Childhood Trauma- Non talk ways of processing.

[second time]

Hi I am interested in hearing other peoples story of how they survived, overcome, processed there childhood trauma through ways other then Talk based therapy. When I was a child such therapies were not placed upon my path, I found my ways of processing these traumas through martial arts, shiatsu, writting, art dance. Recently these traumas have resurfaced with my brothers suicide as it is intimately connected to the rest of the story where these traumas lay, such as fathers suicide, mother suffering and dying with ms abuse and more.

My tools I discovered to process such trauma again are called in for action.

[Sophie_M]

Dear second time,

Thank you for sharing your story with us all so openly here on the forums. Your willingness to share, be authentic and vulnerable with your journey is so couragous and we love that when you share, not only do you open yourself up to support and connection with our active members here on the forum, but your story can also help others who read this post and resonate. This is what makes this space such an important and valued space for mental health.

I just want to remind you that you're not alone - we're always here for you, and if you ever wish to talk on the phone (1300 22 4636), or utilise our online chat service, to talk through moments like these with our trained counsellors, we'd love to hear from you. All chats/calls are free, confidential and we're available 24/7.

It's also great to hear that you have tools that you do use to help you process your trauma, and we'd love to hear what you do use that you find helpful as well?

Kind regards,

Sophie M

[Leisa68]

Hi, second time,

I recently just went through a downward spiral myself in which I had to use other therapies besides talk therapies to help me. I have a lot of literature that helps me, self-help books like "The body keeps the score" by Bessel Van Der Kolk (very good for survivors}, so I open and read certain chapters of books that I have regularly thumbed through and have marked for certain things I might spiral about. I also read Bipolar Disorder a self-help guide and that is well-thumbed for me to turn to certain chapters to help me when I am unwell. There are other things as well but this is the thing I mostly turn to.

I hope this helps a little.

Leisa68

[mmMekitty]

Hello second time,

Through my teenage years, there was one brief moment when I might have been given therapy, but because (as it seems to me now) nobody, myself & everyone around me, & even the psychiatriist, didn'tseem to have a clue, so the opportunity was not taken up, probably because I said the wrong answer & from that the decision was made not to take me to see him again.

I was singing by then,& I feel that helped me to express emotions, the singers' emotions at any rate, so sort of mine by proxy when I sang.

Later I was writing. I din't pay much attention to what I was writing, but I wrote. I'm sure there is a lot of subconscious stuff in that writing.

I made some paintings too, beginning when I first saw a Psychiatrist myself. He wanted me to talk, & patiently waited until I was ready. I used some of these paintings to begin.

I still write, thinking about what I write, turning it into something more directly expressive, I hope,

I think it's great you have found ways of expressing yourself, & thereby coping & dealing with your past. I am intrigued by how you use martial arts, shiatsu & art dance, although, for me, 'doing' something physical is extremely difficult. Even speaking loudly is very difficult. I want to; I don't know how to 'let go'.

At first, even naming what I was feeling, & turning memories into spoken words was so very difficult. What I gained was someone to hear, listen & respond. Someone who would ask questions, to help me make sense of the turmoil I was in.

I get a sense, like me, & many others, you hold things in there, & then something happens & it seems everything falls out. all over you. It seems such a tangled mess.

I found naming what was there the was one of the very helpful thing I've done. Also, from talking a little with that Psychiatrist, I learned I didn't have to keep it all inside, that I could tell someone, & suurvive. Feeling what I felt wasn't going to be the end of me either.

When it works well, & since I have had a very good professional relationship with my current Psychiatrist, so much more than the talking has been available to me. It might seem like talking is all there is to therapy, but it's like, talking is only the beginning..

Warmly,❤️❤️❤️

mmMekitty

[Eagle Ray]

Hi second time. I have found different non-talk based therapies/activities have helped at different times.

About 15 years ago I joined a singing group. I was in a lot of physical pain at the time as well as emotional turmoil. There was something uplifting about singing in a group and a profound letting go when expressing through the voice. I’d never been confident at singing before but already played guitar, and after that started writing my own songs.

More recently I was helped by a very gentle yin/restorative yoga class. The teacher was very wise and supportive which helped greatly.

In recent weeks it has been walking. I’m processing both grief and trauma and my body just takes me for these long walks, like it knows what’s best for me to help process.

Doing photography is of huge help to me. I do a lot of nature-based landscape and wildlife photography. When immersed in it nothing else affects me. This kind of focussed absorption apparently helps to calm the default mode network where we can get trapped in rumination.

Last year I had some therapy sessions with a method called TRE (Trauma Releasing Exercises) combined with BWRT (Brain Working Recursive Therapy). It was quite effective in addressing a recent single PTSD incident I was trying to recover from, but not as much complex childhood trauma. Happy to explain further about these if you like. Neither involved having to retell traumatic experiences. The BWRT involved only briefly tapping into a bad experience within your own feelings/senses before shifting to alternate positive feelings/senses/memories.

I’ve read two books by Peter Levine on his Somatic Experiencing method - In an Unspoken Voice and Trauma & Memory. I’ve watched some videos of his too. I find his approach really helpful but haven’t been able to find the right therapist to do the work with as yet.

Equine Therapy - did a session of this last year. It was specifically called Equine Assisted Learning. This was helpful in finding things out about myself while working with a horse.

Time spent with dogs. I don’t own one but have lived with other dogs and think I will be getting one sooner or later.

Mindfulness meditation - hasn’t worked when I’ve been strongly dissociated from acute trauma, but has helped at other times.

Bowen Therapy - gives the nervous system a reset, helping to activate the parasympathetic rest-and-digest mode.

Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges which I’ve read a lot about.

Just ordered two books by Gabor Mate yesterday.