Professional Perspective: Dialectical Behavior Therapy & PTSD, Part 1

I met Laura Burlingame-Lee when I stumbled upon her blog, The Other Side of the Couch. I immediately liked her personable voice and her incredibly educated and knowledgeable approach to communicating with those of us on, well, the other side of the couch!

One of her posts referenced Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), something I'd never heard of before. I wrote asking for details and voila! In the spirit of spreading the healing word Dr. Burlingame-Lee wrote this guest post, just for 'Parasites of the Mind'. In the way that DBT combines skills training with therapy I think it's a very interesting approach to healing. Today, Part 1 of a two-part series giving us an overview of DBT - what it is, how to use it, how to develop its skills and how to incorporate it into your recovery process.

WHAT IS DBT?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a specific type of behavioral therapy that was developed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), a condition where the person involved has chronic feelings of depression, anxiety and suicidality in addition to volatile personal relationships and trouble regulating emotions and mood. The overall goal of DBT is pretty straightforward: to help you create a life worth living.

Ok - a lot of this sounds pretty technical, doesn't it? I have to say, I really hate, despise and abhor the term "personality disorder" because it implies that there is something fundamentally wrong with the person. So, how does this relate to PTSD? There are some mental health professionals and researchers who believe that BPD is actually a chronic, severe form of PTSD. Many, many people diagnosed with BPD have severe and/or chronic trauma in their past and really don't know how to cope with stress, anxiety and/or anger along with ups and downs in relationships. Marsha Linehan, the psychologist who developed DBT, once said that the person with BPD was like a person with 3rd degree burns - extremely sensitive and very easily irritated; the difference was that the problem here was emotional rather than physical.

Some of you, even without BPD, may have or do feel overly sensitive on occasion. PTSD involves its own set of overwhelming, frightening, and anxiety-producing symptoms that DBT skills can help.

HOW DBT WORKS

DBT is a system that's designed to help a person deal with overwhelming emotions (anger, rage, fear, panic) and urges (self-harm, suicide, harming others) and to increase quality of life by strengthening relationships and increasing the person's ability to cope in general. DBT in its full form includes individual therapy with a DBT-trained therapist and a skills-training group. We'll focus more on the skills training group in most of the post, but I'll give you an overview of the individual therapy as well.

DBT INDIVIDUAL THERAPY

In DBT, individual therapy is more oriented like traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT - we've got a LOT of acronyms here, don't we? J). Individual therapy looks pretty similar to a lot of other types of therapy, with the exception that the individual therapist will work with you on both accepting you as you are and helping you work for change. That sounds a little weird, doesn't it? Like trying to find the balance between two ends of a see-saw, where it seems like both goals are pretty opposite each other. That's what a dialectic is - a situation where you have two things that seem opposite but are both true.

Individual therapy works on this dialectic because nonjudgmentally accepting you as you are is crucial for developing a good relationship, and because working on change is the goal - changing so that you can reduce the things getting in the way of creating a life worth living. The bottom line is that your individual therapist will help you reduce the stuff that's getting in the way of healing and living the life you want, and also help you increase your ability to cope by reinforcing the skills taught in the group and by helping you process the experiences you have in using these skills.

COMMON MISPERCEPTIONS AROUND SKILLS TRAINING GROUPS

Before you understand what skills training is, it's helpful to know what it's not. DBT skills training is NOT a group designed to explore traumas, examine and process the past, or come to terms with the traumatizing event(s) - this is done with your individual therapist. (This is also why DBT works best when you also work with an individual therapist and/or psychiatrist who is trained in DBT and other supported therapies like CBT.) Ideally, someone with PTSD would use DBT to help her or him cope with the overwhelming emotions and self-harm urges that often accompany PTSD while also working in individual therapy to help understand, come to terms with, and process/heal from the trauma. A combination of DBT skills training groups and a CBT/DBT therapist works really well.

Another misunderstanding of DBT is that it's a quick and easy way to fix symptoms - most of you, I'm sure, know first-hand that dealing with PTSD and its symptoms is practically a full-time job (and I'm NOT saying that in jest - it takes a lot of energy and strength to cope and even more to progress and heal. I have tremendous admiration and respect for all of you who work so hard to overcome what's hurt you. That takes guts!) DBT was designed, believe it or not, to be a long-term therapy - Linehan had her clients sign a two-year contract!

To learn more about practicing DBT skills, why skills training is so effective and what comes after training, check back here next Sunday for Part 2 of Laura's professional perspective.

Laura Burlingame-Lee, Ph.D. is a recent graduate who obtained her doctoral degree in counseling psychology from Colorado State University. She is currently pursuing licensure in this field, and is available to answer questions concerning DBT and a variety of other topics. Laura has had personal and professional experience in dealing with PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety, in addition to extensive clinical training and experience in treating Borderline Personality Disorder and other chronic and severe emotional issues. She completed her internship at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Ft. Logan in Denver, Colorado and is looking forward to beginning her practice as DBT-trained therapist. She generally works with CBT and DBT, but also brings in mindfulness and spirituality as well as other aspects in order to work holistically with her clients. She can be reached via email at: theothersideofthecouch @ live.com.

(Photo: Laura Burlingame-Lee)

Professional Perspective: How Forgiveness Helps Us Heal

Since forgiveness seems to be the dominant theme this week, it seems only fitting to include a professional take on the forgiveness question. Dr. Nancy Irwin has a winning approach to helping her clients. In her own words,

"As a therapeutic hypnotist and doctor of psychology, I know for a fact that we are all born to win. We learn to fail, and what we learn, we can un-learn. Therefore, I work to clear away the negative programming, undesirable habits, and limiting beliefs to free the inner winner in my clients."

A survivor herself, Dr. Irwin's words of experience and deep thought add great context to the forgiveness question.


THE HEALING POWER OF FORGIVENESS, by Dr. Nancy B. Irwin

"If we say that monsters [people who do terrible evil] are beyond forgiving, we give them a power they should never have...they are given the power to keep their evil alive in the hearts of those who suffered most. We give them power to condemn their victims to live forever with the hurting memory of their painful pasts. We give the monsters the last word." - Lewis Smedes

Why We Don't Forgive

For years I felt that it would be impossible to forgive my perpetrator (clergyman) of adolescent sexual abuse. I hopped up on my high horse pretty quickly when anyone even suggested I do so. He was WRONG and broke the LAW, yet year after year, I began to grow tired of living in my self-righteousness and superiority, rage, depression, deep sadness, and giving my power not only to the perpetrator, but to the past!

Forgiveness puts YOU in control, calling the shots over the trauma, allowing you to enjoy the now and your future. It frees you to create a happy ending for a movie that had a very scary scene.

Though not an overnight accomplishment, I had to learn to stop making the perpetrator "wrong." I had to see him as a flawed, emotionally arrested human being who operated with the only set of tools he had. Learning to shift my thinking from his being "wrong" to his being "inappropriate" opened up a whole new world for me. It was as if glacial shifts began occurring.....allowing me to settle into a more solid space.

I then had to forgive myself for all the years I lived in hatred and bitterness. I had to review what really happened, express all my feelings about the trauma and the abuser, all my feelings toward those I blamed for not rescuing me. I sorted all this out through therapy, through writing letters and finally through a confrontation. I let him know what his actions had cost me in life. Unfortunately, I was met with defensiveness and denial, yet I got to speak my peace and forgave him his denial, defensiveness, his ignorance, and his inappropriate actions. And almost overnight, 30-year-old symptoms began dissipating: fear of men (especially those who looked like him), my rapid startle reflex, fear of engulfment, fear of intimacy, and more.

What Forgiveness Gives to Us

Forgiving is the ultimate in standing in a place of acceptance and healing. Yes, the scar may remain, yet you are stronger in that place. As a survivor of traumatic experiences myself, I am a psychotherapist/clinical hypnotist specializing in trauma recovery, I have learned to abandon the "why me" questions that kept me trapped in my victimization. When I began asking "how could this experience help me or others" questions, I was able to reclaim my power. Trauma comes from Greek word "wound." As we all know, wounds can be healed. They may leave scars, yet scar tissue is tougher and allows the wounded area to be more resilient than before. I discovered that there was great meaning to my trauma; not that I'd wish it on anyone on the planet, of course, but it led me be the healer that I am.

Like the physical body, the psyche is designed for survival and protection, and is quite resilient. Trauma can leave marks on the psyche that act as warning signals for future similar dangers. This "default setting" may seem like that of a computer program; some are tougher to re-set than others. To avoid automatically reverting to the fear state that the original wound set up for you, there are ways to re-program that amazing computer of your subconscious mind: intervention, treatment, normalization, acceptance, and finally forgiveness. Forgiveness is NOT condoning deviant or criminal behavior. It gives you permission to move forward in your life with peace of mind. Further, you give the perpetrator permission to be accountable and responsible going forward. Staying in righteous mode (while the ego loves it!) disallows growth for all parties.

Things to Think About as We Move Forward

Everything and everyone has a positive intent. No one (including Mother Nature) does anything to be bad, stupid, wrong, or even evil. Even serial killers (and I'm certainly not defending them!) have a positive intent: to be in control or feel powerful. The goal in therapy is to find a healthy way to meet that need without harming others or the self. Just like your responses to trauma have a positive intent (protection, releasing and healing), so do the causes. In the case of natural disasters, the planet is shifting into a more settled position, or is releasing congestion and toxins from the atmosphere.

Many perpetrators are unable to forgive themselves for their behaviors. While it may be tempting to proclaim a resounding "Good! They SHOULD suffer!" this perpetuates the blame-shame cycle and no one is free. The best way to decrease further victims is to forgive the offender. Then, and perhaps only then, can future victims be spared. Yet forgiveness is for YOU.
We tend to have irrational beliefs such as "No harm should ever befall me" or "Others should always be appropriate" or "S--- never should happen to me." Until that Utopia exists, a more rational belief to operate from is: "While I hate the ignorance and inhumanity of others, I forgive the acts and find meaning from it to further my growth as a compassionate being."

If you have found a way to be at peace and in acceptance and do not need or want to forgive, I applaud you. Again, forgiveness is not essential to recovery. If my words here are offensive to you, or anger you, I honor your feelings. I can almost promise you that with the passage of time, the burden of anger will grow exponentially heavier than the trauma. When you forgive, you open the door to freedom.


Dr. Nancy Irwin graduated from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in Tarzana, California with honors and the Director's Award. She is a member of the Hypnotists' Union, the California Psychological Association, the American Academy for Experts in Traumatic Stress, and the California Coalition on Sexual Offending (CCOSO).

Dr. Irwin is also a certified practitioner of Neurolinguistic Programming, Time Line Therapy and Emotion Free Therapy, combining these modalities with hypnosis to effect the most rapid change possible in her clients. While Dr. Irwin treats over 100 different issues, she is dedicated to treating victims of child sexual abuse as well as abusers.

In addition to earning a doctorate in psychology from Southern California University of Professional Studies, Nancy has a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance, and her background as an opera singer and stand-up comedian adds heart and humor to her healing. A popular keynote speaker she insists, "Change does not have to hurt!"

(Photo: Nancy Irwin)

Professional Perspective: Seeing the World with New Eyes

You can only imagine that a man whose blog is part of the Joy and Balance Community would have some interesting things to say about, well, finding joy and balance on the path to healing PTSD. True enough, when I asked Dr. Dan Kaufman to write a guest post about how we might support ourselves and so further healing, Dr. Dan dove right in with this great post about how we can learn to change perspective - and why it's so important that we learn to see through our own eyes.

How We Learn To See
We all grow up learning to see the world in our own unique way. Our picture is shaped by what we learn from our parents and from our interactions with the world. For most of us, that particular picture limits our ability to “see” outside of the frame that our picture is hung within. For many, the image of the world that was learned was further impacted by traumatic and painful experiences that further narrowed how they were able to view the world and what new experiences they were able, or willing to, let in. The less able we are to see the world with new eyes the more stuck we are in our current paradigm.

The experiences that created our worldview are literally etched in our brains in the form of mental models, schemas, or neural pathways and also embedded in our bodies in the form of armor and conditioned responses whose initial purpose was to protect us from further harm. In the west, the tendency is for our mental models to form within the framework of a self-limiting and separatist ego that isolates us from others and from new experiences in order to maintain its integrity (image of itself). We use both the way that we think and the way that we inhabit our bodies to define our separateness and to protect ourselves. The more trauma we experience the more this is true.

So, how does one peek outside this box that we have come to inhabit? How can we change the way we see and experience the world so that the painful self-limiting picture we have developed can open itself to new thoughts, images, and experiences that allow us to literally and figuratively let go of the pain that has shaped our world and our experiences?

Learning to See Differently Through Mindfulness
One way is to shift from ego-based western thought to a more open and interconnected framework like Buddhism. I only use Buddhism as one example of how we can change views by learning to experience the world in new and different ways. It is not the only way. Sitting meditation or mindfulness, for example, teaches us to view thoughts as empty, to see all humans as interconnected, and to view compassion as that which binds us together.

As one engages in sitting he begins to experience the world and himself differently. Through flashes of insight and awareness gradually he begins to experience and interact with the world in dramatically different ways. Mindfulness can support opening to pain that we've keep hidden away, to learn to accept ourselves exactly as we are with compassion, to use that compassion to connect with others who have also experienced pain, and to reduce our isolation.

Using Somatic Practices
Engaging the body through somatic practices like centering provides another path to self–awareness and more freedom. As you learn to experience your body at rest you also, by contrast, notice the conditioned responses and armor that has formed to protect the Self from further harm and pain. Learning to be fully present and recognize when we respond from old patterns allows us the opportunity to make new choices rather than to continue to be reactive and guard against new experiences that might help to chip away at old narrow ways of experiencing the world creating a paradigm shift.

The Intersection of Science and the Mind
Neuroscience is teaching us much about how the mind operates and how we learn. Scientists have been able to outline for us how repeated experience carves out neural pathways that become our way of "seeing" the world and creates habits based on those repeated behaviors. They've also shown us how, through changing our behaviors and practicing new skills, we can create new visions of the world and new habits more in line with a new and more desirable Self-image.

The change from Newtonian physics to Einstein's physics did not come with the flick of a switch. Over a period of time anomalies occurred during research that led to new thoughts and questions and therefore new possibilities. Eventually, these little glimpses of a different worldview coalesced into a whole new paradigm that makes us wonder how we ever lived under what was, up until then, the only way to view the world.

By slowly changing our habits and behaviors we too can eventually discover anomalies that open us to new questions and awareness and carve out in our minds eye a new way of seeing and being in the world.

Dr. Dan holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Seattle University, completed doctoral level work in Counseling Psychology at the University of Southern California, and holds a Master’s degree in Psychology. He brings a wealth of experience from his background as a school psychologist, mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist, coach, and special education administrator. He has worked in the mental health and educational fields for the past 30 years.

Dr. Dan develops coaching programs for families whose children are in need of alcohol and substance abuse treatment and/or behavioral interventions, works with leaders of both for and non profit organizations and helps individuals identify and reach their goals for a more fulfilling life. Dan has a passion for helping individuals, families and organizations become more collaborative, and caring. His compassion, desire, and personal commitment to be a support for others growth and development guide his life and work. For more information visit his web site Spiral To Health.

(Photo: Dan Kaufman)

Professional Perspective: Stressed? Journaling Helps

It's Mother's Day, so the topic of caregivers seems appropriate for the calendar. Whether you are the mother of a PTSDer, or the caregiver, or both the stress of watching someone struggle with symptoms is tough. I marvel that my own mother had the strength not only to watch me struggle to survive a horrific, life-threatening illness, but also to watch me for over 25 years afterward battle this shadow self and all its extreme behaviors. She didn't once crack, abandon me, give up or lose it herself. Thank you, Mom! You are an inspiration in how to handle trauma and its stressful aftereffects. If only I could have been more balanced like you and a little less the PTSD me.

Today's guest post comes from B. Lynn Goodwin on the topic of how caregivers can care for themselves while in the difficult position of helping and supporting someone else.

My Caregiver Experience

Though I have never had PTSD, I know about the havoc that extended stress can cause. For six years, I cared for my mother, who had undiagnosed Alzheimer’s.

My beautiful, proud, stubborn mother clung to her home, even when she could no longer punch the buttons on the microwave or get herself out of bed in the morning. She believed that leaving her home would kill her, believed it with a ferocity that intimidated me. I wanted to honor her wishes and make her healthy again. I hated the fact that her condition was beyond my control, so I did my best to support her, even though I secretly feared that her disease was eating holes in both of our brains.

Why Journaling Helps

I never discussed this fear with anyone. Instead, I turned to my journal. It never argued. It never shamed me, gave irrational praise, or treated me like a nine-year-old. Instead, it accepted my thoughts unconditionally. As my truths spilled out, sentence after sentence, it let me vent, rant, process, plan, analyze, discover, and hope.

Now that I am a former caregiver, I understand that journaling gives perspective and restores sanity. It is a lifeline. James W. Pennebaker, Ph.D. has documented that writing saves lives, and I believe it saved mine.

Journaling eliminates mental toxins and deepens awareness. It validates you and honors your worth as a caregiver. It lets the strong, sane, safe, healthy, hopeful parts of you emerge. Do not underestimate its power.

How You Can Begin Journaling

What do you do with a journal if you think you have nothing to say? Sentence prompts help. There are plenty of them in my book You Want Me to Do What? – Journaling for Caregivers. The book is filled with encouragement, instructions, and over 200 sentence starts. If a sentence start says, “Today I feel…” you finish the sentence, write another sentence, and you are journaling. Everyone can do it.

I created the book and also group workshops because journaling helped me process my frustration and isolation and reclaim myself. I’d like to share its power. I offer a five-week workshop, conducted through group e-mails. One participant said, "Writing from the heart seems to be all that is needed." She is exactly right. Another said, "I can't tell you how many things I've sorted out by being able to write them down." Does this sound appealing? The remaining groups in 2009 start on July 14 and October 13.

If you’d like more information about the book or the group, please e-mail me at (replace (at) with @). Put “Journaling” in the subject box.

I hope to hear from you soon.

B. Lynn Goodwin, author of You Want Me to Do What? Journaling for Caregivers and owner of Writer Advice. You Want Me to Do What? is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and through Writer Advice.

Professional Perspective: Trauma Recovery IS Possible

In our PTSD Education series, one final word on EMDR from practitioner Jill Landefeld. In this interesting and insightful piece, a professional talks about her personal trauma healing experience. (I swear, I didn't ask her to write the first sentence, but I didn't edit out the kudos!)

Michele is to be commended for putting forward the message on this site that we can recover from trauma and move forward into rewarding and productive lives. Too many people who have suffered trauma assume that they have no alternative other than to be stuck in anxiety and fear for the rest of their lives.

I’m an EMDR therapist who specializes in assisting people to heal from their traumatic past in order to live fuller lives. I came to this work by healing my own trauma through EMDR. Half way through my first EMDR session, I knew I was going to be okay, that my trauma would be over and that I would help other people as I had been helped.

My personal EMDR Experience

About 10 years ago, I relocated from Los Angeles to another city, anticipating a positive life change. Unfortunately, the change was anything but positive for a variety of reasons, and I returned to L.A. in a state of 24/7 anxiety, unable to sleep and stuck in a series of unending visual flashbacks. I tried medication, which helped some, and traditional therapy, which didn’t help at all. I read about EMDR in my local newspaper and decided to give it a try.

No one knows exactly why EMDR works. The predominant theory is that it forges a connection between the primitive part of the brain, in which the memory is frozen in wordless terror, and the linear part of the brain, which has the logic and language to reason things through. When these two parts of the brain can talk to each other, the person can resolve their own trauma from within. This connection between the two parts of the brain is made by stimulating the brain from side to side or bilaterally, with a light that shifts back and forth, or a side-to-side sound or tactile stimulation.

In my case, I put on a headset and listened to the tones go back and forth inside my head. My therapist asked me to identify my negative belief about myself that the situation summoned up (“I can’t protect myself, and I won’t make it out alive”), my SUDS, or level of distress where 0 is neutral and 10 is the highest level of distress ( a 9) and where I felt the distress in my body (chest and throat). At first, I found the sounds relaxing. Then they triggered an avalanche of sadness, fear and rage. When the feelings passed, I felt a sense of serenity and lightness that I hadn’t known before.

I had about five more sessions to address different aspects of the trauma. Then I was able to go off all my anti-anxiety meds, sleep better and focus my attention on my present and future. The nonstop images of painful situations had disappeared. Like most people who experience EMDR, I still had the memories, but they no longer had the power to dominate my life.

My Professional EMDR Experience

Discrete traumas like mine, where the source is situational, are generally resolved this quickly. Natural disasters, combat trauma and violent events are some of them. (EMDR was used successfully after the Oklahoma bombing and 9/11.) Some family of origin traumas are healed quickly, as well. I worked with a woman who had hated and feared her sister due to prolonged emotional abuse during her entire childhood. After two sessions of EMDR, she has been able to spend vacations enjoying her sister’s company without anxiety. In cases of prolonged, chronic trauma, such as childhood abuse, more work is generally required, although the symptoms can begin to lift after the first few sessions. EMDR is also highly effective with unresolved grief and loss. A young woman who suffered a cruel breakup with a boyfriend of many years was able to move on after four sessions.

EMDR also provides methods of helping people to feel more stable and positive about themselves, and of giving them inner resources to cope with difficult situations. Someone facing a challenging graduate program with a history of failure in school might use EMDR sessions to internalize a positive resource, such as a professor they admire; after the session they can have a deep sense that that admired figure lives inside them, giving them the confidence to succeed. Often an EMDR therapist will help the client gain strength in this way before starting to unravel the actual trauma, so they’re standing on firmer ground. Once the trauma has been resolved, we can do another process called “future template," which grounds the person in a vision of their ideal future. A client in drug or alcohol recovery might visualize a clean and sober future in very concrete terms, and then experience that future as an inner emotional reality.

As highly effective as EMDR is, it’s one of a number of approaches to heal trauma that have worked for many people in many situations around the world. There’s no “one size fits all" method for healing. The most important truth to keep in mind is that you do not need to spend the rest of your life living in a painful past.


Jill Landefeld, LMFT is a licensed Marriage Family Therapist based in Los Angeles. She works in private practice and with drug rehabs to enable people to recover from trauma.

PTSD Treatment: Tapas Acupressure Technique

We're coming into the homestretch of our month long education about PTSD symptoms, causes, effects and treatment.

Today, an interview with Tapas Fleming, creator of a very popular information processing technique that's shown great results with trauma survivors. Last week, a very cheerful, chatty, informed and giving Tapas provided in-depth answers to my questions. Enjoy!



Tapas, your Tapas Acupressure Technique® (TAT®) has helped thousands of people heal psychological issues. Before we get into the meat of things, describe what, exactly, TAT is.

Michele, TAT is a real easy way to end stress and create a happy life. It combines placing your hands on a few key points near your eyes and at the back of your head while you put your attention on a series of statements.

It's always interesting to me to learn the theory behind a technique. I feel the more we know, the more we get out of treatment and the more we can imagine new ways to apply the ideas even outside of a practitioner's office. Can you explain the theory behind TAT?

Yes – the central idea is that when we’re very stressed or traumatized we become identified with thoughts and beliefs that seem like they’re going to help us make it through. After the trauma has passed, we’re still living our lives stuck in those points of view and it doesn’t work – we can’t relax and be happy.

For example, a real typical point of view that gets born during a trauma that’s extreme enough to result in PTSD would be “I have to be on high alert all the time.” Another one would be “I’m not safe.” These stuck beliefs result in not being able to sleep, not being able to connect with people, always sitting with your back to a wall so you can keep an eye on everything, and so on.

Even though we can see we’re not in the original situation, somehow, we don’t “get it”. We keep operating on old information that doesn’t apply anymore. The points we touch at the front and back of our head with the TAT Pose allow us to “get it”. Acupuncture points have a lowered electrical resistance compared with the rest of our skin and thoughts have electrical fields that easily interact with our bodies at these points. It’s like the particular points of the TAT Pose are a computer port where we can download information. Once the new information is in our system, our body, emotions, chemistry, thoughts, and interpersonal relationships instantaneously update reflecting the new information. Life is often better for us right away.

As the pioneer who developed TAT, give us some background about what motivated or inspired you to develop this breakthrough technique.

In the beginning of the development of TAT, I was just trying to find an easier way to help my acupuncture patients get over allergies. Many of them were very ill with multiple allergies, couldn’t work and didn’t have much money. Even the drive to see me and the drive home were stressful. I wanted to find something that was effective and inexpensive so they wouldn’t have to see me so often and could get a lot of help at each visit.

After I discovered the TAT Pose, I worked with a patient who had been sexually abused as a child. We were doing TAT to help with her allergies. When we finished, she told me that she had no more “charge” on her whole childhood times of abuse. I realized then that TAT could be used to heal traumatic stress. That was really exciting! I’d spent earlier years in my life trying to get over stuff that had happened to me as a child and nothing ever really did it. I knew that lots of other people had all kinds of things that had happened to them that they’d love to get over so they could move on with their lives. I felt that no one wanted to keep imprisoned in old, dark emotional junk – they wanted to be happy and feel loved and be able to love and express their own unique gifts. That’s what inspired me.

TAT was one modality I used during my PTSD healing. I always enjoyed the immediate feeling of in-the-moment centered peace it gave me. Outline for us how TAT works, i.e. what it does/affects in our bodies that effects a change in our minds.

As I mentioned above, thoughts affect our whole system – not just inside our bodies but even how life turns out. We all know this, but haven’t known a real simple way to get our thoughts to really interact with our bodies on a cellular and emotional level. We’ve had plenty of advice to think positive and lots of us have tried it…but it hasn’t really totally “clicked”. The reason TAT really “clicks” is because our thoughts get in there and change everything and…the real beauty of it is that our true nature is peace. As you said, it’s an immediate feeling of in-the-moment centered peace. I’m happy that you know that from your own experience. What’s going on is that we’re no longer identified with something like “Life isn’t safe” as being at the core of our being – we’re just simply being ourselves again and there’s nothing better than that!

Describe for us the general process/steps of TAT.

You place your thumb and fourth finger just above the upper inner corner of each eye and your middle finger just between and a bit above the level of your eyebrows. Then you spend around a minute with your attention on each of several statements. You don’t try to force or resist what’s happening – you just notice what’s going on as you do it. The statements (called the Steps of TAT) include accepting what happened, that it’s over now, forgiveness and apologies, and choosing the positive, happy life we want for ourselves now. All that new information is received and you’re done. You don’t have to say a word and you certainly don’t re-live any trauma doing TAT.

We have the whole process available for free at our website, tatlife.com. It’s available in a dozen languages or so, too.

How effective have you found TAT to be for people struggling with PTSD?

In my experience so far, totally effective. What I mean by effective is: there’s no stress or emotional upset in doing TAT or after, one trauma can be a done deal in around 20 minutes, and life is instantly better. If there are loads of traumas over years, after 10 times or less doing TAT, all that stress is gone. People can sleep -- and without nightmares --, they can be around people, they’re not on hyper-alert, they can connect with their families and they don’t have a plan to kill themselves anymore. The part of them that was left on the battlefield or as a frightened child or whatever the scene was that resulted in PTSD, returns to them in the here and now and they’re whole and integrated.

For someone who's anxious about trying a new and unknown therapy, what tips would you give someone to get them prepared for their first session?

Feel at ease knowing that it’s normal to be anxious, critical or even cynical about something like this. Some people think “If this is so great, how come everyone doesn’t already know about it?” Other people think “It isn’t possible something this easy could help me.” It’s OK to give it a try even though those thoughts and feelings are there. You don’t have to “believe in it” for it to work.

The first thing people do who’ve never done TAT before is to do the TAT Pose with their attention on thoughts like:

“TAT will never work for me. It’s too simple to be of any value.” And then, people do the TAT Pose with their attention on thoughts like, “TAT is easy and it’s possible it could work for me.” We’re not saying it’s going to work, just that it’s possible. It’s all there in the free how-to download.

Doing that clears the way to give it a try and see for yourself.

If someone wants to try TAT, what's the best resource for finding an accredited practitioner?

Our website, www.tatlife.com, has a listing of Certified TAT Professionals who are trained to help people reduce traumatic stress or any stress and create a happy, healthy life. Many of these folks work over the phone, so anyone can find someone they like and give it try.

Thank you so much for your time, Tapas. Any last words to offer people in support of their PTSD healing journey?

Thank you for the chance to get the word out about TAT, Michele. To you who are still suffering with PTSD, my heart really goes out to you. I imagine that if I were you reading a little interview like this, I might think, “Oh yeah, sure. You want me to believe that something this easy can help a problem I’ve been seriously suffering with for years? You just don’t get it, lady. I’ve been trying all kinds of stuff for this and I’ve only had a tiny bit of relief now and again. Why should I try this?”

My reply is that I’m still amazed that this works the way it does and I’ve been using it around 15 years. Even now, when I’m in the middle of some negative belief that has me in its grip, I still am wondering if TAT is really going to work on this one. Then, around 15 minutes later, my eyes are big with amazement and I’m saying “Good old TAT. Wow! I feel so much better.”

I invite you watch videos by a recent combat veteran and read what few combat soldiers who had PTSD have written about it here. You might also like hearing the audio interview with a retired colonel who used TAT for his PTSD, a therapist who has worked with veterans for 25 years, a man who had PTSD since Vietnam, and a TAT Trainer who participated in a two-week course for combat veterans are interviewed about TAT.

We’re just about to get card decks printed that show you how to do TAT for getting over stress from any trauma and put into action the process of creating your happy life. (They also work for playing any card game.) TAT is that easy. If you want to be informed about when the card decks are available, get on our list at tat4trauma.com and we’ll let you know as soon as we have them in hand.

You have my best wishes for your happiness and health. You’re my inspiration for creating TAT and getting it out there.

I have a request: if you try it and it helps you, please get the word out about it.

Michele, thank you for helping get the word out about TAT. Thank you for all that you do to help us all be happy.



Do you have experience with TAT? If you've tried it or heard about someone's success leave a comment!


(Photo: Tapas Fleming)

Professional Perspective: Adding A Resource Person

Julie Levin (MFT, CHT) specializes in relief from anxiety and related behaviors in both individuals and couples. Recently, I asked her what she thought made survivors resilient. Her answer:

"One of the things I'm becoming aware of as I use EMDR more is the importance of a 'resource' person ... or a person who believes in the survivor and ideally loves or cares about him/her. I think this is a big factor in resiliency."

I found this idea interesting and asked Julie to elaborate. While her answer below applies to EMDR, the theory of a resource person can be applied and employed in any kind of therapy.

Sometimes clients get stuck when doing EMDR. They get into a loop or go blank, and the technique of recalibrating - going back to the old belief and getting a measurement, then re-starting the EMDR process - doesn't seem to be working. When I studied EMDR with Philip Manfield, he introduced us to the concept of a "Resource Person", the mental image of someone who knows and cares about the client, who can imaginatively step into the process and offer guidance or support.

The client is asked to think of someone who is safe, respectful, nurturing and loving. Often a grandparent or teacher will come to mind. Clients are discouraged from using immediate family members because often there is some ambivalence. When clients can't think of a real person, I broaden the question to include anyone, a celebrity, an historical figure, or a spiritual figure who would know their new belief was 100% true if they ever met. Most clients can come up with someone. Some clients will come up with several people and I incorporate them as one resource, like a cheering squad.

Philip recommends "installing" the resource with two or three short (10-12 reps), faster rounds of EMDR while the client holds an image of the resource person in their mind. I've found that I can even ask a stuck client to think of someone and just invite the resource into their processing right in the middle of things. So a client is stuck and says, "I can't get past this belief" or "I keep going blank" and I say, "Who do you know that knows your true self and still loves you?" They come up with someone, and I say, "Good, bring that person with you into the stuck place." This is usually enough to get the therapeutic process going again.

Clients know exactly what they need. The image of the resource person allows them to access and accept guidance, encouragement, support - or whatever is needed at that point. People usually have a strong mental image of this person who knows something about their value, strength, resilience, or even a more accurate perspective on the trauma than they have. And this resource helps them get past blocks or resistance.

I've become more creative with the resource person, incorporating it at the end of an EMDR session, when the client is locking in the new belief. "Hear your resource person telling you ______" (insert new belief here). I have clients tell me that their resource person becomes an active part of their inner dialogue long after an EMDR session. Juicy stuff.

I love the idea of a resource person. It's sort of a way to allow our own inner voice to have a say even when we don't trust it. By giving the voice to someone we do trust our own instincts can develop strength.

So, what do you think? Do you have a resource person? Would you try this tactic? Do you feel it would be useful? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

'Professional Perspective' is a weekly feature highlighting a therapist or other healing oriented practitioner's view of some positive aspect in the healing process. If you'd like to contribute, please email me with ideas, topics, and suggestions: parasitesof.themind @ yahoo.com.

(Photo: Julie Levin)

PTSD Treatment: Tapping Away Your Fears and Traumas With Thought Field Therapy

During my PTSD healing, I tried every information processing technique there is. Thought Field Therapy (TFT) is another tapping exercise that can provide substantial results.














Today, Joanne Callahan, wife and partner of TFT's founder, Dr. Roger Callahan, wrote a guest post for us explaining the history of TFT and its benefits. Happy tapping!


How Thought Field Therapy Came to Be

This year we celebrate the 30 year anniversary of the discovery of a revolutionary form of healing, originally called Callahan Techniques and now commonly known as Thought Field Therapy (TFT). TFT was discovered and developed by California clinical psychologist, Dr. Roger Callahan.

The first person Dr. Roger Callahan treated with this method was Mary, a woman in her 40s who had a severe phobia of water. According to Mary and her relatives, she had had this phobia ever since she was an infant. Water was so terrifying to Mary that she could not take baths in a full tub of water and was terrified every time it rained. She often had nightmares of water getting her. And, although she lived in California, she could not go to the beach, because the very sight of water caused her unbearable anxiety.

Dr. Callahan had been working with Mary using a wide variety of conventional psychotherapy techniques for a year and a half with very little progress. Even though he had tried every technique available at the time, all he had been able to do for her was get her to the point where she could sit on the edge of his swimming pool and reluctantly dangle her legs in the water. Even this filled her with anxiety. When she sat by the pool, she couldn’t bear to look at the water. She left each session with a splitting headache due to the extreme stress of the treatment and being exposed to water for the whole session.

During one of these tortuous sessions with poor Mary, he decided to try an experiment. She had repeatedly mentioned that every time she thought of water she got an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. Throughout his career, Dr. Callahan was never satisfied with the usual psychological treatments and was continually looking for better procedures. He had been studying energy meridian points on the body (the same ones used in acupuncture), and had learned the location of the end point to the stomach meridian, which was directly under the eyes.

Not expecting much of anything to happen, he asked Mary to tap under her eyes. After doing so, much to his astonishment, she exclaimed, “It’s gone! That horrible feeling I get in the pit of my stomach when I think about water is completely gone!” At first he didn’t believe her. She then leapt up out of her chair and ran towards his swimming pool. Concerned that she couldn’t swim and might jump in the pool, he ran after her. Mary responded, “Don’t worry, Dr. Callahan, I know I can’t swim”, which was an indication that although the treatment completely removed her fear, it did not make her stupid. Mary went to the pool, free of all traces of her fear of water.

Mary has remained free of all traces of her life-long phobia of water since her very brief treatment nearly thirty years ago. The nightmares also vanished, never to return. After the astonishing results with Mary, Dr. Callahan went on to try this technique on other patients. As he made additional discoveries, he began to have success with other phobics. He also found that not only could he quickly eliminate irrational fears (phobias), modifications and further development of these techniques allowed him to be able to help people who had upsets and trauma that had a basis in reality. The phobic person knows that their fears are irrational, yet cannot help feeling afraid. By contrast, someone who has suffered from a catastrophic event, such as being raped or robbed, has good reason to be upset. He found that TFT can also heal the effects of trauma, loss and grief.

How TFT Has Evolved
Throughout the 1980s, Dr. Callahan made refinements that increased the success rate. At the time, he called the procedures the Callahan Techniques. By the 1990s, he had developed very rapid, highly effective techniques for a large variety of problems. He participated in a research project at Florida State University in a search for the cure for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and due to that study renamed the procedures Thought Field Therapy (TFT). The study resulted in an article stating:

"If it had been a horse race, which the investigators as well as the innovators were all at pains to deny, the TFT contingent would have won, hands down. Requiring virtually nothing in the way of personal interaction, TFT can bypass all that tedious therapeutic business of joining, empathy, history taking, reprocessing and the like, and zero in on the problem immediately at hand. With 10-minute treatments not at all unusual?"...Mary Sykes Wylie, Ph.D., Senior Editor, "The Family Therapy Networker, July/Aug, 1996."

Where TFT Is Today
TFT is now in its thirtieth year of development and has simple, non-invasive, drug-free, procedures that are equally effective across gender, age, cultures and species. It has evolved from helping simple psychological problems thru two decades of helping to heal physical problems and a decade of raising consciousness and opening channels to spirituality. TFT truly addresses nature’s healing system, working with our mind, body and spirit to launch natural healing processes.

It has been successfully used to help solve many of the problems we are all faced with on a daily basis:

Stress, fears and phobias
Depression
General anxiety and panic disorders
Anger and guilt
Trauma and PTSD
Shame
Love pain and grief
Embarrassment
Physical pain
Negativity, self sabotage
Compulsion behaviors
Addictive urges
Weight loss
Eating disorders

Most importantly, TFT has been used to heal the traumas of war in Kosovo, the traumas of natural disasters such as hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the horrors of genocide in Rwanda. We believe that if we can provide fast, effective relief for trauma, we have made a step toward breaking the cycle of violence triggered by past trauma.

Dr. Callahan and Joanne Callahan, as President of the ATFT Foundation, are currently leading a program to help our returning soldiers with a Freedom R & R’s program with Timeshares for Vets. For more information about this program or to learn about the previous trauma relief programs visit the foundations web site at www.ATFTFoundation.org .

Dr. Callahan offers free copies of his newsletter and Free Trauma help on his web site, www.TFTRX.com . You can also visit his blog at hwww.RogerCallahan.com/news


To see a video testimonial click here.

(Photo: Joanne & Roger Callahan)

PTSD Treatment: Emotional Freedom Technique

John R. Garrett is a Vietnam Vet (1970-71), Retired Deputy Sheriff (2002), Realtor, and Andalusian Horse Breeder. He lives in Parker, Colorado, and… he’s a pro at the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Because of this, I asked him to do an interview that would lay out the basics of EFT for us. We’re in luck because the MindGuy (as he’s called on Twitter) responded to my questions with an extensive explanation and background on EFT so that we can really see what this PTSD treatment option is all about.

What is Emotional Freedom Technique?

The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is an energy psychology process where the individual taps energy meridian points to release negative emotions surrounding an incident or issue.

How was EFT developed?

EFT was developed by Gary Craig, an engineer by education. EFT is based on the Thought Field Therapy techniques developed by Dr Roger Callahan in California in the late 1980s. You can visit the Emofree site for additional information.

Why does EFT work?

When an individual experiences a physical or mental trauma, the body reacts to the circumstances with various physical changes. One of those is a disruption in the flow of energy. Once the threat abates, the body then reverts back to its normal condition, most of the time. There are times, however, when some part of the energy system gets “stuck”. Then, when the person is exposed to a similar set of circumstances, the person’s reaction is affected by the “stuck” portion of the system.

In EFT, we stimulate the energy points while thinking of the upset and overcome the “blocks”, clearing the pathways. This results in the elimination of the negative emotions attached to the memory. It doesn’t change the memory, just the emotional reaction to it.

Is EFT effective?

EFT is effective in that the relief experienced by the client is, at times, immediate and in follow-up contacts, the changes were holding. There are quite a number of studies that show that effect. Another study showed that the levels of cortisol (a stress relieving hormone that is secreted into the body when it is stressed), which saw little or no change after other traditional techniques, or no treatment at all, was reduced by an average of 25% after one hour of EFT. There is a 19 minute video that people can view at http://www.emofree.com/splash/video_vets.asp, which shows the speed and effectiveness of the process.

What is the process of EFT?

The Basic Recipe of EFT is:

Determine what issue you are going to work on.

Establish your Subjective Unit of Discomfort Scale (SUDS) level.

Set-up: While tapping the Karate Chop Point, state your situation three times:

“Even though I have this (Your Issue), I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

Create your reminder phrase, (2-5 words to stay focused).

Sequence: While stating your reminder phrase, tap 5 – 9 times at each of the following points:

1. H - Top of Head, 3”-4 “ from forehead.
2. EB - Eyebrow: Point of the eyebrow over the nose.
3. SE – Side of Eye: Bone of the outside corner of the eye.
4. UE – Under the Eye: Bone under the eye.
5. UN – Under the Nose: Area between bottom of the nose and top of upper lip.
6. CH – Chin: Midway between lower lip and point of the chin.
7. CB – Collarbone: Point where the collarbone and first rib meet.
8. UA – Under the Arm: Side of body, approximately 4” below armpit.
9. KC – Karate Chop: Side of hand, middle of fleshy part between wrist and little finger knuckle.

After each round, re-establish your SUDS level. Continue to tap until the level is 0 or as low at you are comfortable with.

What are the benefits of EFT?

The benefits of EFT are that it is effective, easy to use, easy to learn, and if used in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic incident, can prevent further emotional distress. Another benefit is that the speed of the process compared to conventional therapies is amazing. One study mentioned that the mean number of visits for EFT was 3 versus 15 visits for conventional therapies.

As I mentioned earlier, most clients experience positive results almost immediately. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are done, just that there were improvements. Each individual’s issue is made up of various aspects. We may need to tap for each aspect to completely eliminate the issue. An additional benefit may be that other incidents in the clients history may contain similar aspects and those will be cleared as well.

Gary Craig, in 1995, worked with several Vietnam Vets who were being treated by the VA in California. All were on various medications and other traditional treatments. One vet said he had a number of memories of incidents that caused him emotional distress. After working on several of those memories, all negative emotions attached to the others were gone. He could talk about the incidents without any distress. So, the benefits of working on one memory can extend over into another memory.

What type of emotional issue(s) is EFT best at relieving?

EFT can be used for anything at any time. In fact, it is very effective in the immediate aftermath of an incident to ease the immediate emotional distress and prevent further distress. Since EFT is self-administered (the client does the tapping, the therapist just guides the process), once the client learns the procedure he can use it anywhere, both in and out of the practitioner’s office. Some people, who have used EFT for some time, have even been equally successful in just thinking about the tapping point, which activates it, while reciting the reminder phrase.


John Garrett began as a hypnotherapist after using hypnosis to stop a 30 year smoking habit. He learned about and received training in EFT in the mid 1990s. He attained the EFT-CC designation in 1995 and EFT-ADV in 2008. For over 14 years, he has used EFT, hypnosis and other techniques to help people overcome negative habits, eliminate negative emotional attachments and beliefs about Columbine, Combat, Shooting Incidents, Equestrian Issues, and other blocks to personal and professional performance. John's web site can be found at http://www.ommtech.com/. He can be reached at 303-884-3566.

To see EFT in action click here.

(Photo: John Garrett)

Professional Perspective: One Therapist's View on the Client/Therapist Relationship

From time to time, I think it’s good for those of us who are healing to hear from those who are trying to help us do that. So, a new sporadic Sunday feature: ‘Professional Perspective’ begins today with a guest post by Lisa Canon M.B.A., M.H., Chairman and Founder of Holistic Health. In addition to a web site about holistic healing, Lisa also writes the blog, Holistic Counselor.


As a counselor I have chosen to focus my practice on helping people heal from relationship trauma. It has been one of the most fulfilling choices I have made thus far in my life. I am a survivor of relationship trauma myself, so I connect with my clients in a unique way. While I climbed my way out of the hole that I had dug for myself during my relationship, I realized that I needed to do the work to back fill that hole. I was fortunate to have a mentor who believed in self empowerment. She helped me through my baby steps and gave me the courage to look my dysfunctional behavior in the eye. I have continued the process over many years and use those same principles in my own practice.

My clients are people who are capable in many areas of their lives. They come for help because they are having problems in their relationships. These relationships can be with parents, siblings, friends, partners or business associates. I see myself as a guide. Someone who points them in the direction they might like to go, and offers tools to help them get there. I commit to helping them achieve their goal of healthier relationships.

When clients first arrive I tell them that this is a self help program and I expect them to do 90% of the work on their own. I explain that I will be asking them to read publications and work a program of books that will help them gain the insights they need to make the changes they want in their lives. They will be given weekly assignments, homework, that I hope they will take to heart. I explain that the more they put into the program, the more they will get out of it.

The work clients do on their own increases their ability to be self reliant and raises their self esteem. One of the most serious effects of relationship trauma is the loss of self trust. When we begin to doubt our ability to discern the truth in a situation, we are unable to decide how to protect ourselves or how to respond. Working through this program allows clients to find their inner voice and to begin to trust themselves once again. They do the work on their own at home and discuss what they learned about themselves during sessions. In this way they gradually build both self esteem and self trust.

Homework is essential to this type of program. I recommend a series of books based on my initial assessment of the clients overall health, taking into account their history of prior self help work and their personal goals. There is a book list on the homepage of my blog. In addition to books I give clients personalized assignments based on what they are learning and the barriers they are experiencing. These assignments are short but can be quite difficult emotionally as they target the basic issues that need to be faced. Clients are taught guided imagery as we practice together in sessions and are reminded to practice this extremely effective relaxation tool on their own frequently. We practice deep breathing as a part of this tool.

Spirituality is also a large part of my practice. I do not favor any particular religious practices but do encourage clients to begin to have a relationship with their higher power… whatever that may mean to them. This aspect of the program allows clients to realize that they are part of a larger world and begins to initiate the process of faith in themselves and their own higher power.