Page 426 - Total War on PTSD Final

their lifetime grows from the inside out. They experience deep release and relief as their physical tension and contraction gives way to energetic movement and expansion.
Historically, our survival depended on developing a coping style that resulted in the least amount of adversity; the character structure embeds in the psyche and becomes the individualized defensive style of the Veteran. That same defensive structure is the organizing template for all bodily processes and felt physical experiences of each individual. “Body armor” is the way character armor is expressed in the body — impacting the respiratory, nervous, hormonal, immune, circulatory, organ, and reproductive systems and the flexibility or rigidity and strength of the musculoskeletal system. Body armor affects all elements of basic functioning — sexual responsiveness and performance, digestion, elimination, and sleep regulation — and results in our felt sense of health. Our body-mind is one, and we can create improvements by working directly with both parts. Unfortunately, the majority of mental health therapies do not approach this obvious relationship. Focusing just on talk therapy leaves half of the equation ignored.
When we intervene directly with the body we reinstate natural breathing, unwind and release bound muscular tensions, and undo chronic blocks to the free flow of energy within the system. Most importantly, we realign the autonomic nervous system (ANS) so the sympathetic part of the ANS (stimulating activities of fight, flight, or freeze responses) balances with the parasympathetic functions (“rest-and-digest” and “feed and breed”) relaxation responses. By balancing the ANS, which regulates the body’s unconscious responses, we can gradually lower chronic stress reactions, resulting in reduced inflammation and overall better health. The ANS is an example of expansive
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