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“As I discussed in the previous chapter, attachment researchers have shown that our earliest caregivers don't only feed us, dress us, and comfort us when we are upset; they shape the way our rapidly growing brain perceives reality. Our interactions with our caregivers convey what is safe and what is dangerous: whom we can count on and who will let us down; what we need to do to get our needs met. This information is embodied in the warp and woof of our brain circuitry and forms the template of how we think of ourselves and the world around us. These inner maps are remarkably stable across time. This doesn‘t mean, however, that our maps can‘t be modified by experience. A deep love relationship, particularly during adolescence, when the brain once again goes through a period of exponential change, truly can transform us. So can the birth of a child, as our babies often teach us how to love. Adults who were abused or neglected as children can still learn the beauty of intimacy and mutual trust or have a deep spiritual experience that opens them to a larger universe. In contrast, previously uncontaminated childhood maps can become so distorted by an adult rape or assault that all roads are rerouted into terror or despair. These responses are not reasonable and therefore cannot be changed simply by reframing irrational beliefs.”

TraumaParentsChild AbuseRapeMind And BodyAbuse SurvivorsSurvivorsWorld ViewHealing InsightsSurvivors Of AbuseComplex PtsdMind Body ConnectionAbusive ParentsEffects Of Child AbuseRape SurvivorsCare Givers
Book:The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
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“Generally the rational brain can override the emotional brain, as long as our fears don’t hijack us. (For example, your fear at being flagged down by the police can turn instantly to gratitude when the cop warns you that there’s an accident ahead.) But the moment we feel trapped, enraged, or rejected, we are vulnerable to activating old maps and to follow their directions. Change begins when we learn to "own" our emotional brains. That means learning to observe and tolerate the heartbreaking and gut-wrenching sensations that register misery and humiliation. Only after learning to bear what is going on inside can we start to befriend, rather than obliterate, the emotions that keep our maps fixed and immutable.”

FeelingsBrainEmotionsMiseryTraumaHumiliationHealing The PastWorld ViewHealing InsightsTraumatizedHealing The Emotional SelfComplex PtsdHealing AbuseComplex TraumaTrauma TherapyGut Wrenching
Book:The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
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“Beneath the surface of the protective parts of trauma survivors there exists an undamaged essence, a Self that is confident, curious, and calm, a Self that has been sheltered from destruction by the various protectors that have emerged in their efforts to ensure survival. Once those protectors trust that it is safe to separate, the Self will spontaneously emerge, and the parts can be enlisted in the healing process”

PsychologyTraumaNeuroscienceComplex PtsdDissociative DisordersComplex Trauma
Book:The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
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