List of Neutralizing Techniques

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A WORD OF CAUTION

To resolve trauma using neutralizing techniques, we are going into our fear and pain instead of away from it, so this is the part that might stimulate emotional or psychological responses. This is the part where we need to make sure we have adequeate personal support in place.

I have found that if any neutralizing technique brings up something that is too difficult for me to deal with at the time, I can always stop the process and do some Safety Cues and/or other De-Escalation techniques to soothe my nervous system.
Positive input can also help - listening to, reading, or watching something inspiring and uplifting.
I can also call someone to help me get grounded again.
This has only happened to me one time.

Another thing that can help is to imagine a safe place before beginning a technique. Then, if things get too rough during the technique, I can stop and use my imagination to go back to my safe place.

Working with someone who has experience helps. For some people, that will need to be a professional.

We don't have to do it alone.

In fact, it is best not to do it alone, especially at first.

I find it is necessary for most people to be guided through a technique a few times to get the hang of it before they are then able to do it on their own.

If you experience a mental health or other emergency, please contact your local emergency services (for example, 911) or go to the nearest emergency room.


The one time I had a negative experience with a technique was the first time I tried Self-EMDR.
I was alone, and I attempted to use it to resolve a case of recurring vertigo. (I wasn't actively experiencing the vertigo at the time.) What came up was a trauma from my past that was way too big for me to deal with on my own, and it disrupted my whole day. I spent a couple of hours curled up in the fetal position crying. I couldn't function for the rest of the day. Thankfully, I had no commitments or urgent business to attend to, so I just took it easy for the rest of the day.
(I did not know about Safety Cues back then.)
The next day, when I woke up, I felt fine. I was back to normal.
Although I consider that to be a negative experience, I do not feel that I was harmed by it (no lasting harm). But I sure did stay away from that technique after that!

Years later, I tried self-EMDR again 3 different times (in a group setting instead of alone) (and with a smaller, less intense issue), and it was immensely helpful.

It did take the 3 sessions (due to time constraints) to fully identify and neutralize the underlying past trauma, and although I know some people who regularly get full relief in a single session, it is also common for EMDR to take several consecutive sessions to fully neutralize a past trauma, so is not a technique that I use often.
I prefer techniques that fully resolve the issue for me in a single session, and self-EMDR does not do that for me.









NEUTRALIZING TECHNIQUES

Although de-escalating our survival reaction can help us regain some access to our cortex, until we have uncovered the past trauma and neutralized it, we are still going to see the current situation through the lens of the past, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to respond appropriately.

There are many techniques that can help us identify and neutralize (resolve) past trauma.

Which technique(s) a person will like is a matter of personal preference.

Not every technique will work for every person or will work every time.

Over time I have tried many techniques and witnessed many others in action.

I find that I like to work with one technique for a while. Then another technique will become my new go-to technique for a while.

It usually just takes one technique to neutralize an anchor for me,
but occasionally I need to use more than one technique or more than one handle.

I have found that I can also use these techniques to neutralize limiting beliefs picked up randomly in life, not just past trauma.

Here is a list of some neutralizing techniques and modalities that I know about:


Bottom-Up:

  1. Somatic Experiencing (SE) created by Peter Levine
    Website Link: SE 101
    There are many SE practitioners.



Combo:

  1. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) created by Francine Shapiro
    Doing EMDR with a trained professional, at first, is generally recommended.
    Overview Link: About EMDR

    A self-EMDR process is described in the book And So We Begin by James M. (page 61)

  2. TAT™ (Tapas Acupressure Technique) created by Tapas Fleming
    Website Link: tatlife.com
    Video: What is TAT?
    TAT Demonstration Video by Tapas Fleming: TAT pose and stoppers... with Tapas Fleming

  3. Re-Evaluation Counseling (RC) created by Harvey Jackins
    Website Link: Origins of RC
    Website Link: About RC



Top-Down:

  1. Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) created by Richard Schwartz
    Website Link: IFS Model
    Website Link: About IFS

  2. Family Constellations Therapy created by Bert Hellinger
    Website Link: What Is Family Constellations?

  3. Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) created by Marisa Peer

  4. Completion Process created by Teal Swan
    Book Link: The Completion Process Book
    Website Outline Link (scroll down to about the middle of the page): 12-Step Completion Process Outline
    Video: Completion Process
    Video: Triggers - Emotions
    Video: Unhook the perception of threat

  5. Graduation Exercise - described in the book And So We Begin by James M. (pages 57-58)

  6. Thought Rhyming (part of Immanuel Journaling) - a Christian-based journaling exercise
    Book Link: Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel
    Informative Website: presenceandpractice.com
    Worksheet Link: Worksheet - See Part B

  7. ABC Tool (a SMART Recovery tool) - a Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) Approach
    Website Link: About ABC
    Video: 4 Minute Guide/Explanation
    Video: 3 1/2 Minute Guide/Explanation
    To turn this into a neutralizing technique, I examine where the negative core belief originated from (the past trauma).

  8. The Work created by Byron Katie
    This is technically not a neutralizing technique because it does not address the anchor (past experience/underlying trauma), but it does dislodge old beliefs by making us question them and cracks the door open to new beliefs, shifting our nervous system out of survival mode.
    Website Link: TheWork.com
    Demonstration Video: My Son Is Selfish
    Demonstration Video: My Brother Smokes In The House
    Part 1: Complaints List
    Part 2: One Belief At A Time
    Part 3: Judge Your Neighbor - 6 Statements
    Worksheet Link: All 3 Worksheets
    Worksheet Link: One Belief At A Time Worksheet
    Worksheet Link: Judge Your Neighbor Worksheet








TAPPING

A lot of beginners are attracted to Tapping, but I have found that it is not a good beginner technique for neutralizing. It is excellent for de-escalating.

There are two problems with using it to neutralize anchors.

Number one, it does not naturally uncover anchors (past trauma). It needs to be steered in that direction, which requires experience.
It is not fully effective at neutralizing re-activated trauma unless the person using it can uncover the past trauma (anchor) themselves or steer it in that direction or they are being guided by someone who can.

Number two, it is such a powerful de-escalation technique, it is almost too soothing!
I have heard many people say they are neutral after using this technique, but I can tell they are still activated by the tone of their voice or by the fact that they do not feel safe in a relatively safe situation.

I have witnessed reliance on Tapping as a primary neutralizing technique in the beginning delay many people's progress by years.

It is best to use other techniques first to gain some familiarity with anchors and what it feels like to be truly neutral.

Once a person has enough experience - or if being guided by someone with experience - then I think Tapping can be an effective neutralizing technique.















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