Today the 34TH ANNUAL BOSTON INTERNATIONAL TRAUMA CONFERENCE began, and it’s left a mark.
From Empathic Distress to Compassion: Building Resilience in the Face of Trauma
“From Empathic Distress to Compassion: Building Resilience in the Face of Trauma” was this morning’s first session. It was presented by Tania Singer and Ronald Siegel. Especially Tania’s research and work with the ReSource Project was incredibly interesting. I may not be a scientist, but I am a researcher at heart. So to be provided with the brain scans and studies done was like catnip to me.
A friend of mine was sitting next to me as the session started. She later commented on how incredibly happy I seemed. And she was absolutely right. Here were things I have intuitively believed since I childhood, but never thought science would be able to ‘prove’. And Tania has. It’s kind of like finding out that Santa might exist after all. A bit of magic and wonder has been restored that I buried, but never discarded.
I’ll be writing about the science behind this particular seminar at a later date.
Safety of Self is Essential, Not Just a Luxury
The other incredibly confronting yet comforting lesson; these practices will not work unless there is safety of self, protecting of self. Which is exactly what I asked help with 5 years ago and still haven’t received.
Secondly skills such as empathy, compassion, attention and meta-cognition can be learned or fortified, no matter what age. I’ve always had issues with people who claim you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. As though you can’t change beyond a certain age, or learn.
Yes it requires time, energy and willingness to try. But change is possible. Improvement is possible. At any age. Attention, empathy, compassion and meta cognition aren’t simply soft skills. They’re hardwired AND you can train them, even if you’re lacking in these areas initially.
Screening From Shock to Awe
I recommend that anyone, anywhere, for whatever reason watch the movie “From Shock to Awe“. The main focus is on war veterans with PTSD and their journey to healing through safe, supervised psychedelic treatments. It captures the essence of (complex) PTSD and it’s far reaching and all encompassing consequences. Both for the survivors themselves and their loved ones. The inhumanity of trauma and the humanity of those healing from trauma is beyond compare.
As someone who was diagnosed with PTSD almost 25 years ago, this was still the first time I heard and saw people, whose root traumas differ significantly from my own, speak my words and experiences. The openness and honesty with which they talk about their anxieties, triggers, flashbacks and depression. How they describe the disconnect even when objectively safe and the overwhelming desire to end that numbness, was a balm. That may seem like a contradiction. But it’s not.
Facing Trauma Instead of Turning Away
For me, not being able to talk about my experiences without people either turning away, trying to immediately go into some form of action to avoid the discomfort or even blaming me in order to not have to listen, has at times been worse than the traumatic experiences themselves. Having these brave people and their partners share openly and honestly how impacting their experiences are, and what the aftermath is, has rekindled a faith in me I thought mostly lost.
Yes, I currently am lucky enough to have people in my life with whom I can share uncomfortable and inconvenient truths. But all these people either have experienced trauma themselves, or work in fields that deal with trauma and trauma recovery. There where I cannot create the space for myself to share with others outside of this circle, I hope that they will be willing to watch this movie. And even if my particular story is too confronting, that perhaps it will be a way to a small measure of understanding. Or maybe even one day conversations.
Post-Screening Q&A
The post screening Q&A was also worth it. Especially Janine Sagert’s explanation of the difference of knowing about PTSD in abstract, versus working, for years, with people who suffer from PTSD, was impressive. She also openly admitted that this process continues to this day – psychadelics are one aspect of starting to heal from trauma. They’re not an easy fix.
Zach Riggle, director of operations for Heroic Hearts Project is an experience expert in his own right. To me his story of how he discovered that he might be suffering from PTSD after a bout of complete inability to function. And that his answers came when he was granted access to a research library struck such a chord. His oppeness about his subsequent addiction and the difference between numbing and dealing with root trauma. Plus how little emphasis there is on the latter within society at large, echos my own path and feelings. Even though I have never experienced addiction myself.
I may have imagined it, but when a question by the audience was posed about the challenges faced by people who both suffer from trauma and addiction, and the risks to their sobriety with these psychedelic therapies, there seemed to be a slight hesitation in his answer. As though just in that particular moment he was checking whether he was ready to share his own personal struggles with addiction in this forum.
I for one am thankful he did. I know plenty of people who struggle with addiction. But very few who can share their path with such honesty, acknowledgement and ownership.
International Trauma Conference 2023 – Day 1 Impressions And Follow-Up
It’s more than worth the price of admission already. But I am glad I’ll be able to look back over the virtual seminars in the month to come. There was so much information, and so many relatable instances, that just a few impressions, do not do this experience enough justice.
And I’m incredibly grateful to people like Tania Singer, Ron Siegel, Janine Sagert and Zach Riggle for their contributions to this incredibly complex yet hugely encompassing societal problem that is trauma.
