Tao of Trauma

Tao of Trauma is an integrated East-West somatic (body-based) practice for healing trauma, pain and other stress disorders. It consists of contacting the unbroken natural flow of our nervous system, our Tao, in order to safely release deep patterns of stress, tension and trauma. Restoring balance and regulation between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, between Yin and Yang, makes way for whole-bodied healing and wellbeing beyond symptom management.

Growing out of the work of Dr. Peter Levine and the Somatic Experiencing® approach to trauma care and resolution, Tao of Trauma lives at the intersection of Western science and Chinese medicine as expressed through the laws of Yin and Yang and the 5 Elements. This merging of East and West is a unique and effective method of restoring balance and regulation in survivors of traumatic stress.

 

WHAT IS TRAUMA?

In the Tao of Trauma, we prefer to use the term Trauma Spectrum Response rather than PTSD, as it affirms our observation that trauma survivors experience a wide range of symptoms of variable intensity.

Trauma may begin as acute stress from a life threat or as the end product of cumulative stress. Both types of stress can seriously impair a person’s ability to function with resilience and ease. Trauma may result from a wide variety of stressors such as accidents, invasive medical procedures, sexual or physical assault, emotional abuse, neglect, war, natural disasters, loss, birth trauma, or the corrosive stressors of ongoing fear and conflict.

Symptoms reside both in brain and mind and certainly include body and spirit. They often affect multiple physiological systems, including the cardiovascular, neurological, digestive, immune, musculoskeletal, and endocrine. Trauma survivors may suffer from physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual distress, as well as cognitive impairment. Many experience various states of somatic dysfunction, including disturbances of sleep, appetite, digestion, sexuality, chronic pain, drug or opioid desensitization, and addiction. These phenomena are diversely expressed and highly variable in their intensity in any one survivor, and certainly between them.

Thus, the trauma spectrum response is an expression of an energetic system that has been stimulated beyond a particular individuals ability to cope- physiologically, psychologically, and/or spiritually. This now highly disorganized system simply awaits restoration of its natural balance and equilibrium.

 

HOW IT WORKS

The Tao of Trauma approach relies on restoring fundamental balance and regulation within the systems of the body, using embodied sensory awareness and attention to fluctuations in in bodily sensations, as well as gentle somatic touch skills, to contact a felt sense of embodied safety and support the completion of threat responses stored in body memory from traumatic life experiences.

Essentially we remember what it’s like to be in our body: to understand it, treasure it, trust it and declare it as our own. And in that, we restore our power and open up to our possibility.

ARE THERE NEEDLES?

Tao of Trauma does not require the use of needles, though acupuncture may be used within the scope of a session. Each person has unique needs and care is designed to meet the individual according to that understanding. Emphasis is on exploring and experiencing bodily sensation at a pace that manageable and not overwhelming. The intention of treatments are those of integration and healing, not reliving or reenacting trauma.

We go slow, pay attention, come back to right here and remember ourselves in this embodied moment. And we are supported the whole way.

 

Sessions focus on:

  • Coming to shared agreement or consent around any suggested approach

  • Attending to the sensations of the body, slowly and skillfully

  • Anchoring into felt experiences of safety in the body using somatic or embodied mindfulness and attention

  • Moving between states of modest safety and modest activation

  • Expanding our “window of tolerance” for stress, or enlarging our “zone of resiliency”

  • Completing thwarted or incomplete steps in the self-protective response in a gradual and incremental fashion

  • Cultivating skills and sensory awareness such that we feel more autonomous, relational and competent in our day to day living

  • There may be somatic touch work in support of the healing and integration process

 

IS IT TALK BASED?

Tao of Trauma is a somatic or body-based practice, focusing on mindfulness or attention of bodily sensations. It is not a talk-based practice and we do not go into what happened verbally as much as tap into the unbroken Tao of regulation in your nervous system. This allows for a gradual release of traumatic energy over time in a measured and titrated way: bit by bit. Staying out of the story we avoid overwhelm.

Talk centered, trauma informed approaches can be critical to recovery. However, talk therapy without an appreciation of the somatic nature of trauma and as a sole intervention often leads to failure and frustration at best, and reliving trauma at worst. The body both carries the impact of trauma and is also the gateway to profound transformation.


ESTABLISHING A CARE PLAN

How to get started:

  • It can be helpful to consider trying a session or two to get a feel for it and allow for an informed experience to guide further decision making

  • You can consider coming once or twice a week for a month or two to allow for gradual change to take effect

  • You could just sit with this possibility until an impulse to move forward comes from within and then act on that

What’s important is that while this is a collaborative approach to trauma care and recovery work, you get to decide whether to consent to any recommended care plan or approach. Your autonomy is the most important feature of this work.

BEYOND TRAUMA

Identifying and moving towards values based experiences and behaviors are as important in recovery as reducing symptoms, earning secure attachment, setting boundaries and establishing self-care routines. Only the person in recovery can truly identify what gives them purpose and meaning in life, though often it involves love, playfulness, relationship, peace and joy.

Establishing a space and holding the intention for the energy of growth and transformation to emerge is an expression of Larry’s own highest purpose and healing. Working together with folks to find and nourish this for themselves, to learn to be present with their own suffering, to engage and transform it, to grow and learn to love deeply and fully in this moment is precious indeed.

 

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Send an email to info@tucsoncommunityacupuncture.org ATTN:Larry
in the subject line. You could also use the Contact page on this website as well. From here, Larry will reach out to schedule a 20 minute free discovery call to discuss and connect.

If you are an established patient currently coming in for acupuncture, you can mention interest at the time of your next visit if you’d like.

FEE FOR SERVICE

Sessions are held at Tucson Community Acupuncture in a private setting and last one hour. Exchange is on a sliding scale of $85-$125 per session payable at the time of service. Please choose the amount you feel works best for you, it has no bearing on the level of engagement and service.

Checks, cash and Venmo are currently accepted.

YOUR PRACTITIONER

Larry Gatti, L.Ac. co-founded Tucson Community Acupuncture in 2008. He has a BA in Sociology from SUNY, at Stony Brook and attained his Masters in Acupuncture in 2007 from the Tri-State College of Acupuncture in New York City. He holds a certificate in the Tao of Trauma approach from Integrative Healing Works and Alaine Duncan. He has taken certification courses in Explain Pain through the Neuro-Orthopedic Group. He is also skilled in the use of mindfulness-based practices for healing and growth. He will receive his certification in The Wheel of Consent from The School of Consent in March, 2023.

Larry receives ongoing care using Somatic Experiencing, Somatic Touch Skills and Tao of Trauma to further his own appreciation of the dynamic power of the human relational container for healing, change, insight, and empowerment.

 
 

“We all have the inherent ability to heal from trauma and it is entirely within our power to transform our pain and suffering into healing, insight and growth. With the proper approach and support, everyone can learn to access their innate healing capacities and move forward into a life of healing and recovery, freedom and happiness. Tao of Trauma is one such approach and I feel honored to be present with folks walking their Way back home.”  ~Larry