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That is done in the hippocampus, high blood pressure, heart attacks, seen in how a person carries
but cortisol shuts down the and many (if not most) physical themselves and interacts with
neuropathways to that organ, so no illnesses. others, and it happens because the
integration occurs. Also, high levels of cortisol body is directly connected to the
When the stressful event is damage the methyl molecule, subconscious (or limbic system
finished, the cortisol and adrenalin which controls how often the DNA in the brain) through the vagus
levels return to normal and the replicates. When there are not nerve. This is also why emotions
memory is then integrated with enough methyl groups to silence are called “feelings”—because we
other memories as an unpleasant gene reproduction, they can activate gauge our emotions by how our
event. However, with trauma and when they should not be activated body feels. This fact is central to
chronic stress, those levels do (Borysenko, 2021). This is what healing trauma. Ron Siegel refers
not return to normal. Instead, the occurs with cancer—cells reproduce to the body as the “royal road to
levels become toxic and physically unchecked. the unconscious” (Siegel, 2021a).
change the brain. If this condition With this awareness of how Working with our body awareness
continues over time, the amygdala trauma and chronic stress can affect and emotions is an effective way to
can increase in size and the the brain and body, what can be work with the subconscious to heal
hippocampus and neocortex—or done? Fortunately, the damage can trauma.
thinking part of the brain—literally be reversed.
shrink in size diminishing their Self Awareness
function. This can cause significant Clinical Treatment of Trauma An important aspect of emotional
psychological and behavioral There are a number of intelligence is the self-awareness
problems for the individual, psychotherapeutic approaches of our emotions and what they
including depression, anxiety, to treating trauma. Some are are communicating to us from our
aggression, inability to focus, more effective than others. Some subconscious. Each emotion is
PTSD, memory problems, and sleep are based on current research, unique, and our body feels each one
disturbances. and others are based on well- differently. The fMRI (Functional
Toxic levels of cortisol not only established—although not Magnetic Resonance Imagery)
affect the brain, but also organs in necessarily effective—theories. One graphic in Figure 1 shows brain
the body. Too much cortisol can approach that is based on current activity by measuring the levels of
damage our DNA, which is the research is presented here. blood flow in our body for different
blueprint for cell reproduction. This The National Institute for the emotions (Nummenmaa, Glerean,
is important because most of our Clinical Application of Behavioral Hariand, & Hietanen, 2014). In
cells are replaced on a regular basis. Medicine (NICABM) brought in the graphic, yellow indicates high
For example, skin cells replace leading international experts on energy, red is medium, blue shows
every three to four weeks; stomach trauma therapy and research for its low energy, and black is neutral.
and intestines cells in a little over 2021 Treating Trauma Master Series When a person is angry, he
a week; red blood cells every four for practicing therapists. They all may clinch his jaw and fists, and
months; and lung and pancreas cells agreed that treating trauma is a feel pressure in his chest. These
between one and two years. Some complicated process, and there are locations are where there is high
cells are not replaced and last a life- certain principles for the effective blood flow. The person may feel
time, like neurons in the brain and treatment of trauma. high energy and be ready to take
those in the heart and bones. action. Love, on the other hand,
At both ends of a DNA strand In fact, simply talking about has high energy in the face, chest,
are telomeres that protect the the trauma may not advance the and genital areas; and depression
healing process, and could actually
integrity of DNA and enable the cause further trauma. Trauma has low energy in the extremities,
cells to reproduce accurately. Too impacts not only the conscious indicating a lack of motivation and
much cortisol reduces the number and unconscious parts of the brain, energy to act.
of telomeres and shortens their but also the body. Therefore, any As mentioned earlier, trauma is
length (Siegel, 2021). Without good effective therapy must address both not fully integrated in the brain.
telomeres (as when there are too the mind and the body (Lanius, When it occurs, the hippocampus
few or too short), good cells are 2021). shuts down. Therefore, integration
being replaced by damaged cells becomes the focus of therapy.
in the body. This has been related We know that trauma is held Buczynski (2021a) states: “When
to the development of diabetes, in the subconscious as well as in integration in the brain is impaired,
our physical bodies. This is visibly it disrupts our ability to balance the

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