ABSTRACT

Feelings of terror, fear and helplessness in response to trauma are profoundly human responses to events that are experienced as life-threatening to the self and others. Alongside these emotions, there are bodily responses such as trembling, a pounding heart, an inability to speak or move and a difficulty in breathing, all of which dramatically indicate the indivisible link between feelings, body and mind. During more normal life experiences it is easy as a psychotherapist to forget about the body. The treatment of trauma will not allow this to happen.