Trauma Processing

“Finish the Story!”

Trauma Processing

! Do psycho-education first

! Collect trauma history for a timeline

! Do a practice story to understand the process ! Work chronologically to make processing later traumas

easier

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Trauma Processing

! Guided imagery is optional

! Graphic narrative

! Re-presentation by therapist of the graphic narrative (videotaped)

! Watch video with compassion for the traumatized part

! Parts

! Externalized dialogue

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Graphic NarrativeBYPASSES THE CORPUS CALLOSUM

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Graphic Narrative❑ REFORMATS THE TRAUMA FOR THE

LEFT BRAIN ❑ GIVES A LINEAR SEQUENCE ❑ IS HISTORICAL (PAST TENSE) ❑ IS LOGICAL AND VERBALLY CODED

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Graphic Narrative

! Shows the Instinctual Trauma Response as it happens in a trauma

! Use the observer (third person) perspective

! Draw all the important pictures (including transitions)

! May have several attempts of fight or flee, altered states of consciousness, startles, etc.

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How to Do the Graphic Narrative

! Ask client to tell the story first to get a general list of the important pictures and the sequence

! Use imagination and/or logic to fill in gaps

! “The hand remembers what the mind forgets.” Louis Tinnin, MD

! Identify the aspects of the ITR

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How to Do

the Graphic Narrative

! Use colored markers (thick and thin tips)

! All important pictures must be included

! Do all the drawings first; then include thoughts, emotions, and body sensations

! If a person knows about a drawing but leaves it out, it stays in the forefront

! Put captions after all the drawings are done to help the therapist with the re-presentation

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