Sometimes it seems that changes are not happening fast enough in working with trauma. Can tools and approaches specific to spiritual practices be a good choice to support the healing process?
Healing comes from different sources in trauma treatment and spirituality.
In spirituality, the practice focuses on connecting with something outside of us. Whether it is a divine presence or grace, the spirit of a prophet or the wisdom of ancestors. Trauma healing, in turn, focuses on the healing and integration that is happening within the client.
Many modern approaches, such as for example Richard Schwartz’ Internal Family Systems or Identity Oriented Psychotrauma Therapy of Franz Ruppert, describe traumatic split through the emergence of certain parts of personality. IFS names them as Managers and Firefighters. IOPT calls them Survival Strategies. These personality parts can be extremely functional in the context of survival. However, they may not be as useful in maintaining a normal life in a safe environment. Traumatized individual often feels trapped between these survival parts. Whether it is the inner voice that constantly criticizes or demeans, or their sub-products such as self-hatred or low self-esteem.
It is for this reason that discipline-based approaches, even with a strong spiritual foundation, may not be helpful when applied in the context of trauma. Imposition of certain rules or strict requirements reinforces survival-related personality structures. Precisely the structures from which these rules are supposed to help release. Providing choices can help healing more than the constant imposition of a particular practice structure.
More about the principles and structure of continuous work.
