Rewild Trauma Therapy

Experiential, Nature Based Trauma Therapy

Erin is a trauma and attachment focused lens therapist and is trained in evidence based trauma therapy modalities such as EMDR and DBR.

EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a well researched and established treatment for trauma and distressing life events. Typically done in an office setting, but taken outside to the equines and natural world at Rewild, EMDR works by combining mindfulness, somatic sensations, and bilateral movements to help the brain resolve trauma and gain new insight and understanding and lasting resolution. It can be more effective than traditional talk therapy for trauma treatment, since it is a “bottom up” versus “top down” approach.

People who have tried traditional, in-office EMDR therapy and did not like it may find experiential, nature based, and animal-assisted EMDR therapy easier to tolerate, or simply more enjoyable. By partnering with nature, animals, and horses, clients create new experiences through new experiences instead of imagining them in the office.

EquiLateral™ Equine Assisted EMDR:

Erin and Caroline trained as a team in EquiLateral: The Equine Assisted EMDR Protocol™ with Sarah Jenkins, and offers this unique approach in 2 different locations (Morrison Ranch and Lakewood Farm). More information about equilateral can be found here: https://eaemdr.com/

• Equine EMDR sessions $175/hour; $225/90 minutes

• In addition to equine-assisted EMDR, Erin offers nature based and in-office animal assisted EMDR with Buddy and Liincoln.

DBR, or Deep Brain Reorienting:

During traumatic episodes the person being neglected, abused, or otherwise badly treated, is without the protection or loving contact of caring others. The experience then of a core pain of aloneness can drive emotions such as fear, rage, grief, and shame and these can become intense and overwhelming, especially when there is no way to safely express them. Often times people are left with a continuing difficulty in the regulation of distressing emotions and relationships, which can result in the adoption of unhealthy coping strategies and defense mechanisms. In this trauma often people llose contact with the lower levels of the brain and have a very limited range of emotional responses. At other times they lose contact with the “Where Self” and act in ways that are totally out of alignment with who they truly are.

In DBR the focus is, instead, not on the upper-level parts of the self – but on the underlying emotional pain and the rage, fear, grief, and shame that this deep wounding generates. Working at this lower level is difficult because the brain has found it necessary in the past to turn away from the pain. However, the person is now in a different situation, at a different age, and may have the capacity to confront that pain in a way which allows healing at the core of the trauma and abuse history. The brain has gone on developing around that core pain in such a way that it might be possible now to approach it from a different angle.

As part of protection, these defense strategies have been implemented to take awareness away from the core pain, however, these old ways of coping havet have kept up with the changes in the person’s life. The grounding in the “Where Self” is not only a protection against overwhelm during the sessions but also gives a different perspective for working with the upper-level parts of the self. This therapy is often experienced as slow and careful and lead to an increase in feelings of compassion towards self that is holding the trauma memories and the defences.

There are no studies of the safety and efficacy of DBR for Core Aloneness Pain compared with the approaches that focus on the parts of the self that have become compartmentalised so the information helping you choose the right therapy for you is limited.

Sometimes people move between the approaches – working with the parts when necessary, working with the pain when possible. It is hoped that the collaboration between you and your therapist can identify the right method – or combination of methods – to promote your healing as safely and effectively as possible.

More information can be found here:

https://deepbrainreorienting.com/history-of-dbr/

DBR is offered at the ranch and the office, and clients will often ground either before or after sessions with nature or animals.