Understanding resistance in your trauma integration journey

It’s understandable and to be expected that in your healing journey you will go through a phase, or even phases of resistance. Even when you finally find a grounded approach and a good practitioner to help you integrate trauma and regulate your nervous system.

There will be parts of yourself that will resist the work. All of this is in the chemistry of the brain/body. Your body is so used to self protection and stress that anything that may seem to disturb this pattern will cause some resistance.

You may resist showing up for the sessions, or even booking sessions.

This can happen and it is ok, if/when it happens. This is just a sign that your protective parts (surviving parts of the psyche) are trying to protect you, avoiding any situation that will make you get closer to the pain of your original traumas.

During these phases is important for you and your practitioner to honour these parts. They are there for a reason. These parts are what have helped you come this far.

In my own journey, I recall my body going all floppy a few hours and then a few moments before sessions, and lots of thoughts would show up to convince me to cancel. At times, I would quite literally drag myself up the stairs to show up for these sessions.

The most interesting thing is that the pain of getting in touch with these wounded parts is never as bad as my self protective parts imagined.

It’s not always comfortable, but it’s totally tolerable, as when the work is done properly it’s gentle, titrated and you feel supported.

Trauma integration happens step by step, session by session of you showing up, bravely, for yourself.