liz Covey MA, LMHC, LMT
Psychotherapist & Consultant
Specializing in Compassionate Complex Trauma & IFS Parts Work
Links & Resources
Trauma Therapy
Complex PTSD
Psychedelic Integration
Unlike in generations past, we now refer to "trauma" as anything that is profoundly repetitive or stuck in a person's symptom profile, and which has its root in fear. The deepest roots that are found in our fear networks stem from childhood circumstances, experiences or relationships, and thus our framework for treating trauma will focus to some extent on childhood factors, even if the traumatic events in question happened much later. Sometimes there is no "big T" trauma (major event) at all. But in this area, the symptoms and not the events identify traumatic response.
In other words, trauma includes but is no longer focused exclusively on life-threatening events. Instead, trauma indicates a pattern of universally human responses to states of fear (or inadequate supports following frightening events from childhood), and is marked by symptoms that persist long after the source of danger or cause for concern is long gone. These symptoms can range from PTSD hypervigilance to more common things like frequent shame or perplexing but repetitive relational problems.
RESOURCES:
David Baldwin's Trauma Pages
Janina Fisher's website
AEDP Institute
https://aedpinstitute.org/about-aedp/
Internal Family Systems Model
Intl. Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation
Global Association of Interpersonal Neurobiology
Intergenerational Trauma Resources:
What is Epigenetics? - Educationally entertaining science news and more
Beacon House Trauma Resources
https://beaconhouse.org.uk/resources/
Also known as Developmental Trauma, Complex PTSD is the non-diagnostic but established category for treating the effects of traumas, both big and small, in childhood, which specifically has to do with insufficiency in care and in the family attachment system. This category is distinct to those ill effects of trauma and attachment within or throughout one's early life (through the early 20s). Childhood has an enormous impact on our lives, as we are a species that takes so very long to develop into maturity. Problems in the attachment system, or traumas in young life that do not include proper "holding" or processing with caring adults can lead to a predispostion to PTSD or severe mental, physical or relationship or functioning problems in adulthood (now called "ACEs" for Adverse Childhood Experiences following groundbreaking research by that name). Whether they stem from extreme events or have unknown or seemingly typical origins, severe trauma effects call for specialized treatment.
See this Youtube video by Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris for a primer on ACES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ovIJ3dsNk
Beyond ACEs, many children have emotional or behavioral hardships stemming from difficult experiences in the family, or from a highly sensitive temperament, or a conflictual relationship with one or another family member. These too can call for specific therapeutic treatment, despite not seeming to be such "hard" cases.
RESOURCES:
Beacon House UK (resources and infographics on Developmental Trauma)
https://beaconhouse.org.uk/resources/
ATTACH website
Recommended Reading & Relevant Books for Clients in this Practice- mostly written for a general audience:
-Bessel Van der Kolk's
The Body Keeps the Score
-Gabor Mate's
When the Body Says No
-Resmaa Menakem's
My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma & the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
-Bruce Perry & Maia Szalavitz's
Born for Love
-Colleen West's
We All Have Parts!
-Mark Wolynn's
It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are
•Donna Jackson-Nakazawa's
Childhood Disrupted
-Nadine Burke Harris's
The Deepest Well
-Hilary Jacobs Hendel's
It Isn't Always Depression
-Ron Frederick's
Loving Like You Mean It
-Peter Levine's
Waking the Tiger
-Jonice Webb's
Running on Empty
•Thomas Armstrong's
The Power of Neurodiversity
=Alain de Botton's
The School of Life
Recommended Therapeutic Readings that Inform this Practice- mostly written for clinicians:
-Janina Fisher's
Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors
-Diana Fosha's (ed)
The Healing Power of Emotion
-Deborah Gray's
Promoting Healthy Attachments
-Deb Dana's
The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy
-Richard Schwartz & Martha Sweezy's
Internal Family Systems- 2nd edition
-Suzette Boon's
Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation
-Bonnie Badenoch's
Being a Brain-Wise Therapist
-Sue Johnson's
Attachment Theory in Practice
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The field of psychological trauma is undergoing a massive change as it begins to assimilate the wisdom and traditions of psychedelic medicines into the practices already established by the somatic and relational neurosciences. Though these practices have mostly been discovered and cultivated by indigenous people the world over, they are being studied, explored and celebrated in the realm of the therapeutic with a newfound awakening for the power to treat and heal wounds related to trauma and other symptom profiles that are difficult to treat with western medications and talk therapy alone, such as addictions and long-standing mood disorders. In this practice there is no use of illegal substances but there is knowledge and training around the use of them, as well as integration practice related to making sense of and healing work from experiences had elsewhere (recommended only to be done under the guidance of a trained professional and under legal conditions).
Please contact Liz to further discuss microdosing and psychedelic journey integration work.
RESOURCES:
James Fadiman's Website:
microdosingpsychedelics.com (google.com)
MAPS:
Paul Stamets Websites:
Entheowheel:
John Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research:
Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research (hopkinspsychedelic.org)