Untitled Document

ALL LEVELS

Aaron (age 10) --"school phobia" (All levels)
Shortly after starting at a new school, Aaron began a pattern of frequent vomiting (including projectile vomiting). During the first session, unfinished feelings from his parent's divorce five years ago were identified. (This reduced the vomiting episodes.) In the second session, we discovered a deeper root of the problem --a hernia operation one year prior to the onset of school problems. After this session, the vomiting ceased completely and Aaron became enthusiastic about school. This work is a good example of emotional and shock issues layered in resolving the target (gastrointestinal) symptoms.

Bonita --Plane crash (All levels)
In this series of tapes, the client presents acute post traumatic stress symptoms after digesting a brownie Containing live maggots. During the initial session (not recorded), we discover a connection between this event and two previous airplane crashes. In the first two tapes we negotiate these incidents finding a "coincidence of space time" and take a look at patterns of reenactment. Tape three is a couples session with Bonita and her husband, helping to integrate the trauma resolution in their relationship.

Gladys --85 year old widow and unresolved grief (All levels)
On each anniversary of her husband's death (approx. 12 years ago), Gladys experienced severe anxiety and increased cardiac symptoms. This session demonstrates simple imagery techniques to help focus on the core grief issues and returning to body sensation. This gradual moving through the stuck grief, aids with the completion of unfinished business.

Jan --Father's suicide (All levels)
As a young child Jan witnessed her father hanging in a closet. She was later hospitalized as an adult and participated in a form of cathartic group therapy, which was deeply re-traumatizing. In the initial sessions with this client, we see the importance of working indirectly while establishing a sense of "groundedness," boundaries, and support.

Jim --Paraplegic (All levels)
Jim, young doctor injured in a skiing accident, questions the possibility that some aspects of his recovery might be related to incomplete response at the time of the accident. In filtering through his predominantly "left brain" style, we work through a sequence of (understated) life-threatening accidents gradually moving towards the immobility shock core from the ski accident. In the second session, we work with a dream in order to integrate emotional being with his primarily doing and achieving structure.

Jody --Head Injury (All levels)
Jody came to this work as a result of suffering from chronic head, neck and back pain. (DX of chronic "fibromyalgia" and chronic fatigue syndrome.) She had fallen on ice a year previously and became incapacitated after the fall. In addition, 22 years prior she had been attacked by a psychotic man who smashed her head and skull with the butt of a hunting rifle. These taped sessions show Jody struggle with her virtual complete amnesia, identifying the healing vortex through a dream image and the use of micro- movement. This series of tapes show good examples of loosening fight/ flight over coupling, re-associating profound fragmentation, spontaneous distress vocalizations and other mammalian orienting defensive responses.

Laura - Motorcycle Accident (All levels; three DVD's six sessions no additional charge)
Laura suffered severe injuries from a motorcycle accident. The first session provides an introduction to basic self-regulation to a client who overwhelms very easily. Also valuable for learning how to inform the client about the nature of trauma and Somatic Experiencing. Additional sessions provide information on: establishing resources the client can use in daily life, how to move disassociation (undercoupling) into integration, work with the 'thread' of meaning in trauma and creating new meaning, and developmental issues.

Lorin --Amputation (All levels)
This six tape series demonstrates Lorin's healing sequence after the loss of one of his hands in a farm machine accident. The work shown of these tapes is significant to understanding the depth of existential experiencing in healing severe trauma. In resolving Lorin's phantom pain syndrome ("phantom pleasure"), an important model is suggested for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Some of the material presented is difficult viewing due to its graphic and emotional content, and may be omitted without loss of understanding.

Mike (age 2) --Drowning (All levels)
This session, with both Mike and his four year-old sister, demonstrates the use of traumatic play to re- negotiate a drowning/ clinical death with a non-verbal child. In Part 1, Mike is shown a picture of a swimming pool. Here we see Mike reenact and rework several versions of his fall into the pool, gradually re- establishing orienting and defensive responses, which culminate in a bronchial expelling reflex. In addition, Mike's sister (who found Mike in the pool) is able to express her emotional reactions of horror grief and guilt. Part 2 of this tape depicts a training class where I discuss my work with the two children. Since much of the critical work is non-verbal, analysis of this tape is of great value in understanding Part 1.

BEGINNING LEVEL

Gisalene/ Snakebite (Beginning level)
This is appropriate for the beginning student or as a review to study classic coupling dynamics. Gisalene experienced a snake-bite requiring 5 injections of anti-venom to both legs. Gisalene presents an overcoupling pattern that leads to deep discharge and the restoration of orienting and defensive responses. The discharge allows undercoupled elements to come forward and memories of the event to emerge. This session is valuable for observing timing of pendulation, verbal support, and invoking resources. Following is a short session of Peter demonstrating micromovement with a student who has an overcoupled pattern of neck and shoulder tension. There are very specific explanations from Peter as he works with coupling dynamics and moving between the counter and trauma vortices. Peter emphasizes use of wording. This is an ideal learning session for the basic Somatic Experiencing principles.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

Sally - Recent Surgery (Intermediate level)
Sally had a recent surgery for a growth on her ovary. The procedure involved a low incision with general anesthesia. Her symptoms were fatigue, sensitivity to air blowing on her, feeling cold, and the slow return of her abilities. In this session, she is led through two cycles to uncouple her autonomic system from the surgery and anesthesia trauma. At the end of the session her body has warmed until she is hot and feels her vital self returning. This session is valuable for dealing with surgery and anesthesia and mastering skillful control of activation through words and touch.

ADVANCED LEVEL

Jules --Anesthesia laden trauma (Advanced level)
Two years ago at the age of ten, Jules fell 21 ft. out of a tree and badly broke his leg requiring several surgeries. Massive amounts of anesthesia were used during his many surgeries and (according to his father); Jules became terrified and fought the anesthesia. This taped session demonstrates working into the deep structure of the trauma vortex. The key in working through the anesthesia laden trauma vortex is in the identification of the defense orienting process. This work supports returning to the fall phase, thus allowing Jules to surface from the deep anesthesia process. While this type of work is clearly only appropriate for advanced students with consultation, much can be learned about the tracking processes for all students.

Russell/ Car Accident/ Eye work (Advanced level)
This is a valuable study for the advanced student and/or practitioner and demonstrates how much energy can be locked in the eyes. Russell suffered from severe injuries due to a car accident Peter works with Russell by tracking his eyes, finding the areas of discontinuity and allowing for very deep discharge. A period of loss of consciousness is explored resulting in the re-negotiation of an altered state experience.