What neuroscience and neurofeedback can teach psychotherapists in the fieid of complex trauma: Interoception, neuroception and the embodiment of unspeakable events in treatment of complex PTSD, dissociative disorders and childhood traumatization

Abstract

Some reflections are given on neuroplasticity and traumatization. Today, we know that the verbal narrative of a traumatic event rarely is sufficient to resolve more complex mental traumatization. The ultimate goal of phase-oriented trauma therapy (Herman, 1992) is integration of the often-fragmented sensory and emotional elements of nonverbal memory. Otherwise, the nonverbal experience fragments may remain for many years after traumatic experiences, sometimes lifelong. Therefore, it is important that psychotherapy activates curiosity and joy and at the same time soothes and lowers feelings of fear, shame, self-hatred and suspicion. We need to offer methods that lead to more stable windows of tolerance (Siegel, 1999) and activate positive states and resources. Then patients can be active and investigative and thus can change their brains and their lives. How the posttraumatic conditions can be eased and ultimately healed is reflected on in relation to the neurofeedback (Niv, 2013; Kirk et al., 2016), as an example of a method aiming at implicit regulation.