December 23, 2025

The LifeScaping System

The LifeScaping System: A Journey Through the Three Masteries of Personal Transformation

From Crisis to Clarity: The Birth of a Therapeutic Framework

In 2001, a near-death experience became the unlikely catalyst for what would eventually become the LifeScaping System—a comprehensive framework for personal transformation that has since supported hundreds of individuals in their journeys toward healing and growth. What began as one person’s attempt to make sense of a profound, life-altering event evolved into an integrated therapeutic approach now offered through VisionLogic Therapeutic Tools.

The initial work wasn’t about creating a system at all. It was about survival. The process of reconstructing meaning after confronting mortality demanded new ways of understanding the self, examining internal experiences, and deliberately choosing a path forward. These three elements—awareness, transformation, and intent—would eventually crystallize into what the LifeScaping System now calls the Three Masteries.

Research on post-traumatic growth supports this pathway. Tedeschi and Calhoun (2004), who coined the term “post-traumatic growth,” found that individuals who struggle with highly challenging life circumstances often experience positive psychological change, including enhanced self-awareness, new possibilities in life, and deeper appreciation for existence. The LifeScaping System was developed through exactly this kind of crucible—forged not in theory but in lived experience.

The Three Masteries: An Evidence-Based Framework

The LifeScaping System rests on three interconnected pillars, each supported by decades of psychological research.

The First Mastery: Awareness

Self-awareness forms the foundation of all meaningful change. Without conscious recognition of our internal states—our thoughts, emotions, patterns, and triggers—transformation remains elusive. The LifeScaping approach to awareness draws from mindfulness traditions while integrating contemporary psychological understanding.

A comprehensive meta-analysis of 209 mindfulness-based intervention studies found that practices cultivating self-awareness demonstrated moderate effectiveness across multiple domains, including anxiety reduction, depression management, and overall psychological well-being (Khoury et al., 2013). The research suggests that awareness is not merely passive observation but an active, therapeutic process that creates space between stimulus and response.

The VisionLogic approach to awareness encompasses what might be called “MindSight”—the capacity to perceive both the landscape of one’s inner world and its relationship to external reality. This includes recognizing the interplay between Mind, Heart, Body, and Spirit—dimensions that together comprise the whole person. Pompeo and Levitt (2014) describe self-awareness as essential for both counselors and clients, noting that reflection and insight serve as catalysts for meaningful change in therapeutic relationships.

The Second Mastery: Transformation

Awareness alone is insufficient for lasting change. The LifeScaping System posits that transformation occurs when insight translates into restructured meaning and modified behavior patterns. This aligns closely with Boyatzis’s (2006) Intentional Change Theory, which outlines five discoveries essential for sustainable change: envisioning the ideal self, assessing the authentic self, developing a learning agenda, experimenting with new behaviors, and cultivating supportive relationships.

Boyatzis emphasizes that lasting transformation requires what he terms the “positive emotional attractor”—a state characterized by hope, compassion, and connection to one’s deeper values. When individuals focus exclusively on problems and deficits, they activate defensive neural pathways that actually inhibit change. The LifeScaping System’s emphasis on solution-focused and strengths-based approaches reflects this understanding.

The effectiveness of solution-focused approaches has been extensively documented. An umbrella review of 25 systematic reviews and meta-analyses found that Solution-Focused Brief Therapy demonstrated significant positive outcomes across different issues, settings, and cultural contexts, with particularly high confidence in evidence of effectiveness for depression, overall mental health, and progress toward individual goals (Żak & Pękala, 2024).

The Third Mastery: Intent

The final mastery involves the deliberate direction of one’s life toward chosen values and purposes. This goes beyond mere goal-setting to encompass what positive psychology calls “meaning-making”—the process of constructing narrative coherence from life experiences.

Viktor Frankl (1946/2006) articulated this principle when he wrote that those who have a “why” to live can bear almost any “how.” The LifeScaping System operationalizes this insight through structured exercises and assessments that help individuals clarify their values, articulate their vision for the future, and align daily actions with deeper purposes.

Research on intentional living supports this emphasis. Studies on post-traumatic growth have identified changes in life priorities, enhanced personal strength, and recognition of new possibilities as key outcomes of individuals who successfully navigate adversity (Tedeschi et al., 2018). The LifeScaping framework provides scaffolding for this growth process, offering tools that make abstract concepts concrete and actionable.

Development Through Practice: Two Decades of Refinement

The theoretical underpinnings of the LifeScaping System didn’t emerge from academic literature—they were discovered in practice and later validated through research integration. From 2001 forward, the tools and processes were developed, tested, and refined across multiple treatment settings:

The earliest iterations emerged through Vision Quest International (2001-2005), during which initial concepts were applied in residential treatment settings. The framework evolved at The Bridge (2006-2010), incorporating feedback from clients navigating chronic health recovery. The Balanced Health Institute (2010-2013) provided opportunities to integrate mind-body approaches, while The Retreat at Zion (2013-2018) offered immersive settings for deeper addiction recovery and transformational work. The international application was delivered through Symbiosis Health in Costa Rica (2016-2020), demonstrating cross-cultural applicability.

Throughout this period, the theoretical foundation strengthened through parallel academic training—bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology, licensed hypnotherapy certification, and specialized training in approaches including Ericksonian hypnotherapy, Satir’s Human Growth Model, and Strategic Intervention. Each educational experience informed the practical work, and each clinical application tested the academic theories.

This iterative development process mirrors what the research literature describes as practice-based evidence. Rather than imposing top-down protocols, the LifeScaping System grew organically from clinical observation, client feedback, and integration of what actually produced results.

The VisionLogic Therapeutic Tools

VisionLogic represents the current evolution of this two-decade journey. The therapeutic tools available through the platform translate the Three Masteries into practical applications that can support both self-directed growth and professional therapeutic work.

The MindSight framework helps users develop meta-cognitive awareness—the ability to observe one’s own thinking patterns. Research supports this approach: a systematic review found that enhanced self-awareness is associated with improved therapeutic outcomes and greater capacity to manage life challenges (Sutton, 2016).

Assessment tools like the Stewardship Assessment provide structured opportunities for self-reflection across life domains. These instruments draw from positive psychology’s emphasis on identifying strengths alongside areas for growth. Unlike deficit-focused assessments, they illuminate existing resources that can be mobilized for change.

The LifeScaping Process itself offers a guided journey through the Three Masteries. Users begin with awareness exercises, progress through transformation practices, and culminate in intent-setting activities that translate insights into action plans. This structured approach provides accountability and direction without prescribing specific outcomes, honoring the solution-focused principle that clients are experts in their own lives.

Supporting Professional Therapy

The LifeScaping System and VisionLogic tools are designed to complement, not replace, professional therapeutic relationships. Research consistently demonstrates that therapeutic alliance—the quality of connection between therapist and client—remains one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes across therapeutic modalities (Wampold & Imel, 2015).

Self-directed tools can enhance therapeutic work in several ways. Between-session engagement extends the therapeutic hour, allowing clients to continue processing insights and practicing new skills. Assessment instruments provide therapists with rich information about client perspectives. Structured exercises offer common language and frameworks that facilitate therapeutic conversations.

For clients who may lack access to professional therapy, these tools provide evidence-informed approaches to self-improvement. The system draws from modalities with established research bases, including Internal Family Systems concepts, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy principles, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy techniques.

The Impact: Hundreds of Lives Transformed

Over two decades of application across residential treatment centers, outpatient programs, coaching relationships, and self-directed use, the LifeScaping System has supported hundreds—likely thousands—of individuals in their transformational journeys. While formal outcome research on this specific system is ongoing, the approaches it integrates have substantial empirical support.

Meta-analyses have found that mindfulness-based interventions produce moderate to significant effects on stress reduction and meaningful improvements in anxiety, depression, and quality of life (Khoury et al., 2013). Solution-focused approaches demonstrate effectiveness across populations and presenting concerns, with a recent comprehensive meta-analysis finding significant overall effects on psychosocial functioning (Vermeulen-Oskam et al., 2024). Research on intentional change suggests that vision-driven transformation produces more sustainable results than deficit-focused approaches (Boyatzis, 2006).

More importantly, the qualitative evidence—the stories of recovery, the moments of breakthrough, the lasting changes in life direction—speaks to the system’s real-world utility. These aren’t merely satisfied customers; they’re individuals who have moved through crisis toward clarity, who have discovered resources they didn’t know they possessed, and who have constructed meaningful lives aligned with their deepest values.

Conclusion: An Invitation to Mastery

The Three Masteries—Awareness, Transformation, and Intent—offer a framework for personal growth that integrates ancient wisdom and contemporary science. The LifeScaping System provides tools for traveling this path, whether in support of professional therapy or through self-directed exploration.

What began as one person’s attempt to make sense of a NDE has evolved into a comprehensive framework that has touched hundreds of lives. The journey from crisis to clarity is never linear, but with proper support and evidence-based tools, it is navigable.

VisionLogic Therapeutic Tools represents the latest evolution of this ongoing work. For those ready to begin their journey through the Three Masteries, the path awaits.

Check out LifeScaping at: https://www.visionlogic.org/lifescaping.html

I look forward to working with you, Kevin Brough, M.A., MFT-A.

Ascend Counseling and Wellness – ascendcw.com – 435.688.1111 – kevin@ascendcw.com

References

Boyatzis, R. E. (2006). An overview of intentional change from a complexity perspective. Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 607-623. https://doi.org/10.1108/02621710610678445

Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man’s search for meaning. Beacon Press. (Original work published 1946)

Khoury, B., Lecomte, T., Fortin, G., Masse, M., Therien, P., Bouchard, V., Chapleau, M.-A., Paquin, K., & Hofmann, S. G. (2013). Mindfulness-based therapy: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(6), 763-771. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.05.005

Pompeo, A. M., & Levitt, D. H. (2014). A path of counselor self-awareness. Counseling and Values, 59(1), 80-94. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-007X.2014.00043.x

Sutton, A. (2016). Measuring the effects of self-awareness: Construction of the Self-Awareness Outcomes Questionnaire. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 12(4), 645-658. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i4.1178

Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry, 15(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1501_01

Tedeschi, R. G., Shakespeare-Finch, J., Taku, K., & Calhoun, L. G. (2018). Posttraumatic growth: Theory, research, and applications. Routledge.

Vermeulen-Oskam, A., Prenger, R., Ten Klooster, P. M., & Pieterse, M. E. (2024). The current evidence of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy: A meta-analysis of psychosocial outcomes and moderating factors. Clinical Psychology Review, 114, 102483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102483

Wampold, B. E., & Imel, Z. E. (2015). The great psychotherapy debate: The evidence for what makes psychotherapy work (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Żak, A. M., & Pękala, K. (2024). Effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Psychotherapy Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2024.2406540

The LifeScaping System and VisionLogic Therapeutic Tools are designed to support personal growth and complement professional therapeutic services. They are not intended to replace treatment by licensed mental health professionals. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact a qualified provider or emergency services.

October 3, 2025

Reclamation Before Transformation

Reclaiming Your Self: Building the Foundation for Optimal Mental and Emotional Health

By Kevin Brough MFT

When trauma touches our lives, it often feels as though we’ve lost something essential—a core part of who we truly are. We may find ourselves responding to life in ways that feel foreign, disconnected from the person we once knew ourselves to be. The journey toward healing isn’t about becoming someone new; it’s about reclaiming the Self that has always been there, waiting patiently beneath the protective layers we’ve developed to survive.

As a therapist working with individuals navigating the aftermath of trauma, I’ve witnessed time and again the transformative power of understanding what mental and emotional health truly requires. This article explores a comprehensive framework for building that foundation—one that integrates practical daily structures (the 5 C’s of mental health) with a deeper understanding of your inherent, undamaged core Self (the 8 C’s and 5 P’s from Internal Family Systems therapy).

Understanding the Foundation: Two Frameworks, One Goal

Before we dive deeper, let me clarify something that might initially seem confusing: we’ll be discussing two different sets of “C’s” in this article. Think of them as complementary rather than competing. The first set—Connection, Compassion, Coping, Community, and Care—represents the external structures and daily practices that support mental health (Dialectical Behavior Therapy [DBT] Community, 2024). These are the actionable steps you can take today to build resilience and stability.

The second set comes from Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and describes the qualities of your core Self—the undamaged, wise, compassionate center that exists within you regardless of what you’ve experienced (Schwartz, 2021). These include eight C-qualities (Curiosity, Compassion, Calm, Clarity, Courage, Confidence, Creativity, and Connectedness) and five P-qualities (Presence, Perspective, Patience, Persistence, and Playfulness). Rather than tasks to complete, these represent inherent capacities you already possess that trauma may have temporarily obscured.

Together, these frameworks offer both a roadmap for daily action and a vision of the Self you’re reclaiming.

The Trauma Paradox: When Protection Becomes Prison

Trauma fundamentally alters how we relate to ourselves and the world. When we experience overwhelming events, our psyche develops protective strategies—what IFS calls “parts”—that help us survive (Schwartz & Sweezy, 2020). These parts may manifest as hypervigilance, emotional numbing, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or countless other patterns. While these responses served us when we needed them, they can eventually separate us from our core Self, creating a sense of living life at arm’s length from our own experience.

The beautiful paradox of healing is this: the Self you’re seeking to reclaim has never actually left. It’s been present all along, waiting for the conditions that allow it to emerge. By building external structures that create safety and stability (the first 5 C’s) while simultaneously recognizing and nurturing your inherent Self-qualities (the IFS C’s and P’s), you create the conditions for profound transformation.

The Daily Foundation: The 5 C’s of Mental Health Practice

Let’s begin with the practical framework that creates structure in your daily life. These five components work synergistically to build a foundation strong enough to support the deeper work of Self-reclamation.

Connection: Building Bridges to Others and Yourself

Connection forms the cornerstone of mental health, yet trauma often teaches us that relationships are dangerous or unpredictable. The first step in reclaiming your Self involves intentionally building and nurturing relationships that reflect your worth and humanity.

Daily practices for strengthening connection:

Schedule regular, meaningful contact with at least one trusted person—even a brief text or phone call counts
Practice vulnerable communication by sharing one authentic feeling or need each day
Join a support group, therapy group, or community organization where shared experience creates natural bonds
Notice and gently challenge the protective parts that tell you to isolate

When we connect authentically with others, we create mirrors that reflect back our inherent worthiness. These relationships become laboratories where we can practice expressing our true Self in increasingly safe contexts.

Compassion: The Antidote to Self-Criticism

Trauma survivors often develop harsh inner critics that replay messages of worthlessness, shame, or inadequacy. Compassion—particularly self-compassion—directly counters these internalized wounds by offering what researcher Kristin Neff calls “the three elements of self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness” (Neff, 2003, p. 224).

Cultivating daily compassion:

When you notice self-critical thoughts, pause and ask: “Would I speak this way to someone I love?”
Develop a compassionate self-talk practice, perhaps placing a hand over your heart and speaking kindly to yourself
Recognize that your struggles connect you to humanity rather than separate you from it
Extend compassion outward to others, noticing how this practice naturally circles back to yourself

Compassion creates the internal environment where your core Self can safely emerge. When you stop attacking yourself for having been hurt, you create space for healing.

Coping: Tools for the Journey

Healthy coping strategies are the practical skills that help you navigate difficult emotions without being overwhelmed by them. Unlike the survival mechanisms that trauma installed, conscious coping practices work with your nervous system rather than against it.

Building your coping toolkit:

Develop a personalized set of grounding techniques (deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, 5-4-3-2-1 sensory awareness)
Create a “coping menu” with options for different emotional states—what helps when you’re anxious may differ from what helps when you’re numb
Practice distress tolerance skills that help you ride emotional waves without destructive action
Engage in regular activities that regulate your nervous system (exercise, creative expression, time in nature)

Effective coping isn’t about making difficult feelings disappear; it’s about developing the capacity to be with your experience while maintaining connection to your Self. Over time, you’ll notice that the C-qualities of your core Self (particularly Calm and Courage) become more accessible when you have reliable coping practices in place.

Community: Finding Your Tribe

Trauma often occurs in isolation and heals in community. Being part of something larger than yourself provides perspective, purpose, and the reminder that you’re not alone in your struggles. Community engagement combats the shame that thrives in secrecy and creates opportunities for meaningful contribution.

Engaging with community:

Identify communities that align with your values or interests, whether local or online
Start small—attend one event, join one online group, volunteer for a few hours
Look for communities specifically designed for healing, such as trauma support groups or 12-step programs
Remember that contributing to community is as healing as receiving support from it

In healthy community, you have the opportunity to discover and express aspects of your Self that may have been dormant. You might rediscover the Creativity, Playfulness, or Connectedness that trauma temporarily buried.

Care: Stewarding Your Whole Being

Care represents the commitment to actively tend to your mental, emotional, and physical health. It’s the practice of treating yourself as someone worth investing in—a radical act for those whose trauma taught them otherwise.

Implementing comprehensive care:

Establish non-negotiable self-care routines (adequate sleep, nourishing food, movement, rest)
Seek professional support when needed, recognizing that therapy is a sign of wisdom, not weakness
Create boundaries that protect your energy and well-being
Regularly assess whether your daily choices align with your values and long-term flourishing

Care is where intention meets action. It’s the daily decision to honor your needs and prioritize your healing, even when parts of you protest or minimize your suffering.

The Core Self: Qualities You Already Possess

As you build these external structures through the daily 5 C’s, you simultaneously create conditions for your core Self to emerge more fully. Internal Family Systems therapy offers a profound truth: beneath your protective parts lies an undamaged Self characterized by specific qualities that don’t need to be learned or earned—they simply need to be accessed (Schwartz, 2021).

The 8 C-Qualities of Self

These qualities naturally arise when you’re Self-led rather than led by traumatized parts:

Curiosity replaces judgment, allowing you to approach your inner experience and outer world with openness. Instead of avoiding difficult emotions or experiences, you become genuinely interested in understanding them.

Compassion flows naturally from Self, offering warmth and kindness to all parts of your internal system and to others. This isn’t compassion you force yourself to feel—it emerges organically when you’re Self-led.

Calm provides the internal steadiness that allows you to face challenges without becoming overwhelmed. This isn’t the false calm of dissociation but rather a grounded, present equanimity.

Clarity cuts through the confusion that trauma creates, allowing you to see situations accurately and make decisions aligned with your truth. You recognize patterns without getting lost in them.

Courage enables you to face what you’ve avoided, to speak your truth, and to take risks in service of your healing and growth. This courage isn’t reckless—it’s grounded in Self-trust.

Confidence emerges as you recognize your inherent capacity to handle life’s challenges. This isn’t arrogance but rather a realistic acknowledgment of your resilience and capability.

Creativity allows fresh perspectives and novel solutions to emerge. You discover your ability to approach problems flexibly and express yourself authentically.

Connectedness reflects your natural capacity for healthy relationship—with yourself, others, and something larger than yourself. You recognize your place in the web of life.

The 5 P-Qualities of Self

These additional qualities further describe what emerges when you’re Self-led:

Presence means fully inhabiting the present moment rather than being pulled into past trauma or future anxiety. You’re here, now, available to your life as it unfolds.

Perspective allows you to hold the bigger picture without minimizing or catastrophizing. You can zoom out when needed, recognizing that difficult moments are part of a larger journey.

Patience replaces the urgency that trauma often instills. You trust the timing of your healing and development, understanding that growth can’t be rushed.

Persistence provides the endurance to continue showing up for yourself and your healing, even when progress feels slow or you encounter setbacks.

Playfulness reconnects you with joy, spontaneity, and lightness. It’s the antidote to the heaviness that trauma imposes, reminding you that life can include delight.

Integration: Reclaiming Your Self Through Daily Practice

The magic happens when these frameworks work together. As you engage the daily practices of Connection, Compassion, Coping, Community, and Care, you create the safety and stability that allows your core Self-qualities to emerge more consistently. Simultaneously, as you recognize and access your inherent C’s and P’s, you find yourself naturally drawn to practices that support mental health.

This isn’t a linear process. Some days, you’ll feel firmly rooted in Self, experiencing Calm, Clarity, and Compassion with ease. Other days, protective parts will take the lead, and you’ll need to rely more heavily on your external coping strategies. Both are part of the journey.

Your Commitment to Reclamation

Reclaiming your Self after trauma is both the simplest and most challenging work you’ll ever do. Simple because your Self is already there, complete and undamaged, requiring only the conditions to emerge. Challenging because creating those conditions means facing what you’ve survived and gradually releasing the protective patterns that once kept you safe but now keep you small.

I invite you to make this commitment to yourself:

I commit to building the daily structures (Connection, Compassion, Coping, Community, Care) that support my mental and emotional health. I commit to recognizing that beneath my trauma and protective strategies lies a core Self characterized by Curiosity, Compassion, Calm, Clarity, Courage, Confidence, Creativity, and Connectedness—along with Presence, Perspective, Patience, Persistence, and Playfulness. I commit to approaching my healing with patience and persistence, trusting that my true Self is not lost but merely waiting to be reclaimed. I commit to treating myself as someone worth investing in, worthy of the time and effort that healing requires.

Moving Forward: From Understanding to Ownership

Understanding these frameworks intellectually is valuable, but transformation requires moving from knowledge to embodied practice. Consider these steps as you begin:

Start where you are. You don’t need to implement everything at once. Choose one element from the daily 5 C’s to focus on this week. Perhaps you commit to reaching out to one person (Connection) or establishing one self-care routine (Care).
Practice Self-recognition. Several times each day, pause and notice which C- or P-quality is present. When you notice Curiosity arising, acknowledge it: “This is my Self showing up.” This simple recognition strengthens your relationship with your core Self.
Work with your parts. When you notice resistance, criticism, or protection, recognize these as parts trying to help. Rather than fighting them, approach them with curiosity: “What are you afraid will happen if you let my Self lead right now?”
Seek support. Consider working with a therapist trained in IFS or trauma-focused approaches who can guide you in accessing Self and healing the wounds that keep parts activated.
Celebrate small victories. Each moment of Self-leadership, each practice of one of the 5 C’s, each recognition of your inherent qualities—these are victories worth acknowledging.

The Vision: Your Optimal Future

Close your eyes for a moment and envision your life when you’re consistently Self-led, when the daily 5 C’s form your foundation. What does your life look like when Calm, Clarity, and Connectedness characterize your days? How do you show up in relationships when Compassion and Courage lead? What becomes possible when you approach challenges with Creativity and Perspective?

This vision isn’t fantasy—it’s your birthright. It’s the life that becomes available when you reclaim your Self from the protective patterns trauma installed. The person you’re becoming isn’t someone new; it’s who you’ve always been beneath the armor.

Your optimal future isn’t somewhere distant you must strive to reach. It’s revealed gradually, moment by moment, as you practice the 5 C’s and recognize the Self-qualities that have always been yours. You’re not building yourself from scratch; you’re excavating the treasure that was temporarily buried.

The journey of reclaiming your Self is both profound and practical, mystical and mundane. It requires daily commitment to structures that support mental health while simultaneously recognizing that beneath your wounds lies a core that trauma never touched. In this paradox lies your freedom: you have work to do, and you’re already whole. Both are true.

Welcome home to your Self. The journey begins—or continues—right now, in this moment, with this next breath, with this next conscious choice to honor who you truly are.

Kevin Brough – Ascend Counseling and Wellness, St. George, Utah – kevin@ascendcw.com

References

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Community. (2024). What are the 5 C’s of mental health? 24/7 DCT. https://247dct.org/what-are-the-5-cs-of-mental-health/

Neff, K. D. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualization of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2), 85-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309032

Schwartz, R. C. (2021). No bad parts: Healing trauma and restoring wholeness with the Internal Family Systems model. Sounds True.

Schwartz, R. C., & Sweezy, M. (2020). Internal Family Systems therapy (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Kevin Brough is a therapist specializing in trauma recovery and treatment. He works with individuals seeking to reclaim their authentic selves and build sustainable foundations for mental and emotional health.

August 28, 2025

Profound Change Work

Change Work: Moving Beyond Surface Behaviors to Deep Transformation

By Kevin Brough, MFT

Introduction

In my years of practice, I’ve come to understand a fundamental truth about human change: You can’t change what you’re not aware of. This simple yet profound statement encapsulates the essence of meaningful therapeutic work and personal transformation. Too often, we focus on behavioral modifications—what I call first-order changes—without addressing the deeper cognitive and emotional systems that drive these behaviors. True, sustainable change requires a systems-based approach that recognizes the interconnected nature of our thoughts, emotions, and actions.

The field of cognitive-behavioral therapy has evolved significantly from its early focus on symptom reduction to a more comprehensive understanding of human change processes. Systems-based CBT recognizes that lasting behavioral change is only possible when we address the underlying cognitive and emotional patterns that maintain problematic behaviors (Mahoney, 1991). This approach acknowledges that human beings are complex systems where changes at one level inevitably impact other levels of functioning.

First-Order vs. Second-Order Change: Understanding the Hierarchy of Transformation

The distinction between first-order and second-order change is crucial for understanding why many therapeutic interventions fail to produce lasting results. First-order changes are surface-level behavioral modifications, such as stopping a habit, following a new routine, or implementing coping strategies. While these changes may provide immediate relief or improvement, they often lack the depth necessary for long-term sustainability.

Second-order change, in contrast, involves fundamental shifts in our cognitive schemas, emotional regulation patterns, and core belief systems (Watzlawick et al., 1974). These more profound changes create the foundation upon which sustainable behavioral modifications can be built. When we address the emotional and cognitive roots of behavior, we create systemic change that naturally supports new ways of being.

Consider, for example, a client struggling with chronic anxiety who learns relaxation techniques. This first-order change may provide temporary relief, but without addressing the underlying cognitive patterns of catastrophic thinking and the emotional dysregulation that fuels the anxiety, the symptoms are likely to return. However, when we help the client develop awareness of their thought patterns, process underlying emotional wounds, and restructure their core beliefs about safety and control, we create second-order change that naturally reduces anxiety at its source.

The Foundation of Change: Awareness, Consciousness, and Mindfulness

The journey toward meaningful change begins with awareness. As I often tell my clients, transformation is impossible without first developing a clear understanding of what needs to be transformed. This awareness operates on multiple levels: cognitive awareness of our thought patterns, emotional awareness of our feeling states, and somatic awareness of our bodily responses to stress and triggers.

Prochaska and DiClemente’s Stages of Change model offers a practical framework for understanding how awareness evolves into action (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983). The model identifies six stages that individuals progress through when making lasting changes:

Precontemplation

At this stage, individuals are often unaware that a problem exists or that change is necessary. They may be in denial about the impact of their behaviors on themselves and others. The therapeutic work here focuses on raising awareness and helping clients begin to see patterns they previously couldn’t recognize.

Contemplation

Awareness begins to emerge, and individuals start to recognize that change may be beneficial. However, they remain ambivalent, weighing the costs and benefits of change. This stage is characterized by increased self-reflection and exploration of the problem.

Preparation

The decision to change has been made, and individuals begin to take small steps toward transformation. They may start gathering information, seeking support, or making preliminary changes to their environment.

Action

This stage involves implementing specific strategies and behaviors to create change. It requires significant commitment and energy as individuals work to establish new patterns while resisting the pull of old habits.

Maintenance

The focus shifts to sustaining the changes that have been made and preventing relapse. This stage requires ongoing vigilance and the continued use of coping strategies.

Termination

The new behaviors become so integrated that the individual no longer feels tempted to return to old patterns. The change has become an integral part of their identity, rather than something they must actively maintain.

This model illustrates how awareness naturally progresses to ownership and action. Each stage requires specific interventions and support to facilitate movement to the next level of change.

Extending Awareness to Relational Systems

Just as individual change requires awareness of internal patterns, relationship transformation—whether in couples or families—demands an expanded awareness that encompasses the interactive patterns and systemic dynamics between individuals. In my work with couples and families, I’ve observed that sustainable relationship change cannot occur through individual efforts alone; it requires each person to develop awareness of how their individual patterns intersect with and influence the relational system as a whole. This includes recognizing communication patterns, power dynamics, emotional triangles, and the unspoken rules that govern family interactions. For instance, a couple may each work individually on their anger management and communication skills, but without awareness of their cyclical pattern of pursuit and withdrawal, or how their family-of-origin experiences create complementary dysfunctions, their individual changes may actually make more tension in the relationship. True relational transformation occurs when partners or family members can simultaneously hold awareness of their own internal processes while also observing and taking responsibility for their contribution to systemic patterns. This dual awareness—of self and system—allows for coordinated change efforts where individual growth supports rather than threatens the relationship, creating space for authentic intimacy and healthier family functioning.

Developing Emotional Intelligence Through Awareness

Emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, and regulate our emotions while empathizing with others—is a crucial component of second-order change (Goleman, 1995). Many of the behavioral patterns we seek to change are driven by emotional reactions that occur below the threshold of consciousness. By developing emotional awareness and regulation skills, we gain access to the emotional drivers of our behavior.

The process of developing emotional intelligence begins with what I call “emotional mapping”—learning to identify and name our emotional experiences with precision. Many clients come to therapy with limited emotional vocabulary, describing complex feeling states with simple terms like “stressed” or “upset.” Through mindfulness practices and focused attention, we can cultivate the ability to recognize subtle emotional states and their corresponding cognitive and somatic markers.

This awareness then extends to understanding emotional triggers and patterns. Clients learn to recognize the early warning signs of emotional dysregulation and develop strategies for intervention before reactive patterns take over. This represents a shift from being controlled by emotions to creating a collaborative relationship with our emotional life.

Transformational Skills: The Tools for Change

Once awareness has been established, the next phase involves developing what I term “transformational skills”—the specific abilities needed to create and maintain change. These skills can be broadly categorized into several domains:

Cognitive Restructuring Skills

The ability to identify distorted thought patterns, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and develop more balanced and realistic cognitive frameworks. This includes skills such as thought monitoring, cognitive reframing, and the development of adaptive self-talk (Beck, 1976).

Emotional Regulation Skills

Techniques for managing intense emotions, including distress tolerance, emotion surfing, and developing self-soothing strategies. These skills help individuals remain functional during emotional storms and prevent impulsive reactions (Linehan, 1993).

Interpersonal Skills

The capacity to communicate effectively, set boundaries, and navigate relationships in ways that support rather than undermine change efforts. Many behavioral patterns are maintained by dysfunctional relationship dynamics that must be addressed for lasting change to occur.

Mindfulness and Present-Moment Awareness

The cultivation of non-judgmental awareness of present-moment experience, including thoughts, emotions, sensations, and environmental factors. This skill forms the foundation for all other transformational abilities (Kabat-Zinn, 1994).

Behavioral Activation and Goal-Setting

The ability to identify values-based goals and take consistent action toward their achievement, even in the presence of obstacles or setbacks.

Like any skill set, transformational skills improve with practice and application. Initially, clients may find these skills awkward or challenging to implement. However, with consistent use, they become more natural and automatic, eventually requiring less conscious effort to maintain.

The Neurobiological Foundation of Change

Understanding the brain science behind change can be empowering for both therapists and clients. Neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new neural connections throughout life—provides the biological foundation for all psychological change (Doidge, 2007). When we engage in new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving, we literally rewire our brains.

Chronic stress and trauma can create rigid neural pathways that maintain problematic patterns of thinking and behaving. The amygdala, which is responsible for threat detection, can become hyperactive, while the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive functioning and emotional regulation, may become less active. This neurobiological state makes change more difficult but not impossible.

Therapeutic interventions that promote mindfulness, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility help strengthen prefrontal cortex functioning while calming amygdala reactivity. Through repeated practice of new skills and behaviors, we create new neural pathways that support healthier patterns of functioning. Over time, these new pathways can become the brain’s preferred routes, making positive changes feel more natural and automatic.

The process of neuroplasticity also explains why change takes time and why consistent practice is essential. Each time we choose a new response over an old pattern, we strengthen the neural pathways associated with the new behavior while weakening those associated with the old pattern. This is why I often tell clients that change is not a destination but a practice—a daily commitment to choosing new responses over familiar ones.

Trauma-Informed Change Work

No discussion of change work would be complete without addressing trauma’s impact on our capacity for transformation. Trauma, whether acute or developmental, creates disruptions in our nervous system that can significantly impact our ability to engage in change processes (van der Kolk, 2014).

Traumatic experiences often overwhelm our natural coping resources, leading to the development of survival strategies that may have been adaptive in dangerous situations but become problematic in current contexts. Many of the behaviors clients want to change—addiction, relationship difficulties, emotional dysregulation—can be understood as trauma responses that have outlived their usefulness.

Trauma-informed change work recognizes that healing must address both the psychological and physiological impacts of traumatic experiences. This often requires a combination of top-down approaches (cognitive interventions that help make sense of experiences) and bottom-up approaches (body-based interventions that help regulate the nervous system).

Top-Down Processing for Change

Top-down approaches work through the neocortex to influence lower brain regions. These interventions include:

Cognitive restructuring to address trauma-related beliefs about safety, trust, and self-worth
Narrative therapy techniques that help clients develop coherent stories about their experiences
Psychoeducation about trauma’s impact on the brain and nervous system
Mindfulness practices that strengthen prefrontal cortex functioning

Bottom-Up Processing for Change

Bottom-up approaches work directly with the body and nervous system to promote regulation and healing:

Somatic experiencing techniques that help discharge trapped trauma energy
Breathwork and other nervous-system regulation practices
Movement and dance therapies that help restore natural rhythms
EMDR and other therapies that work directly with traumatic memories stored in the body

The most effective trauma-informed change work integrates both approaches, recognizing that healing occurs through multiple pathways and that different clients may respond better to various interventions.

Mastering Awareness: The First Phase of Transformation

The development of awareness is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing practice that deepens over time. I conceptualize this as the first significant phase of personal transformation—learning to observe ourselves with clarity, compassion, and accuracy.

This phase involves several key developments:

Meta-Cognitive Awareness

Learning to observe our thoughts without being controlled by them. This includes recognizing thought patterns, understanding the difference between thoughts and facts, and developing the ability to step back from our mental content.

Emotional Awareness

Developing the capacity to recognize, name, and track our emotional experiences throughout the day. This includes understanding emotional triggers, recognizing the physical sensations associated with various emotions, and learning to tolerate difficult emotional states without resorting to immediate action.

Somatic Awareness

Tuning into the wisdom of the body and recognizing how stress, trauma, and emotional states manifest in physical sensations. This includes learning to use the body as an early warning system for emotional dysregulation.

Relational Awareness

Understanding our patterns in relationships, including how we contribute to relationship dynamics and how our past experiences influence our current interactions.

Values Awareness

Clarifying what matters most to us and understanding when our actions align with or contradict our most deeply held values.

Mastering Transformation: The Second Phase

Once a solid foundation of awareness has been established, the focus shifts to mastering transformation—the skillful application of change strategies in real-world situations. This second phase is characterized by several key developments:

Flexible Response Repertoire

Rather than being limited to automatic reactions, individuals develop multiple options for responding to challenging situations. They can choose responses based on effectiveness rather than habit.

Emotional Regulation Mastery

The ability to remain centered and responsive even in highly charged emotional situations. This includes skills such as self-soothing, distress tolerance, and maintaining perspective during challenging times.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

The capacity to maintain relationships while also maintaining personal boundaries and values. This includes skills for communication, conflict resolution, and collaborative problem-solving.

Resilience and Recovery

The ability to bounce back from setbacks and maintain forward momentum even when progress is not linear. This includes skills for self-compassion, meaning-making, and adaptive coping.

Practical Applications and Interventions

The theoretical framework outlined above translates into specific therapeutic interventions and practices:

Mindfulness-Based Interventions

Regular mindfulness practice helps develop the awareness necessary for change while also strengthening the neural pathways associated with emotional regulation and cognitive flexibility.

Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques

Traditional CBT interventions remain valuable for helping clients identify and modify problematic thought patterns; however, they are most effective when integrated into a broader, systems-based approach.

Somatic Interventions

Body-based interventions help clients develop awareness of how emotions and stress manifest physically while also providing tools for nervous system regulation.

Interpersonal Skills Training

Many behavioral patterns are maintained by dysfunctional relationship dynamics. Teaching clients effective communication and boundary-setting skills often facilitates broader change.

Values Clarification Work

Helping clients identify their core values and align their actions with these values provides motivation and direction for change efforts.

Conclusion

Change work, at its essence, is about helping individuals move from unconscious reactivity to conscious responsivity. This transformation requires more than surface-level behavioral modifications—it demands fundamental shifts in how we think, feel, and relate to ourselves and others.

The journey begins with awareness. As I’ve emphasized throughout my practice, you cannot change what you are not aware of. This awareness must be cultivated patiently and compassionately, recognizing that many of our patterns developed as adaptive responses to earlier life circumstances.

Once awareness is established, the focus shifts to developing transformational skills—the specific abilities needed to create and maintain change. These skills, like any others, improve with practice and become more natural over time.

The integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches ensures that change work addresses both the cognitive and somatic dimensions of human experience. By working with both the mind and body, we create the conditions for profound, lasting transformation.

Perhaps most importantly, this approach recognizes that change is not a destination but a way of life. The skills we develop in therapy become lifelong tools for continued growth and adaptation. As we master awareness and transformation, we build the capacity to navigate life’s challenges with greater skill, resilience, and authenticity.

The work is not easy, but it is profoundly worthwhile. Each moment of increased awareness, each skillful response to a challenging situation, and each choice to act from values rather than habit contribute to the larger project of becoming who we are meant to be. In this way, change work becomes not just about solving problems but about discovering and expressing our fullest potential.

Love & Light

Kevin Brough – Ascend Counseling and Wellness, St. George, Utah – 435.688.1111 – kevin@ascendcw.com

References

Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. International Universities Press.

Doidge, N. (2007). The brain that changes itself: Stories of personal triumph from the frontiers of brain science. Viking.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it matters more than IQ. Bantam Books.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hyperion.

Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford Press.

Mahoney, M. J. (1991). Human change processes: The scientific foundations of psychotherapy. Basic Books.

Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(3), 390-395.

van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.

Watzlawick, P., Weakland, J. H., & Fisch, R. (1974). Change: Principles of problem formation and problem resolution. Norton.

August 11, 2025

Somatic Therapy & Healing from Trauma

Somatic Therapy & Healing from Trauma: Understanding the Body’s Memory

An evidence-based exploration of how trauma lives in the body and how somatic approaches facilitate healing

Introduction

The famous words of psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, “The body keeps the score,” have become foundational to our understanding of trauma recovery. Recent research suggests that cellular memory is responsible for our physical and emotional responses to specific events and stimuli, regardless of whether we are in actual physical danger or completely safe (BodyBio, 2024). This emerging understanding of how trauma becomes embodied at the cellular level has profound implications for both trauma survivors and the healthcare providers who work with them.

Somatic therapy represents a paradigm shift from traditional talk therapy approaches by recognizing that trauma is not merely a psychological phenomenon but a whole-body experience that requires whole-body healing. Virtually every behavioral pattern exhibited during routine activities of daily living results from learned data that is stored, or encoded, as cellular memory (Academy for Traumatic Stress Studies, 2025). This article explores the neurobiological foundations of trauma, the role of cellular memory in trauma storage, and how somatic therapy approaches offer pathways to healing that honor the body’s innate wisdom.

The Neurobiological Landscape of Trauma

The Amygdala as Neural Router

Understanding trauma requires appreciating the brain’s alarm system, centered around the amygdala. LeDoux has proposed that in emotional processing, sensory information may access the amygdala via two different routes, called the low road and the high road (Journal of Neuropsychiatry, 2019).

The low road is a direct route to the amygdala from the thalamus, bypassing the cortex, that might promptly elicit fear defense responses without conscious recognition of the threat. By the high road, as soon as the sensory information projects to the thalamus, it is sent to the sensory cortex, insula, and PFC for a more complete analysis (conscious awareness of the conditioned stimulus), then this information is sent to the amygdala (Journal of Neuropsychiatry, 2019).

This dual-pathway system explains why trauma survivors often experience triggered responses before they can consciously process what’s happening. The amygdala essentially functions as a neural router, rapidly linking sensory data with emotional content and determining whether information should be processed through fast, survival-oriented circuits or slower, more deliberate conscious pathways.

Memory Encoding During Trauma

During traumatic events, bursts of adrenaline activate the amygdala, leading isolated sensory fragments to be vividly recalled. Specific sensory details such as visual images, smells, sounds, or felt experiences can be strongly imprinted and recalled (Dr. Arielle Schwartz, 2024).

This explains why trauma memories often lack coherent narrative structure. High arousal emotional and somatic experience disrupts the functioning of the hippocampus, which impairs our ability to recall all of the details or maintain a sense of sequential timing of events. We might have only fragments of sensory information (Dr. Arielle Schwartz, 2024).

The implications of this fragmented encoding are profound. Unlike typical memories that can be recalled and discussed coherently, traumatic memories exist as disconnected sensory fragments, body sensations, and emotional states that can be triggered without conscious awareness or understanding.

Cellular Memory: Where Trauma Lives in the Body

The Science of Embodied Trauma

Recent advances in neuroscience have revealed that trauma’s impact extends far beyond psychological symptoms. As it turns out, every one of our cells, not just neurons, has a kind of cellular memory that remembers and holds onto trauma from years prior, even from infancy when we have no conscious memory of what happened to us (BodyBio, 2024).

During the shock and stress of an event that is perceived as a physical or emotional threat, a special complex of hormonal messenger molecules are released by the limbic-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system. These substances encode all the external and internal sensory impressions of the perceived threat as cellular memory (Academy for Traumatic Stress Studies, 2025).

This cellular encoding creates what researchers refer to as “traumatically encoded cellular memory patterns,” which can influence behavior, physical health, and emotional responses long after the original trauma occurred. When a person is not capable or willing or simply doesn’t have the time and resources to process their experience, it is stored in the cells in its raw form. If it is a distressing experience, it is stored as a ‘trauma’ (Vitality Unleashed Psychology, 2024).

The Molecular Basis of Trauma Storage

At the molecular level, trauma appears to affect multiple biological systems simultaneously. One of the most critical molecular findings in PTSD research is that patients exhibit abnormally high GR sensitivity. Central to this finding is the immunophilin Fkpb5 (FK506 binding protein 5), which has become one of the most studied genes in PTSD research (PMC, 2017).

These molecular changes help explain why trauma symptoms can persist even when conscious memory of events may be limited or absent. Emotional memories of traumatic life events are stored in the brain, with anger, grief, worry, stress, and fear often associated with them. Research has now shown that emotional memories, both positive and negative, leave strong impressions on our brains and therefore affect our behaviour (Camino Recovery Spain, 2023).

Physical Trauma and Emotional Integration

The Convergence of Physical and Emotional Pain

When trauma involves both physical injury and emotional distress, the integration of these experiences creates complex neurobiological patterns. A robust body of research demonstrates that prolonged or repeated exposure to stress and trauma can have serious negative consequences for physical and mental health, particularly when stress is experienced early in development (PMC, 2019).

The nervous system doesn’t distinguish between physical and emotional threats in its fundamental alarm responses. Compromised maternal care, including neglect, inconsistency, and lack of sensitivity, is a significant contributor to ELS (early life stress), resulting in increased numbers and function of excitatory synapses upon stress-sensitive neurons in the hypothalamus, a critical structure in coordinating the autonomic response to stress as part of the HPA (Taylor & Francis, 2022).

This helps explain why survivors of physical trauma often experience ongoing emotional and physical symptoms that seem disproportionate to their current circumstances. The body’s alarm system, having been overwhelmed by the combination of physical threat and emotional distress, remains hypervigilant and reactive.

Somatic Processing of Combined Trauma

From a phylogenetically and ontogenetically informed perspective, trauma-related symptomology is conceptualized as grounded in brainstem-level somatic sensory processing dysfunction and its cascading influences on physiological arousal modulation, affect regulation, and higher-order capacities (Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2022).

This understanding suggests that healing from combined physical and emotional trauma requires interventions that address the foundational sensory processing systems. Somatic approaches are particularly well-suited for this integration because they work with the body’s natural capacity for self-regulation and healing.

Somatic Therapy: Working with the Body’s Wisdom

Theoretical Foundations

Somatic therapy emerged from the recognition that traditional talk therapy alone may not be sufficient to address trauma that is stored in the body. Pioneer Peter Levine observed that animals in the wild naturally recover from traumatic experiences through physical discharge and developed Somatic Experiencing based on this observation.

The core principles of somatic therapy include:

Bottom-Up Processing: Rather than starting with cognitive understanding, somatic approaches begin with body sensations and allow awareness to emerge organically.

Window of Tolerance: Developed by Dan Siegel, this concept describes the optimal zone of arousal where healing can occur without overwhelming the nervous system.

Pendulation: The natural movement between states of activation and calm that builds resilience and expands capacity for regulation.

Resource Building: Identifying and strengthening internal and external resources that support nervous system regulation.

The Integration of Polyvagal Theory

Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory provides crucial neurobiological understanding for somatic work. The theory describes three neural circuits:

Social Engagement System (Ventral Vagal Complex): Supports calm, social connection, and optimal functioning
Sympathetic Nervous System: Manages fight-or-flight responses
Dorsal Vagal Complex: Handles immobilization responses, including freeze and collapse

Understanding these systems enables somatic therapists to track client states and intervene effectively. As the body changes, threat detection systems in the primitive brain can be activated. This part of the brain responds strongly to touch, safety, and presence. If a change in the body can be supported, cellular memory can be modified without needing to remember or even understand the traumatic event (Vitality Unleashed Psychology, 2024).

Evidence Base for Somatic Approaches

Research Findings

Multiple studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of somatic trauma therapies:

Somatic Experiencing: A 2017 randomized controlled trial by Brom et al. found that SE was as effective as CBT for PTSD treatment, with particular advantages in reducing physical symptoms and improving quality of life.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Research by Langmuir et al. (2012) showed significant improvements in PTSD symptoms, with powerful effects on intrusive symptoms and emotional numbing.

Body-Based Interventions: A meta-analysis by van der Kolk et al. (2014) found that body-based interventions showed significant promise for trauma treatment, particularly for symptoms that don’t respond well to traditional talk therapy alone.

Neurobiological Validation

Brain imaging studies have shown changes in areas affected by trauma following somatic interventions. Using a combination of advanced genetic tools, 3D electron microscopy, and artificial intelligence, Scripps Research scientists reconstructed a wiring diagram of neurons involved in learning. They identified structural changes to these neurons and their connections at the cellular and subcellular levels (NIH, 2025).

This emerging research on neural plasticity supports the premise of somatic therapy, which suggests that the nervous system can reorganize and heal when provided with appropriate interventions.

Clinical Applications and Techniques

Core Somatic Interventions

Sensation Tracking: Teaching clients to notice and describe body sensations without judgment creates the foundation for somatic awareness.

Grounding Techniques: Helping clients connect with the present moment through physical contact with the earth or floor supports nervous system regulation.

Boundary Work: Exploring physical and energetic boundaries helps clients develop a stronger sense of self and safety.

Movement and Discharge: Encouraging natural movements and impulses supports the completion of interrupted defensive responses.

Integration with Other Modalities

Somatic therapy integrates well with other evidence-based approaches:

EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing naturally incorporates bilateral stimulation that supports somatic integration.

Cognitive Processing Therapy: CPT can be enhanced by including body awareness and sensation tracking.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions: These approaches naturally complement somatic work by developing present-moment awareness.

Special Considerations for Different Populations

Cultural Responsiveness

Modern somatic trauma work increasingly recognizes the impact of systemic oppression and collective trauma. This work revealed that experiences, ranging from individual to structural, are embodied, with their effects on the physical body as well as on emotions and cognition (PMC, 2024).

Practitioners must consider:

How different cultures relate to the body and healing
The impact of systemic oppression on nervous system functioning
Accessibility and inclusivity in somatic interventions

Special Populations

Children and Adolescents: Dramatic brain/body transformations occurring during adolescence may provide a highly responsive substrate to external stimuli and lead to trauma-related vulnerability conditions (ScienceDirect, 2023). Somatic approaches for young people must be developmentally appropriate and trauma-informed.

Complex Trauma Survivors: Those with histories of repeated or prolonged trauma may require specialized approaches that build safety and stabilization before processing trauma material.

Advanced Integration: The Alexander Technique and Energy-Based Approaches

Movement Education and Somatic Healing

The Alexander Technique offers valuable integration with somatic trauma work by addressing habitual movement patterns that may perpetuate trauma responses. This method teaches awareness of how we use our bodies and provides tools for conscious choice in movement and posture.

The integration of Alexander principles with somatic trauma work offers several advantages:

Pattern Stabilization: Helping clients maintain nervous system changes achieved in therapy
Conscious Choice: Teaching the ability to pause before falling into old trauma patterns
Functional Integration: Translating healing into improved daily functioning

Energy-Based Integration

Approaches drawn from Reiki, Quantum Touch, and other energy-based modalities can complement somatic trauma work when integrated thoughtfully:

Body Awareness Enhancement: Energy-based hand positions can increase proprioceptive awareness. Nervous System Regulation: Specific breathing patterns combined with gentle touch support parasympathetic activation. Integration Support: Energy-based practices can help anchor and integrate the gains from somatic therapy.

Future Directions and Implications

Emerging Research Areas

Epigenetics: Research on how trauma affects gene expression and how somatic interventions might influence epigenetic changes shows promise for understanding intergenerational trauma transmission and healing.

Collective and Community Trauma: Developing somatic approaches that can address trauma affecting entire communities represents a critical frontier.

Technology Integration: Virtual reality, biofeedback devices, and smartphone applications are now supporting somatic trauma work in innovative ways.

Clinical Integration

The future of trauma treatment lies in integrating somatic approaches with traditional healthcare. Over 70% of individuals experience a traumatic event at least once in their lifetime, with approximately 10% developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result (NCBI Bookshelf, 2024).

This prevalence underscores the importance of trauma-informed care across all healthcare settings, with somatic approaches offering valuable tools for assessment and intervention.

Implications for Practitioners

Training and Competency

Effective somatic trauma work requires specialized training that includes:

Personal Somatic Work: Practitioners must engage in their own healing to develop the sensitivity required for this work
Supervised Practice: Extensive supervision is essential for developing subtle somatic intervention skills
Ongoing Education: The field continues to evolve, requiring commitment to lifelong learning

Ethical Considerations

Working with trauma stored in the body requires careful attention to:

Informed Consent: Clients must understand the nature of somatic interventions
Boundary Awareness: Touch and body-based interventions require clear boundaries and consent processes
Cultural Sensitivity: Approaches must be adapted to respect diverse cultural perspectives on the body and healing

Practical Recommendations

For Healthcare Providers

Develop Body Awareness: Cultivate your own somatic awareness to better attune to client’s nervous system states
Learn Basic Nervous System Education: Understanding polyvagal theory and window of tolerance concepts enhances all clinical work
Incorporate Simple Somatic Tools: Basic grounding and breathing techniques can be valuable additions to any therapeutic approach
Seek Training: Consider formal training in somatic approaches to enhance your clinical skillset
Build Referral Networks: Develop relationships with qualified somatic practitioners for appropriate referrals

For Trauma Survivors

Explore Body Awareness: Begin noticing body sensations without trying to change them
Practice Grounding: Simple techniques like feeling your feet on the floor can support nervous system regulation
Seek Qualified Practitioners: Look for therapists trained in somatic approaches when traditional talk therapy isn’t sufficient
Be Patient with the Process: Somatic healing often occurs slowly and requires patience with the body’s natural rhythms
Build Resources: Identify activities, people, and places that help you feel calm and regulated

Conclusion

The emerging understanding of cellular memory and the neurobiological basis of trauma storage represents a significant advancement in our approach to healing and recovery. The first step is becoming aware of the experience, identifying it, and understanding that it is not the memory of the trauma itself that hurts you. It is the perception of the trauma you remember that’s hurting you (Vitality Unleashed Psychology, 2024).

Somatic therapy offers hope for those who have not found relief through traditional approaches alone by honoring the body’s role in both storing and healing trauma. As our understanding of the intricate connections between mind, body, and healing continues to evolve, somatic approaches will likely become increasingly central to comprehensive trauma treatment.

The integration of somatic therapy with other evidence-based approaches, including movement education and energy-based practices, opens new possibilities for healing that address trauma at all levels – from cellular memory to conscious awareness. For both practitioners and survivors, this represents an invitation to trust in the body’s innate wisdom and capacity for healing.

The body truly does keep the score, but it also holds the keys to recovery. Through patient, informed, and skillful somatic work, we can help the nervous system complete interrupted responses, discharge stored trauma, and return to its natural capacity for regulation, connection, and resilience.

As we continue to understand trauma’s impact on the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – somatic approaches offer a pathway back to embodied presence, safety, and wholeness. The future of trauma treatment lies not in choosing between mind and body, but in recognizing their fundamental integration and working with both in the service of healing.

Kevin Brough – Ascend Counseling and Wellness, St. George, Utah – 435.688.1111 – kevin@ascendcw.com

References

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BodyBio. (2024, March 28). The cellular health + trauma connection. Retrieved from https://bodybio.com/blogs/blog/cellular-health-trauma-connection

Bourassa, K. J., & Sbarra, D. A. (2024). Trauma, adversity, and biological aging: Behavioral mechanisms relevant to treatment and theory. Translational Psychiatry, 14, 285. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-03004-9

Brom, D., Stokar, Y., Lawi, C., Nuriel‐Porat, V., Ziv, Y., Lerner, K., & Ross, G. (2017). Somatic experiencing for posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 18(3), 272-283.

Camino Recovery Spain. (2023, August 4). How trauma manifests on a cellular level. Retrieved from https://www.caminorecovery.com/blog/how-trauma-manifests-on-a-cellular-level/

Colich, N. L., Rosen, M. L., Williams, E. S., & McLaughlin, K. A. (2020). Biological aging in childhood and adolescence following experiences of threat and deprivation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 146(9), 721–764. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000270

Dolcos, F., LaBar, K. S., & Cabeza, R. (2005). Remembering one year later: Role of the amygdala and the medial temporal lobe memory system in retrieving emotional memories. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(7), 2626-2631.

Dr. Arielle Schwartz. (2024, December 30). The neurobiology of traumatic memory. Retrieved from https://drarielleschwartz.com/neurobiology-traumatic-memory-dr-arielle-schwartz/

Frontiers in Neuroscience. (2022, October 14). The brain-body disconnect: A somatic sensory basis for trauma-related disorders. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2022.1015749/full

Girgenti, M. J., Hare, B. D., Ghosal, S., & Duman, R. S. (2017). Molecular and cellular effects of traumatic stress: Implications for PTSD. Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(11), 85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0841-3

Journal of Neuropsychiatry. (2019, June 20). Neurobiological evidences, functional and emotional aspects associated with the amygdala. Retrieved from https://www.jneuropsychiatry.org/peer-review/neurobiological-evidences-functional-and-emotional-aspects-associated-with-the-amygdala-from-what-is-it-to-whats-to-be-done-13029.html

Langmuir, J. I., Kirsh, S. G., & Classen, C. C. (2012). A pilot study of body-oriented group psychotherapy: Adapting sensorimotor psychotherapy for the group treatment of trauma. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4(2), 214-220.

National Institutes of Health. (2025, June 12). Study illuminates the structural features of memory formation at cellular and subcellular levels. Retrieved from https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/study-illuminates-structural-features-memory-formation-cellular-subcellular-levels

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April 24, 2025

Breaking the Cycle

Understanding and Healing Multigenerational Trauma

Multigenerational trauma represents one of the most profound yet often overlooked aspects of human psychological inheritance. This phenomenon describes how traumatic experiences can echo through family lines, manifesting in behaviors, traits, and psychological patterns that persist across generations. Far from being limited to genetic transmission, these patterns also emerge through learned behaviors, family dynamics, and cultural practices shaped by historical trauma.

The Theory of Multigenerational Trauma

The concept of multigenerational trauma gained prominence in the 1960s through observations of Holocaust survivors’ children, who exhibited psychological symptoms despite not experiencing the Holocaust directly (Danieli, 1998). This phenomenon suggested that trauma could be transmitted across generations through mechanisms beyond direct experience.

Multigenerational trauma operates through several theoretical pathways:

Biological transmission: Emerging research in epigenetics suggests traumatic experiences can modify gene expression without changing DNA sequences, potentially affecting future generations (Yehuda et al., 2016).
Psychological transmission: Trauma alters parenting styles, attachment patterns, and family communication, creating environments where children internalize trauma responses (Brave Heart & DeBruyn, 1998).
Sociocultural transmission: Cultural practices, narratives, and collective identity can preserve and transmit traumatic experiences across generations (Mohatt et al., 2014).

Evidence-Based Research

The field has moved beyond theory to substantial empirical evidence supporting the reality of trauma transmission across generations:

Epigenetic Research

Perhaps the most groundbreaking evidence comes from epigenetics, which explores how environmental factors influence gene expression without altering DNA sequences. Studies of Holocaust survivors and their offspring have identified specific epigenetic changes related to stress response.

Yehuda and colleagues (2016) found that children of Holocaust survivors showed altered expression of the FKBP5 gene, which regulates stress hormones, compared to control groups. This suggests that severe psychological trauma can leave a biological imprint that passes to subsequent generations.

Similar findings emerged in studies of descendants of famine survivors. Researchers examining the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944-1945 found that prenatal exposure to famine was associated with epigenetic changes that persisted into the next generation (Heijmans et al., 2008).

Psychological Studies

Psychological research has documented specific patterns of behavior and emotional regulation transmitted through families affected by trauma:

Dekel and Goldblatt (2008) reviewed studies of families of war veterans with PTSD, finding that children often developed similar psychological symptoms, including hypervigilance, emotional numbing, and relationship difficulties, despite not experiencing combat themselves.

In a longitudinal study, Bowers and Yehuda (2016) demonstrated that parents with trauma histories often exhibit specific parenting behaviors, including overprotection, emotional unavailability, and inconsistent discipline patterns, that their children frequently internalize and repeat with their own children.

Cultural and Historical Trauma

Research on historical trauma among Indigenous populations has provided compelling evidence of multigenerational effects:

Brave Heart and DeBruyn’s (1998) foundational work on historical trauma among Native Americans demonstrated how forced relocation, cultural genocide, and other systemic traumas generated psychological distress that continues to affect contemporary generations, manifesting in higher rates of substance abuse, suicide, and mental health challenges.

Similarly, research with African American communities has documented how the intergenerational effects of slavery and ongoing racism create distinctive patterns of trauma transmission (DeGruy, 2005).

Clinical Applications and Healing Pathways

Understanding multigenerational trauma has profound implications for treatment approaches:

Family systems therapy: Approaches that examine intergenerational patterns can help families identify and interrupt trauma transmission (Kerr & Bowen, 1988).
Culturally responsive healing: Recognition of historical trauma has led to culturally specific healing practices that address collective wounds (Gone, 2013).
Trauma-informed parenting interventions: Programs that help parents recognize how their trauma histories affect parenting can break transmission cycles (Lieberman et al., 2011).

Update (4/26/25)

The Exponential Inheritance: Ancestral Trauma Across Generations

When we consider the mathematical reality of our ancestral lineage, the potential scope of inherited trauma becomes staggering. We have 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, and so on—doubling with each generation. By just 10 generations back (roughly 250-300 years), we each have over 1,000 direct ancestors. Extend to 15 generations, and that number exceeds 32,000 potential sources of inherited trauma patterns. We theoretically have over a million ancestors at 20 generations—approximately 500-600 years (Rutherford, 2016).

This exponential expansion means we potentially carry the biological and psychological imprints of countless individual traumas experienced throughout our ancestral lines:

Cellular Memory and Epigenetic Accumulation

Recent research has explored how trauma may be stored at the cellular level. Lipton’s (2015) work on cellular memory suggests that cells can retain imprints of past experiences, potentially influencing future generations. Though controversial, these theories align with growing epigenetic evidence.

Meaney and Szyf’s (2005) groundbreaking research with rats demonstrated how maternal behavior altered gene expression in offspring through DNA methylation patterns that persisted into adulthood. This suggests a mechanism through which trauma-influenced parenting behaviors could create biological changes that span generations.

More recently, Dias and Ressler (2014) discovered that mice conditioned to fear a specific odor passed this fear response to offspring who had never encountered the odor, through epigenetic modifications to olfactory receptors. This study provides compelling evidence for the biological transmission of specific trauma responses.

Cumulative Effects Across Time

The accumulation of trauma across multiple ancestral lines creates complex, overlapping patterns. Kellermann (2013) observed that descendants of Holocaust survivors often exhibited symptoms from numerous family members, suggesting a cumulative effect where various trauma responses combine and interact across generations.

Similarly, Rodriguez and colleagues (2021) found evidence that communities with histories of multiple collective traumas—such as colonization, slavery, and forced migration—show distinctive patterns of intergenerational effects that appear more complex than those stemming from single traumatic events.

This exponential inheritance model helps explain why certain families show remarkably persistent patterns across generations, even when family members have consciously tried to “break the cycle.” The sheer volume of ancestral influence creates a powerful momentum that requires deliberate, sustained effort to redirect.

As Crawford (2018) notes, “The mathematics of ancestry reminds us that healing intergenerational trauma is not simply about addressing our parents’ or grandparents’ experiences, but about recognizing the vast network of influences that shape who we are and how we respond to the world.”
Conclusion

The evidence for multigenerational trauma transmission through both biological and psychosocial pathways continues to grow. This understanding challenges us to view psychological health as an individual matter and part of an intergenerational continuum.

By recognizing these patterns, individuals and communities can initiate the profound work of healing not only their own wounds but also those inherited from previous generations—ultimately breaking cycles that might otherwise continue indefinitely.

Kevin Brough – Ascend Counseling & Wellness – Ascendcw.com – 435.688.1111 – kevin@ascendcw.com

References

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Brave Heart, M. Y. H., & DeBruyn, L. M. (1998). The American Indian holocaust: Healing historical unresolved grief. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 8(2), 56-78.

Danieli, Y. (1998). International handbook of multigenerational legacies of trauma. Plenum Press.

DeGruy, J. (2005). Post-traumatic slave syndrome: America’s legacy of enduring injury and healing. Uptone Press.

Dekel, R., & Goldblatt, H. (2008). Is there intergenerational transmission of trauma? The case of combat veterans’ children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 78(3), 281-289.

Gone, J. P. (2013). Redressing First Nations historical trauma: Theorizing mechanisms for indigenous culture as mental health treatment. Transcultural Psychiatry, 50(5), 683-706.

Heijmans, B. T., Tobi, E. W., Stein, A. D., Putter, H., Blauw, G. J., Susser, E. S., Slagboom, P. E., & Lumey, L. H. (2008). Persistent epigenetic differences associated with prenatal exposure to famine in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(44), 17046-17049.

Kerr, M. E., & Bowen, M. (1988). Family evaluation. W.W. Norton & Company.

Lieberman, A. F., Ghosh Ippen, C., & Van Horn, P. (2011). Don’t hit my mommy!: A manual for child-parent psychotherapy with young children exposed to violence and other trauma. Zero to Three.

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Yehuda, R., Daskalakis, N. P., Bierer, L. M., Bader, H. N., Klengel, T., Holsboer, F., & Binder, E. B. (2016). Holocaust exposure induced intergenerational effects on FKBP5 methylation. Biological Psychiatry, 80(5), 372-380.

Crawford, K. (2018). Ancestral healing in family therapy: The mathematics of intergenerational influence. Family Process, 57(3), 636-652.

Dias, B. G., & Ressler, K. J. (2014). Parental olfactory experience influences behavior and neural structure in subsequent generations. Nature Neuroscience, 17(1), 89-96.

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Rodriguez, T., Yehuda, R., & Nestler, E. J. (2021). Epigenetic mechanisms of transgenerational transmission of PTSD. Neuroscience Letters, 764, 136193.

Rutherford, A. (2016). A brief history of everyone who ever lived: The human story retold through our genes. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.