Category: Transforming Trauma Podcast

In this episode of Transforming Trauma, our host Emily facilitates a discussion between NARM creator Dr. Laurence Heller and Dr. Stephen Porges PhD, the originator of the Polyvagal Theory. Dr. Porges is a distinguished neuroscientist, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium, and author. He is also creator of the Safe and Sound Protocol™, a music-based intervention which is a “distilled essence of trust in acoustic signals to achieve physiological shifts.”

Dr. Heller and Dr. Porges discuss cues of safety and the nervous system, connection as our “biological imperative,” as well as shame and life-threat reactions. Dr. Porges describes how the Polyvagal Theory emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral, mental, and health problems related to traumatic experiences. In their engaging conversation, Dr. Porges presents the polyvagal interpretation of trauma as physiological states similar to NARM’s understanding of adaptive survival strategies. “What we learn in adapting to connection failures very early on in life is what we have a tendency to carry forward, not just on a cognitive level but on an emotional level and a physiological level.” Dr. Heller shares.   

Dr. Porges did not set out to so greatly influence the field of trauma, but he is happy to see how much trauma therapists have been able to use the Polyvagal Theory in their understanding and work with trauma.  He shares, “What I often say is that we’re a traumatized species. That’s our history. We are transgenerationally traumatized and our journey to a type of normalcy is, can we get back into our bodies and can we feel the states that we’re in? So can we be informed that when our physiology is in a state of threat (…) we’re broadcasting cues of separation and not connection.”

We hope you will enjoy this episode with two pioneers in the trauma field, Dr. Laurence Heller and Dr. Stephen Porges.  Both of their models – the Polyvagal Theory and the NeuroAffective Relational Model – have significantly impacted our understanding of trauma and we are honored to host this important conversation.

We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

About Dr. Porges:

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland.

He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers across several disciplines including anesthesiology, biomedical engineering, critical care medicine, ergonomics, exercise physiology, gerontology, neurology, neuroscience, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, psychometrics, space medicine, and substance abuse. In 1994 he proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system to social behavior and emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders. The theory is leading to innovative treatments based on insights into the mechanisms mediating symptoms observed in several behavioral, psychiatric, and physical disorders.

He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe, (Norton, 2017), co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton, 2018) and author of Polyvagal Safety: Attachment, Communication, Self-Regulation (Norton 2021). Dr. Porges is the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™ (SSP), which is used by therapists to improve social engagement, language processing, and state regulation, as well as to reduce hearing sensitivities.

Learn More:

https://www.stephenporges.com/

https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/

https://kinseyinstitute.org/research/traumatic-stress.php

In this episode of Transforming Trauma, our host Emily is joined by Dr. Sandra Bloom. Dr. Bloom is a Board-Certified psychiatrist, Associate Professor of Health Management and Policy at Drexel University, and the Founder of Creating Presence, an online organization for creating trauma-informed systems. She is the founder of the Sanctuary Model which provides inpatient psychiatric programs for the treatment of trauma-related emotional disorders. Dr. Bloom is the author of a series of books on trauma-informed care, including “Creating Sanctuary: Toward the Evolution of Sane Societies.”

Dr. Bloom is also the co-chair of a new national organization, the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP), whose goal is to advocate for public policies and programs that incorporate scientific findings regarding the relationship between trauma and many social and health problems.

Dr. Bloom shares that she began her work with complex trauma before there was research on it or even a name for it.  In the 1980’s, she was listening closely to her patients in the in-patient program that she had developed and started to create an understanding of the “traumatogenic culture” that is impacting so many individuals, families and communities. She began collaborating with others to implement trauma-responsive policies and procedures which helped evolve our understanding of how to treat complex trauma. Dr. Bloom would like listeners to “get a sense of the connection between trauma work and working with individual patients and the bigger picture of how trauma and adversity impact our workplaces and impacts our society in very similar ways to the way it impacts individuals.”

Dr. Bloom introduces the SELF tool for working through trauma: Safety, Emotions, Loss, and Future. Dr. Bloom likens these four domains to a compass, “You move it around depending on where the person is at in the process.” SELF provides an organizing framework for the complex problems presented by trauma survivors, by families with problems, and by chronically stressed organizations. 

We hope you will enjoy this episode with Dr. Sandra Bloom, one of the pioneers in the modern trauma-informed field.  We are grateful for her being able to follow in her footsteps in bringing trauma-informed care to individuals and communities everywhere.

We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

About Dr. Bloom:

Dr. Sandra L. Bloom is a Board-Certified psychiatrist, graduate of Temple University School of Medicine and currently Associate Professor, Health Management and Policy at the Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University. For the past forty-two years, Dr. Bloom has done pioneering work in the field of traumatic stress studies and is a past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Dr. Bloom is the Founder of the Sanctuary Model (1980) and in 2020 introduced a new, online organizational approach called Creating PRESENCE™. Since 2012, Dr. Bloom has also served as Co-chair for the Philadelphia ACEs Task Force. Since 2015, Dr. Bloom serves as Board Chair of the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP).

Learn More:

https://www.creatingpresence.net

https://www.philadelphiaaces.org

https://www.ctipp.org

https://sandrabloom.com

In this episode of Transforming Trauma, our host Emily is joined by Dr. Jena Vasquez, LCSW-S, NARM Therapist, SEP, Yoga Therapist and Instructor, professor and researcher. Dr. Vasquez recently completed her doctoral dissertation, Meaning Making: Understanding Professional Quality of Life for NARM Trained Trauma Therapists, one of the first research studies on how professional training in trauma impacts quality of life for trauma therapists. Dr. Vasquez specifically chose NARM to research, and throughout their conversation, she shares the findings of her research, including powerful quotes from those she studied.

Dr. Vasquez has worked in the field of trauma for many years and observed that so many of her colleagues and supervisees were getting burned out. She reflected on what resources were available and realized that those that went for further training in trauma seemed to fare better. She, herself, had trained in several modalities before she found NARM, and realized she saw something different in therapists trained in NARM. In her search to better support fellow therapists and supervisees she began to hypothesize that there’s something in the NARM Training that can be beneficial for trauma therapists. “The NARM Training can really help trauma therapists to reduce the impact of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue that so many therapists are exposed to in their work.” Dr. Vasquez says.

Dr. Vasquez shares a few powerful quotes from research subjects (i.e., NARM Therapists), including:

1. “I feel more joy in my work, and in my life personally.”
2. “Working with trauma is a difficult choice, and using NARM has allowed me to really stay in it without being in it in a way that’s impacting myself and my ability to be there and be present.”
3. “Not only is the modality effective, but it also supports me in being able to do the work and sustain it.” 

Dr. Vasquez also shares about her own journey through the NARM Therapist Training, the impact this work and community had on her, and how she now integrates NARM into her teaching, supervision and clinical work. When reflecting on her integration of NARM, she says,  “The four pillars of NARM really are the framework that guide my practice with complex trauma survivors.” Dr. Vasquez and Emily reflect on the transformative nature of NARM Therapy as well as discuss ideas for further research on NARM clients as well.

We invite you to listen to the full episode to hear their full conversation and to learn more about Dr. Vasquez’ research and work with NARM.

About Dr. Vasquez: Jennifer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker- Supervisor (LCSW-S), Neuro-Affective Relational Model (NARM) Therapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), International Association of Yoga Therapy (IAYT-C) Certified Yoga Therapist, and Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-500) with a specialization in developmental trauma. She integrates somatic psychotherapy and therapeutic yoga techniques to support her clients’ holistic healing. She co-founded the group practice Inspired Practice, LLC with her son, a fellow Social Worker, to provide psychotherapy and clinical supervision services.

Learn More:

https://www.yogajena.com
https://www.instagram.com/yogajena/
www.inspiredpractice.com

On this episode of Transforming Trauma, our host Emily is joined by Judge Abby Abinati. Judge Abby is the Chief Judge of the Yurok Tribe, which is the largest surviving Native American Tribe in the state of California. Judge Abby shares about what she and her people have learned directly about cultural and intergenerational trauma, and how this trauma-informed understanding provides the context for her work within her community.

Judge Abby presides over what is called a wellness court, which offers a healing path for nonviolent offenders. “Humans have the tendency to make mistakes, it’s just our nature. We work with that,” she says.  She describes the Tribal judicial system as “responsibility-based” – as opposed to a “rights-based” system that has become the American standard – and shares how responsibility-based principles align with the value system of their tribal community.  She provides real-life examples of restorative justice and how this promotes interpersonal healing, strengthening self-esteem and community relationships.

Judge Abby shares about the work she and others are doing to return to their traditional values and create systems that support them. She reflects on the healing she’s witnessed within her community, and says, “When you’ve gone through really hard times and you can share that, there is a way to make the pain lessen. What is another way out of this pain?”

We invite you to listen to the full episode to hear more about Judge Abby’s work.

About Judge Abby:
Abby Abinanti, Yurok Chief Judge is an enrolled Yurok Tribal member, she holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of New Mexico School of Law, and was the first California tribal woman to be admitted to the State Bar of California. She was a State Judicial Officer (Commissioner) for the San Francisco Superior Court for over 17 years assigned to the Unified Family Court (Family/Dependency/Delinquency). She retired from the Superior Court in September 2011 and on July 31, 2014 was reappointed as a part-time Commissioner for San Francisco assigned to Dependency, and Duty Judge for that Court where she served until 2015. She has been a Yurok Tribal Court Judge since 1997 and was appointed Chief Tribal Court Judge in 2007, a position she held in conjunction with her Superior Court assignment until 2015.

To learn more about the Yurok Tribe, please visit: http://www.yuroktribe.org/ 

To learn more about Judge Abby, please visit:
https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2019/0327/Native-justice-How-tribal-values-shape-Judge-Abby-s-court
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/judge-abby-abinanti-is-fighting-for-her-tribe-and-for-a-better-justice-system/
https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-yurok-tribal-judge-20140305-dto-htmlstory.html

In this episode of Transforming Trauma, we hear from our guest Prashant Goel. Prashant works in service of healthy cultures and systems. He specializes in leadership development, drawing on both scientific research and global wisdom traditions to advance renewed practices of attention, execution, collaboration, and innovation. Prashant began exploring NARM while taking the Level 1 Online NARM Basics Training. Having studied and practiced with world-renowned teachers, Prashant brings over a decade of experience in transformational approaches to leadership development as well as systems and culture change. 

Throughout the episode, Prashant shares about his own process of reconnecting with himself. He describes the fascination that he experienced during his healing journey, “Transformation is a real phenomenon that exists, as real as anything can be. Just experiencing my own healing process, I felt compelled to share that with others.”

We invite you to listen to the full episode to hear more about Prashant’s work.

About Prashant: Prashant Goel acts in service of healthy cultures and systems. He is informed by over 12 years of deep inquiry into human development and change management including: global wisdom traditions, neuroscience, trauma-informed approaches, depth psychology, and shamanism–as well as their modern implications and applications in organizational and leadership contexts. He holds three advanced degrees (law, regenerative economics, business–graduating valedictorian) and has been formally initiated in three wisdom lineages (Amazon, Himalayas, Western Africa). With clients from the humanitarian/development space, corporations, social enterprises, and NGO’s, he blends a library of knowledge/experience with calm presence and insight to support enduring, tangible transformation at individual, team, and organizational levels. Alongside his professional practice, an extensive contemplative practice and ongoing learning practice express commitment to soul, science, and society.

Learn More: www.pgoel.com