Strengthening clients’ capacities and sustainability by utilising Neurofeedback therapy in a Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) symptomatology

Torture and trauma survivors are people that have experienced a significant level of prolonged stress over considerable period of time. They developed strategies in order to survive and were able to escape life threatening situations, looking for safe and secure life conditions. Moreover they are individuals who are resilient, who were able to survive horrifying event while utilising their strengths and capacities to survive and look for their better future.

Once torture and trauma survivors feel safe the symptoms associated with the complex presentation of PTSD occur and inhibit the clients’ verbal capacity to describe their problems though a classical therapeutical approaches. Commonly once they migrate to a new country they might feel misunderstood and unacknowledged by other people. Often they withdraw from social contacts and conceal their experiences often not being able to share it due to a limited of verbal expressions, even in their first language.

The brain is a flexible and resilient organ, which learns how to balance production of neurotransmitters. The main task of Neurofeedback, a form of biofeedback therapy, is to enhance brain capacities and connectivity between the left and the right hemisphere. This makes brain more stable, stabilises brain functions, reduces psychological symptoms of hyper-arousal quickly, which in turn increases clients’ motivation for the classical treatments, while fully utilising clients’ strengths and capacities.

Recorded at the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS)
November 2007, New South Wales, Australia.
Visit STARTTS at : www.STARTTS.org.au