Healing Scars: The Treatment of Abuse with Contemplative and Somatic Psychotherapy

Abuse and related trauma can be dark events in many people's lives, leaving profound scars on the psyche, emotions, and body. These traumas can cast a long shadow, affecting personal and professional aspects of life. Whether the abuse was physical, emotional, or psychological, it can disrupt an individual's brain structure and function, manifesting as maladaptive neural pathways, altered brain connectivity, difficulties in emotional processing, misalignment with threat detection, and maladaptive nervous system reactions (Teicher & Samson, 2013).

From the lens of the polyvagal theory, the trauma from abuse can result in chronic dysregulation of the nervous system and social engagement system, making it challenging for survivors to engage with the external world without feeling underlying threats. The nervous system may perceive relationships as unsafe, limiting capacity to feel secure and connected with others. Compensations for the feeling of being unsafe can manifest in any number of ways.

Sadly, the emotional distress and mental dysregulation that often accompany this can worsen the physiological response, leading to increased inflammation in the brain and body. This chronic inflammation, if untreated, can eventually give rise to physical diseases (Felitti et al., 1998). This then cycles back to more mental health challenges with issues playing upon one another until the cycle is broken.

Some Ways Contemplative and Somatic Psychotherapy Can Help

Mindfulness and Self-Compassion: Survivors of abuse can greatly benefit from learning how to be present with their emotions and sensations without judgment (Neff, 2003). Contemplative therapy fosters self-compassion and self-care, encouraging individuals to be kind and gentle with themselves. Recent studies in neuroscience have shown that mindfulness practices can rewire the brain, creating more neuroplasticity, and promoting emotional and mental balance and well-being which can then promote healthier attachments.

Empowerment and Boundaries: Somatic techniques used in therapy can help survivors of abuse regain control over their bodies (Levine, 2010). By recognizing bodily sensations and establishing healthy boundaries in body and mind, survivors can play a pivotal role in their own healing journey, minimizing the risk of further harm while developing body autonomy. Neurobiologically, this process can lead to the re-establishment of neural pathways associated with personal agency and self-protective behaviors.

Resilience Building: Contemplative therapy empowers survivors to tap into their inner strengths, building a sense of empowerment and hope. This process equips them with the tools to navigate the challenging terrain of trauma recovery. Neurologically, fostering resilience involves strengthening the brain's capacity to adapt and recover from adversity (Southwick et al., 2014), while also equipping a person in promoting secure attachment bonds with themselves.

Nervous System and Emotional Regulation: Mindfulness practices access the prefrontal cortex, responsible for impulse control. This aspect is particularly significant for trauma survivors, as it enables them to regain control over reactions and impulses, including assisting with addiction treatment (Hölzel et al., 2011). On the other hand, Somatic Psychotherapy delves into the primal aspects of our brainstem, aiding individuals in reconnecting with their bodies, releasing stored traumatic energy, and regulating deep nervous system responses (Ogden et al., 2006), while contemplative therapy also equips survivors with tools to navigate and manage intense emotions. This includes learning how to identify and label thoughts, emotions, and feelings, allowing for a gentler processing of traumatic experiences.

Body-Mind Integration: Somatic Psychotherapy places emphasis on the connection between the body and mind. This approach helps individuals bridge the gap between their physical and emotional experiences, promoting a deeper understanding of themselves. Neurobiology supports the idea that trauma is stored not only in the mind but also in the body, and somatic therapies can facilitate the release and integration of this stored trauma (Porges, 2017).

Narrative Reconstruction: Both modalities encourage survivors to reconstruct their narratives. By revisiting and reinterpreting their traumatic experiences, they can find new meanings and perspectives, which can be empowering and healing. Recent advances in neuroscience suggest that such narrative changes can lead to shifts in the brain's default mode network, contributing to a more positive sense of self and well-being (Northoff et al., 2006).

By integrating these approaches, both somatic and contemplative psychotherapy can effectively restore balance, reduce symptoms of hyperarousal (fight or flight) or hypoarousal (freeze) associated with trauma. They can help enhance a sense of safety in the world, while developing deeper presence with self and within intimate relationships, all supported by neurobiological processes.

References

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Hölzel, B. K., Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, S. M., Gard, T., & Lazar, S. W. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36-43.

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Payne, P., Levine, P. A., & Crane-Godreau, M. A. (2015). Somatic experiencing: Using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 93.

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Van der Kolk, B. A. (2015). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.