The Creaturae Healing Gazette
Unveiling the Paths to Healing: Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Therapies
Issue 05 | Week 1 | July 2023
Welcome to the fifth issue of the Creaturae Healing Gazette! In this edition, we explore the contrasting approaches of top-down and bottom-up therapies, taking into account the different vagal states experienced by individuals. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of neuroscience, highlighting the role of fMRI scans in uncovering the resting state of traumatized individuals and understanding the need for bottom-up approaches in their healing journey.
**Understanding Top-Down and Bottom-Up Therapies**
Top-down therapy and bottom-up therapy are distinct therapeutic approaches that target different aspects of the healing process. While top-down therapy primarily focuses on cognitive processes and talk therapy, bottom-up therapy emphasizes the body’s innate wisdom and the integration of sensory experiences to promote healing.
**Vagal States: Hypoarousal, Hyperarousal, and Grounded/Calm State**
Our vagal states play a crucial role in regulating our physiological and emotional responses. Trauma and chronic stress can dysregulate these states, leading to hypoarousal (a state of shutdown or dissociation) or hyperarousal (a state of heightened anxiety and reactivity). The goal of therapy is to help individuals achieve a grounded/calm state, where they can experience safety, connection, and emotional balance.
**Insights from fMRI Scans: Unveiling Resting States of Traumatized Individuals**
Technological advancements over the past two decades, particularly functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have provided valuable insights into the resting states of traumatized individuals. The scans above show the contrast in the resting state of a brain of a traumatized individual vs. a non-traumatized individual. You can see that from the scan at the bottom that even in a resting state, traumatized individuals are not fully attuned to themselves. The parts of the brain responsible for self-organization and integration of information may remain offline (not lit up) or dysregulated, impairing the efficacy of talk therapy alone.
**The Role of Bottom-Up Approaches in Healing**
Given the limited effectiveness of talk therapy alone, individuals with trauma and dysregulated vagal states can greatly benefit from bottom-up approaches. These therapies focus on transforming feelings and body sensations to create change at a deeper level, leading to improved emotional regulation and overall well-being.
- **Sensorimotor Psychotherapy:** This approach combines talk therapy with somatic interventions to address trauma held in the body. By increasing body awareness, regulating the nervous system, and promoting new body-based experiences, sensorimotor psychotherapy helps individuals process traumatic memories and restore a sense of safety.
- **Somatic Therapies:** Somatic therapies, such as Somatic Experiencing, Hakomi, or Body-Mind Centering, engage the body’s wisdom to promote healing. These approaches help individuals establish a deeper connection with their bodily sensations, regulate the nervous system, and release stored trauma, enabling them to experience a sense of integration and empowerment.
- **EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing):** EMDR is a powerful therapy that integrates eye movements, sounds, or taps to facilitate the reprocessing of traumatic memories. By engaging bilateral stimulation, EMDR helps individuals access and transform traumatic experiences, leading to emotional healing and symptom relief.
By focusing on the body’s wisdom and addressing the dysregulation of vagal states, bottom-up approaches provide a path for healing that complements and enhances top-down therapy. This integrated approach acknowledges the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit, fostering deep transformation and holistic well-being.
As we continue to advance our understanding of trauma and healing, the integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches becomes increasingly vital. Join us in the next edition of the Creaturae Healing Gazette, where we will explore additional topics related to holistic well-being and the power of integrated approaches to healing.