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 verfolgt einen einzigartigen Ansatz in der Akupunktur, der moderne
Erkenntnisse der Neurobiologie traumatischen Stresses mit alten Heilprinzipien
der Akupunktur und der asiatischen Medizin verbindet. Diese klinische Faszination hat
ihr Herz an Orte und zu Menschen geführt, die sie sich nie hätte vorstellen können, als sie
1990 ihre Ausbildung zur Akupunkteurin abschloss und 2007 die Ausbildung in Somatic Experiencing
absolvierte.
Sie gründete 2012 Integrative Healing, LLC mit dem Ziel, die Weisheit
der chinesischen Medizin mit dem Studium der Neurobiologie und des traumatischen Stresses sowohl
im Unterricht als auch in der Praxis zu verbinden. Ihr Forschungshintergrund umfasst
Studien zur Bewertung der Auswirkungen integrativer Medizin auf die Mitgefühlsmüdigkeit bei
militärischen Pflegekräften; Akupunktur zur Behandlung von kampfbedingtem traumatischem Stress,
chronischen Kopfschmerzen bei Veteranen mit traumatischen Hirnverletzungen, Schmerzen bei Veteranen
aller Konflikte sowie der Golfkriegssyndrom.
Alaine war Gründungsmitglied des Programms „Integrative Health & Wellness“ am
DC Veterans Administration Medical Center, wo sie von 2007 bis 2017 als Klinikerin
und Forscherin tätig war. Sie war außerdem Mitbegründerin der Ortsgruppe „National Capital Area“
von „Acupuncturists Without Borders“, die bis zum Ausbruch von Covid-19 wöchentlich kostenlose
Akupunkturbehandlungen für Einwanderer, Flüchtlinge und bedürftige Nachbarn anbot.

Ihr Buch „The Tao Trauma: A Practitioner’s Guide for Integrating Five Element
Theorie und Traumabehandlung“ bildet die Grundlage für die Kurse und Workshops, die sie
für Akupunkteure und Fachkräfte im Bereich der psychischen Gesundheit anbietet. Es ist als Druckausgabe, Hörbuch
und Kindle-Version überall dort erhältlich, wo Sie Bücher online kaufen können.
Mehr unter www.integrativehealingworks.net




Alaine Duncan has a unique approach acupuncture that integrates modern
understandings of the neuro-biology of traumatic stress with ancient healing
principles from Acupuncture and Asian medicine. This clinical fascination has
carried her heart to places and people she never imagined when she graduated
from acupuncture school in 1990, and completed Somatic Experiencing training
in 2007.
She founded Integrative Healing, LLC in 2012 with a goal to integrate the wisdom
of Chinese Medicine with the study of neurobiology and traumatic stress in both
the classroom and the treatment room. Her research background includes
studies assessing the impact of integrative medicine on compassion fatigue in
military caregivers; acupuncture for treatment of combat-related traumatic stress,
chronic headaches in Veterans with traumatic brain injuries, pain in Veterans of
all conflicts, and Gulf War Veterans Illness.
Alaine was a founding member of the Integrative Health & Wellness program at
the DC Veterans Administration Medical Center where she served as a clinician
and researcher from 2007-2017. She also co-founded the National Capital Area
chapter of Acupuncturists Without Borders, who until Covid 19, provided free
weekly acupuncture treatment to immigrants, refugees and neighbors in need.
Her book, The Tao Trauma: A Practitioner's Guide for Integrating Five Element
Theory and Trauma Treatment is the foundation for classes and workshops she
offers for acupuncturists and mental health providers. It is available in print, audio
and kindle wherever you buy books on line.
More at www.integrativehealingworks.net