RAT 2 Flashcards
What did van der Kolk’s teacher say is the greatest source of suffering?
“The lies we tell ourselves.”
What is the hardest thing for traumatized people to confront?
The shame about how they behaved during the traumatic experience—whether warranted or not. This includes what they did or did not do.
Why might ‘flashbacks’ be worse than the actual traumatic event?
Traumatic events have a beginning, middle, and end, but flashbacks can occur unexpectedly, with no clear resolution.
What is the relationship between trauma and imagination?
Trauma can impair the ability to imagine and be mentally flexible. Instead of engaging in imaginative thought, traumatized individuals often replay their trauma, leading to a lack of hope, future goals, and engagement in life.
Why might veterans feel most alive when revisiting the past?
“Somehow the very event that caused them so much pain had also become their sole source of meaning.”
What is van der Kolk’s rule for working with patients?
“If you do something to a patient that you would not do to your friends or children, consider whether you are unwittingly replicating a trauma from the patient’s past.”
What did van der Kolk’s mentor, Elvin Semrad, say about human suffering?
“Most human suffering is related to love and loss, and the job of therapists is to help people ‘acknowledge, experience, and bear’ the reality of life—with all its pleasures and heartbreak.”
What do traumatized dogs teach us about working with traumatized clients?
Like dogs subjected to inescapable shock, traumatized people may not escape harmful situations, even when given the opportunity. They may freeze, collapse, or remain stuck in fear.
Why might traumatized people seek out stressful experiences?
Similar to addiction, they may crave the physiological arousal of stress, even if it is harmful.
What are the downsides of psychiatric medication?
Medications can suppress symptoms but often do not address underlying trauma, preventing true healing.
What ‘truths’ does the medical model overlook, and why is this important for social workers?
(1) Healing relationships are central to well-being.
(2) Language helps people make sense of experiences.
(3) Physiological regulation can be influenced by breathing, movement, and touch.
(4) Social conditions shape healing environments.
Ignoring these dimensions can strip people of their autonomy and isolate them from their communities.
How does trauma affect the brain’s response to stress?
The traumatized brain overreacts to mild stress and struggles to return to baseline.
What happens in the brain when a traumatic trigger occurs?
The amygdala activates, leading to a cascade of stress hormones that prepare the body for fight or flight.
What is the difference between the left and right brain in processing trauma?
Right brain: Emotional, sensory, and reactive to past imprints.
Left brain: Logical, analytical, and processes facts and sequences.
Trauma can disrupt this balance, causing the emotional brain to overpower logical processing.
How does trauma disrupt executive functioning?
Trauma can impair the left brain, (1) making it difficult to organize thoughts, (2) understand cause and effect, and (3) plan for the future.
What happens when the right brain is overactive in trauma?
People may feel as though the trauma is happening in the present, leading to intense emotions without conscious awareness of the trigger.
What does trauma mean? check this
Not the story of something that happened back then, but the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside [the individual]
What is the significance behind the title The Body Keeps the Score?
Even after trauma has ended, the brain and body may continue responding as if the threat is still present.
What is the difference between effective action and immobilization?
Effective action: The body responds appropriately to danger and restores equilibrium.
Immobilization: The body shuts down, leading to helplessness and disconnection.
What are mirror neurons?
Neurons that allow us to pick up on others’ emotions, intentions, and movements, helping us synchronize with social interactions.
What does it mean that the emotional brain has ‘first dibs’ on information?
Trauma can cause an overactive danger response, leading to misinterpretations of safety and danger in daily interactions.
What are top-down and bottom-up regulation strategies for trauma?
Top-down: Strengthening awareness (e.g., mindfulness, cognitive therapies).
Bottom-up: Recalibrating physiological responses (e.g., breathwork, movement, touch).
What is dissociation?
A state of disconnection from the present, making it difficult to feel engaged in daily life.
What is grounding?
A practice that helps individuals stay present and recognize that trauma is in the past.
What is depersonalization?
Feeling detached from oneself, often resulting in numbness or a sense of unreality.
What did Darwin understand about trauma?
When stuck in survival mode, people cannot engage in connection, imagination, or learning.
What did Porges’ Polyvagal Theory contribute to trauma treatment?
Trauma effects the nervous system and must be “reset” to allow safety and connection. Feeling safe is essential for mental health.
What is neuroception?
The brain’s subconscious ability to detect safety or danger.
Why might clients self-harm?
To feel alive or regulate overwhelming emotions.
Why might traumatized people lack self-awareness?
Trauma disrupts sensory processing, making it harder to recognize bodily sensations and emotions.
What is the ‘Mohawk of self-awareness’?
The midline brain structures, including the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), that regulate self-awareness.
What is agency in the context of trauma?
The feeling of control over one’s life and the ability to shape circumstances.
What is interoception, and why is it important?
The ability to sense internal bodily states, which is essential for emotional regulation.
Why is mindfulness a core element of trauma treatment?
It strengthens self-awareness and helps individuals observe their inner experiences without reactivity.
How might group therapy benefit trauma survivors?
It helps individuals form safe, reciprocal relationships and practice social engagement.
