19/01/2024
For me, this quote from Peter Levine highlights the importance of us as coaches and practitioners using a trauma-informed approach in our work.
“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.” Peter Levine
It lends itself to the 4th ‘R’ in the ‘4 R’ model of being trauma-informed; avoid retraumatising our clients.
As trauma-informed coaches we are aware of the ways we may inadvertently re-play a previous trauma biography for our clients by not witnessing them in their experience.
We understand the factors often in play that can increase the chances of someone experiencing something as overwhelming to the point it leads on to having a detrimental impact on them later in life.
The absence of an empathetic witness is often one of those factors that are part of a trauma. In that moment, we are alone with what happened, with our emotions and body responses, with nowhere to process it. We couldn’t make sense of it and didn’t release the energy present. Instead it becomes stuck within our body leading to dysregulation. This is often what happens when we have micro traumas in our early life and can form the basis of limiting beliefs in the future.
It may be our client is an absent, empathetic witness to Self. Instead cajoling themselves to ‘get on with it’, not allowing themselves to feel their feelings, and shaming themselves through a survival part.
Another aspect of being trauma-informed is being aware of how that past ‘there and then’ experience may be playing out in the here and now. And how we notice that as a coach.
So, what has been held inside of our client since that experience? In terms of thoughts, the meaning they made of something, the beliefs that were formed? Do we check in with how it feels and what emotions or body sensations come up for them?
Then there are our own responses too. Where did our head jump to when this came up? How did our body react or respond? How present were we to all of this? Was a disclosure being made and we knew how to respond to it?
In the session, what played out between us and the client? Did we mirror the client’s previous experience of this event with our response? Did we notice and reflect on our client's go-to response or pattern as it played out? Did a strong achiever or perfectionist pattern show up? The harsh internal critic? Or procrastination or shut down?
All of this and more is something we delve into in the accredited CPD workshop for coaches on Becoming Trauma-Informed.
If reading this has promoted a curiosity for you around trauma, or you are interest in using a trauma-informed approach in your coaching and you’d like to know more, then you can find out details here
https://www.subscribepage.com/traumainformed_coach_feb24_
If it is of interest to you, there’s a workshop running on the 3-4th February, and there’s still time to take advantage of a 15% discount if you fancy joining us!
