In this episode I chat with Kresta Dalrymple, a licensed marriage and family therapist, IFS Level 1 therapist, and certified brainspotting practitioner specializing in complex trauma and misophonia.
Misophonia, a strong aversion to specific sounds, can trigger intense fight-or-flight responses, including rage and physical pain. Kresta shares her personal journey with the misophonia and how it led her to create the Misophonia Freedom Lab, a space for exploring treatment and educating others on this often misunderstood condition.
She shares how Internal Family Systems (IFS) has been transformative in helping clients uncover the root of their misophonic triggers, often linked to legacy burdens or childhood trauma. We discuss the importance of attuning to protective parts, understanding the deep-seated pain behind triggers, and using IFS as a non-pathologizing framework for healing.
Key Takeaways:
- Misophonia isn’t just an aversion to sound; it’s a complex trauma response rooted in the nervous system.
- Using IFS as a trailhead can uncover deeper parts burdened by past trauma, leading to more effective healing.
- Rage responses in misophonia are often protective parts trying to guard against pain; understanding them can foster compassion and relief.
- "When we turn towards our triggers with curiosity rather than avoidance, we open up a path to healing."
- How can we view misophonia not as a disorder, but as an invitation to explore deeper, unprocessed trauma?
- Legacy burdens and inherited sensitivity can play a significant role in misophonia; IFS provides a framework for unpacking these connections.
Favorite Quote: "I like to think of misophonia as a really powerful trailhead. When we use it as a trailhead, we often find parts of us that have been forgotten, that are hurting, and that need attention. As we start to unburden those parts, the misophonia triggers get less and less." – Kresta Dalrymple
About Kresta Dalrymple: Kresta Dalrymple is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in complex trauma, brainspotting, and misophonia. She is the founder of the Misophonia Freedom Lab, dedicated to educating therapists and providing a trauma-informed approach to misophonia treatment. https://www.misophoniafreedomlab.com/
Links: -to "love letter to rage":
https://www.misophoniafreedomlab.com/post/a-love-letter-to-rage-you-were-so-misunderstood-i-m-sorry - to an episode on Misophonia on "The Heart Centered Therapist" where she talk about parts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-free-from-misophonia-embracing-compassion/id1660648538?i=1000621744232
- to her episodes on "The Misophonnia Podcast":
https://www.misophoniapodcast.com/episodes/s6e33-kresta-lmft-part-2 - on Misophonia and HSP Trait:
https://www.misophoniapodcast.com/episodes/s7e29-kresta-lmft-2024-edition
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The One Inside: An Internal Family Systems (IFS) podcast