It was the unbearable strain of her high-conflict marriage that compelled Kim (*name changed), a working mother of two, to seek mental health support through psychotherapy.
Facing ongoing emotional abuse and episodes of physical aggression within her eight-year marriage, Kim felt overwhelmed and trapped in a cycle of despair and hopelessness. Her system in a state of trauma and day-to-day volatility, she struggled with fatigue, insomnia, brain fog, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and more.
At IMI, we recognise that optimal healing from trauma requires an integrated approach, considering a person’s mind, emotions, body, spirit, environment, energy, and community. As Kim was continuing to stay in her marriage at this time, her tailored healing plan encompassed both psychotherapy and naturopathy to support her through the emotional turmoil and physiological impacts of trauma.
In therapy
Before delving into trauma work, establishing a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship is crucial. Traditional talk therapies can be beneficial, but they do not address the specific areas of the brain that process trauma. Exploring these deeper aspects is subtle and complex, hence the need for trauma-informed approaches that allow individuals to access and process their memories while keeping their nervous systems regulated. Grounded in mindfulness and western psychology, core process psychotherapy emphasises a deep, ongoing awareness of one’s body, emotional, and mental processes for self-exploration and healing.
The effects of current trauma
In Kim’s case, her experience of trauma from abuse left her nervous system, brain, and body in a state of overwhelm. Trauma significantly hinders our ability to cope with stress. In high-conflict relationships marked by abuse, this trauma, combined with a persistent sense of insecurity, creates an activated state that can lead to exhaustion and a range of mental and physical health challenges—just as it did for Kim.
The effects of early childhood trauma
As we explored Kim’s background, we uncovered a childhood spent in a volatile home, where her parents often engaged in high-conflict arguments. Research shows that exposure to trauma, especially in early life, fundamentally alters how we process and regulate emotions. For instance, the amygdala – crucial for emotional processing – can become more sensitive to emotional stimuli in later life, while the prefrontal cortex – responsible for rational thought – may become inhibited.
For individuals like Kim who have faced early-life challenges, the “window of tolerance” is often narrower. This important psychological concept describes the optimal zone where our emotions are balanced, allowing for clear thinking and rational action. Within this zone, we can effectively manage stress and defuse perceived threats. Outside of it, we may experience hyper-arousal—characterised by anger, anxiety, or panic—or hypo-arousal, which can manifest as depression, low energy, or disconnection.
The intersection of past and present trauma
In Kim’s situation, the volatility of her marriage may have echoed the volatility of her childhood, creating a sense of familiarity. To some extent, normalisation of her experiences may have enabled her to endure her environment, while at the same time made it more challenging to regulate emotional stressors in her marriage. By helping Kim recognise her window of tolerance and understand when she was moving outside of it, we aimed to broaden her capacity to cope with ongoing stressors and triggers over time.
Integrating mind and body in trauma informed therapy
Since trauma also manifests in the body, trauma-informed therapy includes a somatic approach that brings awareness of emotions to bodily sensations. Practices such as yoga, breathwork, and movement were also part of our therapy work to help calm Kim’s nervous system and positively impact parts of the brain involved in emotional regulation. Through these interventions, Kim gained greater awareness of her internal state and learned to regulate her responses during high-conflict situations. In a less overwhelmed state, she could reconnect with her authentic voice and develop the confidence and skill to speak up in a non-confrontational, but assertive way.
In circumstances where toxic stress is prolonged, the impact on the body can be significant. While some tension can be released through somatic therapy, additional support for the physiological aspects is often necessary.
With Kim’s agreement, I referred her to Dr Benita Perch, our naturopathic physician.
In naturopathy
For optimal healing, it is ideal for individuals with trauma to be removed from stressful situations; however, this isn’t always possible. As Kim remained in her marriage, our focus shifted to helping her survive and maintain well-being within her current circumstances. Dr Perch devised a comprehensive treatment plan addressing both Kim’s underlying issues and presenting symptoms to heal the body systems affected by trauma and chronic stress.
Chronic stress can disrupt the balance between the pituitary and adrenal systems, known as the HPA axis. To help Kim cope effectively, we incorporated adaptogenic herbs to restore this balance. Chronic stress can also keep the nervous system in an exhausting sympathetic state. Homeopathy played a key role in shifting Kim’s perceptions and stabilising her nervous system. Personalised herbal tinctures, supplements, and time spent outdoors connecting with nature further aided her transition to a calming parasympathetic state, promoting relaxation and recovery.
When the adrenal system is affected by stress, the hormonal system often follows suit. Diagnostic tests revealed Kim’s hormonal balance had been affected, contributing to her irregular periods, mood swings, and fatigue. Through homeopathy and tailored herbal remedies, we worked to re-regulate her hormonal system, helping to balance her cycles and stabilise her mood.
Moreover, chronic stress and trauma can lead to chronic inflammation, which negatively affects mitochondrial function – our body’s energy-producing organelles. While adrenal-supporting herbs are beneficial, addressing mitochondrial health was essential for improving Kim’s energy levels. As treatment progressed, she noticed a significant boost in her overall vitality.
Finally, scientific studies and our clinical experience demonstrate the effects of chronic stress on gut health. In Kim’s case, it contributed to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Comprehensive testing revealed low levels of beneficial bacteria and candida overgrowth in her gut, highlighting underlying contributors to her brain fog and fatigue. To restore balance, we recommended tailored probiotics and dietary adjustments.
Conclusion
Given the ongoing stress in her home environment, Kim’s wellbeing would inevitably be affected. However, through the combined support of psychotherapy and naturopathy, we were able to enhance her coping capacity, foster greater awareness of her emotional processes and rebalance her body systems impacted by trauma. This integrated approach helped Kim regain some stability in the complex interplay of body, mind, emotions, and energy, and find the internal space to self-regulate in challenging times.
Photo Credits:
First image: Jorm Sangsorn
Second image: Andrii Zastrozhnov
References
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2003). The neurobiology of childhood trauma and abuse. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 12(2), 293–ix. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1056-4993(03)00003-8
Siegel, D.J. (1999). The developing mind: Toward a neurobiology of interpersonal experience. (1st ed). The Guildford.
Asalgoo, S., Jahromi, G. P., Hatef, B., Sahraei, H., Sarshoori, J. R., Sadr, S. S., & Meftahi, G. H. (2019). Saffron (Crocus sativus) aqueous extract reverses the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder. Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia, 29(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjp.2019.01.011
Carabotti, M., Scirocco, A., Maselli, M. A., & Severi, C. (2015). The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Annals of Gastroenterology, 28(2), 203–209.
Hillestad, E. M. R., van der Meeren, A., Nagaraja, B. H., Bjørsvik, B. R., Haleem, N., Benitez-Paez, A., Sanz, Y., Hausken, T., Lied, G. A., Lundervold, A., & Berentsen, B. (2022). Gut bless you: The microbiota-gut-brain axis in irritable bowel syndrome. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 28(4), 412–431. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v28.i4.412
Carole Bradshaw
About the author
Carole Bradshaw, a UK-trained Core Process Psychotherapist and Director at IMI-Integrated Medicine Institute, supports clients in Hong Kong, the UK, and globally.
To help clients heal in their present, Carole supports the exploration of relevant past experiences, unconscious processes, and relational patterns. This fosters awareness and acceptance, allowing for the healing of old wounds, shifting of unhelpful patterns, and a reconnection with their authentic selves. Her body-centred and relational mindfulness approach is particularly helpful for relationship difficulties, anxiety, stress, and complex trauma, addressing trauma located beyond the mind, in the body, neurobiological processes, and emotions.
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