TRAUMA REGULATION & INTEGRATION PROCESS
(T.R.I.P)
Comments from previous training participants
“I found the training to be very helpful. Watching the videos was very moving and helpful as we could see exactly what was happening with a client’s face, voice & eyes. I liked working in the triads and dyads as it was good to experience this so we know what clients might be experiencing”
-Jan B
"The pace of the training, the non-stop energy and compassionate, patient care of the trainer (Monique) was so uplifting that it kept everything moving so well that I couldn’t help but learn, digest, and apply what was being taught.
The online material is very concise and jam-packed with so much to draw from. It feels very calming to know it’s all in there!
- Brandon G.
“Monique is a very skilled teacher. The T.R.I.P model synergizes concepts from other therapy models in a practical way to help practitioners guide clients to navigate regulation and co-regulation of trauma symptoms. I have taken a number of other trainings in this area and I found Monique's training to provide the most practical resources to support my work with clients.”
- Joel P
WHAT IS T.R.I.P &
HOW DOES IT SUPPORT TRAUMA RECOVERY?
Core Foundational Training
The T.R.I.P approach involves working with trauma and its impact on the person as a whole. This approach recognizes that frequently memories are implicit and stored at a body level. The assumption of T.R.I.P is that the body, brain, emotions, beliefs, sensations and relationships are needing both regulation and integration (internal connectedness) for the person to feel alive, and are able to live in the present. The integrative approach effectively combines and draws from a range of therapeutic modalities that each address a specific area (for example emotion focused work, or somatic strategies) but have been merged into three powerful, core processes that make up TRIP. They are the Projection, Permission & Compassion process. This framework serves as a placeholder for regulating and integrating trauma:
What does the T.R.I.P process look like?
Trauma research shows us that memories are not only kept in our brain, they continue to reside in our body and often present themselves in the form of physical and psychological complaints combined. In addition we know that the brain “splits” into parts upon engaging in dissociation (at different levels) in order to survive. This becomes very obvious when we engage in the eye-brain technique called “Switching”. This original OEI technique has been adjusted, and separated into three separate techniques in the T.R.I.P process for enhanced regulation and integration purposes.
T.R.I.P delineates 1) Regular Switching, 2) Quick Flash, 3) Slow Switch, each of these techniques have been designed and intentionally connected to several therapeutic elements that allow for the three processes to take place.
With one eye open only, it becomes obvious that our brain and body respond differently as they are wired to different experiences of the past or the here and now. This switching technique helps demonstrate fairly quickly that our brain, eyes and body hold very different (at times conflicting) views, feelings, cognitions, perceptions as well as physical responses. This can be startling and mind-blowing for the person at first as many of these opposite experiences remained hidden in the unconscious. Once the experiences become obvious, the person is often able to make more sense of their current responses to life. This already starts to bring relief and can be made sense of. These different experiences are attributed to understanding that our brain splits into Parts in the way we function. In T.R.I.P we acknowledge Wounded Parts, Coping/Protecting parts and Reactive parts. It is essential to view our functioning in light of attachment development theory.
During the T.R.I.P process we reunite the different “shrapnel pieces” of trauma that are located in both the body and the mind by way of engaging in three very uniquely designed processes. This integrative approached developed by Monique helps people to feel more connected internally, provide a sense of wholeness and maturity, and an ability to be in the present.
T.R.I.P’s theory regarding Parts:
For many people with trauma the brain has compartmentalized in different Parts of the Self. All parts are authentic, whether hurting, coping or going about their daily life. The image of a broken mirror comes to mind, several pieces are broken, our view of ourselves may be distorted, but all parts are a reflection of the authentic self. In T.R.I.P we experience that when a Wounded part and a Coping part (or Reactive) turn towards each other in kindness, understanding and can make sense that they were in this trauma together, a renewed sense of internal connectedness and maturity shows up. Clients will often report they feel older upon completing the process.
T.R.I.P facilitates three significant processes:
1) Projection process - this helps to bring awareness how each eye, brain and body response is different. It demonstrates how the past continues to impact the present at all levels of functioning. As the process continues to heal the trauma, the projection from the past onto the present reduces and people start to experience and discern the outside world more accurately.
This process helps the person to understand boundaries, safety and recognize dissociation and how this relates to the nervous system.
2) Permission process - Trauma often includes experiences that didn’t consider our yes or our no. We may not have had a voice at all, no say in the matter. Because of how the brain changes due to trauma, parts of us may have learned how to speak up in the present life, but parts of us are still stuck in the trauma in the way it happened then. This often becomes evident when we engage in the eye-brain methods used as part of TR.I.P. We ensure that all parts of us not only understand consent, we let all parts know that we don’t dive into the trauma work unless it is very clear what all parts need in order to the work. The permission process is used each time focusing on trauma work is considered.
3) Compassion process: As a result of trauma people develop certain survival and coping mechanisms that help them to “keep going” and “not look back”. This is essential at the time we need to survive.
Unfortunately, even when the immediate threat and danger have subsided this part of us continues to “keep going” and is unable to pay attention to our emotional and psychological needs. This often shows up in the Compassion process where one eye holds a Part that doesn’t have compassion for the other side (the parts presenting in the other eye).
The compassion process helps the different parts of us to reconnect and engage in self-compassion over harsh criticism or ignoring our own needs. The process helps to identify what is happening somatically and reduces the pain and sensations as a result of working through the traumas of the past. The brain and the body will then learn that this is something that happened in the past and is not occurring in the here and now.
These processes are facilitated using eye-brain techniques, emotional validation and regulation, somatic therapy, psycho-education (sense making) about attachment and trauma, and recognizing our brain exists of different parts of ourselves upon having experienced trauma.
The T.R.I.P process consistently integrates somatic strategies to process and release trauma. When chronic physical symptoms are part of the trauma presentation, we recognize that this is often directly related to a Part who uses the body to communicate a trauma based emotion, attachment needs and these Parts are often disconnected from other parts of us.
In T.R.IP we integrated eye movements therapy originating from OEI, yet we adjusted and added different applications for these eye movements (glitch repair) to enhance regulation and integration whilst using eye movements. The two categorizes of eye movements are “Trauma Trails” and “Calm Trails”. This combination allows clients to process trauma with a reduced intensity and increased opportunities for integration.
Who can attend T.R.I.P training ?
We have established that the T.R.I.P approach is first and foremost suitable for those clinicians directly working with clients impacted by trauma, and have an average of 2-3 years experience in the counselling field after having completed their Masters program.
It is least suitable for therapists who are not yet licensed (meaning they have not completed their Masters program and their internship) and have not yet established a therapeutic platform existing of solid skills and experience.
We acknowledge that different countries holds different degrees, certification and experience as part of their licensing path. As such we will consider therapists outside the US/Canada who hold a relevant Bachelor degree with a minimum of 3-5 years experience.
It matters to the staff at RelationshipWorx to work from an inclusive perspective and to create a safe environment for all who are attending the training.
T.R.I.P FOUNDATIONAL COURSE
Learning Objectives
- Help the client recognize and acknowledge different types of trauma and help the client make sense of its impact on their nervous system, body (movement, posture, pains and aches), brain, eyes, emotions, cognitions and relationships.
- Navigate the three uniquely designed processes, Projection, Permission and Compassion process to help the client navigate regulation and integration of internal parts of the self.
- Due to the fear level associated with trauma, the brain and nervous system are reacting in ways that can cause projection at a visual, visceral and relational level. Typically the dominant eye, referred to as the “trauma eye” perceives the world via the fear/terror arousal, the non-dominant eye, referred to as the “calm eye” is more connected to the hear and now and survival mechanisms. However, in complex trauma which eye is the calm eye or the trauma eye can switch depending on which trauma experience is being focused on. Reducing and ultimately eliminating projection is essential to healing trauma.
- Recognize that asking permission to engage in trauma works from different parts is essential! The Permission Process helps parts to be educated about consent and boundaries and each side is asked to identify what it needs on each side (left and right eye) to help create a safe way to engage in the chosen trauma work. This first of all empowers the client (and their parts) and often prevents potential sabotaging of therapy later.
- Acquire skills that facilitate the Compassion Process, in which each part ( in different eyes) is being acknowledged in the way they experienced and responded to the trauma (and still are responding to the trauma). A combination of skills are used to validate, reflect and deepen emotions to provoke change as well as identifying the somatic responses connected to these experiences. The compassion process helps these different parts, wounded parts, protective parts, and reactive parts understand each other and become kind and compassionate towards each other. When the Compassion Process is successfully completed, the person’s internal self is strengthened and the internal sense of safety is enhanced.
- Learn how to recognize and release dorsal vagal responses from the nervous system such as the Freeze & Fawn (flop) response. Key is understanding the involuntary nature of these responses when facing (or perceiving to be faced with) death, dying, terror, or deep shame or guilt. Know what to look for in both body posture, eyes reactivity, breathing, movement and facial expressions.
- Acquire skills that help you apply somatic strategies, in combination with eye therapy techniques to help the client re-engage in mobility and undo freeze and flop responses.
- Learn how to identify and work with Dissociation at three different levels: “cognitive dissociation”, “dissociation in eyes” and “physical symptoms” related to dissociation. Recognize dissociation as a survival adjustment necessary at the time, and yet having come at a cost. Releasing dissociation requires regulation and integration at an emotional, cognitive and physical level.
- Gain an overview of how eye movements need to be applied to very specific to eye locations (Glitches), how these can work in conjunction with emotional and physical pain.
