The Tao of Trauma: Cultivating Coherence and Capacity in the Diaphragm System with Attuned Touch. mit Alaine Duncan

Day 1-

The Tao of Trauma: Integrating Five Element Theory and Trauma Healing is rooted in an East-meets-West approach to restoring balance and regulation in survivors of traumatic stress. It marries theoretical and clinical concepts from Western neuroscience with Chinese Medicine to elucidate mind and body based diagnostic and clinical skills for psychotherapists, acupuncturists, and physical care and medical providers.

The Self-Protective Response, defined by Peter Levine, founder of the Somatic Experiencing model of trauma resolution, mirrors the movement of the Five Elements, defined by Chinese Medicine.  This integrative approach gives rise to a framework for understanding five “survivor types” and ways to access the incomplete survival impulses wreaking havoc in an individual survivor’s body, mind, emotions and spirit.

This ancient and modern integrative lens offers an additional dimension to the study of polyvagal theory, adverse childhood experiences and epigenetics. It illuminates the diverse manifestations of traumatic stress in its survivors – chronic pain, mental health disorders, autoimmune illness, insomnia, and metabolic problems – and provides clues to understanding and transforming the clinical and social impact of unresolved trauma in our homes, with our patients, and on the streets.

Day 2 - Exercises – Capacity Building Touch and the Primary Diaphragms

Explore the critical role the diaphragm system plays in managing global experiences of life threat. The primary diaphragms (in the torso and skull) and the peripheral diaphragms (primarily the joints) contain high affect associated with life-threatening trauma. This was useful “there and then” but is compromising life “here and now”.

We will explore a capacity building approach. Participants will learn to offer attuned touch in each of the 5 Elements: Respect (Metal), Protect (Water), Encourage (Wood), Love (Fire) and Support (Earth) – providing a resourceful experience that meets the thwarted or braced state in the diaphragms of particular Survivor Type.

You will build your patient’s Zone of Resiliency and your diagnostic and clinical skills.

Alaine Duncan

Alaine Duncan is an acupuncturist and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. She is the author of The Tao of Trauma: A Practitioner's Guide for Integrating Five Element Theory and Trauma Treatment. Alaine has a fascination for the interface of East and West, the personal and the political, the individual and the collective -- and holds a special place in her heart and her mind for the role of healers and healing in cultural transformation.