Mindfulness Meditation Therapy For Ptsd, Boulder Colorado

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can beA central focus in MMT is to uncover this internal
defined as recurrent episodes of anxiety andstructure of the traumatic memory and then to
panic in reaction to a past experience that wasinvestigate this experiential content. There is no
overwhelming at both sensory and emotionalattempt to interpret what arises, only to
levels. The individual was unable to process andexperience fully and know completely whatever
assimilate the experience, and the emotionalarises. This process essentially de-constructs the
trauma becomes repressed, only to reoccur inemotional complex into smaller parts that the
the future. The basic direction of psychotherapypsyche can digest and integrate into more stable
for PTSD is to help the client re-process theseconfigurations that do not continue to generate
emotions into a form that can be re-assimilate;emotional suffering. Of course, this requires
essentially completing the process that was leftconsiderable preliminary preparation so that the
undone. However, the methods for doing this areclient can experience the internal imagery without
problematic for two main reasons. Firstly, thebecoming overwhelmed. Therefore, the
intensity of the associated emotions andpreliminary phase of MMT is focussed on
resistance to re-experiencing the trauma; andestablishing the Mindfulness Based Relationship
secondly, the complex superstructure of(MBR) in which there is sufficient stability and
secondary reactivity that accumulates around thenon-reactivity to allow the imagery to unfold into
primary experience, which makes it difficult forpresent awareness. There are many approaches
the client to access and work on the coreto achieve the right MBR, such as watching the
emotions.imagery as if projected on a screen or placing the
One approach, which I have found particularlyimagery at some distance in front. Through
helpful, is a form of psychotherapy that combinesmindfulness and careful investigation, the client can
mindfulness and experiential imagery, calleddiscover for himself what works best for
Mindfulness Meditation Therapy (MMT). In thisestablishing the MBR. However, once a client
approach, the client is taught how to form abegins to witness specific details about the
non-reactive relationship with his traumaticimagery, he inevitably finds it much easier to
memory. The individual literally learns how toobserve the imagery without becoming reactive,
“sit” with the felt-sense of the trauma,because the specific structural details give him a
without becoming caught up in the contents. Thespecific focus and this tends to prevent
purpose here is not to simply re-experience thehyper-reactivity. The MBR is an essential part of
traumatic memory and emotions, but to learnthe transformation process for many reasons,
how to experience them differently. Thisthe primary reason being that it allows the
Mindfulness Based Relationship creates acompacted emotional complex to unfold into more
therapeutic space around the memory imagerymanageable parts. At another level, the MBR
and associated emotional energy that allows theallows the client to fundamentally change the way
client to gradually stop the secondary reactivity ofthat he relates to his inner emotional experience
resistance and avoidance. Now a new creativeand he begins to break free from seeing himself
space is created which allows the emotions, whichas a victim of the emotional trauma. This in itself
have been confined and frozen in place, tois an essential requirement for change.
become malleable and change. This process ofIn a relatively short time, the client begins to
inner change leads to the eventual resolution anddiscover the detailed internal structure of the
transformation of the trauma. In short, reactivitytrauma and associated emotions in the form of
inhibits change, whereas mindfulness facilitatesexperiential imagery. Now he can begin to
change and healing.investigate what changes need to happen in the
Mindfulness has of course attracted a great dealimagery that allow the emotion to resolve.
of attention in recent years, although there hasMindfulness helps this transformational process by
been little systematic attempt to describe, letcreating a therapeutic space in which there is no
alone define, mindfulness. In my view mindfulnessinterference from the ego. The client begins to
describes the quality of conscious relationship withdiscover intuitive changes that can be very subtle
experience in which there is complete presenceand beyond rational deduction, but are clearly felt
for the experience and the absence of any formto make a difference. Experiential imagery
of habitual subjective reactivity. This is invaluable infrequently differentiates into parts, often with
psychotherapy, because it allows the client todifferent colors and textures and the internal
investigate the deep structure of his trauma,interaction of these parts can be very important
rather than staying stuck at the superficialfor resolution. One client described her anxiety as
surface structure.a black pulsating blob, located on the upper left of
Indeed, when one begins to investigate theher inner visual field that sent tentacles out to her
internal structure of a traumatic memory, it isthroat, literally strangling her. As she focused
always surprising to discover the wealth of subtlemindfulness on this black blob, I asked her what
feelings that lie just under the surface.needed to happen next. To her complete surprise,
Differentiation of the feeling structure of anthe answer that came up was that the black blob
emotion like anxiety or panic is an essential partwanted to be allowed to die. It was strangling her
of any successful therapy and the consciousto get her attention! Eventually, through continued
experience of this inner structure ispresence and complete attention to the black
transformational.blob, it felt sufficiently reassured that it could let
In addition to feelings, traumatic memories alsogo of her throat and proceeded to die. It became
have a specific internal structure in the form ofwhite and brittle like ash and crumbled into a small
intense experiential imagery. This imagery may bepile on the ground.
photographic in quality, revealing the actualOne could spend many hours trying to interpret
memory of the traumatic event, but more oftenand understand this process, but what was much
the imagery has an abstract structure withmore important, was her direct experience of the
specific colors and shapes, in somethingresolution process at the subtle and concrete level
resembling a surrealistic collage. Emotional energyof experiential imagery and this is made possible
is encoded in each of these specific sub-modalitiesby mindfulness, the sensitive attention to detail
of size, color, intensity, movement and texture.and the investigation of the deep structure of
An intense emotion is likely to be encoded inexperience.
intense colors, such as red and orange, and theThroughout the whole process of MMT, the client
imagery is likely to be large and close in theis repeatedly exposed to the source of his or her
person's inner visual field, whereas neutralfear, but in new ways that don't involve being
emotions are likely encoded in neutral colors, suchoverwhelmed. This exposure desensitization
as pale blue or white, and appear small and distant.effect is regarded by most schools of
The investigative dimension of mindfulnesspsychotherapy as an essential part of overcoming
provides the best approach to uncover thePTSD and Mindfulness Meditation Therapy
detailed inner structure of the emotion andprovides a very subtle and specific way of doing
provide meaningful content. This is called thethis through the client's internal experiential
Structural Theory of Emotions, which goes on toimagery.
propose that by changing the structure of theBesides face-to-face Mindfulness Psychotherapy
imagery it is possible to change the intensity ofsessions, Dr Peter Strong offers the ever-popular
the emotional reaction. Thus, if the color changesOnline Psychotherapy and Counseling service, in
from intense red to soft yellow, and the imagerywhich he teaches clients specific strategies for
becomes smaller, it is very likely that the emotionworking with emotional stress through a
will become much less intense. However, for thiscombination of email correspondence and Skype
to work effectively the imagery must arisesessions. Peter also offers teaching seminars for
experientially from the emotional felt-sense, rathergroups, and companies with an interest in stress
than be created through deliberate visualization.management. If you want to learn Mindfulness
Similarly, the direction of change must ariseMeditation, we can do that through email
experientially, rather than be imposed externally.correspondence and Skype. Visit
This is why mindfulness is such an important partEmail enquiries welcome.
of the transformational process, because it allowsYou can purchase a copy of his book ‘The
the client to be exquisitely sensitive to what isPath of Mindfulness Meditation' through Amazon.
meaningful and what is not.