Take back control of your life - A path to freedom from PTSD symptoms through progressive coaching

First of all, it is important to gain insight into the feelings and emotions of someone with PTSD, reactions to triggers that are reflected in everyday life.

This is necessary to create awareness and self-insight. A clear distinction is made here between the trigger(s) of PTSD/trauma and the automatic unwanted (stuck) reactions (eg emotions, feelings, limiting beliefs, fantasies) that arise as a result.

Due to the increased awareness and increased self-understanding, after everything that has happened (even after repeated disappointments in previous recovery processes), a situation of self-acceptance arises.

Then follows the most important phase: Intervention and integration. Effectively resolving the trigger(s) of these stuck response(s) leading to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms (the actual daily burden). Progressive and substantiated interventions are used for this.

An automatic negative (reflexive) reaction can, for example, be experienced as a recurring re-experience, in which thoughts/images/sounds, but also unconscious emotions can lead to (automatic), uncontrollable and undesirable behaviour.

There is emphatically in the recovery process not a forced search for traumas, or as some even pretend, search for the 'greatest trauma'. No, the elegant thing about the approach is that the everyday experiences harbor triggers and that it is possible to work directly with the stuck reactions caused by trauma in an unforced way. For this, 'digging deeper' is not necessary at that time.

This is also one of the biggest differences with other approaches - the focus is not on the actual load, the emotion/feelings, but on the trigger of these emotions and feelings.

For example, that trigger can lead to uncontrollable frustration, aggression and angry outbursts. The trigger is then effectively resolved using progressive and substantiated interventions.

This creates accelerated, measurable effective improvement with strong satisfaction and personal reinforcement in the process. Because of the intervention, after solving a trigger, a certain previously stuck reaction can no longer arise. Effectively solved is gone!

The process that is followed;

1. What taxing reaction in the form of emotion/feelings, physical sensations and thoughts are experienced in the here-and-now? What is the cause/trigger of this burden? Effective solution through progressive, well-founded Energy Psychology (EP)-based interventions. Analysis and subsequent direct integration into daily life.

This creates a step-by-step improvement in the situation, where future experiences are free from the negative influence of the previously (effectively) resolved trigger. This allows (really) new experiences to arise immediately after a session.

Experiences are free from previous automatic, reflexive and uncontrollable reactions. When triggers are effectively resolved, the previously stuck energy structure no longer exists - nothing needs to be done.

Overview of a recovery path session;

• Situation determination - What is the load at the moment? Recovery cycle with interventions as shown graphically above - What are we going to solve now? Effect evaluation - What effect has the solution had and where are we now?

To effectively solve the negative reactions/effects as a result of trauma in PTSD, we think in terms of energy first of all in a PTSD recovery process based on energy psychology.

Symptoms expressed in the body and mind are stuck energy patterns, in the form of automatic, uncontrollable responses to something that triggers them.

In the case of PTSD, a trigger is usually something associated in some way with a strongly negative memory of a (too) shocking event.

However, it can also be a negative belief developed as a result, or fantasy (fear of what could happen). The emotions/feelings/impeding beliefs/fantasies that arise in everyday life, in the here-and-now, arise from these stuck reactions.

It is therefore not about the reactions themselves that arise, but about the cause or trigger that is the cause. You could say, other approaches search analytically for the 'cause' of the 'effects'.

In an integral PTSD recovery process, we focus on the cause, the trigger of the cause (the actual stuck reaction). When the cause, the trigger has effectively been solved - the cause has also been solved and the 'effect' (the automatic, uncontrolled reaction) is no longer possible.

When triggers are effectively resolved, the automatic, reflex unwanted behavior can no longer take place. Think of it as a 'connection' that can no longer be made, because the parts to make the relevant neurobiological connection simply aren't there anymore. The most special thing for someone is, after effectively solving a trigger to experience that nothing needs to be 'done' by him or her to prevent 'it' from happening again – for example having an automatic and unwanted outburst of anger again. When the trigger of the stuck response, which directs the distressing and conscious consequences of PTSD, is effectively resolved - at the same time the trauma is resolved. This no longer happens because the unconscious takeover of the conscious mind no longer occurs - one does not have to do anything consciously for this. Gone is gone!

As far as it is scientifically clear to us now, the interventions lead to reduced sensitivity of the left and right amygdala (limbic part of the brain).

This reduced sensitivity, along with a different sensitivity of the autonomic nervous system (polyvagal theory) and memory reconsolidation, provide an effective and measurable change in the well-known “fight, flight, freeze-faint ") process.

This is the basis of this effective and integral PTSD recovery approach. A more extensive description of the background and operation of energy psychology is further explained here.

It is very important that someone with PTSD, who has often been in a 'negative downward spiral' for a long time, regains personal support as soon as possible and notices that there is indeed room for improvement. This is done first of all by carefully analyzing the specific personal situation and providing tailor-made support.

The basic condition in the process is a non-judgmental attitude and the creation of the necessary coaching alliance. This coaching alliance arises when, through experiences, a relationship of trust develops with the coach.

The coaching alliance - the relationship of trust is a precondition for being able to use the progressive interventions. This creates a situation that, together with self-acceptance and acceptance of the PTSD situation, is strongly supportive and personally reinforcing during the entire PTSD recovery process.

From a holistic and integral PTSD and trauma approach, further attention is paid to own core strengths (Tweekracht™), personal tendencies (Four Tendencies®), high sensitivity (HSP/HSP-HSS), nutrition, specific supplements, communication, conflict management, walking, (light) strength training, sports, relaxation and other targeted support for the autonomic nervous system.

Furthermore, the client learns relatively simple, yet very powerful performance and stress management tools. These qualitative aids have a personal strengthening effect. These tools are of great practical value even after a PTSD recovery process. In this way a contribution is made to sustainable change and the client can successfully manage a life with normal 'ups and downs' after the recovery process.

For example, we work with breathing and heart coherence (an app on phone, tablet or computer), diary crucial effects and other practical minimal self-support activities applied to the situation.

Everything in a PTSD recovery process is tailor-made and special importance is attached to personal guidance. This means that someone with PTSD and trauma who is absent due to illness, in consultation with the employer, returns to his or her 'day-structure' work situation as soon as reasonably possible.

An accelerated return of the person with PTSD and trauma to the work situation is made possible in particular, because one experiences that change has occurred in the short term and one consciously observes progress in the personal situation.

The goal of a PTSD recovery trajectory goes beyond just effectively resolving the triggers of trauma. During the process, a process of integral self-development arises and many people express this in their own way, for example:

“I now realize that I am on this PTSD recovery journey and that this is my #1 priority. This is about much more than just effectively resolving my PTSD and trauma symptoms. I experience it more as returning to 'myself', to my Essence - who I am. I follow a step-by-step process, a 'recovery journey' that leads me to a future with a good energy balance and quality of life after PTSD and trauma.”