Teaching the nervous system that it is safe to relax the "smoke detector." The Takeaway
The phrase "the body keeps the score" has become a mainstay in modern psychology, but the science behind it—the psychophysiology of trauma—is where the real magic (and healing) happens.
Using eye movements to help the "librarian" finally file those stuck memories.
Trauma lives in the , which controls everything you don't think about (heart rate, digestion, breathing). It has two main branches: Sympathetic: The gas pedal. It gears you up for action. Parasympathetic: The brake. It helps you rest and digest.
The problem? In cases of PTSD or chronic stress, the smoke detector gets stuck in the "ON" position. The librarian never gets a chance to file the memory correctly. This is why a specific smell or sound can trigger a full-body panic attack years later; the brain doesn't see it as a memory, it sees it as a 2. The Autonomic Nervous System: The Body’s Wiring
This is why "bottom-up" approaches have gained so much ground. These focus on the body first:
Teaching the nervous system that it is safe to relax the "smoke detector." The Takeaway
The phrase "the body keeps the score" has become a mainstay in modern psychology, but the science behind it—the psychophysiology of trauma—is where the real magic (and healing) happens. The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Tra...
Using eye movements to help the "librarian" finally file those stuck memories. Teaching the nervous system that it is safe
Trauma lives in the , which controls everything you don't think about (heart rate, digestion, breathing). It has two main branches: Sympathetic: The gas pedal. It gears you up for action. Parasympathetic: The brake. It helps you rest and digest. It has two main branches: Sympathetic: The gas pedal
The problem? In cases of PTSD or chronic stress, the smoke detector gets stuck in the "ON" position. The librarian never gets a chance to file the memory correctly. This is why a specific smell or sound can trigger a full-body panic attack years later; the brain doesn't see it as a memory, it sees it as a 2. The Autonomic Nervous System: The Body’s Wiring
This is why "bottom-up" approaches have gained so much ground. These focus on the body first: