Why is Self Energy essential for trauma recovery?

In the realm of trauma recovery, Self Energy plays a pivotal role, acting as a source of inner calm, courage, and wisdom essential for healing. Tanner advocates strongly for the importance of accessing Self Energy to facilitate recovery, despite the challenges posed by protective neural networks formed during traumatic experiences. Her perspective is shaped by an understanding that many trauma survivors lack positive role models from childhood, which hampers their ability to trust themselves and engage in active recovery. Tanner critiques traditional Internal Family Systems (IFS) approaches for not sufficiently addressing these issues, emphasizing the need for guides who can support survivors in accessing and maintaining their self energy. By fostering this inner trust and leadership, individuals can better navigate life's difficulties, enhancing their interactions and problem-solving capacities.

Key TakeAways

- Self Energy is essential for trauma recovery, requiring a calm, courageous, and wise state.

- Accessing and sustaining self energy is hindered by protective neural networks formed in response to trauma.

- Guides play a crucial role in supporting trauma survivors to find their self energy and aid in active recovery.

- Trust in oneself to navigate discomfort and distress is hindered by a lack of modeled self-trust in childhood.

Actionable Insights

- Recognize the presence of Protective Parts that hinder access to Self Energy

- Differentiate between fear-based and love-based thought processing patterns

- Build trust in oneself to navigate uncomfortable situations

- Balance Self Energy with fear-based triggered energy for enhanced interactions and problem-solving