The Neurobiology of Trauma:
Somatic Approaches to Resilience
By Jennifer Walsh
As we have all come to experience over the past several months, trauma is simply a component of the human condition. While it affects both individuals and communities in a variety of ways, we have all experienced difficult, stressful, or even traumatic events over the course of our lifetime. Although social workers have traditionally worked with these vulnerable populations, there are numerous professionals at-risk for vicarious or secondary trauma that should be included in trauma prevention programs such as healthcare workers, teachers, law enforcement and other first responders. The Mindfulness-Based Trauma Prevention Program for Social Work Professionals proposed in this article is a vital resource in reducing the negative impact of chronic stress and trauma on individuals and communities. To further this concept, the authors explain that trauma-based organizational culture is a phenomenon that occurs “when individuals engage in trauma-inducing professions for extended periods of time, not only the individuals themselves but also the very institutions and organizations in which they are working can develop trauma-based behaviors resulting in the breakdown in professional relationships and organizational cohesiveness” (Berceli, Napoli, 2006).
The trauma prevention proposal outlined in the article includes both a mindfulness practice from the Mindfulness-Based Stress Management Program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and the Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) Protocol developed by Dr. David Berceli. Together, these two modalities assist an individual in bringing more awareness into the body and facilitating the release of the stress response all in an effort to return the body to homeostasis. Only when this occurs, does an individual, community or organization build resiliency after a traumatic event. If instituted, this program has far reaching implications beyond trauma prevention for professionals. In understanding the potential long-term effects of trauma, this self-help program can advance equity and social justice within trauma-informed care.
For those who are not familiar, the following videos are a good introduction to TRE®:
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