychoanalysis
Regression Therapy
Trauma / PTSD symptoms
Trauma and Post-traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) come in various degrees and can cause many troubling symptoms. This includes the experience of a traumatic event (an accident, assault, abuse, natural disaster, or act of terror/violence) or a prolonged series of traumatic events (such as ongoing psychological, physical, and/or sexual abuse as a child or adult).
Some events and experiences are clearly traumatic, such as the above. However, there are some that don’t seem traumatic on the face of it, such as changing schools, moving to a new country, feeling publicly embarrassed, or being in a minor car accident. The difference isn’t defined by the severity of the event. Rather, it is defined by how the traumatic event affects each individual and how long the traumatic responses continue. It varies from person to person, and while some events can be more quickly processed, some get stuck in the mind and body, causing all kinds of issues. When trauma is unprocessed or untreated, it imprints in the nervous system and progresses into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
When an individual experiences a traumatic event, the brain's response is to activate the stress response system. The amygdala, an area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing, sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. This area of the brain functions like a command center, communicating with the rest of the body through the nervous system so that the person has the energy to fight or flee. It shifts into survival mode, which triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones prepare the body to fight, flee, or freeze in response to danger.
Sometimes, though, our initial trauma response sticks, making it difficult for us to function as we’d like. Trauma imprints within the brain and body and can change the way we think, feel, and act for a long time after the initial experience.
In cases of chronic or severe trauma, these stress responses can become dysregulated, leading to changes in the brain's structure and function.
Trauma affects the three important parts of the brain at once: the amygdala, which is your emotional and instinctual centre; the hippocampus, which controls memory; and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for regulating your emotions and impulses.
It can affect the amygdala, leading to heightened sensitivity to potential threats and difficulty regulating emotions. When a client is reminded of a traumatic experience, their amygdala responds just as it would if they were experiencing that trauma for the first time.
The hippocampus, which plays a key role in memory (to distinguish between past and present) and learning, may also be impacted, resulting in difficulties with memory consolidation and retrieval. When this becomes compromised, the brain can no longer distinguish between trigger memories and the threat itself.
Additionally, trauma can affect the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. Individuals who have experienced trauma may have difficulties with impulse control, emotional regulation, and forming healthy relationships.
Hence, clients continue to be trapped in and live and react as though the trauma is happening in the present. Moreover, trauma can lead to changes in the brain's reward system, potentially increasing the risk of developing mental health conditions.
This can cause symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, distressing memories, and reactivity and triggers to reminders, avoidance symptoms such as dissociation, substance abuse, self-destructive or addictive behaviours, alters personality, mood, memory, motivation, cognitive function, and perception, causing distorted beliefs, emotional numbness, depression, anxiety, irritability and anger outburst. Hostility, anger, rage and violence are common in victims of extreme traumatisation. Trauma can also cause somatic or physical illness as well as hyperarousal symptoms such as recklessness, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle, or problems sleeping or concentrating.
How can hypno-psychotherapy help?
OUR BRAIN HAS THE ABILITY TO CHANGE, REORGANISE, AND GROW NEURAL NETWORKS. THIS MEANS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO HEAL AND CHANGE OURSELVES AND OUR LIVES.
Although we cannot erase past traumatic events, we can directly address the events and their effects. Hypno-psychotherapy enables us to access the memories and programmed responses stored in the body and subconscious mind and deal with them using different hypno-psychotherapeutic tools and techniques. It enables us to learn how to relax, identify our triggers, reframe the memories, release the trapped trauma or emotions, transform distorted beliefs, reprogram our responses and ego strengthening, resolve the internal conflict between the different parts of us and eventually heal and overcome the trauma responses or PTSD symptoms.
Here are some ways in which hypnotherapy and hypno-psychotherapy can help individuals with trauma:
1. Accessing and processing traumatic memories: This may not always be necessary as you can heal without addressing the traumatic memories. However, if needed, hypnosis can help individuals access and process traumatic memories that may be repressed or difficult to recall in a conscious state. By creating a safe and relaxed environment, hypnotherapy can help individuals explore and work through their traumatic experiences in a controlled and supportive setting.
2. Reframing negative beliefs and perceptions: Hypnosis can be used to reframe negative beliefs and perceptions that have developed as a result of trauma. By accessing the subconscious mind, hypnotherapy can help individuals challenge and restructure maladaptive thought patterns and beliefs, promoting a more positive and empowered mindset.
3. Building coping skills and resilience: Hypnotherapy can be used to help individuals develop coping skills and resilience in the face of trauma-related triggers and stressors. Through techniques such as visualization, relaxation, and self-soothing suggestions, hypnotherapy can empower individuals to manage their emotions and responses more effectively.
4. Addressing underlying issues: Hypno-psychotherapy combines hypnosis with traditional psychotherapeutic approaches to address underlying psychological issues contributing to trauma symptoms. By integrating hypnosis with techniques such as cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) or psychodynamic therapy, hypno-psychotherapy can provide a comprehensive and holistic approach to trauma treatment.
5. Promoting healing and integration: Hypnotherapy and hypno-psychotherapy can support healing and integration following trauma. By helping individuals access their inner resources, process unresolved emotions, and develop a sense of safety and empowerment, these approaches can facilitate healing on a deeper level. This helps with healing and regulating the nervous system as well as toning of the vagus nerve.
It is important to work with a qualified and experienced hypnotherapist or hypno-psychotherapist who specializes in trauma treatment to ensure safe and effective care. These professionals can tailor therapy to meet each client's individual needs and goals, providing a supportive and personalised approach to trauma healing.
