For most of my life I lived in a suspended cycle of fear initiated by childhood sexual abuse. I continuously wondered when the next abuse might happen. Living this way, in fear and with trauma lurking in the recesses of my body and mind, was life limiting. I developed migraine headaches in my teen’s that grew with intensity and frequency as I got older. I struggled with depression and later, anxiety. That is until the gift of touch helped to release the firm clutch trauma had on me.
It was during my apprenticeship with Navina ® – Thai Yoga Therapy I had a revelation. Touch facilitated a release of trauma stuck in my body and mind, disrupting the cycle of trauma.
First, let’s define Trauma. Trauma is a broad topic and it can be difficult to have a clear definition of it. This one fits the context of this blog – “Psychological Trauma is a type of damage to the mind that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one’s ability to cope, or integrate the emotions involved with that experience.”