Page 178 - Total War on PTSD

Each individual has his or her own way to of reacting to injury and trauma. Some people continue to protect an injured area long after the injury has healed, as did a Veteran who was shot in the shoulder while on foot patrol. He remained hunched over the shoulder for several years and was unable to lift his arm above shoulder height. During FI sessions, he learned how his ribs could open and close when he bent to the side. By taking his attention away from the shoulder itself and asking him to move in places he had not considered to be related to his issue, he was able to develop full use of the arm within a few weeks.
Some Veterans have difficulty finding stability and are seeking a sense of support. When an exploding IED threw a Veteran through the air, he lost his ability to find support in his own body. He could not sit without leaning against the back of the chair and without several pillows behind him; sitting unsupported provoked waves of anxiety. When standing, he often felt like he was falling. Over a series of lessons, we explored the relationship between his pelvis or hip area, his spine and his head. The pelvis, situated in the center of the body, is the base of support for the spine and a mobile pelvis can help improve head and spine alignment. His pelvis was rigidly tilted back so he was sitting on his tailbone, giving his spine no support. His upper spine and neck were also rigid but pushed too far forward leaving the hyper-mobile lower back to take the brunt of holding him up. It was not until he could soften his chest and begin to roll his pelvis forward and back that he was able to find support and relief.
When hypersensitivities develop to stimuli such as sound, light or touch, the system needs to receive messages that will calm it. A young woman’s hyperactive nerve reflexes caused her to become dizzy and nauseated and she sometimes lost her balance. Over four Feldenkrais sessions, we did minimal movements of touching the face. I also taught her to move her hands in a soft wavelike way, similar to the movement very young infants do with their hands. These movements tuned down the activity in her brain and allowed her to relax. She felt more grounded and more connected in her body. She was able to successfully navigate a potentially overwhelming family visit. She was less scared
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