Trauma, the Psyche, and the Soma

Abstract

Finding efficacious treatments for severe trauma and PTSD is an important endeavor in the field of clinical psychology. The present qualitative phenomenological study examines the experiences of clinicians (participants) and their patients, specifically veterans and soldiers suffering from severe trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. Giorgi and Moustakas’s phenomenological methods were employed in the research process. This study illustrates the effects of the integration of somatic therapies and psychodynamic therapy for treatment of severe trauma and PTSD symptoms. The relevant themes which emerged from the study include: (a) the clinical orientation of each therapist, (b) integration of somatic and psychodynamic therapies, (c) psychological and physiological symptoms, (d) resolution or reduction of PTSD symptoms, (e) benefits or risks of integration, (f) psycho-education, (g) affect regulation and the tracking and integration of bodily sensations, (h) other modalities utilized in the session, (i) relational patterns, (j) consideration for best evidence practice. The implications discovered from this study contribute to the field of psychology, by offering relevant efficacious treatments for trauma and/or PTSD. The value of integrative psychological, physiological, and somatic approaches, which are demonstrated in this study, support resolution or reduction of somatic symptoms, including affect regulation for patients experiencing trauma and or PTSD.