[{"content":" Introduction # Not all wounds are visible. They do not reside in the flesh, but in our nervous system, in our memory, in our conscience. Someone can be sitting safely at home on the sofa and still be at war. Not because the danger is still there, but because the body has not forgotten it. Or because the heart has experienced something that does not easily translate into words.\nThis is where three concepts converge: PTSD, Complex PTSD and Moral Injury. They are often confused with one another, but they are not the same. One is primarily about fear and survival. Another concerns prolonged dysregulation and fragmentation. The third involves guilt, betrayal, shame and the loss of inner meaning.\nAnd then there is another language: the language of G.I. Gurdjieff and the Fourth Way. A path in which the human being is seen as sleeping, reacting automatically and inwardly divided — yet also as someone who can awaken.\nThis article explores these three forms of wounding and their connections to inner work.\nWhat is PTSD? # PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It arises after a shocking event in which a person experiences intense fear, helplessness or a threat to their life. Think of war, violence, an accident, sexual abuse, a robbery or a disaster.\nDuring such an event, our nervous system switches to survival mode. Fight, flight or freeze. That is normal. The problem only arises when the system no longer fully returns to rest.\nCharacteristics of PTSD # According to Judith Herman and contemporary trauma literature, three main patterns are commonly observed:\n1. Re-experiencing # Flashbacks Nightmares Intrusive memories The feeling that it is happening again 2. Avoidance # Reluctance to talk about what happened Avoiding situations Shutting off feelings Numbing through work, substances or distraction 3. Hyperarousal # Startle responses Poor sleep Always being \u0026ldquo;switched on\u0026rdquo; Becoming easily angry or tense In plain terms: the danger has passed, but the body does not yet believe it.\nWhat does Bessel van der Kolk say? # In The Body Keeps the Score, Van der Kolk describes how trauma is not merely a memory but a bodily imprint. The body keeps the score. That is why insight alone is often not enough. Breathing, movement, regulation, safe connection and body-oriented therapy are also important.\nWhat is Complex PTSD (CPTSD)? # Complex PTSD typically arises not from a single event, but from prolonged or repeated traumatisation in a context where escape is difficult — childhood abuse, emotional neglect, chronic domestic violence, sect or cult dynamics, captivity, wartime conditions, or structurally unsafe relationships of dependency.\nWhere ordinary PTSD often revolves around fearful memories, complex PTSD affects personality development itself.\nAdditional characteristics of complex PTSD # Alongside classic PTSD symptoms, we often observe difficulty with emotional regulation, chronic shame, a negative self-image, relational difficulties, distrust or its mirror image (people-pleasing), dissociation, identity confusion, and a sense of emptiness or estrangement.\nThe Haunted Self: structural dissociation # Van der Hart, Nijenhuis and Steele describe in The Haunted Self how prolonged trauma can lead to structural dissociation. Put simply: the person becomes inwardly divided into parts with different functions.\nThere may be a part that works and functions, a part that remains afraid, a part that freezes, a part that keeps everyone satisfied, a part that no longer feels anything. These are not \u0026ldquo;multiple personalities\u0026rdquo; in the popular sense, but protective systems that were once necessary.\nWhy complex PTSD is so exhausting # In CPTSD, a person is not only struggling with memories but also with inner contradictions. Wanting to move forward while simultaneously blocking. Seeking connection while simultaneously distrusting. Wanting rest while creating unrest, because stillness feels unsafe.\nWhat is Moral Injury? # Moral Injury is not a classic anxiety disorder. It is a moral wound. It arises when a person does, witnesses, fails to do, or undergoes something that deeply conflicts with their own conscience or view of humanity.\nIt is commonly found among military personnel and veterans, police and emergency services, healthcare professionals, leaders and administrators, and people from closed systems or family structures.\nExamples of Moral Injury # You could not save someone. You were forced to act against your values. You witnessed injustice and said nothing. You were betrayed by leadership or the system. You did what seemed necessary, but cannot live with it now. Symptoms of Moral Injury # The wound shows up as guilt and shame, anger and cynicism, loss of trust, a spiritual crisis, a sense of meaninglessness, and social withdrawal. Here it is not fear that is central, but the question: How do I go on living with what I know, did or failed to do?\nViktor Frankl and meaning # Viktor Frankl wrote in Man\u0026rsquo;s Search for Meaning that even in extreme circumstances, a person can find meaning. Moral Injury strikes at precisely that capacity. Not only safety is damaged, but also direction, dignity and the sense of existential purpose.\nDifferences between PTSD, CPTSD and Moral Injury # Theme PTSD Complex PTSD Moral Injury Core Fear response after trauma Prolonged traumatic dysregulation Moral/existential wound Origin One or more shocking events Chronic unsafety Betrayal, guilt, moral conflict Primary feeling Fear Fear + shame + fragmentation Guilt + shame + loss of meaning Focus of recovery Safety and regulation Integration and relational healing Reconciliation and meaning Body Strongly involved Very strongly involved Involved, but often through conscience and identity Where do they overlap? # In practice, these conditions frequently intertwine.\nA veteran may have PTSD from explosions, CPTSD from years of overload and Moral Injury from a decision made in the field.\nA care worker may have no classic PTSD, yet carry deep Moral Injury from being structurally unable to provide the care that was needed.\nA survivor of childhood trauma may carry CPTSD and later become morally wounded by boundary-violating behaviour that once felt normal.\nA person is not a diagnosis. A person is a whole.\nThe Fourth Way of Gurdjieff: sleep, division and awakening # Gurdjieff proposed that most people live in a state of inner sleep. Not literally asleep, but mechanical: reacting automatically, driven by habits, impulses and contradictory \u0026lsquo;I\u0026rsquo;s.\nThat sounds surprisingly modern.\nThe many I\u0026rsquo;s # What trauma therapy sometimes calls \u0026ldquo;parts\u0026rdquo;, Gurdjieff called different small \u0026lsquo;I\u0026rsquo;s: now I want rest, shortly I want to fight, then I want to flee, later I deny everything. There is no stable helmsman on board. Only shifting voices.\nSelf-remembering # A central concept in the Fourth Way is self-remembering: being simultaneously present in the world and aware of oneself. Not being completely absorbed by reaction.\nFor someone with trauma, this can be revolutionary. One moment of noticing: \u0026ldquo;I am triggered.\u0026rdquo; Or: \u0026ldquo;There is a part of me in panic right now, but that is not the whole story.\u0026rdquo;\nConscious suffering # Gurdjieff also spoke of conscious suffering: not seeking unnecessary pain, but bearing inner tension without immediately fleeing into automatic patterns. This connects with modern regulation and trauma processing.\nOverlap between trauma insights and the Fourth Way # 1. The human being is divided # Trauma says: parts arise out of protection. Gurdjieff says: the human being consists of many I\u0026rsquo;s.\n2. Automatism sustains suffering # Trauma says: triggers activate old survival patterns. The Fourth Way says: mechanical living maintains sleep.\n3. Presence heals # Trauma says: safe, embodied presence brings regulation. The Fourth Way says: self-remembering awakens consciousness.\n4. The work happens in everyday life # Not only on a cushion or in therapy. Precisely in relationships, work, conflict, fatigue and ordinary moments.\nAn important distinction # Trauma is not a spiritual deficiency. And spiritual work does not replace treatment. Someone with severe PTSD does not simply need \u0026ldquo;more consciousness\u0026rdquo;, but safety, appropriate care, regulation and often professional guidance.\nBut where therapy stops at symptom reduction, inner work may ask further questions:\nWho am I beyond my protection? What wants to be lived through me? How do I live authentically after rupture and loss? This is where psychology and mysticism meet.\nConclusion # PTSD is often about a system stuck in alarm. Complex PTSD is about a life shaped by prolonged unsafety. Moral Injury is about a conscience that was wounded.\nThree different entry points, one human reality: something in us became dysregulated, divided or broken and is searching for a way back to coherence.\nThe Fourth Way adds a quiet possibility to this: that within the human being, beneath fear, shame and guilt, an awake consciousness may also be present. No quick solution. But a compass.\nPerhaps healing begins there: not in becoming perfect, but in daring to be truly present.\nQuestions? # Do you recognise this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\nSources and recommended reading # Herman, J. Trauma and Recovery Van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E., Steele, K. The Haunted Self Van der Kolk, B. The Body Keeps the Score Frankl, V. Man\u0026rsquo;s Search for Meaning Litz, B. et al. Publications on Moral Injury Shay, J. Achilles in Vietnam ","date":"13 February 2022","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/difference-ptsd-moral-injury/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"What is the difference between PTSD, CPTSD and Moral Injury?","type":"posts"},{"content":"Sometimes you know exactly what would be wise, but you cannot feel it. Sometimes you feel everything, but cannot think clearly. And sometimes you just keep going while your body has already slammed on the brakes. Many people recognize that inner division. As if different parts inside them are no longer working together.\nAn old but surprisingly practical model describes this as three centers: head, heart, and gut. Not literally three brains, but three forms of intelligence. Thinking, feeling, and acting. When they work together, there is direction. When they fall out of balance, confusion, stress, and inner conflict emerge.\nIntroduction # In modern language we speak about cognition, emotional regulation, and the nervous system. Older traditions spoke about head, heart, and gut. The words differ, but the experience is recognizable.\nG.I. Gurdjieff worked with this threefold model in his Fourth Way. Not as a belief system, but as a practical compass for self-knowledge. This model can also help in PTSD, CPTSD, and moral injury. Trauma often fragments what once worked together. Head, heart, and body lose connection with each other.\nRecovery then requires more than symptom management. It requires integration.\nWhat are head, heart, and gut? # Not literally three separate brains, but three forms of intelligence, each with its own pace, language, and function. Below are the three centers, along with their strengths and pitfalls.\nThe head # The head represents thinking, analysis, planning, language, and overview. It helps us solve problems and make decisions — its strengths are insight, structure, discernment, and reflection. Under stress, however, it can tip into overthinking, rumination, seeking control, and disconnecting from feelings.\nMany people with trauma end up living in their head for a long time. Thinking feels safer than feeling.\nThe heart # The heart represents emotion, connection, empathy, beauty, and moral awareness. This is where we experience love, grief, joy, and emotional impact. Its strengths lie in connection, compassion, meaning, and relational wisdom. When dysregulated, the same center can tip into emotional overwhelm, shame and guilt, emotional dependency, or shutting down so completely that nothing is felt anymore.\nIn moral injury, this center is often deeply wounded.\nThe gut # The gut represents instinct, action, rhythm, boundaries, and bodily intelligence. Think of intuitive reactions, movement, taking action, and sensing tension before you can explain it. Its strengths are grounding, action, perseverance, healthy boundaries, and body awareness. In trauma, the same center tips the other way — into fight, flight, freeze, numbing, or chronic tension.\nThis is often where the autonomic nervous system runs at full speed.\nWhy this model helps in PTSD # Trauma rarely affects just one layer. It impacts thoughts, emotions, and the body.\nIt can look like this. A dysregulated head shows up as repetitive thoughts, flashbacks, catastrophic thinking, and constant vigilance. A dysregulated heart shows up as shame, guilt, emptiness, emotional detachment, and difficulty trusting others. A dysregulated gut shows up as exaggerated startle responses, tense breathing, insomnia, restlessness, and exhaustion.\nWhen you work only with thoughts, the body often lags behind. When you focus only on feelings, direction can get lost. This model helps widen the perspective.\nNot three brains, but three entry points # Strictly speaking, biology does not support the idea of three separate brains in the way popular culture sometimes suggests. It is better understood as a working model.\nWhat science does show is that thinking, emotion, and the body are deeply interconnected:\nembodied cognition shows that thinking is connected to the body neurocardiology studies communication between heart and brain the enteric nervous system influences mood and stress polyvagal theory emphasizes the role of safety in behavior and connection Ancient wisdom and modern science overlap more often than people think.\nCurrent research: body and brain function as one system # Recent research directions, including work at the University of Amsterdam, no longer focus on separate “brains,” but on the interaction between multiple systems. Examples include the gut-brain axis, heart rate regulation, interoception, and the influence of the immune system on mood and stress.\nIn other words: your gut does not “think” the way your head thinks, but signals from the gut, heart, and nervous system absolutely influence how you feel, react, and make decisions.\nThe language of head, heart, and gut remains useful as a human model. Science describes the same reality more precisely as a network of mutual regulation between brain, body, and environment.\nGurdjieff and the Fourth Way # Gurdjieff argued that people often live mechanically: automatically reacting from habit, fear, or conditioning. Many trauma responses feel exactly like that. You know what you want, yet an old pattern takes over.\nHis invitation was not to become perfect, but to become more awake. More present to what is happening without being completely consumed by it.\nThat makes his work surprisingly relevant today.\nHow do you recognize where you are? # During stressful moments, ask yourself:\nAm I in my head? # I analyze everything, but feel very little.\nAm I in my heart? # I feel a lot, but lose direction.\nAm I in my gut? # I react immediately, without overview.\nEven asking the question can already create some space.\nPractical exercises for balance # 1. The three-minute check-in # Minute 1 – Head # What thoughts are circling right now?\nMinute 2 – Heart # What am I actually feeling underneath the surface?\nMinute 3 – Gut # What does my body need right now?\nFor example: rest, movement, food, boundaries, or breathing space.\n2. From head back to body # When you keep spiraling in thought, look around the room. Feel your feet on the ground. Lengthen your exhale. Name five things you can see.\n3. From overwhelm back to direction # When emotions take over, place a hand on your chest. Name what you feel in one word. Choose one small next step.\n4. From impulse to conscious action # When you want to react immediately, pause for ten seconds. Exhale. Notice your jaw and shoulders. Then choose your response.\nWhy this also helps with moral injury # Moral injury is often about conscience, values, and identity. People feel internally divided. The head may understand the context, but the heart still carries pain. The body remains alert or withdraws completely.\nIn that case, recovery is not only about calming down, but also about reconnecting with what feels true and worthy.\nThe goal is not perfect balance # Nobody lives in constant harmony. Nor is that necessary. The goal is not to always be calm, wise, and centered.\nThe goal is to recognize more quickly what is happening and to learn how to adjust with more kindness toward yourself.\nThat alone is already a lot.\nFurther reading # Breathing and PTSD Grief in PTSD and Moral Injury The Body Keeps Trauma The Difference Between PTSD and Moral Injury Daily Rhythm and PTSD Sources and literature # Gurdjieff, G.I. Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson. Ouspensky, P.D. In Search of the Miraculous. Wilson, M. (2002). Six Views of Embodied Cognition. Porges, S. The Polyvagal Theory. Damasio, A. The Feeling of What Happens. McCraty, R. publications on heart-brain interaction. Conclusion # A lot of inner conflict does not arise because something is wrong with you, but because different parts within you are asking for attention. The head wants to understand. The heart wants to feel. The gut wants safety and direction.\nWhen those three begin to reconnect, something returns that many people have lost: coherence.\nMaybe that is what recovery often really is. Not becoming someone else, but feeling like one human being again.\nQuestions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Feel free to reach out through the contact form.\n","date":"21 May 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/three-brains-one-human/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Head, Heart, and Gut: Why Trauma Throws Everything Out of Balance","type":"posts"},{"content":"Sometimes your mind knows you are safe, while your body is still on high alert. Heart rate up. Breath shallow. Muscles tense. Startle responses without any clear reason. Many people with PTSD recognise that tension: rationally you know one thing, physically you are living something else.\nThat is not weakness, and it is not a lack of insight. It shows that trauma is not only a story held in the mind — it is also an experience stored in the body.\nWhy the body remembers trauma # Trauma is more than memory. It is also a pattern of stress responses that can remain active in the nervous system. The body learns to stay alert, to avoid, to freeze or to be constantly ready.\nThis can show up in many forms: tense muscles, shallow breathing high in the chest, sleep that breaks easily, digestive complaints, startle responses, exhaustion that no rest seems to lift, or periods of numbness where nothing comes through.\nThe body is not trying to be difficult. It is trying to protect you.\nBody memory: what do we mean by that? # By body memory we do not mean that muscles literally store memories like a videotape. It refers to learned patterns in the nervous system, posture, reflexes, breathing and associations.\nThe body sometimes responds faster than words can follow.\nTrauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you as a result of it.\nGabor Maté\nScience and bodily experience # Researchers such as Bessel van der Kolk have described how trauma expresses itself through the body and nervous system. Modern insights around interoception, embodied cognition and stress physiology support the understanding that body and mind are not separate worlds.\nMoral injury and the body # Moral injury often involves guilt, shame or betrayal. These too leave physical traces: pressure on the chest, tension in the abdomen, insomnia, restlessness, a tendency to withdraw from others.\nThe body responds not only to danger, but also to meaning.\nWhat helps in recovery? # Recovery often requires more than talking alone. Different pathways can contribute: breathing exercises and walking; strength work and other movement; therapy, including body-oriented forms; the restoration of rhythm and sleep; safe relationships; and the calm that silence or nature can bring. No single path works for everyone, and few people find recovery along only one of them.\nSmall signs of recovery # Sometimes recovery begins with small things — breathing out a little more deeply, sleeping more soundly, being startled less easily. Hunger returning. Allowing yourself to relax. Being able to stay present in contact with another person without immediately needing to withdraw.\nRead also # Breathing and PTSD Silence and PTSD When I finally understood my body: Candace Pert and trauma Conclusion # The body is not your enemy. It often carries precisely the traces of what you have been through. Those who learn to listen to these signals discover something important: beneath the tension, the capacity for recovery is also alive.\n","date":"15 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/body-memory-ptsd/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Trauma and the body: how the body holds memories in PTSD","type":"posts"},{"content":"Our body cannot be anywhere other than here and now.\nThat is a simple sentence, but it carries far-reaching consequences. For if the body is always here, and thought can be anywhere except here, then the entire dynamic of trauma is contained in that gap.\nAt the scene itself # As a police officer, I attended several highly distressing incidents. There I stood. One of those cases — a case of child abuse with a fatal outcome — I have never forgotten.\nIn a moment like that, you cannot express your emotions. That is not functional. I was there to help, to resolve something, to record what needed to be recorded. I had to defer my emotions. I acted from my mental strength, my frame of reference and my training.\nBack at the station, I had to write an official report. There too there was no room for emotion. Only for the grounds of knowledge: a factual description of what I had seen. However harrowing that sometimes was.\nAn event like that stays with you for days. There are some I still carry, and whose memory surfaces at unpredictable moments. How I respond then depends on what is happening around me. First comes the mental: my frame of reference places what has surfaced. Then come the emotions. Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I become angry. Usually I go quiet. And then there is the body: tension in my neck, my shoulders, my abdomen.\nThat is precisely what the Law of Four describes. Not as a theory. As an experience. The framework I use comes from the Fourth Way of G.I. Gurdjieff and P.D. Ouspensky.\nWhat is the Law of Four? # In the Fourth Way, Gurdjieff distinguished three centres: the physical, the emotional and the mental. Above these — or better: within them — he placed a fourth layer, which he usually referred to as \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rdquo; (the I), the essence, or in older language: the soul. Not as a religious concept, but as a regulating conscious centre that can integrate the other three when it has been developed.\nThe four layers do not function independently. They form a cycle that moves in two directions:\nHow the world enters us — from outside to inside, bottom-up: first body, then emotion, then thought, then something that settles into the essence. How we respond to the world — from inside to outside, top-down: first checked against the frame of reference, then emotion, then the body moving into action. Understand these two movements and you understand much of your own behaviour. You also understand why (self-)awareness is important for recovery.\nHow the world enters us # Every event is first registered physically. Through the senses: hearing, sight, touch, smell, taste. That is biology. Before you think anything, before you name it, your body has already registered it.\nOnly then do emotions form. Sometimes consciously, often unconsciously. A sense of safety or threat, pleasantness or aversion, calm or unease. Researcher Stephen Porges calls this neuroception: the nervous system evaluates whether something is safe before consciousness is even involved.\nThen comes thought. It orders what has been received, links it to memories, gives it language, places it in context.\nWhat body, emotion and thought together register settles somewhere still deeper. This is what the Fourth Way calls the essence or soul. From this, the frame of reference builds up: the whole of beliefs, habits and meanings with which you will assess further experiences.\nA feeling that arises in our head or our body translates itself into chemical compounds that are released somewhere. Organs, tissue, skin, muscles and glands: they all have protein receptors and the capacity to store emotional information. Unexpressed and unconscious emotions are literally stored in the body.\n— Candace Pert, Molecules of Emotion\nThere lies the first key: the storing happens on multiple levels simultaneously. What thought cannot — or cannot yet — place is stored elsewhere. Often in the body.\nHow we respond to the world # The response also unfolds in four steps, but in reverse.\nWhen something happens, it is almost instantaneously checked against our frame of reference. Three possible outcomes:\ngood for me neutral for me bad for me This checking is usually unconscious. It takes milliseconds. Only then do emotions arise that match that assessment: joy, neutrality, fear, anger. And then the body moves into action: tension, relaxation, fleeing, freezing, approaching.\nIn healthy regulation, these steps connect smoothly. In trauma, this chain is disrupted.\nWhat dissociation is in this model # A common response to overwhelming experiences is dissociation: thought leaves the scene while the body continues to take everything in. \u0026ldquo;I wasn\u0026rsquo;t really there.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;It was as if I were watching myself from above.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;I only know that it happened, but not what I felt.\u0026rdquo;\nIn the language of the Law of Four: the mental withdraws from the bottom-up cycle. The body keeps registering, emotions form unconsciously, but the integration into thought and essence is suspended. What remains is fragmented storage: a bodily trace, but no coherent narrative.\nThis explains why people with trauma sometimes have very strong physical reactions without any clear memory. The body remembers what thought was unable to experience.\nWhat trauma does to the cycle # Trauma arises when we are unable, or insufficiently able, to recover from what we have absorbed. The four layers then continue to function in a disconnected way. Three common patterns:\n1. The body keeps reacting; thought no longer knows why # In PTSD, the body responds to triggers that thought has long since assessed as harmless. The input cycle has become anchored, but integration has remained incomplete. Talking alone rarely helps. Thought is not where the information is stored.\n2. The frame of reference breaks # In moral injury, it is primarily the fourth layer that is damaged: the essence where your values reside. It is not so much fear that dominates, but confusion and shame. Who have I become through what I did or witnessed? The top-down cycle becomes unreliable because the compass itself has been struck.\n3. The checking becomes hypersensitive # In chronic stress or complex trauma, the filter of \u0026ldquo;good–neutral–bad for me\u0026rdquo; becomes hypersensitive. Almost everything feels like a threat. The emotions that follow are intense; the physical responses are exhausted.\nWhat this means for recovery # The Law of Four shows why talking alone is often not enough. Talking operates at the mental level. But if the information is stored in the body, work must happen there too.\nThis is why modern trauma recovery draws on approaches that address multiple layers:\nBreathing exercises — regulating the body Body-oriented therapy (Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy) — body and emotion EMDR — reconnecting emotional charge with thought Cognitive therapy — thought and frame of reference Self-remembering and attention (Fourth Way) — strengthening the conscious centre Co-regulation through safe relationships — all layers at once No single method is sufficient on its own. The Law of Four explains why: recovery requires connection between body, emotion, thought and essence. What has become disconnected must learn to work together again.\nThe bridge to the Fourth Way # Gurdjieff proposed that most people live without a developed conscious centre, without the \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rdquo; that can integrate the other three centres. We react mechanically, from habit and pattern. Trauma intensifies that mechanicality. Reactions become more automatic, less chosen.\nHis work revolves around the gradual building of that regulating centre. Not by learning something new, but by learning to be present with what is already happening — in body, feeling and thought simultaneously.\nFor people recovering from trauma, this is a hopeful perspective. It is not a new task. It is the recovery of something that was already yours, before the cycle broke.\nWhat the Law of Four is not # In the interest of balance — as with the other models on this site — a few honest observations.\nIt is not a clinical model. The Law of Four comes from a spiritual tradition, not from medicine. It does not explain DSM criteria or prescribe a treatment protocol. The four layers are not sharply delineated biological structures. It is a working model, not an anatomical map. Modern neuroscience describes these processes differently and more precisely, using terms such as interoception, the default mode network, and the HPA axis. The term \u0026ldquo;soul\u0026rdquo; is a choice, not a fact. If the word feels uncomfortable, read \u0026ldquo;essence\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;conscious centre\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;core\u0026rdquo; instead. The function remains the same. It does not replace therapy. Understanding this model may help a reader make better sense of their own experience, but recovery usually requires professional guidance. Frequently asked questions # Why does this differ from the three-brains model? # The three-brains model describes the three centres (head, heart, gut) as three forms of intelligence at rest. The Law of Four adds two things: the fourth layer (essence/soul as regulating centre) and the cycle between the layers — in both directions.\nHow does this relate to polyvagal theory? # Polyvagal theory explains how the autonomic nervous system switches between three states of safety and danger. The Law of Four is about how experiences move through the layers and how they are stored. The two models complement each other: Porges explains what the nervous system does; the Law of Four explains how that information is then integrated — or not.\nIs \u0026ldquo;soul\u0026rdquo; the same as consciousness? # In Gurdjieff\u0026rsquo;s usage, not quite. Consciousness is broader and graduated — there are levels of consciousness. The I or essence is, in his model, what remains when all learned roles fall away. It is closer to something like \u0026ldquo;the core of who you are\u0026rdquo; than to ordinary alertness.\nWhat do I do if this model resonates with my experience? # Discuss it with your therapist, or use it as a compass when making choices in your recovery. Ask yourself: where does my work lie right now — in my body, in my emotions, in my thought, or in my frame of reference? The answer differs depending on the phase you are in, and is rarely in only one layer.\nCan I practise this without a teacher? # Understanding the model, yes. But building a conscious regulating centre is a lifelong undertaking for which the Fourth Way traditionally recommended guidance. This site offers an introduction; for deeper study I would recommend In Search of the Miraculous by Ouspensky.\nIn closing # With the knowledge I now have, after a distressing event I would also write a second report at home. Not for the case file. For myself. A report of what I felt, of what my body was carrying, of what thought could not yet place.\nIt would not have been a solution. But it would have been an honest beginning of processing.\nFor those who work — or have worked — in comparable professions (police, military, emergency services): this can have a place for you too. Do not only write what happened. Write also what it did to you.\nTrauma is not a short circuit in one part of the system. It is a disruption of the coherence between body, emotion, thought and essence. Recovery does not begin with \u0026ldquo;finding the right thought\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;doing the right exercise\u0026rdquo;. It begins with reconnecting. Body with feeling. Feeling with thought. Thought with the place where we know who we are and what we value.\nThe body cannot be anywhere other than here and now. There it waits.\nFurther reading # Three brains, one person — the three centres at rest Polyvagal theory of Porges — what the nervous system does unconsciously The Fourth Way — the broader framework of Gurdjieff Sources and academic publications # Gurdjieff, G.I. (1950). Beelzebub\u0026rsquo;s Tales to His Grandson Ouspensky, P.D. In Search of the Miraculous Pert, C. (1997). Molecules of Emotion Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Damasio, A. (1999). The Feeling of What Happens Questions? # Do you recognise this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"26 March 2020","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/law-of-four-trauma/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"In the moment itself: the Law of Four and what trauma does to you","type":"posts"},{"content":" Not every scar closes. And yet something can grow. # Some events break a person open. Loss, violence, betrayal, war, abuse, an accident, illness or moral rupture. They leave not only memories, but change the way you see yourself, others and life.\nYet after such a period, some people describe something remarkable. Not that it was good. Not that they are glad about what happened. But that in certain respects something changed — more depth, different priorities, greater honesty, more compassion or a stronger sense of direction.\nIn psychology, this is called post-traumatic growth.\nThat concept calls for care. Growth is not a compulsory destination. Trauma is not a hidden blessing. And pain does not dissolve automatically through insight. But sometimes, amid the wreckage, a different kind of life begins to take shape.\nWhat is post-traumatic growth? # The term Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) was brought to wider attention through the work of Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun. They described positive psychological change that can emerge through the struggle following a significant event.\nImportantly: the growth does not come from the trauma itself, but from what a person does in its aftermath — processing, finding meaning, revising choices, learning to live again.\nPost-traumatic growth is not the same as resilience. Resilience means bouncing back to how you were. Growth goes further: a person changes in ways that were not present before the trauma.\nFive forms of growth that are commonly recognised # 1. Greater appreciation for life # Ordinary things carry more weight. Morning silence. A conversation without hurry. Baking bread. Wind on water. What once seemed self-evident now feels like something worth pausing for.\n2. Deeper relationships # People sometimes become more honest, more selective and more vulnerable in connection. Superficial contacts are set aside; genuine closeness is sought and valued more.\n3. A sense of personal strength # Not toughness, but the realisation: I can carry what I never wanted to carry. Those who have endured something that seemed unbearable sometimes discover a different relationship with themselves.\n4. New possibilities # Different work. Different choices. A new rhythm. A calling that was previously hidden. Sometimes trauma forces a reorientation that ultimately brings a person closer to their own life.\n5. Spiritual or existential deepening # More attention to truth, mortality, presence and what truly matters. Questions that were once theoretical or philosophical become personal and urgent.\nGrowth does not take the pain away # This is where popular language often goes wrong — as though growth means the wound has closed. As though insights resolve nightmares. As though meaning neutralises the damage.\nThat is usually not how it works.\nA person can grow and grieve at the same time. Become wiser and still be dysregulated. Develop more compassion and still experience triggers. Post-traumatic growth and PTSD symptoms can coexist; they do not exclude each other.\nSometimes surviving is already enough. Sometimes stabilising is the gain. Sometimes a day without being overwhelmed is pure progress.\nWhat does research say? # Research into post-traumatic growth presents a nuanced picture. There are recognisable patterns, but also serious caveats that honesty requires.\nWhat research supports # Social support helps. People who experience support from safe others more often report growth. Not because support erases trauma, but because recovery becomes easier in connection.\nReflection and meaning-making help. Those who find words for what has happened can gradually order inner chaos. Writing, talking, therapy — all these forms of processing contribute.\nGrowth and symptoms can coexist. A person can retain PTSD symptoms and at the same time have changed in priorities, relationships or outlook on life.\nWhat research qualifies # Not every reported instance of growth is lasting or genuine. Sometimes what a person describes as growth is a protective narrative — a way of making the pain bearable. That is understandable, but it is something different from actual change in behaviour and choices.\nMoreover, post-traumatic growth is difficult to measure objectively. Most studies rely on self-report, and people tend to emphasise positive change, even when it is minimal. Genuine growth only becomes apparent later, in how a person actually lives — not only in what they say about it.\nShame, compassion and recovery # Trauma is often accompanied by shame: the feeling that something is wrong with you, that you should have responded differently, that you brought it on yourself.\nPrecisely there lies an important key.\nThe work of Brené Brown on vulnerability and Paul Gilbert on Compassion Focused Therapy points in the same direction: recovery deepens when inner condemnation softens. Not by suppressing the critical voice, but by placing another voice beside it — one that acknowledges what was difficult, without judging it.\nCompassion is not a soft luxury. It is a different way of being with yourself: not believing everything your inner prosecutor says, and not abandoning yourself when pain becomes felt.\nThe Fourth Way of Gurdjieff: working in ordinary life # The Fourth Way of Gurdjieff is a spiritual and psychological tradition that places conscious self-work at its centre — not in seclusion or under ideal circumstances, but in the midst of everyday life.\nThe connection with post-traumatic growth is concrete. Someone who, after trauma, learns to remain present with themselves instead of fleeing into thought or paralysis is practising self-remembering in Gurdjieff\u0026rsquo;s sense. Someone who does not allow themselves to be imprisoned by fear or shame — who recognises that they are more than their past — is practising what the tradition calls non-identification.\nSome connections:\nSelf-remembering — staying present with yourself, even when it is difficult Non-identification — you are more than your fear or your past Conscious effort — taking small, honest steps without self-deception Working with head, heart and body — growth requires the whole person The Fourth Way adds a sober layer: do not wait for perfect circumstances. Work with what presents itself today.\nWhat does growth look like in real life? # Not always spectacular. Often small and quiet.\nSomeone who learns to set boundaries where that once seemed impossible. Someone who dares to ask for help for the first time in years. Someone who stops pleasing others and notices that relationships become more genuine as a result.\nSometimes post-traumatic growth means: valuing rest over status, and noticing that this is not a loss but a liberation. Or speaking more honestly, even when that is uncomfortable. Or becoming gentler with yourself — not as weakness, but as a choice.\nSometimes it is more concrete: choosing different work, living more in accordance with your own values, being able to enjoy ordinary things again that once seemed self-evident.\nWhat helps make growth possible? # 1. Safety first # Without basic safety, deepening quickly becomes too much. Regulation comes before reflection.\n2. Relationships that hold # Therapy, friendship, peers or a wise guide can make a great difference. Growth rarely happens alone.\n3. Practising small moments of presence # One conscious breath. Feeling your feet. Briefly noticing what is here right now. Not as a technique, but as practice in being allowed to exist.\n4. Making room for grief # What has been lost deserves space. Growth does not begin with acceptance, but with recognition of what truly is.\n5. Respecting timing # Growth cannot be forced. Seasons have their own rhythm, and the same is true for recovery.\nRelevant also for moral injury # In moral injury, guilt, shame, loss of trust and existential rupture are often central. A person has done, witnessed or been unable to prevent something that conflicts with their deepest values.\nPost-traumatic growth can be possible here too — not by making the past seem better, but by:\nlooking truth in the eye without drowning in it distinguishing responsibility from unwarranted guilt re-evaluating values based on what has been learned rediscovering humanity, including in one\u0026rsquo;s own fallibility choosing again how you want to live Read also # What is the difference between PTSD and moral injury? Trauma and the body Silence and PTSD The power of language Systemic work in trauma Francis of Assisi — mysticism as a human path of recovery Conclusion # Post-traumatic growth is not a happy ending and not an obligation. It is the possibility that a person, after disruption, becomes more genuine, more mature and more conscious in certain respects — while the pain may remain, the loss may remain, and scars may stay visible.\nGrowth does not mean leaving the trauma behind. It means bringing something new from what you have been through: more honesty, more compassion, a sharper sense of what truly matters.\nPerhaps that is the essence: not becoming greater than the past, but living more authentically than before the rupture.\n","date":"21 January 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/post-traumatic-growth/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Post-traumatic growth in PTSD: can a person grow after trauma?","type":"posts"},{"content":"Anyone working with PTSD or moral injury will eventually hear that the body is part of the picture. Trauma becomes embedded in the nervous system, in muscle tension, breathing, and posture. Not as a metaphor, but as a physiological reality. What is harder to find is an honest overview of what “body-oriented therapy” actually means in practice. The term covers a broad spectrum of approaches — from clinically well-supported methods to more experimental work, from psychotherapy with body awareness to working with horses.\nThis post tries to provide that overview. Not as a ranking and not as a complete map, but as a guide. One paragraph per approach: what it is, what it does in the body, who it may fit, and where nuance matters.\nOne more thing worth mentioning. Some of the methods below I have personally experienced; others I know through literature and clinical research. Where I have personal experience, I mention it explicitly. And for all approaches discussed here: they exist alongside specialized trauma treatment, not as a replacement for it.\nEvidence-based trauma-specific methods # Somatic Experiencing (Peter Levine) # Peter Levine developed Somatic Experiencing from the observation that wild animals rarely develop chronic trauma, despite living under constant threat of death. Humans often do. In many cases because they suppress the body’s natural discharge response after danger. Somatic Experiencing works through “titration”: small, manageable doses of activated bodily sensation alternating with moments of safety. Gradually, the nervous system relearns how to move between activation and recovery.\nA substantial amount of research has now been done on the method. It shows positive effects for PTSD. For people who have already gone through extensive talk therapy without sufficient results, this can be a valuable addition.\nSensorimotor Psychotherapy (Pat Ogden) # Pat Ogden combines psychotherapy with systematic body awareness. Thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations are not treated separately but tracked simultaneously. The client learns to notice what the body is doing while speaking — shoulders tightening, breath stopping, a knee pulling away — and what those signals reveal beneath the words.\nThe method is well grounded and internationally used within accredited trauma treatment programs. For clients who are willing to talk but sense that words alone are not enough, this is often a natural next step.\nTrauma-Sensitive Yoga (David Emerson and Bessel van der Kolk) # Trauma-sensitive yoga is not an ordinary yoga class. There is no physical adjustment, no mandatory posture, and the instructor is trained not to use language that implies control or correction. The client is invited to choose for themselves in every posture. That may sound minor, but it is fundamental: for people whose trauma involved losing choice and bodily autonomy, this form restores precisely that.\nThe work of David Emerson and Bessel van der Kolk (Trauma Center, Boston) has made this one of the best-supported body-based interventions for people with complex PTSD.\nReleasing tension through the body # TRE — Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (David Berceli) # David Berceli developed TRE in war zones, where large groups of people were traumatized simultaneously and had no access to individual therapy. The method consists of a series of exercises designed to trigger the body’s natural tremoring response. A neurogenic mechanism also seen in animals that helps discharge accumulated stress energy.\nMy own experience: I followed TRE sessions at Yogalab in Amsterdam. It brought noticeable relaxation into the body. The peer-reviewed research is still limited, and the method is sometimes promoted too casually, but for those it works for, the effect is direct and physically tangible.\nBioenergetics (Alexander Lowen) # Alexander Lowen expanded on Wilhelm Reich’s idea that unresolved emotions become stored in the body as “armor” — chronic muscular tension. Bioenergetic exercises use specific postures, breathing exercises, and sometimes expressive movement to release that trapped energy.\nI do not personally have practical experience with this method. Conceptually, it aligns with TRE and Somatic Experiencing. All three work with bodily discharge of what the nervous system could not process independently. The peer-reviewed research is more limited than for the previously mentioned methods, yet Bioenergetics has a long clinical tradition and directly addresses physically held tension.\nAwareness through movement # Feldenkrais (Moshe Feldenkrais) # Moshe Feldenkrais developed a method using extremely subtle movements to reorganize motor patterns and self-perception. The focus is not symptom reduction but learning: the body discovers new possibilities of movement, and with that, the way you inhabit your body changes as well.\nI personally practiced Feldenkrais for a period during treatment. For me, it did less than TRE. That probably says more about my specific nervous system than about the method itself. There are people for whom Feldenkrais fits exactly what they need. Research mainly exists around chronic pain and posture, less directly around PTSD.\nTouch and body tissue # Haptotherapy (Frans Veldman) # I received haptotherapy for a year. It made me touchable again.\nThat is the shortest summary of what haptotherapy can do in PTSD. For people for whom touch no longer feels natural, or no longer felt possible at all. Frans Veldman developed haptonomy in the Netherlands; haptotherapy is its therapeutic application. The method works through touch within an explicitly relational context: through physical contact, the therapist reads what the body communicates and carefully builds trust. For people who have physically “shut down” because of moral injury, attachment trauma, or relational trauma, this can offer an opening that talk therapy alone often cannot provide.\nClinical experience with haptotherapy in PTSD is extensive; peer-reviewed research remains more limited than with Somatic Experiencing or trauma-sensitive yoga. The Dutch Association of Haptotherapists has a useful background publication on haptotherapy for PTSD (PDF).\nConnective tissue massage and trauma-informed bodywork # Massage is not a complete therapy for PTSD, but it is an underestimated form of support. As a certified sports massage therapist myself, I know what good connective tissue massage can release. Tension that has structurally immobilized part of the body for years can become accessible again under skilled hands.\nAn important nuance: without trauma awareness on the part of the massage therapist, release can also become destabilizing. If a memory suddenly surfaces or a client becomes emotionally overwhelmed, the therapist needs to know what they are doing. A trauma-informed massage therapist is not the same as an experienced technician. If you are considering this route: explicitly ask about experience with PTSD clients and build up slowly.\nNon-human working relationships # Equine-Assisted Therapy / Horse Coaching # Horses read bodily tension better than most people. They respond directly to what is happening in your nervous system, even when you yourself do not yet realize it. Because of that, the horse becomes a mirror not metaphorically, but concretely observable.\nI participated twice in horse coaching sessions through the BNMO. It brought a great deal of relaxation. For people who have lost language around their experience, or for whom therapy feels too confrontational, working with a horse can provide access that does not depend on words. Research into equine-assisted therapy for veterans and people with complex PTSD is growing.\nRelational and bodily # Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor (PBSP) # Albert Pesso and Diane Boyden developed a method that works bodily around unmet developmental needs: place, protection, care, boundaries, recognition. In group structures, what was missing in someone’s history is represented symbolically and physically.\nIt is a niche method, but conceptually very close to what plays out in moral injury and attachment trauma: not only what happened, but what should have happened and never came. For clients who feel their pain is not just about an event but about an absence, this can be an exceptionally fitting approach.\nSafety around touch # In every method where touch plays a role: haptotherapy, massage, some forms of Somatic Experiencing, sometimes equine-assisted work. Safety is not a detail but the basic condition. For people with a history of sexual trauma or physical violence, the wrong kind of touch can become activating again instead of regulating.\nThere are three things I personally consider important here.\nFirst: trauma-specific training of the practitioner. A skilled haptotherapist without trauma knowledge is different from one who has worked with PTSD clients for years. Ask explicitly about experience with this population. A serious practitioner answers that question without hesitation.\nSecond: consent and stop signals. A trauma-informed therapist works with explicit consent around touch and respects “stop” as a word requiring no further explanation. Anyone who does not is simply not the right practitioner, regardless of technical skill.\nThird: the difference between being touched by someone who can read your nervous system versus someone who only masters their method. In body-oriented therapy even more than in talk therapy, the therapeutic fit is not a luxury, it is a functional part of what makes the method work.\nHow do you choose? # Four questions you can ask yourself before starting. Do you feel a genuine connection with the practitioner? Not just liking them, but feeling safe enough to show something vulnerable? Does the intensity of the method fit where you currently are? Do not start with the heaviest approach if you have only just come out of crisis. Does touch work for you, or is a non-touch method (trauma-sensitive yoga, Feldenkrais, equine-assisted therapy) a better entry point? And finally: does the therapist specifically have trauma experience, or are they mainly a specialist in their method without trauma focus?\nNone of these questions has a right or wrong answer. They are simply questions that help orient you.\nWhat this overview does not do # No ranking. The order of the modalities is logical. Beginning with the best-supported approaches and moving toward more specific or niche methods. But that does not mean the first is automatically best for you.\nNo complete inventory. Craniosacral therapy, Rolfing, holotropic breathwork, and several other approaches are intentionally not included. Not because they are necessarily poor methods, but because I do not have enough experience or confidence in them to say something useful here.\nNo replacement for specialized trauma care. For severe PTSD and moral injury, well-trained trauma therapists often in combination with EMDR or CBT remain the foundation. Body-oriented approaches exist alongside that, sometimes within it, rarely instead of it.\nRelated reading # Trauma and the body Porges’ Polyvagal Theory Breathing and PTSD Exercise and PTSD The Rule of Four and trauma Shame after trauma Conclusion: the body as an entry point # What all these methods share, despite their differences, is a simple premise: the body is not a passive vehicle carrying the consequences of trauma, but an active conversation partner in recovery. The techniques differ. The scientific support differs. The style differs. But the foundation remains the same. What the body holds, the body can also help release.\nWhich method fits you is not simply a matter of what performs best in research, but what connects with your nervous system, your history, and the people you work with. Sometimes that is one method that accompanies you for years. Sometimes it is a combination. Sometimes it is precisely the method you never expected would work for you, yet turns out to provide exactly the access you needed.\nThe body waits. Starting there is usually the hardest step.\nSources and scientific publications # Levine, P. (1997). Waking the Tiger — Healing Trauma Levine, P. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice — How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness Ogden, P., Minton, K. \u0026amp; Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body — A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Emerson, D. (2015). Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy Berceli, D. (2005). Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) Lowen, A. (1975). Bioenergetics Feldenkrais, M. (1972). Awareness Through Movement Veldman, F. (1988). Haptonomy — Science of Affectivity Dutch Association of Haptotherapists — Haptotherapy and PTSD (PDF) Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/body-oriented-therapy-ptsd/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Body-Oriented Therapy for PTSD and Moral Injury: An Overview","type":"posts"},{"content":"Some people rationally know they are safe, yet their body does not believe it. They startle at sounds. Sleep lightly. Feel tension without a clear cause. Or the opposite: emptiness. Emotional flattening. Distance. As if somewhere deep inside, a switch has been flipped that no longer wants to return.\nWith PTSD, this is often obvious. With moral injury, it is subtler, but at least as deep. There, it is not only about fear, but also betrayal, guilt, shame, loss of meaning, and a damaged moral compass.\nThe Polyvagal Theory of American neurophysiologist Stephen Porges attempts to explain why this happens. Not only psychologically, but physically. The theory shows that our nervous system constantly scans for safety, danger, or hopelessness — often without us consciously noticing.\nThat makes this theory relevant not only for trauma, but for something larger: the relationship between body, consciousness, and human presence.\nWhat is Polyvagal Theory? # Polyvagal Theory revolves around the vagus nerve, a large nerve connecting the brain, heart, lungs, abdomen, and face. It is a major part of the autonomic nervous system — the part of your nervous system that regulates functions like heart rate, breathing, and digestion without conscious control.\nAccording to Porges, this system is not a simple on/off switch but consists of three distinct states. Which state dominates largely determines how you feel and how you relate to the world.\n1. Ventral vagal state — safety and connection # In this state, a person feels relatively safe. The body relaxes. Breathing deepens. Eye contact becomes easier. There is room for connection, curiosity, humor, and creativity.\nThis is the state in which people can truly be present — with themselves and with others.\n2. Sympathetic activation — fight or flight # Here, the body shifts into action. Heart rate rises. Muscles tense. Attention narrows. People become alert, angry, anxious, or restless.\nIn PTSD, the nervous system often remains stuck in this state long after the original danger has passed.\n3. Dorsal vagal state — shutdown and collapse # When fighting or fleeing no longer seems possible, the system may move into a deeper survival response: shutdown. People feel empty, numb, exhausted, or disconnected from themselves.\nPeople with trauma often say: “I don’t really feel anything anymore.” According to Porges, this is not weakness but an ancient biological protection mechanism. The system chooses numbness over overwhelm.\nNeuroception: the body decides before thought # A central concept in the theory is neuroception. The nervous system constantly reads signals of safety or danger without conscious involvement. Before you even think, your body has already reacted.\nThat is why people with PTSD can react intensely to harmless things:\na tone of voice a facial expression unexpected touch silence or, conversely, chaos certain smells or spaces authority The body recognizes patterns faster than conscious awareness. This explains why trauma is not simply “all in the mind” and why talking alone is often not enough. The body remembers what the mind has long since reasoned is safe.\nO mind, my mind — how hard you sometimes make my body work.\nPTSD: a nervous system that no longer trusts safety # In post-traumatic stress disorder, the autonomic nervous system often becomes trapped in constant readiness. The system expects danger even when it has objectively passed.\nPeople become overstimulated more easily. Sleep worsens. Trust decreases. Their body remains vigilant. Concretely, this appears as:\nhypervigilance exaggerated startle responses avoidance panic aggression dissociation emotional numbing From a polyvagal perspective, these are not “bad traits” but survival strategies of the nervous system. That insight alone already brings relief to many people. Not because it solves everything, but because shame decreases slightly.\nMoral injury: when meaning itself breaks # With moral injury, things become more complicated. It is not only about danger, but about violated values. Someone can be physically safe and still feel internally destroyed.\nFor example:\na soldier who acted against their conscience a healthcare worker forced to fail people someone betrayed within an organization a person who can no longer reconcile themselves with what they did or failed to do Here, not only the nervous system becomes dysregulated, but also identity, morality, and meaning. Yet the body still plays a central role. Guilt, shame, and existential loss are not only thoughts — they also settle physically:\ntension in the chest or abdomen shallow breathing avoidance of contact tendency toward isolation chronic alertness emotional numbness Moral injury often literally continues living in the body. The grieving process around moral injury therefore gains a physical dimension that purely cognitive therapy sometimes overlooks.\nWhy connection means biological recovery # One of Porges’ strongest insights is that safety is relational. Human beings regulate each other. A phenomenon called co-regulation. A calm voice, soft eyes, attentive presence, or genuine connection can help the nervous system leave survival mode.\nThis explains why healing often does not begin with analysis, but with experiencing safety. Not only understanding. Feeling.\nIt is also why many people say that one truly present therapist, friend, partner, or spiritual guide made more difference than ten techniques.\nThe connection with mystical traditions # Although Polyvagal Theory is modern and neurobiological, it touches on ancient spiritual insights. Many mystical traditions describe that human beings only become truly present when inner fragmentation decreases.\nMeditation, breathwork, prayer, and contemplation often influence breathing, heart rate, and attention — precisely the systems in which the vagus nerve plays a role. That does not mean spirituality is “just biology.” But it does suggest that body and consciousness are probably less separate than long assumed.\nGurdjieff’s Fourth Way # George Ivanovich Gurdjieff described human beings as largely asleep: reactive, mechanical, fragmented. According to him, most people do not live from conscious presence but from automatic patterns.\nThat strongly resembles what trauma research shows. A traumatized nervous system often reacts automatically to danger before conscious thinking becomes possible. Gurdjieff spoke of self-remembering: being simultaneously present within yourself and in the world.\nFrom a polyvagal perspective, you could say that a person can only truly be present when the nervous system experiences sufficient safety. That creates an interesting bridge between mysticism and neurobiology.\nThe body as gateway, not obstacle # In many spiritual traditions, the body was long regarded as something to overcome. Trauma research suggests almost the opposite.\nThe body usually does not lie. It remembers. Not only danger, but also safety. That is why recovery often begins in small, concrete ways: learning to breathe, slowing down, noticing where tension sits, recognizing safe people, building rhythm and structure, and learning to ground again in the here and now.\nNot spectacular. But fundamental.\nPractical guidance for daily life # Polyvagal Theory is not a miracle cure. But it does offer practical direction.\n1. Stop forcing yourself constantly # Many people with trauma try to force themselves to be “normal.” That often backfires. A nervous system that feels unsafe cannot simply be commanded. Safety comes first, then change.\n2. Work with rhythm # Regularity helps the autonomic nervous system: fixed sleeping times, walking, breathing exercises, moments of rest, simple routines. Safety often emerges through predictability. See also Daily Rhythm in PTSD.\n3. Pay attention to co-regulation # Ask yourself:\nAround whom does my body relax? Around whom do I contract? Which places feel safe? Which conversations drain me? The body often knows before the mind what is good for you.\n4. Use breathing consciously # Longer exhalation often activates the ventral vagal state. Simple building blocks include:\nexhaling longer than inhaling humming or singing softly calm walking consciously making eye contact with someone you trust For more depth: Breathing and PTSD.\n5. Do not seek perfect control # Recovery usually does not mean triggers disappear. It means the system becomes more flexible. Less trapped in one state. More movement between activation, rest, and connection.\nWhat Polyvagal Theory is not # For balance, just as with the Fourth Way and the discussion around transgenerational trauma, a few honest caveats matter.\nIt is a model, not an absolute fact. The theory is influential, but not without criticism. Scientists such as Paul Grossman have questioned its evolutionary basis and the claim that the vagal branches can be separated so strictly. Debate about the precise physiology continues. It is not a replacement for therapy. Understanding the state of your nervous system is different from processing what happened to you. Both matter. Not every vagus-related exercise works for everyone. What calms one person (longer exhalation, humming) may overstimulate another. Explore what fits you instead of following recipes from social media. Popular applications sometimes run ahead of the evidence. Many commercial “vagus stimulators” and programs promise more than research currently supports. Stay critical, especially with expensive courses. Nevertheless, the practical recognizability of the theory remains striking. Many clients and practitioners have found language through it that they previously lacked.\nFrequently asked questions # What is the difference between “polyvagal” and “the nervous system” in general? # The nervous system is the entire network in your body. The autonomic nervous system is the part that operates without conscious control. Polyvagal Theory is a specific model within that system, proposing that the vagus nerve has three different functional roles depending on how safe or threatened the nervous system feels.\nDoes this theory help with PTSD? # Not as a therapy in itself. But it does provide a framework for understanding your own reactions, and as a basis for body-oriented exercises that can complement regular treatment. Many trauma therapies such as Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and parts of EMDR draw on polyvagal insights.\nCan I train my vagus nerve myself? # To some extent. Slow exhalation, humming, singing, cold exposure, and gentle social connection are all mentioned in research as activators of the ventral vagal system. But the effects are modest, highly individual, and not a replacement for trauma treatment.\nWhat is a good first book? # For those comfortable with more technical material: The Polyvagal Theory by Porges himself. For a more accessible introduction: The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy by Deb Dana, or The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, which explains the polyvagal perspective extensively.\nHow does this relate to the “head-heart-gut” model? # Good question. The three-brains model is a psychological and practical framework for understanding people. Polyvagal Theory provides the neurobiological explanation for why those three systems react so differently under stress. The two frameworks do not contradict each other; they complement each other.\nConclusion: safety is more than the absence of danger # Polyvagal Theory reveals something essential: human beings need not only protection from danger, but also the lived experience of safety, connection, and presence.\nIn PTSD, the nervous system becomes trapped in survival. In moral injury, the moral and existential foundation is damaged as well. Recovery therefore requires more than symptom reduction. It requires slowly relearning how to inhabit the body, relationships, and conscience.\nPerhaps that is why this theory resonates with so many people. Because it offers language for something many already intuitively sensed: healing does not happen only in thought, but throughout the entire human system.\nFurther reading # Three brains, one human — about the interaction of head, heart, and gut Breathing and PTSD — practical building blocks for your vagus system Trauma and the body — how trauma becomes embedded in the nervous system Sources and scientific publications # Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory Porges, S.W. (2018). Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Litz, B. et al. (2009). Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans Shay, J. (1994). Achilles in Vietnam Ogden, P. (2006). Trauma and the Body Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"27 July 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/polyvagal-theory-porges/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Porges’ Polyvagal Theory: What Your Nervous System Reveals About PTSD and Moral Injury","type":"posts"},{"content":" Neuroplasticity in (Complex) PTSD and Moral Injury: How the Brain Learns New Pathways # When old alarms keep going off # Some people live for years after an event as if the danger never ended. The body startles, the mind scans, sleep fractures, relationships become tense. In complex PTSD and moral injury, this is not weakness. It is often a brain that once adapted brilliantly to unsafe circumstances — and now keeps repeating that adaptation for too long.\nThat is exactly where neuroplasticity becomes interesting. Not as a miracle word. Not as a quick fix. But as a sober and at the same time hopeful truth: the brain can change for as long as we live.\nWhat has been shaped can also be reshaped.\nWhat is neuroplasticity? # Neuroplasticity is the ability of the nervous system to adapt. Brain cells form new connections, existing networks strengthen or weaken, and behavioral patterns can change through experience, attention, and repetition.\nThis happens continuously:\nwhen you learn something new when you unlearn a habit when you recover from stress or injury when you learn to respond differently to a trigger Trauma leaves traces, but growth does too.\nResearch shows that trauma is associated with changes in areas such as the amygdala (alarm center), hippocampus (context and memory), and prefrontal cortex (regulation, overview, decision-making). Chronic stress can dysregulate these systems, but focused treatment and safe new experiences can influence those networks again.\nWhy is this relevant in complex PTSD? # In complex PTSD, it is often not about a single event, but prolonged or repeated unsafety. Think of childhood trauma, abuse, neglect, war, captivity, or relational violence.\nThe brain then often learns:\nalways stay alert do not trust people suppress feelings detect danger before safety prioritize survival over living These are not character flaws. They are deeply ingrained survival pathways.\nNeuroplasticity means that new pathways can emerge. Not by erasing the past, but by building new roads alongside old ones.\nA trigger may not disappear completely. But it no longer has to remain in control.\nAnd what is moral injury? # Moral injury occurs when someone is deeply wounded in their moral compass. For example by:\ndoing something that goes against personal values failing to act when intervention seemed necessary betrayal by leaders or institutions witnessing human suffering without being able to act guilt, shame, or loss of meaning Moral injury can resemble PTSD, but the core is often different. Where PTSD revolves largely around fear and threat, moral injury more often revolves around guilt, shame, alienation, and existential pain.\nPeople say things like:\n“I am no longer who I was.”\n“I no longer trust myself.”\n“I lost something that will never return.”\nThat is why moral injury requires not only stress regulation, but also restoration of meaning, truth, connection, and inner dignity.\nNew connections arise through experience, not theory alone # Many people already understand rationally what is happening. Yet little changes. Why? Because trauma often does not live only in thoughts, but in automatic nervous system responses, body patterns, and reflexive interpretations.\nThe brain primarily learns through experience.\nNot only:\n“I am safe.” But experiencing:\nsomeone remains calm while you are tense you say no and the world does not collapse you feel tension and stay present you make a mistake and are not rejected you remember something old without becoming overwhelmed These are small events. But neurologically, they can be enormous.\nRecovery often lives in repeated, carefully dosed corrective experiences.\nGurdjieff’s Fourth Way: waking up in ordinary life # Gurdjieff described human beings as largely mechanical: we react automatically, sleepwalk through life, and call that “I.”\nHis Fourth Way was not a monastic path and not a withdrawal from the world. Consciousness had to be practiced precisely in ordinary life.\nThat connects strikingly with trauma recovery.\n1. Self-observation without judgment # Gurdjieff emphasized observing yourself without immediately correcting or condemning.\nIn trauma, that may sound like:\n“My shoulders are tightening.” “I am scanning the room.” “I am people-pleasing.” “I am dissociating right now.” The moment something is seen, space arises between impulse and reaction.\nThat is neuroplasticity in practice: attention interrupts automatism.\n2. Multiple ‘selves’ # According to Gurdjieff, a human being consists of many temporary “selves”: the frightened self, the angry self, the exhausted self, the strong self.\nFor people with complex PTSD, this often feels familiar. You do not feel like one unified whole. Instead of seeing that as defectiveness, you can begin to understand that different parts tried to provide protection.\nThen the question shifts from: what is wrong with me?\nto: which part is trying to protect me right now?\n3. Conscious effort # Not forcing, but voluntarily doing something new while the old pattern pulls at you.\nFor example:\nstill breathing calmly still maintaining contact still setting boundaries still remaining present without fleeing internally These are forms of inner strength training.\nParallels in other mystical traditions # Buddhism: not believing everything that appears # Buddhism teaches mindfulness: thoughts, emotions, and sensations arise and pass away.\nThat helps with triggers. A wave of fear feels absolute, but it is not identical to truth.\nNot: “I am lost.”\nBut: “There is currently an experience of loss.”\nThat subtle shift can be liberating.\nChristian contemplation: silence as a holding space # Christian contemplation knows the practice of resting in silence, prayer, and presence. Not everything has to be solved in order to be carried.\nFor moral injury, that can matter deeply. Where words fail, silent presence can sometimes heal more than analysis.\nSufism: polishing the heart # Sufism speaks of the heart becoming covered over and needing to be polished again. Even after guilt or rupture, the core is not destroyed — only obscured.\nThat image helps many people more than clinical language does.\nBut let us stay grounded: no miracle cure # Neuroplasticity does not mean:\nthat trauma can simply be “trained away” that everyone heals at the same pace that willpower alone is enough that you have failed if triggers remain Recovery depends strongly on circumstances:\nSafety # As long as someone still lives in danger, the brain remains rightly vigilant.\nRelationships # One regulating human connection can do more than a thousand insights.\nDosage # Working too hard on trauma can become overwhelming. Too little challenge keeps patterns frozen.\nThe body # Sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress load influence learning capacity.\nProfessional support # Trauma therapies such as EMDR, exposure therapy, somatic therapy, IFS, ACT, or other fitting forms of guidance can help strengthen new neural networks.\nPractical guidance: how do you begin building new pathways? # 1. Name patterns precisely # Not: “I am broken.”\nBut: “I withdraw whenever someone gets close.”\nWhat can be seen concretely can become changeable.\n2. Work small and repeatable # No heroic act is required. Responding one percent differently is already training.\n3. Regulate first, analyze later # Under high stress, the brain learns poorly. First settle. Then explore.\n4. Seek reliable people # Recovery often grows between people, not only inside your head.\n5. Rebuild meaning # With moral injury, the question is not only: how do I become calmer?\nBut also: what do I want to stand for now?\n6. Practice presence # Three conscious minutes a day of breathing, sensing, and observing may seem small. Added together, it becomes attention training.\nOther publications and books worth reading # Scientific publications # López-López et al. (2025). Neuroplasticity in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Deppermann et al. (2014). Stress-induced neuroplasticity: (mal)adaptation to adverse Babu et al. (2025). Physical and Emotional Interventions in Modulating Neuroplasticity Books # Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Peter A. Levine Waking the Tiger Peter A. Levine In an Unspoken Voice Judith Lewis Herman Trauma and Recovery Judith Lewis Herman The Aftermath of Violence — From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror Ouspensky, P. D. In Search of the Miraculous — Fragments of an Unknown Teaching Frankl, Viktor E. Man’s Search for Meaning Conclusion: the past remains, but it no longer has to rule # Trauma shapes the brain. That is true. But experience shapes the brain too. That is also true.\nNeuroplasticity offers no magic, but it does offer direction. Old reactions can soften. New choices can grow stronger. Triggers can become background noise instead of commands.\nPerhaps recovery is not returning to who you once were.\nPerhaps it is waking up to who you can now become.\nQuestions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch.\n","date":"13 June 2025","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/neuroplasticity-complex-ptsd-and-moral-injury/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Neuroplasticity in (Complex) PTSD and Moral Injury: How the Brain Learns New Pathways","type":"posts"},{"content":" Structure Is Not Discipline. It Is Regulation. # For many people, structure triggers resistance. It sounds strict, boring, or controlling. Especially when you are already exhausted, sleeping poorly, or struggling to get through the day.\nYet for a dysregulated nervous system, a stable daily rhythm is often not a restriction but support. Regularity in sleep, light, food, and movement creates predictability. Fewer surprises mean less vigilance. Less vigilance means more recovery.\nWith PTSD, structure is not about performing perfectly. It helps the body relearn when it may activate and when it may relax.\nWhy a stable daily rhythm helps with PTSD # PTSD affects more than thoughts and emotions. It also influences sleep, energy, hormones, concentration, and physical tension.\nMany people recognize the pattern: difficulty falling asleep, waking up startled too early, exhaustion during the day, suddenly becoming more awake in the evening, difficulty planning, restlessness on empty days, and crashing after busy periods. A reliable rhythm can help soften this dysregulation over time.\nWhy structure can feel difficult # That is not unwillingness. There can be good reasons: restless nights, irregular work hours, the way structure can feel like coercion, perfectionism that turns every attempt into a weight, having “failed” many times before, or simply the way freedom can feel safer than planning.\nSo do not start big. Start manageable.\nThe most important anchor: a fixed wake-up time # Even after a bad night, a reasonably fixed wake-up time can help stabilize your biological clock.\nNot perfectly every day, but as consistently as possible.\nIt supports the cortisol rhythm, helps build sleep pressure, gives the day a beginning, and reduces the feeling of chaos.\nMorning light as a reset for your system # Morning daylight is one of the strongest signals for your internal clock.\nIn practice, go outside within an hour of waking — even 10 to 20 minutes already helps, walking adds extra benefit, and looking at a screen alone is not the same thing. This is not a lifestyle hack. This is biology.\nDelaying coffee slightly may help # Cortisol naturally rises during the first period after waking. Adding caffeine on top of that immediately can make some people even more restless.\nExperiment:\nDrink water first, get some daylight exposure, delay coffee by 45 to 90 minutes, and observe what your system does.\nRead also: Cortisol and PTSD\nMovement and timing # Movement helps discharge tension and supports regulation.\nWhat often helps: walking, cycling, strength training, stretching, or any rhythmic movement. For many people, morning or afternoon works better than late evening exercise.\nStructure during the day without suffocation # A healthy daily structure does not need to be packed full.\nThink of three main activities, fixed meal times, short rest moments, a clear transition between work and rest, and room for recovery.\nToo empty creates restlessness. Too full creates overload. The art lies in between.\nDistributing energy intelligently # Not every hour asks for the same thing.\nMorning: slow start and activation Afternoon: work, movement, action Late afternoon: slowing down Evening: reducing stimulation and slowing further When the body roughly knows what is coming, it has to scan less.\nThe Fourth Way and rhythm # Within the Fourth Way, daily life itself becomes practice. Small conscious actions, repetition, and attention help organize energy.\nNot through force, but through presence.\nEven a simple rhythm can become more than planning. It becomes a way of living awake and present.\nAlso relevant for moral injury # Moral injury often involves guilt, shame, and loss of meaning. Rhythm can help here too. Not because it solves existential questions, but because the body gains stability while the inner world searches.\nRead also: What is the difference between PTSD and moral injury?\nStart smaller than you think # Do not overhaul your entire life. Choose one anchor — a fixed wake-up time, morning daylight every day, a daily walk, no screens during the last half hour before bed, or coffee taken a little later. Repeat that first.\nRead also # Cortisol and PTSD Breathing and PTSD Silence and PTSD The healing power of nature in PTSD Trauma and the body Conclusion # Structure is not a rigid schedule. It is a rhythm that offers safety to your nervous system.\nFixed times. Light. Movement. Moments of rest. Simple repetition.\nFor people with PTSD, this can make the difference between constantly reacting and slowly recovering.\nNot perfect. But reliable.\nFrequently Asked Questions # Does structure really help with PTSD? # Often yes. Regularity in sleep, light, and activity supports stress regulation.\nHow strict should a daily rhythm be? # Not rigid. But recognizable and manageable.\nWhat if I had a bad night? # Still hold on to one anchor, such as getting up and getting morning light.\nWhat is the best starting point? # For many people: a fixed wake-up time and morning daylight.\nQuestions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch.\n","date":"20 December 2025","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/daily-rhythm-ptsd-structure/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Daily Rhythm in PTSD: Why Structure Calms Your Nervous System","type":"posts"},{"content":"Many people with PTSD notice it only late: their breathing is constantly on edge. Short, shallow, restless, or almost invisible. As if the body never receives permission to relax. Recovery often begins here — not in the mind, but in the next exhalation.\nIntroduction # Trauma does not always disappear when the event is over. It can continue through muscles, sleep, vigilance, startle responses, and breathing. The body keeps living as if danger is still nearby. That is not weakness. It is a protection system that stayed switched on for too long.\nThat is why more and more people, alongside talk therapy, are also searching for physical pathways into recovery. Breathing is one of those pathways. Breath is always present, directly influenceable, and closely connected to our nervous system.\nIn PTSD, CPTSD, and moral injury, conscious breath regulation can help people experience safety, rhythm, and space again.\nWhat happens to breathing in PTSD? # When the brain expects danger, the body shifts into survival mode. Breathing speeds up, muscles tighten, and attention narrows. In acute situations, that is useful. But with PTSD, this pattern can remain active long after the danger has passed.\nCommon signals include:\nrapid or shallow chest breathing frequent sighing without relief holding the breath without noticing pressure in the chest or throat difficulty fully exhaling shortness of breath without a medical cause restlessness as soon as things become quiet Breathing does not lie. Often it reveals how you are really doing before words can.\nWhy breathing is so powerful # Breathing is unique. It happens automatically, but we can also consciously influence it. That makes the breath a bridge between automatic bodily processes and conscious awareness.\nThat is what makes it so valuable in trauma. Through the breath, you can send the body signals that the present moment is safer than the past.\nNot by convincing yourself mentally, but through the body itself.\nThe vagus nerve and safety # The vagus nerve is an important pathway connecting the brain, heart, lungs, and abdominal organs. It plays a role in rest, recovery, digestion, and social engagement. Stephen Porges elaborated on this in the Polyvagal Theory.\nWhen you breathe more calmly and rhythmically, especially with a longer exhalation, the body often receives signals that immediate danger is decreasing. This may become noticeable as:\nlower heart rate less muscle tension clearer thinking a stronger sense of presence faster recovery after stress Breathing is not a miracle cure. But it is a direct gateway into regulation.\nWhat is HRV biofeedback? # HRV stands for Heart Rate Variability: the small variation in time between consecutive heartbeats. A healthy system does not beat rigidly like a machine, but adapts flexibly to what is needed.\nWith long-term stress or PTSD, that flexibility is often reduced. The system becomes stuck in vigilance or exhaustion.\nWith HRV biofeedback, you use a sensor or app that shows how heart rate and breathing interact. This makes visible what normally remains invisible.\nThat helps train regulation. Not perfection, but attunement.\nWhat biofeedback can offer # People often report improvements in:\nstress regulation recovery after triggers sleep quality concentration emotional regulation sense of control Biofeedback does not erase trauma. But it teaches the body that change is possible.\nWhy calm breathing sometimes does not work at first # Many people stop because breathing exercises initially create tension. That is normal and often logical.\nSilence feels unsafe # If your system is used to alarm, calmness can feel unfamiliar.\nEmotions surface # When tension decreases, grief, fear, or shame sometimes become noticeable.\nToo much control # Breathing too deeply or trying to perform often makes the exercise more restless.\nDissociation # Some people feel little connection to their body. In that case, recovery begins with noticing, not controlling.\nBreathing and moral injury # With moral injury, the issue is often not only fear, but guilt, shame, betrayal, or loss of moral coherence. That also lives in the body.\nPeople make themselves smaller, suppress their voice, swallow tension, or breathe as if they are not allowed to take up space.\nGentle breath regulation can then help create space again. Not as a trick, but as a practice of dignity and presence.\nAncient traditions already knew this # Long before modern stress science existed, traditions understood the connection between breath and consciousness.\nPrana in Sanskrit refers to life force. Ruach in Hebrew means both breath and spirit. In Buddhist meditation, breath is an anchor for attention. In Sufi traditions, breath supports silence and inner remembrance. The language differs. The insight is ancient: whoever learns to know the breath learns to know themselves.\nGurdjieff and the Fourth Way # G.I. Gurdjieff argued that people often live mechanically: driven by habit, impulse, and automatic reaction. Many people with trauma recognize this immediately. Not because of weakness, but because the nervous system automatically reacts to old danger.\nHis answer was not escaping life, but waking up within life itself. Through attention, self-observation, and presence.\nSelf-remembering as a practice # Self-remembering means a double attention:\nI am here and I notice myself while I am here With triggers, awareness often narrows completely into the reaction. Self-remembering creates space again.\nA simple form:\nfeel your feet on the ground notice your breathing look around you name three things you see say internally: I am here This is simultaneously grounding, attention, and nervous system regulation.\nThe three centers # Gurdjieff spoke of three centers:\nthinking feeling movement / instinct In trauma, these often fall out of balance. Someone may understand everything intellectually but feel nothing. Or feel everything but be unable to think clearly.\nBreathing works directly on the bodily center. Relationship and therapy help the emotional and cognitive centers. Real integration requires all three.\nPractical breathing exercises for PTSD # Keep it small. Safety comes before performance.\n1. Simply observe # Sit for two minutes. Change nothing. Just notice:\nwhere do I feel the breath? fast or slow? flowing or restricted? what happens inside me? Conscious observation is often the first step.\n2. Extended exhalation # Breathe in for 4 counts and out for 6 counts. Calmly, without forcing. Do this for 10 rounds.\nHelpful for:\nrestlessness rumination tension after a trigger 3. Hand on chest and belly # Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Feel the movement without judgment. This helps restore connection.\n4. Moving with the breath # Breathe in while slowly raising your arms. Breathe out while lowering them. Rhythmic movement gives many people more safety than sitting still.\n5. Before sleep # Lying down: breathe in for 4 counts, out for 6 counts. Count only the exhalations up to ten and begin again.\nBoring is fine. Boring is sometimes exactly what an overloaded system needs.\nCommon mistakes # Breathing too deeply # Calmer is often better than deeper.\nDemanding results # Regulation grows through repetition, not through force.\nPracticing only during crisis # Train during calm moments too.\nJudging yourself # Every breath tells something. None of it is failure.\nWhen extra support is wise # Seek guidance if breathwork triggers strong panic, flashbacks, or dysregulation. Breathing can do a great deal, but sometimes co-regulation with a therapist or guide is necessary.\nRead also # Daily Rhythm in PTSD Cortisol and PTSD The Body Remembers Trauma Difference Between PTSD and Moral Injury Nutrition and Supplements in PTSD Sources and literature # Porges, S. The Polyvagal Theory. Porges, S. A Science of Safety. Lehrer, P. \u0026amp; Gevirtz, R. publications on HRV biofeedback. Van der Kolk, B. The Body Keeps the Score. Kabat-Zinn, J. Full Catastrophe Living. Gurdjieff, G.I. (1950). Beelzebub\u0026rsquo;s Tales to His Grandson Ouspensky, P.D. In Search of the Miraculous Conclusion # PTSD often feels like living in a house full of alarms. Everything is tuned too sharply. The smallest trigger can activate an old emergency system.\nBreathing and biofeedback do not offer a spectacular escape, but something more sustainable: a path back toward inner order. Not because all pain disappears immediately, but because you begin to experience again that influence is possible.\nPerhaps recovery begins smaller than hoped and simpler than expected: with one exhalation that feels freer today than yesterday.\nQuestions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch.\n","date":"13 May 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/breathing-in-ptsd/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Breathing in PTSD: Biofeedback, the Vagus Nerve, and Nervous System Recovery","type":"posts"},{"content":"Some people long for silence and become frightened the moment it appears. That is understandable. For a nervous system accustomed to tension, calmness can feel unfamiliar. Yet this is often exactly where recovery begins.\nSilence is not only the absence of sound. It is also less pressure, less reacting, and less overwhelm. A space in which the body can begin to notice that not everything requires an immediate response.\nWhy silence helps with PTSD # In PTSD, the alarm system is often tuned too sharply. The body constantly scans for danger. Fewer stimuli can help activation settle down.\nPossible effects of silence:\nlower tension slower breathing greater body awareness clearer thinking faster recovery after busy periods Why silence can feel difficult at first # Many people assume silence should immediately feel pleasant. That is not necessarily true.\nSilence can feel confronting because:\nemotions become noticeable restlessness becomes visible distractions disappear the body has to unlearn constant alertness That is why it is important to begin small and gently.\nPersonal experience with silence # During my training as a change facilitator at the Pulsar Academy, silence was consciously used within the group. At first, it felt uncomfortable, almost unnatural. Not being allowed to speak triggered resistance in me. I felt anger, restlessness, and a stream of thoughts forcing themselves forward as soon as the distraction disappeared.\nBut over time, something shifted. The struggle slowly gave way to surrender. Beneath the unrest, there turned out to be calmness. When the silence ended, I noticed to my surprise that I longed for it to return.\nThat experience showed me that silence is not empty. Silence can confront, destabilize, and at the same time deeply nourish.\n“You just have to sit still for a while\nand wait until the noise in your head stops.”\n— Erling Kagge, Silence in the Age of Noise\nPractical exercises in stillness # 1. Five minutes without input # No phone, no music, no task. Just sitting and breathing.\n2. Listening without searching # What sounds are already present? Wind, birds, traffic, breathing.\n3. Silent walk # Walk slowly without a goal. Notice your feet and your surroundings.\n4. One quiet corner at home # Create a place without screens where you regularly return and settle.\nSilence is not the same as loneliness # Loneliness disconnects. Silence can reconnect. With yourself, with your body, with what remained present beneath the noise.\nBridge toward nature # For many people, silence becomes more accessible outdoors. In nature, silence often feels alive rather than empty.\nRead also: The Healing Power of Nature in PTSD\nConclusion # Silence does not have to be grand or perfect. Sometimes recovery begins with three quiet minutes in which nothing is required. In that simplicity, something may return that has long remained distant: presence.\n","date":"10 January 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/silence-ptsd-inner-peace/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Silence in PTSD: Why Inner Calm Helps the Nervous System Recover","type":"posts"},{"content":"PTSD is often described in terms of memory, triggers, and the nervous system. Moral Injury goes one layer deeper: not only what someone experienced, but what it did to their sense of who they are. People describe it as a rupture in meaning. A loss of trust. A feeling that the old story no longer fits.\nIn experiences like these, psychological language sometimes falls short. Not because that language is wrong, but because it was designed to grasp something that, by its nature, resists being fully grasped. That is where space opens for another kind of language: poetry, imagery, rhythm, story.\nThe work of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–1273) is one example. His verses appear in therapy rooms, retreats, and grief processes. Not because he offers simple answers — quite the opposite — but because he leaves room for what cannot be solved.\nWho was Rumi? # Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi was born in 1207, most likely in Balkh, in present-day Afghanistan. His family fled westward from the advancing Mongol armies and eventually settled in Konya, in present-day Turkey. Displacement and loss were not abstract themes in his life — they were the reality in which he grew up.\nAt first, Rumi was not a poet. He was a respected Islamic scholar: jurist, theologian, teacher, religious leader. Someone with status. Someone with a clear story about who he was and what he did.\nThat story stopped making sense after his encounter with the wandering mystic Shams of Tabriz.\nThe meeting — and the loss of Shams # Biographies describe that meeting as a turning point. Shams confronted Rumi with a simple but unsettling question: are you truly living what you teach? From that moment on, Rumi changed. The orderly scholar began writing poetry, making music, and entering mystical experience instead of remaining only within religious knowledge.\nAnd then Shams disappeared.\nHe was likely murdered, possibly because of tensions within Rumi’s own environment. Historians still debate the details, but for Rumi the loss felt like an existential rupture. Much of what he wrote afterward emerged from that wound — not about it, but through it.\nMoral Injury: when the moral compass breaks # Moral Injury is not a DSM diagnosis, but a concept increasingly used in research on war, policing, healthcare, and crisis situations. Researchers such as Jonathan Shay and Brett Litz describe it as an inner rupture that occurs when someone does something that violates deeply held values, witnesses moral violations, or feels betrayed by authorities or people they trusted.\nThe result is often not a classic fear response, but guilt, shame, inner alienation, and existential emptiness. A loss of trust: in others, in oneself, in the order of things.\nWhat the loss of Shams meant to Rumi touches the same layer. It was not an abstract setback. It was a hole in his moral and spiritual world. What he wrote afterward was not written from recovery, but from remaining present within the rupture. That is precisely why his work still resonates centuries later with people who have gone through something similar.\nWhat Rumi can show in PTSD and Moral Injury # It is important to stay clear: Rumi is not a therapeutic method. His poetry does not replace treatment. But his work does offer another perspective — a language that can stand alongside therapy, body-based work, and community.\n1. Language for what has no language # Many people living with trauma recognize this: it is difficult to explain what happened. Not because there are no words, but because the words fall short. Logic cannot fully grasp what actually took place.\nPoetry works differently. It does not need to explain. It does not need to solve. It allows what exists to remain and gives it space. For people who feel silenced, that can be deeply liberating: someone else has already spoken these truths. There is a form of recognition in that which even a skilled therapist cannot always provide.\n2. Remaining present with what hurts # Many trauma therapies now recognize that chronic avoidance keeps PTSD alive. People become disconnected from their feelings, bodies, or relationships in order to survive. In the short term, that helps. In the long term, it makes life smaller.\nRumi writes precisely about remaining present with pain. Not analytically, not stoically, but experientially. Becoming still. Listening. Enduring what can be endured. Not escaping into control or numbing.\nThat does not mean someone should “just feel their trauma.” Without safety, that can be harmful. But within a safe environment, this attitude can support recovery work — not as a replacement, but as an addition.\n3. The wound as an opening — without romanticizing # A widely quoted line often attributed to Rumi says: “the wound is the place where the light enters you.” That sentence is frequently used as if suffering automatically leads to growth. Rumi is not that simplistic.\nHe does not romanticize pain. What he describes is something more nuanced: sometimes trauma breaks open the illusion of control. Not because that is beautiful, but because the old story can no longer hold.\nThis connects with what is now called post-traumatic growth. An important nuance remains: growth is not an obligation. Not everyone grows through trauma. And growth does not mean the suffering was “good.” In Rumi’s work, the wound remains visible — that is part of its integrity.\n4. Rhythm and the body: the whirling dervishes # After the loss of Shams, the Mevlevi order emerged from the tradition surrounding Rumi, internationally known through the whirling dervishes. From the outside, it may appear exotic or folkloric. Underneath lies something far more concrete: rhythm, breath, attention, repetition, music, and bodily regulation within safe community.\nModern trauma research increasingly confirms that recovery does not happen through language alone. The autonomic nervous system plays a central role, as shown in Porges’ Polyvagal Theory. Practices involving rhythm and movement in groups can support regulation and integration. Not as miracle cures, but as building blocks.\n5. Connection instead of control # Perhaps this is Rumi’s central theme. Not perfection. Not enlightenment. Not being “fully healed.” But remaining connected: to yourself, to others, to the body, to beauty, to nature, to something larger than the isolated self.\nTrauma often narrows life. Shame pulls people inward. Avoidance makes the world smaller. Rumi gently tries to open that narrowing again — not by erasing pain, but by restoring humanity.\nWhat does scientific research say about this? # The connection between spirituality, meaning, and trauma is being studied more and more. Important insights come from the work of Bessel van der Kolk, who in The Body Keeps the Score describes how trauma becomes embedded in the body and how recovery often happens through experience, rhythm, and relationship — not through conversation alone. Jonathan Shay introduced the concept of Moral Injury in relation to Vietnam veterans and emphasized that recovery from moral injury cannot happen without community. Brett Litz and colleagues later described Moral Injury as a disruption of moral schemas leading to guilt and shame. Kenneth Pargament has extensively studied how religious and spiritual resources can help during overwhelming experiences — or, conversely, block recovery when used to avoid pain.\nWhat stands out in all this is that recovery is not only about symptom reduction, but also about meaning, relationship, and integration. These are precisely the layers for which Rumi has provided language for centuries.\nMysticism as a supporting layer, not a solution # That distinction matters. Mysticism does not solve PTSD or Moral Injury. Trauma often requires professional treatment, body-oriented therapy, safe relationships, social recognition, rest, nervous system regulation, and sometimes medication or long-term support.\nRumi offers no replacement for that. What his work can offer is language for existential experience, room for paradox, connection with something larger than personal isolation, and a way of rediscovering meaning without denying pain.\nFor some people, a sense of humanity begins to return there. Not as a reward for “recovering well,” but as a layer that slowly becomes accessible again alongside the recovery process.\nConnection after rupture # What Rumi perhaps shows more than anything else is this: after rupture, you do not first have to become “whole again” before you can reconnect. Connection and vulnerability can exist at the same time.\nFor people living with PTSD or Moral Injury, that can be an important shift. The belief “I can only participate again once I am healed” often isolates people from the very community that could support their recovery. Rumi turns that around: participation and staying connected are not end goals, but entry points. In that sense, his poetry is not an escape from reality, but an invitation to inhabit it differently.\nA personal note: the Pulsar line # The fact that both Francis of Assisi and Rumi have dedicated posts on this site is no coincidence. Marcel Derkse, the inspiration behind the Pulsar Academy and the translator who brought Rumi’s Masnavi into Dutch, drew from both traditions. For him, Francis and Rumi did not stand opposed to each other, but side by side: two men from the same thirteenth century, from entirely different religious traditions, each showing in their own way how a human being can remain human in vulnerability.\nMy own introduction to Rumi and Universal Sufism came through that Pulsar line. That is why this post emphasizes the practical, embodied, and relational aspects of mysticism more than purely textual exegesis. Not because the texts are unimportant, but because in the tradition through which I encountered them, they were always connected to living, breathing, practice, and community.\nRead also # Francis of Assisi and PTSD and Moral Injury What is the difference between PTSD and Moral Injury? Post-traumatic growth Porges’ Polyvagal Theory Shame after trauma Silence and PTSD Conclusion: another language for recovery # Rumi offers no quick answer to PTSD or Moral Injury. What he does offer is another language. A language for loss of identity, fractured connection, inner emptiness, longing, and the search for meaning after disruption.\nHis work can help create space for what is broken without immediately trying to repair it. Not as therapy, but as an experiential path alongside it. A layer in which the fracture itself is given language.\nPerhaps that is why his words still resonate centuries later. Not because they solve trauma. But because they restore humanity where people sometimes feel they have lost themselves.\nSources and scientific publications # Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory Shay, J. (1994). Achilles in Vietnam - Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character Litz, B. et al. (2009). Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans. Clinical Psychology Review Pargament, K. (1997). The Psychology of Religion and Coping Rumi, J. The Masnavi (English translations by Reynold A. Nicholson and Jawid Mojaddedi, among others) Rumi, J. The Divan of Shams of Tabriz Derkse, M. — Dutch translation of Rumi’s Masnavi; see also The Pulsar Vision Schimmel, A. (1993). The Triumphal Sun: A Study of the Works of Jalaloddin Rumi Chittick, W. (1983). The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi Elif Shafak (2010). The Forty Rules of Love Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/rumi-ptsd-moral-injury/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Rumi and PTSD and Moral Injury – poetry and connection after rupture","type":"posts"},{"content":"PTSD is often described in terms of stress, memory, and the nervous system. Moral Injury goes one step further: it is not only about what someone experienced, but about what it did to their inner moral compass.\nPeople describe it as a rupture in meaning. Guilt that does not fade. Shame that becomes embedded. Or a sense of alienation from themselves, others, or life itself.\nIn that space where language falls short, unexpected sources of meaning sometimes emerge. Not as solutions, but as mirrors. The life of Francis of Assisi is one example.\nWho was Francis of Assisi? # Francis of Assisi (1181–1226) grew up in a wealthy merchant family in Italy. He lived in a world of ambition, status, and social expectations. His early life revolved around ideals of honor and success.\nBut his life path changed abruptly. War, imprisonment, and illness brought him into an existential crisis. The identity he had built collapsed.\nWhat emerged afterward was not a return to his old life, but a radical reorientation. Francis chose simplicity, poverty, and closeness to people pushed to the margins of society.\nHis spirituality was not centered on abstract ideas, but on concrete humanity: living simply, caring for the vulnerable, connection with nature, peace and reconciliation, and radical equality.\nMoral Injury: when the moral compass breaks # Moral Injury is not an official diagnosis, but a concept increasingly used in research on war, policing, healthcare, and crisis situations.\nResearchers such as Jonathan Shay and Brett Litz describe Moral Injury as an inner rupture that arises when someone does something that violates deeply held values, witnesses moral violations, or feels betrayed by authorities or systems.\nThe result is often not a classic fear response, but guilt and shame, inner alienation, loss of trust, and existential emptiness.\nWhat Francis can show us about PTSD and Moral Injury # It is important to stay clear-headed: Francis is not a therapeutic method. His life is not a treatment protocol. But his attitude does offer a different perspective on recovery.\n1. From identity to reorientation # Francis lost not only certainty, but also his former identity. That resembles what many people with trauma experience: the old self no longer works.\nInstead of trying to repair it, he chose reorientation. Not back to who he was, but forward toward who he could become in relationship to life itself.\n2. Simplicity as protection against inner noise # After trauma, inner life can become chaotic: thoughts, images, memories, tension.\nFrancis lived with radical simplicity. Not as a romantic ideal, but as a way of reducing noise. Simplicity then becomes not aesthetics, but stability.\n3. Moving toward what is avoided # One of the best-known stories is his encounter with a leper. Where he initially felt disgust, compassion and closeness gradually emerged.\nIn trauma terms, you could say: he moved toward what he had first avoided. Not through force, but through a gradual shift in attitude.\n4. Restoring connection # Moral Injury is often about broken connection: with people, community, or moral order.\nFrancis chose radical connectedness — with the poor and sick, with nature, with everyday life. Not as theory, but as a practice of closeness.\nWhat does scientific research say about this? # The connection between spirituality, meaning, and trauma is being studied more and more.\nImportant insights come from:\nBessel van der Kolk – describes in The Body Keeps the Score how trauma becomes embedded in the body and how recovery often unfolds through experience, rhythm, and relationship. Jonathan Shay – introduced Moral Injury in relation to Vietnam veterans and emphasized the importance of restoring trust and community. Brett Litz et al. (2009) – describe Moral Injury as a disruption of moral frameworks leading to guilt and shame. Research into existential and spiritual care in psychology (including Kenneth Pargament) shows that meaning-making is an important factor in recovery processes. What stands out is this: recovery is not only about reducing symptoms, but also about meaning, relationship, and integration.\nMysticism as a supportive layer, not a solution # Francis shows something that is deeply mystical, yet also very grounded.\nMysticism here does not mean escaping reality. It means remaining present with what is, without immediately trying to fix or solve it, with attention to connection.\nFor PTSD and Moral Injury, that can mean making space for what is felt — without being overwhelmed by it, and without denying it. It is not a replacement for therapy, but it can become an additional layer in which meaning slowly begins to take shape again.\nThe tension between pain and meaning # What makes Francis interesting is that he does not begin from “solution,” but from relationship.\nHis life suggests something simple: pain does not first have to disappear before humanity can be experienced, meaning can emerge in the middle of vulnerability, and connection is often more important than control.\nThat is not a romanticization of suffering. It is more an acknowledgment that recovery is rarely linear.\nA personal note: the Pulsar line # The fact that both Francis of Assisi and Rumi have their own posts on this site is no coincidence. Marcel Derkse, the inspirer behind the Pulsar Academy and the translator who brought Rumi’s Masnavi into Dutch, drew from both traditions. For him, Francis and Rumi did not stand opposed to one another, but side by side: two men from the same thirteenth century, from completely different religious traditions, each showing in their own way how a human being can remain human in vulnerability.\nMy own introduction to Francis came through that Pulsar line. That is why this post places more emphasis on the practical, embodied, and relational dimensions of mysticism than on purely historical or doctrinal aspects. Not because those are unimportant, but because in the tradition through which I encountered Francis, they were always connected to living, breathing, practicing, and community.\nRead also # Rumi and PTSD and Moral Injury What is the difference between PTSD and Moral Injury? Post-traumatic growth Silence and PTSD Shame after trauma Conclusion: a different language for recovery # Francis of Assisi offers no method for PTSD or Moral Injury. What he does offer is a different language.\nA language of simplicity, closeness, and connection. A way of living in which vulnerability is not immediately treated as a problem to be solved, but as a reality in which humanity can emerge again.\nIn a time where trauma is often approached through protocols and systems, his life reminds us that recovery can also be something else: slow, relational, and deeply human.\nQuestions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"27 December 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/francis-of-assisi/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Francis of Assisi and PTSD and Moral Injury – Mysticism as a Human Path of Recovery","type":"posts"},{"content":"Sometimes it is not only your nervous system that becomes dysregulated after trauma. Sometimes your story breaks as well. What once felt coherent no longer makes sense. Who you were no longer fits with what you have lived through. The future you counted on has disappeared. Many people realize: I am not only wounded, I have also lost the thread.\nThat is why recovery is not only about reducing symptoms. It is often also about rediscovering meaning. About learning to understand your life story again.\nIntroduction # Human beings think in stories. We understand ourselves through memories, choices, losses, turning points, and hope. Psychologists call this narrative identity: the story through which you give meaning to who you are.\nTrauma can tear that story apart. Experiences may feel disconnected, meaningless, or unreal. Gaps appear, ruptures emerge, and entire chapters become unreadable.\nIn that context, storytelling can become more than creativity. It can become a form of recovery.\nWhat trauma does to your life story # After overwhelming experiences, the surface thoughts are familiar: I feel different. I sleep badly. I am tense. But underneath sit harder questions: I no longer recognize myself. My old life no longer fits. I no longer trust my own choices. How can this ever belong anywhere? Who have I become?\nThese are not small questions. They are questions of identity.\nWhy stories can be healing # A story reconnects what has become fragmented.\nIt helps to place events into context, create order within chaos, acknowledge loss, discover meaning, recognize development, and make a future imaginable again. That does not mean everything must become neat or beautiful. It means that what was fragmented can slowly come back into relationship.\nFabula and sujet: what is the difference? # In narratology, a distinction is often made between:\nFabula # The raw sequence of events as they happened.\nSujet # The way those events are told and organized.\nWhy does this matter? Because two people can experience similar events yet carry completely different stories about them.\nNot only what happened matters, but also how it receives meaning.\nTrauma creates fragments # Many traumatic experiences are not remembered as calm chronological stories. They often exist as fragments — images, bodily sensations, isolated sentences, waves of shame, gaps in memory, intense reactions without a clear cause. That is exactly why careful storytelling can help. Not to invent something new, but to slowly connect the fragments.\nThe hero’s journey as a recovery model # Joseph Campbell described a pattern that appears in many myths: the hero’s journey. Not a formula, but a deeply human movement.\nIn trauma recovery, that structure can feel recognizable.\nThe call # Something happens that breaks your life open.\nThe refusal # You do not want to feel, look at, or believe what happened.\nHelpers appear # Therapy, friends, books, silence, community, an unexpected conversation.\nThe descent # You encounter fear, grief, shame, or memories that were avoided for a long time.\nThe transformation # Gradually, more truth, resilience, or compassion begins to emerge.\nThe return # You do not become who you once were, but someone who brings something back from the depths.\nImportant: this is not a romantic script. Not everyone experiences recovery in a linear way. It is a map, not an obligation.\nGurdjieff and waking up inside your own story # G.I. Gurdjieff argued that people often live mechanically: driven by old patterns, automatic reactions, and unconscious repetition. Trauma often intensifies this.\nThen you are not only living with a painful past, but also with a story that keeps repeating itself.\nHis invitation was to wake up within the life you are already living. To become consciously present in thinking, feeling, and acting.\nThat makes storytelling more than looking backward. It becomes an exercise in consciously choosing how you continue the story.\nHead, heart, and body in narrative recovery # A new story does not arise only in the mind.\nHead # Searches for coherence and words.\nHeart # Feels grief, longing, and meaning.\nGut / body # Responds with tension, relief, resistance, or calm.\nSometimes you rationally understand what happened, while your body still feels danger. Sometimes you feel deeply, but words are missing. Real recovery involves all three.\nPractical exercises to rewrite your story # 1. Chapters of your life # Divide your life into chapters. Give each chapter a title.\nFor example:\nYears of survival Everything fell silent Learning to breathe Carefully beginning again 2. Recognize a turning point # Which event changed the way you see yourself?\n3. Name the helpers # Who or what helped you, no matter how small? A person. A book. Therapy. Nature. Faith. Music. Discipline.\n4. Old sentence, new story # Write down an old belief:\n“I am broken.”\nThen write something more truthful:\n“I have been wounded, but I have not disappeared.”\n5. A future page # Write one page from the perspective of yourself two years from now. Not perfect. But more honest and wiser.\nWhen storytelling does not help # Sometimes someone is still too dysregulated to find words. In that case, regulation comes first — breathing, restoring sleep, safety, rhythm, and co-regulation with others. First stability, then story.\nMoral injury and the damaged story # In moral injury, not only safety is damaged, but also the moral sense of self.\nPeople may think:\nI am not who I thought I was how do I continue living with this? what does responsibility mean now? can I still respect myself? Recovery then often requires an honest story in which guilt, context, humanity, and dignity are allowed to exist together.\nRead also # The power of language in PTSD Grief in PTSD and Moral Injury Breathing and PTSD Head, heart, and gut Post-traumatic growth Sources and literature # Campbell, J. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. McAdams, D. publications on narrative identity. White, M. \u0026amp; Epston, D. works on narrative therapy. Gurdjieff, G.I. Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson. Damasio, A. The Feeling of What Happens. Pert, C. Molecules of Emotion. Conclusion # Trauma can break more than peace or trust. It can also break the story through which you knew who you were.\nRecovery then often does not mean returning to the old script. It means learning to live with truth, loss, and new meaning within the same story.\nPerhaps that is the deepest form of healing: that you are no longer only the victim of what happened, but become the author again of what comes next.\nQuestions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch.\n","date":"3 September 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/storytelling-fabula/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Rewriting Your Life Story After Trauma: Storytelling and Recovery","type":"posts"},{"content":"Some insights do not only change what you think, but also how you understand yourself. Candace Pert’s work was one of those insights for me. For the first time, I read in scientific language something I recognized in my body every day: my mind could know that something was over, while my body still carried tension, sadness, or threat.\nIn doing so, she gave words to an experience many people with trauma recognize. Sometimes the body continues living in a reality the mind has long since left behind.\nWho Was Candace Pert? # Candace Pert was a neuropharmacologist who became known for her role in the discovery of the opiate receptor. Her work contributed to a broader shift in how people think about body and mind.\nLater, she became internationally known through her book Molecules of Emotion (1997), in which she described how emotions are connected to messenger molecules, receptors, and communication processes throughout the body.\nWhy Her Work Was Groundbreaking # For a long time, popular culture — and sometimes healthcare as well — treated emotions as something that existed mainly “in the head.” As if feeling were primarily a mental phenomenon.\nPert showed that this view was too limited.\nReceptors for signaling molecules are found not only in the brain, but throughout the body. That does not mean your knee literally thinks the way a brain does. But it does mean emotional processes are physically embedded, and that body and brain are constantly communicating with one another.\nFor many people, that insight was revolutionary.\nNeurotransmitters, Neuropeptides, and Receptors # Put simply:\nNeurotransmitters help nerve cells communicate with one another. Neuropeptides are signaling molecules involved in regulation, mood, and stress responses. Receptors are the receivers that recognize and respond to these signals. Through these systems, experience, stress, and emotion influence the entire organism.\nYour Body Is Your Unconscious Mind # For me, that sentence captures why Pert matters so much.\nWhat we cannot fully express in words often still appears through the body: tension in the stomach, pressure on the chest, clenched jaws, sudden sadness, restlessness without a clear reason, relief after an emotional release.\nThe body speaks a language older than words.\nWhat This Means for Trauma # With PTSD and other trauma-related conditions, many people experience a gap between understanding and feeling.\nThey think: I am safe. It is over. I know better now. But the body answers in another language — startle reactions, avoidance, insomnia, shallow breathing, tension, withdrawal.\nThat does not mean someone is failing. It means recovery cannot be purely cognitive. The body must be able to move along with it.\nUnderstanding Body Memory Carefully # When people say trauma is stored in the body, they usually do not mean memories are literally stored inside muscles like files in an archive.\nA more accurate way to say it is this:\nTrauma leaves traces in patterns of activation, association, posture, reflexes, hormonal responses, and perception. The body has learned how to survive.\nAnd what has been learned can also be learned differently.\nConnection to Modern Insights # Much contemporary research aligns with the direction Pert helped open up:\nEmbodied cognition: thinking is embodied. Interoception: perceiving internal bodily signals. Polyvagal theory: safety shapes behavior and connection. Gut-brain communication: mood and physiology influence one another. The language differs, but the movement is similar: away from a view of human beings in which the mind alone is in control.\nWhy This Became a Common Thread in My Work # Pert’s work did not just give me a theory. It gave me recognition.\nI no longer had to choose between “it’s all in your head” or “it’s all in your body.” That division never really fit. A human being is one whole.\nThat insight runs like a thread through everything I write about trauma, recovery, silence, breathing, grief, and moral injury.\nWhat Helps in Practice? # If emotions and stress also live physically, then physical approaches to recovery often help as well: breath regulation, walking, strength training or other movement, sleep restoration, safe relationships, body-oriented therapy, rhythm and routine, and time in nature or stillness. Not as tricks. As relearning safety.\nCriticism and Nuance # As with much pioneering work, some popular interpretations of Pert’s ideas were later simplified or exaggerated. That is why careful wording still matters.\nBut her central contribution remains valuable: body and emotion are far more deeply intertwined than was long assumed.\nRead Also # Trauma and the Body Breathing and PTSD Head, Heart, and Gut The Power of Language Conclusion # Candace Pert helped make visible what many people already felt: your body participates in everything you experience. It carries tension, joy, loss, and recovery — not as a machine, but as a living system.\nPerhaps your body knew certain things long before you could explain them. Sometimes healing begins exactly there: where experience finally receives recognition.\n","date":"15 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/candace-pert-trauma/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Your Body Is Your Unconscious Mind: Candace Pert and Trauma","type":"posts"},{"content":"For some people, the tension truly begins when everything becomes quiet.\nDuring the day, it is still possible to stay occupied. Work. Conversations. Distraction. Structure. But when evening falls and the world slows down, something else appears. Restlessness. Memories. Hypervigilance. Nightmares. A body that refuses to sleep, as if sleep itself has become unsafe.\nMany people with post-traumatic stress disorder recognize this. People living with moral injury often experience the night not as a place of recovery, but as a territory where guilt, loss, fear, or inner conflict return.\nThat is not strange. Sleep requires surrender. And that exact capacity is often damaged by trauma.\nWhy Sleep Is Essential in PTSD and Moral Injury # Sleep is not a luxury. It is biological recovery work.\nDuring sleep, the body repairs itself, the brain processes information, and the nervous system regulates emotions. Without sufficient sleep, people become more dysregulated, anxious, emotionally reactive, and physically exhausted.\nWith trauma, that cycle is often reversed:\ntrauma disrupts sleep poor sleep increases stress stress increases hypervigilance hypervigilance disrupts sleep again A vicious cycle develops.\nAccording to Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep, sleep is fundamental for emotional processing, memory, immune function, and psychological recovery. Walker even describes sleep as “the overnight therapy of the brain.” That image fits trauma remarkably well.\nThe Brain Stays Awake While You Try to Sleep # Many people with PTSD technically do sleep, but not deeply enough. The nervous system continues scanning for danger. Small sounds are still registered. The body remains tense. Heart rate does not fully settle. People often wake at the same times every night or jolt awake from dreams.\nFrom the outside, someone appears to be resting. Inside, part of the system remains on guard.\nThat explains why some people sleep eight hours and still wake up exhausted. The body has been lying down, but it has barely truly recovered.\nWhat Happens During Healthy Sleep? # Sleep consists of different stages that cycle throughout the night.\nDeep Sleep # During deep sleep, the body physically restores itself:\nmuscles relax the immune system works the brain “cleans up” stress hormones decrease Walker describes how, during deep sleep, waste products are cleared from the brain through the glymphatic system. As if the brain is literally being rinsed clean at night.\nREM Sleep # During REM sleep — the phase in which most dreaming occurs — the brain processes emotions and memories. In healthy processing, experiences are revisited in a relatively safe neurochemical state.\nThis is crucial. Trauma is not just memory. It is memory still experienced as present danger. REM sleep normally helps emotional intensity soften over time. But with PTSD, that process is often disrupted.\nNightmares: The Brain Trying to Process # Nightmares are often treated as an unpleasant symptom. But trauma research suggests they are also an attempt by the brain to process overwhelming experiences.\nThe problem is that the system gets stuck. The dream does not move someone toward integration, but repeatedly pulls them back into the trauma.\nPeople may dream about:\nbeing chased helplessness war loss of control death guilt failure abandonment Sometimes the dreams are literally traumatic. Sometimes symbolic. But almost always they revolve around unsafety, loss of control, or unresolved tension.\nMoral Injury and Nighttime Guilt # With moral injury, nightmares often take on a different character. Fear is not the only central theme — conscience is involved as well. People may dream about:\npeople they could not help mistakes they made faces of victims abandoned situations betrayal judgment recurring choices Some people wake with overwhelming guilt without remembering the dream itself. As if the body remembers the emotion while the narrative has disappeared.\nThat often makes moral injury more existential than classical fear-based trauma. The night becomes not only a place of danger, but also confrontation with oneself.\nPersonal # I too have known periods where I fought sleep during the day, and fought to stay awake at night.\nWhy Dreams Became So Meaningful in Mystical Traditions # Long before neuroscience existed, spiritual traditions already viewed dreams as meaningful. Not always literally prophetic, but as mirrors of the soul. In many ancient traditions, sleep was seen as a transitional state in which the ordinary control of the ego temporarily softens.\nDreams as Messages # In Christianity, Sufism, Judaism, and ancient Greek traditions, dreams often appear as carriers of insight or warning. In Islamic mysticism, some dreams were seen as meeting places between consciousness and deeper truth.\nCarl Jung later partly built on this idea: dreams do not merely present random images, but symbols of inner processes.\nThe Night as Mirror # Mystical traditions often describe the night as a space where hidden parts of the human being become visible. That does not mean every dream must be interpreted literally. But dreams sometimes reveal what is suppressed during the day: grief, fear, guilt, longing, unresolved loss, or even hope.\nGurdjieff and the Sleeping Human Being # George Ivanovich Gurdjieff spoke about human beings as creatures who are largely “asleep” while believing themselves awake. According to him, people often live automatically, driven by emotions, impulses, and conditioning.\nTrauma intensifies this even further. A traumatized nervous system often lives reactively — not through conscious choice, but through automatic survival responses. That includes the night.\nFrom this perspective, recovery is not only symptom reduction, but a form of awakening: learning to become present again in body, feeling, and awareness. Perhaps that is why some people experience moments just before sleep or just after waking as unusually open or vulnerable. The controlling layer of the day is thinner there.\nWhy Sleep Safety Matters So Much # People with trauma often try to maintain control. That makes sense. But sleep requires the opposite: letting go.\nThat is why sleep recovery usually does not happen through discipline alone, but through safety. Not only mental safety, but physical safety as well. The nervous system must slowly relearn: the night is no longer a battlefield.\nPractical Approaches for Better Sleep with PTSD # There is no magical solution. But certain patterns help many people.\n1. Reduce Hyperactivation Before Sleep # Avoid bright screens, intense discussions, or constant stimulation right before bed. The nervous system needs transition time.\n2. Use Rituals # Rituals create predictability: tea, showering, breathing exercises, calm music, reading, candlelight, silence. Small repeated actions help the body recognize that the day is ending.\n3. Lengthen the Exhale # A longer exhale often activates the parasympathetic nervous system. For example: inhale for four counts, exhale for six or eight. Simple, but biologically effective.\n4. Do Not Immediately Treat Nightmares as the Enemy # That may sound strange. But the harder people fight dreams, the more tension develops. Curiosity sometimes helps more than control:\n“What is my system trying to show me?”\n5. Seek Professional Help if Sleep Remains Chronically Disrupted # Chronic insomnia and recurring nightmares are not something people should “just get over.” Trauma therapy, EMDR, body-oriented therapy, or sleep-focused treatment can make a real difference.\nThe Paradox of Sleep and Trauma # Sleep is vulnerability. That is precisely why trauma affects sleep so deeply. A body expecting danger does not want to fully relax.\nThat is not dysfunction. It is an intelligent survival system that remained active for too long.\nRecovery often begins when people stop judging themselves for their dysregulation. Not:\n“Why can’t I sleep?”\nBut:\n“What is my nervous system trying to protect?”\nThat question changes something.\nFrequently Asked Questions # Why do I wake up exhausted even though I slept? # With PTSD, the nervous system often remains in a subtle state of vigilance even during sleep. Deep sleep becomes shorter and heart rate does not settle as fully. The body lies down, but recovers less. Discuss this with your therapist or physician. Sometimes a sleep study reveals more than subjective experience alone.\nDo sleep medication or melatonin help? # Sometimes temporarily, but usually only as a bridge alongside other treatment. Sleep medication often suppresses deep sleep and REM sleep rather than restoring them. Discuss it with your doctor and be cautious with long-term use.\nWhat helps with recurring nightmares? # For persistent PTSD nightmares, Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) can help. This method involves rehearsing a different ending to the dream during the day. EMDR, body-oriented therapy, and in some cases prazosin are also used. Do this under professional guidance.\nCan I learn to live with nightmares without trying to “eliminate” them? # Yes. For many people, curiosity brings more calm than resistance. Keeping a dream journal without judgment, or briefly writing down the dream in the morning, can help the brain process without needing to fully understand everything.\nMy partner has PTSD and sleeps badly — what can I do? # The most important thing is not to create pressure. Talk during the day, not in the middle of the night. Support rituals without forcing them. Recognize that sleep problems are not “dramatic behavior,” but a physiological consequence of trauma. And take care of your own sleep as well — co-regulation works both ways.\nConclusion: The Night as a Place of Recovery and Confrontation # For people with PTSD and moral injury, sleep is rarely just biological. The night touches safety, control, memory, guilt, and surrender. Sometimes the night becomes a mirror of what remains hidden during the day.\nYet sleep also remains one of the most powerful sources of recovery we have. Not because sleep solves everything, but because body and mind attempt to restore balance there.\nPerhaps that is the deepest message of sleep: even after dysregulation and loss, human beings still carry a capacity for recovery within them — even when they themselves can barely believe it anymore.\nFurther Reading # Polyvagal Theory of Porges — why the nervous system does not simply “switch off” Daily Rhythm and PTSD — how daytime rhythm prepares the night Breathing and PTSD — practical building blocks for nervous system regulation Sources and Scientific Publications # Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Germain, A. Sleep Disturbances as the Hallmark of PTSD Nielsen, T. \u0026amp; Levin, R. Nightmares: A New Neurocognitive Model Krakow, B. — research on nightmares and trauma (including Imagery Rehearsal Therapy) Hobson, J.A. — sleep and dream research Jung, C.G. — work on dreams and symbolism Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/sleep-recovery-ptsd/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Sleeping with a Vigilant Nervous System: PTSD, Nightmares, and the Nighttime Struggle for Safety","type":"posts"},{"content":"Some reactions do not feel entirely like your own. A fear response far larger than the situation calls for. Shame without a clear source. Loyalty to something you never personally experienced. In PTSD and moral injury, there is sometimes something older than your own biography at work: experiences from previous generations continuing through your body, behavior, and relationships.\nIn this post, I place three lenses side by side on that phenomenon: the epigenetics of Rachel Yehuda and Mark Wolynn, the systemic work of Bert Hellinger, and the “many selves” from Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way. Three different languages for the same observation: a human being is not only themselves, but also a carrier of a lineage.\nA Question That Forces Itself Forward # Anyone who lives with PTSD or moral injury for a long time eventually encounters the question: why does this feel so heavy? Not only because of what you personally experienced, but deeper than that. As if more is living inside you than your own history can explain.\nFor people in professions exposed to trauma — police officers, military personnel, emergency workers — this question often carries extra weight. They do not only carry what they themselves have seen, but often something from a family line in which war, violence, illness, or loss already played a major role.\nWhat Wolynn Brings Forward: Trauma Is Inherited Too # In It Didn’t Start With You (2016), Mark Wolynn lays out the scientific foundation behind this idea. He relies heavily on the work of Rachel Yehuda, an American researcher who spent years studying Holocaust survivors and their children.\nYehuda and her colleagues found something striking: children of Holocaust survivors showed chemical markers on a specific gene, FKBP5, involved in the stress response. Similar markers were found in their parents. Trauma had not only been told — it had been imprinted (see Intergenerational Effects on FKBP5 Methylation).\nThis phenomenon is called epigenetics: the DNA sequence itself does not change, but the way genes are expressed can shift under the influence of experience. And some of those patterns can partly be passed on.\nWolynn translates this into accessible language and connects it to a simple guiding question: look within your family for the event that matches the emotional tone of your own symptoms. An unexplained fear of suffocation? Perhaps a grandparent once hid in a cellar. Persistent shame? Perhaps a father experienced something and never spoke about it.\nThe idea is not that everything can be traced back neatly. The idea is that some reactions only begin to make sense when viewed within a family line instead of as a personal defect.\nWhat Hellinger Added: Systemic Work # Long before Wolynn wrote about this, Bert Hellinger (1925–2019), a German former priest and psychotherapist, developed a method for exploring this terrain: the family constellation. In a group setting, someone symbolically places the loss, guilt, or exclusion of an ancestor into the room. Other participants represent family members. Through careful observation and subtle movements, the facilitator attempts to make visible what has become blocked within the system.\nHellinger’s theoretical framework rests on several core ideas:\nThe orders of love — every family system has an order (who belongs, who came first, who was excluded). Disturbance of that order creates symptoms in later generations. Loyalty — descendants unconsciously carry pain, guilt, or illness out of love for an ancestor. Entanglement (Verstrickung) — someone entangled in another person’s fate cannot fully live their own life. Acknowledging what is — healing begins not with changing reality, but with recognizing it: seeing what happened without judgment and without immediately trying to fix it. Here Hellinger touches an older wisdom also found in other traditions. I will return later to the controversies surrounding Hellinger. But his observation that a person can carry what was previously unmourned, unacknowledged, or unseen has resonated deeply with many practitioners.\nThree Lenses on One Phenomenon # What stands out is that epigenetics, systemic work, and trauma dissociation research all point toward the same underlying pattern. A human being is not one sealed-off entity, but a collection of parts, lines, and layers that do not all originate from themselves.\nEpigenetics (Yehuda, Wolynn) calls this an inherited imprint: biological. A gene expressed differently because of what an ancestor experienced. Systemic work (Hellinger) calls this entanglement: relational. A pattern attaching itself to a role or position within the system. Trauma research (Van der Hart et al.) calls this structural dissociation: psychological. Parts of the personality living separately because coexistence became impossible. See The Haunted Self. The Fourth Way (Gurdjieff) calls this the many selves: philosophical. A shifting group of inner voices that do not all want the same thing. Four words, four explanations, one observation: you are not simply one.\nThe Bridge to Moral Injury # For moral injury, this phenomenon is especially relevant. Moral injury concerns acting against one’s own values or witnessing actions that violate them. The resulting pain — guilt, shame, loss of meaning — often cannot be traced back to a single moment.\nA police officer or soldier who has gone through a morally devastating experience may discover that it resonates with something older. A grandfather who acted against his conscience during war. A family member whose story was never told. The present experience is then not the only source of pain; it reopens a line.\nThat does not remove personal responsibility. What it does is reveal that moral pain sometimes carries more than one person’s conscience alone can bear. Healing then becomes not only personal work, but also work for a lineage. The grieving process around moral injury gains another layer: mourning not only what happened to you, but also what remained unresolved before you.\nThe Bridge to the Fourth Way # In The Fourth Way, I described the many selves as shifting voices within a person. Wolynn and Hellinger add another dimension: some of those voices are not entirely your own. They are voices from before. A self that wakes up exhausted in the morning may reflect your own fatigue — or the exhaustion of a grandmother who never rested.\nGurdjieff asked people to observe these selves rather than fight them. Hellinger asked people to acknowledge their ancestors rather than ignore them. Wolynn asks us to understand the sentence from which a pattern originated. In essence, they ask for the same thing: stop fighting what lives inside you, and give it its proper place. Only then can something new emerge.\nFor people doing trauma work — or living through trauma themselves — this perspective can offer hope. It does not remove effort or responsibility. But it reminds you that you are not working alone; you are working within a line that began before you.\nWhat Systemic Work Is Not # For balance, and just as with the Fourth Way, some honest caveats are necessary.\nIt is not a scientifically proven method. Epigenetics itself is evidence-based, but the practical applications of Wolynn and Hellinger sometimes go beyond what current research strictly supports. Evidence for family constellations as therapy remains limited. Hellinger remains controversial. Some of his statements regarding abuse victims, Holocaust survivors, and gender issues have been rightly criticized. Anyone exploring systemic work should remain critical and never place authority above common sense. Family constellations are not for everyone. For people with PTSD, complex trauma, or structural dissociation, constellation work can be triggering. Only do this under guidance from a trained, trauma-aware facilitator, ideally alongside an ongoing therapeutic relationship. It is not a replacement for therapy. Insight into patterns is different from processing trauma. Both matter. Not everything is transgenerational. The temptation to trace every symptom back to an ancestor is understandable but incorrect. Most things are simply yours. Sometimes something is older. Learning to distinguish the difference is the real skill. Practical Reflections for Readers # No exercises for doing constellations alone — for that, I recommend trained facilitators. But there are a few reflections you can safely explore yourself.\nLook at the pattern, not only the content. Which emotions return disproportionately often? Which reactions feel “larger” than they should? Ask about unresolved family stories. Not to judge, but to know. War, loss, displacement, secrets, exclusion — all are possible carriers of transgenerational impact. Exclude no one. In Hellinger’s work, the question of “who belongs” is central. An excluded family member (a stillborn child, a denied relationship, a black sheep) can reappear in later generations asking for acknowledgment. Read Wolynn before reading Hellinger. Wolynn is more contemporary, more cautious in tone, and explicitly grounded in research. Discuss it with your therapist. Especially if you are already in trauma therapy. Some therapeutic approaches align well with systemic thinking, others less so. Good coordination prevents confusion. Frequently Asked Questions # Is transgenerational trauma scientifically proven? # Partly. Epigenetic mechanisms involving stress and cortisol regulation have been demonstrated in animals and in human populations such as Holocaust survivors and their children. How precisely this translates into individual symptoms remains under investigation. The concept is scientifically plausible; the interpretation in blogs or constellation work remains interpretation, not proof.\nDo I have to believe in constellations to find Wolynn useful? # No. Wolynn’s method — focusing on the “core language” of symptoms and family patterns — can be explored without ever attending a constellation session. Epigenetics stands independently from Hellinger’s work.\nCan this help with moral injury? # Sometimes. Moral injury often has a moral dimension that resonates with family lines, especially in professions repeatedly confronted with moral dilemmas across generations. Research consistently highlights meaning, community, and acknowledgment as important factors in recovery; systemic thinking fits naturally into that framework. But again: it is complementary, not a replacement.\nWhat if my family cannot or will not talk about the past? # That is very common. Many families carry silence or secrets. Wolynn describes how even fragments can matter: one name, one photograph, one suspicion. A skilled professional can sometimes help uncover meaning from very little information.\nHow is this different from IFS (Internal Family Systems)? # IFS works with internal “parts” within a person: managers, firefighters, exiles. Systemic work places those parts within a broader family system and looks at lineage and origin. In practice, the approaches often complement one another well.\nConclusion # Not everything is yours alone. Some reactions carry the weight of a lineage. Acknowledging that is neither an excuse nor an escape. It is the opposite: seeing where you stand, which current you are part of, what you have received, and what you pass forward.\nFor people living with PTSD or moral injury, this perspective can bring relief. The burden becomes slightly less lonely when you suspect it may not belong only to you. And the effort itself takes on another meaning: you are not working only for yourself. You are working for what you received in love, and for what you now transform in the direction of those who come after you.\nThat is where it begins.\nFurther Reading # The Fourth Way — about the “many selves” as a life practice Difference Between PTSD, CPTSD, and Moral Injury — for the core concepts Post-Traumatic Growth — about what can become possible after processing trauma Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/transgenerational-trauma-ptsd-moral-injury/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"What Have I Inherited? Transgenerational Trauma, Moral Injury, and the Many Selves","type":"posts"},{"content":" Cortisol Unmasked: The Stress Hormone as Ally and Warning Signal # On social media, cortisol is often portrayed as the enemy. Supposedly it causes belly fat, destroys sleep, disrupts hormones, and sends the nervous system into chaos. Then comes the solution: detoxes, hacks, supplements, or a morning routine that promises to fix everything.\nBut the body is not a slogan.\nCortisol is not a flaw in the system. Without cortisol, you would not get out of bed in the morning. Without cortisol, you could not respond to danger. Without cortisol, your energy regulation would collapse.\nAt the same time, long-term dysregulation of cortisol and the stress system can place a heavy burden on body and mind. This is where nuance matters. Not demonizing, but understanding.\nWhat is cortisol? # Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal cortex. Its release is regulated through the HPA axis: hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. As soon as the brain detects stress or increased demand, this axis becomes activated.\nCortisol helps with releasing energy, regulating blood sugar, increasing alertness, influencing inflammatory responses, supporting blood pressure, and adapting to stress and demand. It is therefore not an enemy, but a regulatory mechanism.\nThe natural daily rhythm of cortisol # Cortisol is meant to fluctuate throughout the day. In the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking, it usually rises sharply. This is called the cortisol awakening response.\nThat morning peak helps with waking up, mental sharpness, mobilizing energy, and the transition from sleep to activity. Later in the day, cortisol normally declines gradually.\nWhen this rhythm becomes disrupted, people may feel exhausted, restless, or dysregulated.\nWhat does a dysregulated stress system feel like? # Not everyone notices cortisol directly, but many people recognize the pattern: tired and tense at the same time, feeling “on” at night, waking up too early, daytime energy crashes, startling easily, struggling to relax, cravings for sugar or caffeine, and crashing after busy periods.\nThat does not automatically mean cortisol is the only cause. But it does mean stress regulation deserves attention.\nCortisol and PTSD: more complex than often assumed # Many people think PTSD simply means permanently elevated cortisol. It is not that simple.\nResearch shows several different patterns, including:\nlower baseline cortisol levels stronger stress reactivity disrupted negative feedback dysregulated day-night rhythm In other words: the system can remain hyperalert without cortisol being constantly high.\nThat helps explain why someone may feel intensely stressed while standard blood tests show little.\nCortisol and sleep # Cortisol works together with your biological clock and hormones such as melatonin. During the day it supports activity. In the evening it should become lower so that rest and sleep can emerge more easily.\nWith chronic stress or trauma, this rhythm may shift. The body remains too vigilant.\nPossible consequences include difficulty falling asleep, waking frequently, restless sleep, waking too early, and feeling unrefreshed in the morning.\nCortisol and coffee: when it helps and when it backfires # Caffeine can amplify the alertness response. For some people that is fine. For others, it stacks onto an already activated nervous system.\nDrinking coffee immediately after waking may, in sensitive people, bring on nervousness, heart palpitations, shakiness, rapid energy crashes later, and increased restlessness.\nA practical experiment: wait 60 to 90 minutes after waking before drinking coffee and see what happens. No dogma. Just test it.\nCortisol, nutrition, and blood sugar # Cortisol and blood sugar influence each other. When energy availability is low, cortisol helps release glucose. Large fluctuations in blood sugar can intensify stress responses.\nWhat often helps: eating regularly, getting enough protein, fiber-rich meals, fewer spikes from fast sugars, and staying hydrated. No perfect diet required. Just more stability.\nCortisol and body weight # Chronic stress is associated with changes in appetite, fat storage, sleep, and movement patterns. Because of that, weight gain may occur, especially around the abdomen.\nBut saying “cortisol makes you fat” is too simplistic.\nUsually a combination of factors is involved: sleep deprivation, stress eating, less physical activity, energy crashes, hormonal adaptation, and prolonged tension.\nLong-term stress and insulin sensitivity # When the system remains activated for too long, it may become associated with reduced insulin sensitivity and metabolic dysregulation.\nThis process usually develops over time and involves multiple lifestyle and stress-related factors.\nPeople with PTSD more often show metabolic problems. That is not a lack of discipline, but often a physiological burden that deserves to be taken seriously.\nHow can you support recovery? # Not with hacks, but with rhythm.\n1. Morning light # Daylight helps regulate your biological clock.\n2. Regular sleep # Consistent sleep schedules are more powerful than occasional perfection.\n3. Movement # Walking and strength training support regulation.\n4. Breathing and relaxation # Longer exhalations, moments of rest, and recovery pauses help the system settle.\n5. Stable nutrition # Fewer spikes, more consistency.\n6. Treat the trauma # With PTSD, psychological or body-oriented treatment is often essential.\n7. Limit alcohol # Alcohol disrupts sleep and recovery more than many people realize.\nWhat does not help # Obsessively trying to lower cortisol does not help. Neither does pathologizing every bodily signal, chasing supplements without the basics in place, ignoring chronic sleep deprivation, living on caffeine and sugar, or believing willpower alone will solve everything.\nRead also # Breathing and PTSD Daily rhythm and PTSD Trauma and the body Silence and PTSD The healing power of nature in PTSD Conclusion # Cortisol is not the enemy. It is an intelligent link between brain, body, and environment. The problem is usually not cortisol itself, but a system that has been under pressure for too long.\nThe goal is therefore not to eliminate cortisol, but to restore rhythm. More light, more sleep, more regulation, less chronic overload.\nNo magic. Just biology.\n","date":"3 July 2025","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/cortisol-ptsd/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Cortisol and PTSD: What the Stress Hormone Really Does","type":"posts"},{"content":"Some losses are visible. A death, a divorce, losing a job. Other losses remain hidden. You may still function, but something inside has shifted. Trust has been damaged. Direction is missing. The old version of yourself feels unreachable. That is often the grief in PTSD and moral injury: real, deep, and almost invisible to the outside world.\nThe risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief. But the pain of grief is only a shadow compared to the pain of never risking love.\nHilary Stanton Zunin\nGrief is usually associated with the death of a loved one. But people also grieve safety, health, faith, identity, relationships, and future expectations. Trauma can affect all of those layers. In PTSD, the nervous system often keeps reacting as if danger is still present. In moral injury, there is also a moral wound: guilt, shame, betrayal, or the feeling of having acted against one’s own values. That leaves behind not only stress, but also loss.\nThe question then is not only: what happened? The deeper question becomes: who have I become because of what happened?\nWhat kind of grief belongs to PTSD? # Grief in trauma has many faces. It is rarely about a single event. More often it is about accumulation. People grieve the loss of safety and trust: trust in others, trust in themselves. They grieve the loss of health, work, or vocation, relationships that no longer feel the same, spontaneity, faith, worldview, and future images that no longer fit reality. And often too: the loss of the person they once were.\nPrecisely because these losses are difficult to measure, they are often underestimated.\nWhy this grief often goes unrecognized # Many people say: “But nobody died.” Or: “You have to move on.” That misses the point. Grief is not only about death. Grief is about meaningful loss.\nWith PTSD there is something else as well: survival takes enormous energy. Because of that, there is often little room to stop and acknowledge what was lost. First, people have to function. Only later does the grief begin to surface.\nSometimes years later\u0026hellip;.\nSymptoms of hidden grief # Grief in PTSD does not always look like crying. It may show itself as emptiness or cynicism, irritability or exhaustion, numbness or shame. As withdrawing from relationships or difficulty enjoying life. Sometimes as restlessness without a clear reason — a sadness that seems to have nowhere to go.\nWhat is not felt rarely disappears. It usually finds another way out.\nMoral injury: the wound of conscience # Moral injury arises when someone becomes involved in events that conflict with deeply held values. This may involve what you did, what you failed to do, what you witnessed, or what others did to you. Not being able to protect someone. Carrying out orders that felt wrong internally. Betrayal by leadership or institutions. Witnessing injustice without being able to intervene. Or surviving while others died.\nThe pain then lies not only in fear, but in meaning. Not only in stress, but in the question: how do I continue living with this story? Researchers such as Jonathan Shay and Brett Litz brought strong attention to this subject.\nThe mystical layer of grief # In many traditions, grief is not seen as a malfunction, but as a passage. Not something that must disappear quickly, but something that changes a human being.\nChristian mysticism speaks of the dark night of the soul. In Sufism it is called the melting of the heart. In Jewish traditions there is the image of a crack through which light can enter.\nThat does not mean suffering should be romanticized. It means that loss sometimes marks a transition: the old no longer works, the new has not yet been born. Many people recognize exactly that in-between space. They are searching for a new rhythm in life.\nGurdjieff and conscious suffering # Within the Fourth Way, G.I. Gurdjieff distinguished between useless suffering and conscious suffering. Useless suffering repeats itself automatically: the same thoughts, the same reactions, the same pattern that changes nothing. Conscious suffering is carried, witnessed, and lived through. It changes the person who carries it.\nThat is not a call to seek pain. It is an invitation not to run from what wants to be felt. Grief often asks for exactly that: remaining present with what is true, without losing yourself in it.\nHead, heart, and gut in grief # Grief affects the whole person. The mind searches for explanations: why did this happen, could I have prevented it? The heart carries sadness, love, longing, and loss. The body carries tension, fatigue, altered breathing, digestive problems, and restlessness.\nWhen one layer is skipped, the process often gets stuck. Understanding alone is not enough. Feeling alone is not enough either. The body has to be allowed to participate too.\nThe body as carrier of recovery # Research by Antonio Damasio and Bessel van der Kolk shows how deeply body, emotion, and meaning are intertwined. Trauma is not only a memory in the mind. It also lives in the nervous system, posture, reflexes, and rhythm.\nThat is why grieving sometimes begins in unexpected places. A deep exhalation. Finally being able to cry. Feeling hunger again. Taking a walk without rushing. Being able to sit safely in silence for the first time. Allowing warmth from another human being.\nSmall signals. Great meaning.\nHow can you grieve without words? # Not everyone can immediately talk about loss. That is okay. There are other entrances.\nSometimes writing helps — recording what was lost, and also what remained. Sometimes walking helps, because rhythm in movement often supports the system more than forcing conversations at a table. Sometimes breathwork helps: a longer exhalation can create room for feelings that were stuck. Sometimes music opens what language cannot reach. Sometimes ritual helps — a candle, a stone, a letter, a symbolic farewell. And sometimes it is simply witness-presence: someone who stays without trying to fix anything. Sometimes healing is not in the technique, but in the staying.\nWhat does not help? # What rarely helps: rationalizing everything, pushing yourself constantly, pretending it is not that bad, comparing your pain to that of others, using spiritual slogans to avoid emotion, or waiting for it to be “over.”\nGrief is not a task you check off a list.\nWhen professional help is wise # Seek additional support when grief is accompanied by suicidal thoughts, severe dissociation, addiction, complete exhaustion, ongoing flashbacks, social isolation, or inability to function in daily life.\nAt that point, carrying it together is wiser than carrying it alone.\nRead also # Difference between PTSD and Moral Injury Breathing and PTSD Trauma and the body Body-oriented therapy for PTSD Daily rhythm and PTSD Post-traumatic growth Shame after trauma Conclusion: daring to become someone new # Grief in PTSD and moral injury is often not only about what happened, but about what was lost. Safety. Trust. Identity. Direction. Sometimes even the feeling of being at home within yourself.\nThat grief does not need haste. It needs space, attention, and truth. Not everything has to be solved immediately. Some parts first need to be acknowledged.\nMaybe healing is not returning to who you were. Maybe healing is slowly daring to become someone new, carrying everything that was lost.\nSources and scientific publications # Shay, J. (1994). Achilles in Vietnam Litz, B. et al. (2009). Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Damasio, A. (1999). The Feeling of What Happens Frankl, V. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning Ouspensky, P.D. In Search of the Miraculous Herman, J.L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch.\n","date":"20 May 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/grief-ptsd-moral-injury/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Grief in PTSD and Moral Injury: Loss Nobody Sees","type":"posts"},{"content":"Some words stay with us for years. Not because they were shouted loudly, but because they slowly became truth inside us. Many people with PTSD or moral injury carry sentences like invisible baggage: I should have intervened, I am broken, no one will ever understand me. Words can cut deeply. But words can also open something.\nThat is why language is not a side issue in recovery. Language shapes how we feel, remember, and make meaning.\nIntroduction # Language seems obvious. We use words all day long. Yet language is never neutral. The way someone speaks about themselves affects stress, shame, hope, and connection.\nWith trauma, this becomes especially visible. Some experiences are difficult to put into words. Others are repeated endlessly in harsh, accusatory sentences. In that case, language is not just communication — it becomes part of the wound.\nThe opposite is also true: when words become more honest, gentler, and more precise, space for recovery often appears.\nHow trauma affects language # Trauma does not only dysregulate the nervous system. It often changes the story someone tells about themselves and the world.\nCommon beliefs include:\nI am not safe it is my fault I should have been stronger people cannot be trusted I am not allowed to rest no one understands what happened Some sentences are repeated so often that they begin to feel like facts.\nInner dialogue in PTSD # The loudest voice in a person’s life is not always the one outside. Often it is the voice within.\nInner language can look like:\nconstant self-criticism comparing yourself to others repeating catastrophic scenarios endlessly chewing on guilt dismissing your own needs speaking harshly to yourself just to keep functioning The body responds to this. Harsh inner dialogue often keeps tension alive.\nWhy words affect the body # Research by Matthew Lieberman showed that naming emotions can influence brain regions involved in stress regulation. James Pennebaker demonstrated that writing about difficult experiences can help many people.\nThat does not mean talking solves everything. But words can organize what once felt chaotic.\nSometimes tension already decreases when someone can finally say:\nI am afraid I am angry I miss what I lost this was not my fault I do not know yet Honest language often brings more peace than perfect language.\nThe mystical view of the word # In many traditions, language holds a special place.\nIn the Christian tradition, creation begins with the Word. In Sufism, attention is given to the power of names and sound. Don Miguel Ruiz describes the word as something that can bless or poison. Gurdjieff emphasized self-observation: noticing the inner sentences that govern us. You do not have to take any of this literally to recognize the core insight: words shape reality in the way we experience it.\nThe three centers and language # Language works on multiple levels at once.\nHead # Words provide structure, meaning, and distinction.\nHeart # Tone, timing, and intention determine whether words land as connection or distance.\nGut / body # The body often senses before the mind whether words are truthful.\nThat is why not only what you say matters, but also how you say it. A kind sentence spoken in tension feels different from the same sentence spoken calmly.\nWhat kind of language supports recovery? # Not all positive language helps. Empty affirmations are often rejected immediately.\nMore useful are words that are both truthful and kind.\nInstead of: # I should stop overreacting.\nTry: # I notice this affects me deeply.\nInstead of: # I am weak.\nTry: # I am tired and I have been through something difficult.\nInstead of: # I should be over this by now.\nTry: # Recovery takes time.\nInstead of: # No one understands me.\nTry: # Not everyone understands, but some people might.\nSmall shifts. Big effect.\nWriting as a form of recovery # For many people, writing feels safer than speaking directly.\nPossibilities include:\nFree writing # Write continuously for ten minutes without censoring yourself.\nA letter you never send # Write to someone, to yourself, or to the past.\nFinding new language # Create sentences that are more honest than your old beliefs.\nDaily check-in # What do I feel? What do I need? What is true today?\nWhat helps in contact with others? # The language used by partners, friends, and therapists also matters.\nOften helpful:\nI believe you you do not have to carry this alone we do not have to solve this right now I am here what do you need right now? Often unhelpful:\njust let it go think positive it is not that bad others have it worse you just have to move on When words are not possible yet # Sometimes language comes later. At first there may only be tension, anger, silence, or tears. That is not wrong.\nWith trauma, it is often: first safety, then words.\nBreathing, rhythm, walking, or simply being present together can matter more than talking.\nWhy this matters in moral injury # Moral injury often revolves around guilt, shame, and values. Inner language quickly becomes harsh and condemning.\nI should have done more I am not who I thought I was I do not deserve rest Careful language is essential here. Not to deny responsibility, but to allow truth and humanity to exist together.\nRead also # Grief in PTSD and Moral Injury Breathing and PTSD Head, Heart, and Gut The Body Keeps Trauma Post-Traumatic Growth Sources and literature # Lieberman, M. (2007). Putting Feelings Into Words. Pennebaker, J. publications on expressive writing. Neff, K. publications on self-compassion. Van der Kolk, B. The Body Keeps the Score. Ruiz, D.M. The Four Agreements. Gurdjieff, G.I. works on self-observation and consciousness. Conclusion # Words are not a side issue. They shape how we see ourselves, how we carry pain, and how we connect with others.\nIn PTSD and moral injury, words can keep wounds open. But they can also begin to heal when they become more honest, gentler, and more true.\nMaybe change does not always begin with a great insight.\nSometimes it begins with one sentence that is less harsh than yesterday.\nQuestions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch.\n","date":"18 May 2023","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/power-of-language/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"The Power of Language in PTSD: How Words Heal or Harm","type":"posts"},{"content":" Some people carry no visible wound — yet slowly disappear inside # Trauma is often associated with fear. Flashbacks. Panic. Nightmares. Hypervigilance. These are recognizable signals. They fit the image many people have of post-traumatic stress disorder.\nBut beneath that visible layer, another emotion often lives. Quieter. Deeper. Harder to speak about.\nShame.\nNot the ordinary shame of an awkward moment or a mistake at a birthday party. But existential shame: the experience that something is fundamentally wrong with you as a human being.\nMany people with trauma carry this shame for years without words. Not because they feel nothing, but because it comes too close.\nWhat is shame, really? # Shame is a social and existential emotion. It arises when someone experiences themselves as falling short in the eyes of others — or in their own eyes.\nGuilt usually says:\n\u0026ldquo;I did something wrong.\u0026rdquo;\nShame says:\n\u0026ldquo;I am wrong.\u0026rdquo;\nThat difference is enormous. Guilt concerns behavior. Shame strikes identity.\nResearch by Tangney and Dearing confirmed this distinction. Brené Brown also built much of her work around this divide: guilt can be productive because it points toward behavior that can be repaired, while toxic shame more often paralyzes and makes people small, silent, or lonely.\nThat is why shame tends to pull people inward. They become silent, avoidant, hidden, or overly adaptive. Not rarely, they slowly lose the sense of truly being connected to others.\nShame wants to become invisible.\nWhy trauma so often creates shame # Trauma is almost always accompanied by helplessness. And helplessness clashes deeply with how people want to see themselves.\nPeople want to believe they are in control. That they can protect themselves. That they will act when necessary.\nTrauma breaks open that image. Someone freezes. Runs away. Survives. Falls silent. Cannot act. Or does something that later becomes a source of shame.\nFrom the outside these may look like logical survival responses. From the inside they often feel like failure.\nMoral injury: shame of the conscience # With moral injury, shame often goes even deeper. Here the wound arises not only from danger, but from collision with one’s own moral compass.\nFor example:\nsomeone acted against their conscience someone failed to help while wanting to someone stayed silent out of loyalty or fear someone was betrayed by a system they believed in The pain lies not only in what happened, but in what it seems to say about the self. People ask themselves:\nAm I still a good person? How could I do this? Why did I do nothing? Can I still respect myself? If others knew this, would they reject me? These are not simple thoughts. They are questions of identity. The grieving process around moral injury is therefore inseparably connected to shame.\nWhy shame is a forgotten emotion # Strikingly, we speak little about shame. We talk more easily about fear, stress, or depression. Shame usually remains hidden.\nWhy? Because shame hides itself. People are often ashamed of their shame.\nIn addition, many cultures carry the idea that strong people should fix themselves. That vulnerability should quickly be solved. Or that trauma can mainly be treated technically.\nBut shame cannot simply be “therapized away.” It lives deeply in the body, in relationships, and in self-image. Sometimes even across generations.\nShame does not live only in the mind # Shame is physical. Many people recognize:\nlowering the eyes tension in chest or stomach freezing wanting to become smaller difficulty making eye contact warmth in the face or neck holding the breath disappearing into silence According to research by people such as Bessel van der Kolk and Stephen Porges, trauma and shame are strongly connected to the autonomic nervous system. When someone feels deeply unsafe, the body withdraws. Not only socially — literally biologically.\nFor those wanting to explore the neurobiological background: in a polyvagal perspective, shame is often connected to the dorsal vagal state: a deeper survival response in which the body shuts down contact.\nWhy shame is so isolating # Fear seeks protection. Grief seeks comfort. But shame seeks isolation.\nPeople carrying deep shame often think:\n\u0026ldquo;If people truly know me, they will reject me.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;I am too much.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;I am damaged.\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;I no longer belong.\u0026rdquo;\nPsychologist Donald Nathanson described four common responses to shame: withdrawal, avoidance, attacking oneself, or attacking others. Anyone recognizing themselves in one of these patterns can see that shame is rarely neutral — it drives behavior.\nAs a result, people become isolated while connection is exactly what is needed for healing. That is what makes shame so deceptive. It prevents the very thing that could help.\nShame and sleep: why nights often become heavier # Many people with trauma notice that shame becomes stronger at night. During the day there is distraction. At night things become quieter. Then memories, inner voices, and old beliefs appear.\nSome wake up with a sense of threat or guilt without fully knowing why. Nightmares often play a role here — dreams sometimes seem to be the brain’s attempt to give meaning to unprocessed experiences, but with trauma that process often gets stuck.\nAccording to sleep researcher Matthew Walker, healthy REM sleep plays an important role in emotional processing. In PTSD, precisely that processing is often disrupted. The result: the body does not recover sufficiently, while shame and tension deepen further.\nShame in mystical traditions # Interestingly, many mystical traditions describe shame not only as a psychological problem, but also as a loss of connection.\nThe first shame # In Jewish and Christian traditions, shame appears early in the story of Adam and Eve. Not immediately as guilt, but as sudden awareness of separation and nakedness. They hide themselves.\nIt is a powerful image. Shame pulls human beings away from open presence.\nMysticism and dignity # In many spiritual traditions, healing is therefore not only about forgiveness, but also about remembrance: remembering that a person is more than their failure.\nWithin Sufism, Christian mysticism, and Buddhist traditions, there is often emphasis on compassion, humility, and inner truth. Not as cheap positivity, but as slow restoration of human dignity.\nGurdjieff and the fragmented human being # George Ivanovich Gurdjieff described human beings as internally divided. According to him, a person consists of contradictory parts constantly taking turns.\nTrauma intensifies that division. One part wants to speak. Another wants to disappear. One part longs for connection. Another trusts no one anymore.\nShame often keeps this inner fragmentation alive. That is why recovery asks not only for insight, but also for presence. Learning to tolerate the existence of all parts of yourself — without immediately looking away.\nWhat helps in healing shame? # Shame rarely disappears through arguments. Rationally, people often already know they are not bad. But their nervous system does not yet believe it. Healing is usually slow and relational.\n1. Naming without judgment # Shame loses power when it can carefully be spoken aloud. Not forced. But honest.\n2. Safe connection # A person who truly remains present without rejection can be deeply healing. That sounds simple. It is not. Co-regulation — regulating your nervous system through another person’s nervous system — matters especially here.\n3. Understanding survival responses # Many people feel ashamed of reactions that are biologically normal:\nfreezing staying silent adapting dissociating obeying Insight does not remove everything, but it often reduces self-hatred.\n4. Body work and regulation # Because shame is stored physically, the following often help as well:\nbreathing body-oriented therapy walking meditation rest and rhythm safe touch 5. Space for meaning # Some questions are not purely psychological:\nWho have I become? What does dignity still mean? Can I meet myself again? These are existential questions. Conversations with a therapist, spiritual counselor, or trusted person can help avoid both escaping them and dramatizing them.\nWhat shame is not # For balance — just as with the Fourth Way and the discussion around moral injury — a few honest nuances.\nShame is not the same as guilt. Guilt can be productive (it points to behavior that can be repaired). Toxic shame rarely is — it says that you are the problem. Learning the difference matters. Shame is not always negative. A healthy form of shame protects social connection: it keeps people aware of the impact they have on others. The problem begins when shame becomes chronic or destroys self-image. Shame cannot simply be talked away. Cognitive techniques alone rarely work. Shame lives in the body, in relationships, and in early experiences. Healing requires time, contact, and patience. Shame is not a sign of weakness. People with a strong conscience are often especially vulnerable to deep shame. In a sense, it is a sign of moral sensitivity. Frequently asked questions # What is the difference between shame and guilt? # Guilt says: “I did something wrong.” Shame says: “I am wrong.” Guilt concerns behavior that can be repaired or acknowledged. Shame concerns who someone believes they are, which makes it harder to heal.\nHow do I recognize shame in myself? # Often not first as a thought, but as bodily signals: warmth in the neck or face, avoiding eye contact, suddenly becoming quiet in conversation, wanting to disappear or leave. People who learned to survive often experience shame more as tension or emptiness than as emotion.\nWhat if I cannot speak about my shame? # Do not begin with the heaviest memory. Begin by naming that there is something difficult to say. A therapist can create space without requiring everything to be told immediately. Sometimes writing, body work, or silence helps more than talking.\nCan therapy help with shame? # Often yes, but not every form equally well. Compassion Focused Therapy, schema therapy, EMDR (focused on early experiences), body-oriented therapy, and parts work such as IFS all offer specific tools for shame. Look for someone who explicitly works with this theme.\nDoes shame also affect loved ones? # Yes. Partners and family members can develop secondary shame — “Why can’t I help my loved one?”, “Did I fail?”. Recognizing that shame spreads through systems helps people learn to live with it together instead of silently hiding it.\nConclusion: shame wants to disappear — healing asks us to appear # Shame may be one of the most hidden consequences of trauma. Not dramatically visible. Yet slowly undermining.\nIt makes people smaller than they are. Quieter. More cautious. Further removed from themselves.\nAnd yet, precisely there, healing often begins: not in becoming perfect, but in slowly daring to become visible again. With scars. With contradictions. With human vulnerability.\nPerhaps that is ultimately the opposite of shame: not pride, but presence.\nFurther reading # Difference Between PTSD, CPTSD and Moral Injury — for the concepts Grief in PTSD and Moral Injury — about loss connected to shame The Fourth Way — about the fragmented human being and learning to be present Sources and scientific publications # Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep Brown, B. — research on shame, vulnerability and compassion (Daring Greatly, 2012) Nathanson, D.L. (1992). Shame and Pride Tangney, J.P. \u0026amp; Dearing, R.L. (2002). Shame and Guilt Jung, C.G. — work on shadow and symbolism Litz, B. et al. (2009). Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"23 September 2025","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/shame-after-trauma/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Shame After Trauma: the Forgotten Emotion Behind PTSD and Moral Injury","type":"posts"},{"content":"Sometimes calm does not work indoors, but it does outside. A path, trees, water, wind, or open air can do something that words do not immediately reach. The body settles. Vision widens. Breathing becomes freer.\nThat is not vague or mystical. Many people experience that nature helps regulate the nervous system.\nWhy nature helps with trauma and stress # Nature often offers exactly what an overloaded system needs:\nfewer artificial stimuli predictable rhythms gentle sensory input space to move attention without performance a sense of perspective The nervous system and being outside # Being outdoors often invites broader awareness. Not only the problem, but also horizon, sky, smell, and movement come into view. That can help people come out of narrowed attention.\nMany people notice:\nless rumination while walking deeper breathing less muscle tension improved mood greater resilience Practical forms of nature-based recovery # 1. Daily recovery walk # Walk for 20 minutes without goals or performance pressure.\n2. Sit spot # Sit regularly in the same place and observe what changes.\n3. Seek out water # River, sea, rain, or canal. Water has a regulating effect for many people.\n4. Work with the seasons # Notice what resonates in you during winter, spring, summer, and autumn.\n5. Grounding through the senses # Name five things you see, four you feel, three you hear.\nNature is not a replacement for treatment # Nature is not a miracle cure. But it can be a powerful ally alongside therapy, breathwork, rhythm, and support from others.\nBridge toward silence # What nature often offers is not only fresh air or movement. It also offers a form of silence.\nRead also: Silence in PTSD\nConclusion # Sometimes recovery does not ask for more words, but for a path beneath your feet and air in your lungs. Being outside does not solve everything. But it reminds many people that the system can settle, that attention can widen, and that life is still moving.\n","date":"1 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/nature-ptsd-recovery/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"The Healing Power of Nature in PTSD: Why Being Outside Helps Recovery","type":"posts"},{"content":"People who have experienced trauma often notice that their body no longer feels natural or safe. It carries tension. It reacts faster than words can follow. Sometimes it remains alert long after the danger has passed.\nFor many people, sports and exercise become more than a hobby. They become a way to manage tension, sleep better, release energy, or feel strong again. That can be valuable. But there is another side to it as well.\nSometimes you move to recover. Sometimes you move so you do not have to feel. That is why sports and PTSD deserve an honest conversation.\nWhy sports and exercise can help with PTSD # Research shows that regular physical activity can help reduce PTSD symptoms. Exercise supports sleep quality, improves mood, contributes to stress regulation, and builds fitness, energy, and self-confidence. It also creates space to release tension and develop body awareness. Two things that are often disrupted by trauma.\nMovement affects stress hormones, neuroplasticity, and the autonomic nervous system. But beyond the science, many people experience something simpler: after moving, there is more space in both mind and body.\nHelping the body out of alarm mode # With PTSD and moral injury, the system is often stuck in readiness. Breathing stays shallow, muscles remain tense, sleep becomes difficult, startle responses are intense, and rest itself can paradoxically feel unsafe. That is not a character flaw. It is a nervous system that has learned to stay vigilant.\nRhythmic and regular movement can help the system relearn how to shift between activation and recovery. This is exactly what Porges’ polyvagal theory describes: a nervous system capable of moving between mobilization and calm instead of getting trapped in a single state.\nWhich forms of exercise can help? # Not every sport works the same way. Do not choose what sounds tough. Choose what feels regulating.\nWalking # Accessible, rhythmic, and easy to combine with nature and daylight.\nRunning # Can discharge tension and create mental space when done in moderation. For some people, the first ten minutes feel uncomfortable and the rest feels relieving. For others, shorter and more frequent runs work better than long sessions.\nStrength training # Helps build stability, body confidence, and awareness of personal strength. Especially valuable for people who experience the body as something that happens to them instead of something that belongs to them.\nBoxing # Can help with sensing boundaries, regulating force, and staying present under activation. For some people it works extremely well. For others, especially those with a history of violence, it can become dysregulating. Listen carefully to what your body tells you during the first lessons.\nYoga or gentle mobility work # Supports breathing, body awareness, and the ability to slow down.\nSwimming # For some people highly regulating because of rhythm, breath control, and the pressure of water on the body.\nTraditional rowing: rhythm and connection # Traditional rowing can be especially valuable for people with PTSD. The rhythm of the strokes, the water, the shared cadence, and the physical effort make it intense yet regulating at the same time. Together, you move the boat forward. That creates not only movement, but also connection.\nWithin that shared rhythm, the nervous system can learn that strength is not the same thing as danger.\nWhen sports become avoidance # This is the shadow side.\nI have personally pushed myself physically far beyond what was healthy. There were periods when I did not exercise to recover, but to exhaust myself completely. If I became tired enough, I hoped to sleep better, dream less, and feel less.\nAs long as I kept training, I could stay away from what lived underneath the surface. But as soon as I stopped, it returned.\nThat pattern is common. Sports and exercise can temporarily numb, suppress, or create a sense of control. At that point movement stops being a bridge and becomes a wall.\nYou often recognize the pattern through several signs: constantly needing to train harder for the same effect, feeling restless on rest days, guilt when skipping training, only feeling calm after complete exhaustion, ignoring injuries, avoiding emotions through exercise, or building your entire identity around performance. One signal alone is not necessarily alarming. Several together deserve an honest look.\nWhen exercise backfires: cortisol and recovery # Intense exercise temporarily raises cortisol and other stress responses. That is normal. The body releases energy to handle physical effort. Problems usually arise not from one hard workout, but when high strain accumulates without enough sleep, rest, and recovery.\nFor people with PTSD, this matters even more. A nervous system already under pressure often benefits more from measured consistency than from constant overload. If you notice that exercise worsens your sleep, increases irritability, or leaves exhaustion lingering for days, the answer is often not more training, but smarter pacing.\nModerate is often stronger than extreme # Heavy training is not inherently wrong, but more is not always better. Especially with an overloaded stress system, steady and manageable movement often works better than extreme peaks. Consistent movement beats heroic exhaustion.\nSports as part of treatment # Exercise is also used within trauma treatment itself. Some programs combine therapy with physical training because the body actively participates in recovery.\nA Dutch example is PsyTrec in Bilthoven, a center offering intensive trauma treatment in which EMDR and imaginal exposure are combined with physical exercise and psychoeducation. The idea behind this approach is that activating the nervous system through movement around therapy sessions may support processing. Research from PsyTrec shows reasonable treatment outcomes, including for more complex PTSD.\nAt the same time, experiences from former patients online are mixed. For some people the intensive short-term approach worked very well. Others experienced the pace as too high or missed sufficient aftercare. That does not mean the approach is bad. It reflects something true for many intensive programs: what feels liberating for one person may feel overwhelming for another. What works depends on where you are in your process, the support around you, and how much intensity your nervous system can handle at that moment.\nThe important distinction remains: sports and exercise do not replace therapy, but they can support it.\nWhat does scientific research say? # There is now a substantial amount of research on exercise and PTSD. The overall direction is positive: movement can reduce symptoms and support recovery for many people. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that regular physical activity may contribute to reduced PTSD symptoms, improved sleep, less anxiety and depression, higher quality of life, greater body confidence, and better stress regulation.\nCombinations of cardio, strength training, and body-aware practices such as yoga appear particularly beneficial. Group sports may also provide additional value through connection and motivation.\nAn important nuance remains: movement is often a powerful building block, but not always a replacement for trauma-focused therapy.\nDutch initiatives and examples # The Netherlands also has initiatives where movement and recovery come together. There are sports activities and meetings through the BNMO, rowing and outdoor activities for veterans and people with PTSD, and local peer-support projects centered around exercising together. It shows something important: you do not have to do this alone.\nHow do you choose wisely? # Do not only ask what is effective. Also ask:\nDoes this make me feel safer or more driven? Does this give me energy or drain everything from me? Am I actually present while moving? Does this support recovery or avoidance? Does this fit my current capacity?\nThese are not questions with right or wrong answers. They are questions that provide direction.\nStart small # You do not need to become an elite athlete. Ten minutes of walking, light strength training, cycling outdoors, exercising together with others, regular movement routines, stretching, and breathing are already meaningful building blocks. Recovery is often found in repetition, not heroics.\nFurther reading # Trauma and the Body Sleeping With a Vigilant Nervous System Daily Rhythm and PTSD Cortisol and PTSD Porges’ Polyvagal Theory Silence and PTSD Post-Traumatic Growth Conclusion: moving in order to stay present # Sports and exercise can become powerful allies in trauma recovery. They can improve sleep, regulate tension, restore strength, and rebuild trust in the body.\nBut sports are not a miracle cure. Sometimes they also become a way to avoid pain. The difference is not only in the training itself, but in awareness.\nNot moving in order to disappear.\nBut moving in order to be present.\nSources and scientific publications # Rosenbaum, S. et al. (2015). Physical activity interventions for PTSD: systematic review and meta-analysis Björkman, F. et al. (2022). Physical Exercise as Treatment for PTSD: systematic review and meta-analysis Jadhakhan, F. et al. (2022). Exercise interventions for PTSD symptoms Martinez-Calderon, J. et al. (2024). Exercise therapy and quality of life in PTSD Yuan, Y. et al. (2025). Physical activity for PTSD, anxiety, depression and sleep: meta-analysis Reis, A. et al. (2022). Exercise interventions for military veterans with PTSD Powers, M.B. et al. (2015). Exercise augmentation of exposure therapy Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Feel free to reach out through the contact form.\n","date":"13 June 2025","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/sports-and-ptsd/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Sports and PTSD: Between Recovery and Avoidance","type":"posts"},{"content":" Recovery Does Not Begin in the Mind Alone # People living with PTSD often notice that the body tells its own story. Poor sleep. Tension that never fully leaves. Energy that spikes and crashes. Irritability without a clear reason. Therapy may help, yet the body can still feel as if it is lagging behind.\nThat is not strange. Trauma affects more than thoughts and memories. It also impacts stress regulation, sleep, metabolism, and inflammatory processes. That is why there is growing attention toward nutrition as a supportive factor in recovery.\nNutrition and supplements are not miracle cures. They do not replace trauma therapy. But they can help create conditions in which recovery becomes more possible.\nPTSD Is Also Physiology # Research shows that PTSD can be associated with changes in the HPA axis, cortisol regulation, sleep architecture, inflammatory markers, and metabolic health. Rachel Yehuda has described how stress regulation in PTSD can remain dysregulated for long periods of time.\nThat does not mean everyone has the same biological changes. But it does mean PTSD often affects the entire system.\nStart With the Basics Before Supplements # For many people, the basics provide more benefit than a cupboard full of supplements: regular meals with enough protein and fiber, a stable sleep rhythm, movement and exposure to daylight, less alcohol, less caffeine if you are sensitive to it, and — alongside all of this — trauma treatment and social support. Supplements may become useful afterward as an addition.\nBlood Sugar and Stress Reactivity # Blood sugar fluctuations can intensify tension. Many people recognize the pattern: shakiness, irritability, cravings, energy crashes, and poorer sleep. Stress increases glucose availability through hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. At the same time, unstable energy supply can further stimulate the stress system.\nWhat often helps in practice? # Eating regularly, with protein-rich meals, fiber-rich carbohydrates, and healthy fats, while reducing ultra-processed “spike” food. Not a strict diet. Just more stability.\nOmega-3 Fatty Acids # Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are among the best researched supplements for mood and stress-related conditions. Possible effects include support for brain function, influence on inflammatory processes, mild mood improvement, and possible support in stress recovery. There are studies involving trauma survivors and military populations suggesting omega-3 may be relevant, although the effects are usually modest and not the same for everyone.\nMagnesium # Magnesium plays a role in nerve conduction, muscle function, sleep, and stress response. A deficiency can be associated with fatigue, muscle tension, and restlessness.\nSupplementation may be especially useful in cases of insufficient intake or increased need. Effects vary from person to person.\nImportant: not every form of magnesium is equally well tolerated.\nVitamin D # Low vitamin D levels are relatively common, especially in people with limited sunlight exposure, indoor lifestyles, or restricted diets. Deficiencies are associated with low mood, immune function, and fatigue.\nSupplementation makes the most sense when a deficiency has been confirmed.\nThe Gut-Brain Axis # The relationship between the gut microbiome and mental health receives growing attention. Gut bacteria influence immune activity, metabolism, and possibly stress responses.\nSpecific PTSD research is still developing, but fiber-rich nutrition, dietary variety, and fermented foods fit with what we currently know about general health.\nCaffeine and Alcohol # Caffeine # Caffeine can increase alertness, but for some people it also intensifies hyperarousal. Pay attention to how you respond, do not drink coffee mindlessly, and limit late-day use if you struggle with sleep.\nAlcohol # Alcohol can temporarily feel relaxing, but it disrupts sleep quality and emotional processing. In PTSD, that can undermine recovery.\nNAC (N-acetylcysteine) # NAC is being studied because of its influence on glutamate, oxidative stress, and compulsive patterns. There are small studies involving trauma-related symptoms, but the evidence remains preliminary.\nInteresting, but not a standard recommendation.\nAdaptogens: Stay Cautious # Herbs such as ashwagandha or rhodiola are often marketed as stress solutions. Some studies show positive signals, but quality and applicability vary widely.\nFor PTSD, the evidence remains limited. Caution and realism are wise here.\nWhen Testing May Be Useful # Discuss with a doctor or therapist whether testing makes sense, for example for:\nvitamin D B12 ferritin / iron status glucose or HbA1c thyroid function overall dietary patterns Not everything needs testing. Targeted evaluation is often better than random supplementation.\nBe Careful With Self-Medication # Supplements are not automatically harmless.\nBe careful with:\nmedication interactions high dosages liver or kidney problems pregnancy combining multiple supplements vague online claims Professional advice is often wiser than trial-and-error experimentation.\nSleep as a Lever for Recovery # A large part of the benefit from nutritional changes often happens indirectly through improved sleep. And sleep is crucial for emotional processing, memory integration, and stress recovery. What often helps: regularity, less alcohol, stopping caffeine early enough, avoiding heavy meals late in the evening, and getting sufficient nutrition during the day.\nFurther Reading # Daily Rhythm and PTSD Cortisol and PTSD Sports and PTSD Trauma and the Body Silence and PTSD Conclusion # Nutrition does not heal trauma. But a body that sleeps more steadily, has more stable energy, and is under less strain often supports recovery better.\nThat is why it rarely makes sense to begin with exotic solutions. Start with the basics: rhythm, nourishing food, sleep, movement, and appropriate support.\nSometimes progress is not found in trying more, but in nourishing better.\nSources and References # Yehuda, R. et al. (2015). PTSD. New England Journal of Medicine. Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep. Marx, W. et al. Reviews on diet and mental health. Sarris, J. et al. Reviews on nutritional medicine in psychiatry. Su, K.-P. et al. Omega-3 fatty acids and stress-related disorders. Boyle, N. et al. Reviews on magnesium supplementation and subjective anxiety/stress. Cryan, J. \u0026amp; Dinan, T. Publications on the gut-brain axis. Lovallo, W. Research on caffeine and stress response. ","date":"17 April 2025","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/nutrition-and-supplements-for-ptsd/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Nutrition and Supplements for PTSD: What Can Actually Help","type":"posts"},{"content":"With PTSD and moral injury, rarely only one person suffers. Trauma often affects relationships as well. Partners, children, family members, and close friends carry part of the tension too. Sometimes directly, sometimes quietly from a distance. That is exactly why closeness can become a source of healing — but only when that closeness also leaves room for boundaries, honesty, and reciprocity.\nMany people think about trauma mainly in terms of individual treatment: therapy, medication, breathing exercises, processing memories. All important. But recovery rarely happens in isolation. Human beings also regulate through connection: a calm voice, predictability, sitting in silence together, eating together, breathing together. At the same time, this asks something from the people around them. Love alone is not always enough. Good intentions can turn into exhaustion when nobody pays attention to the burden carried by loved ones.\nWhy relationships matter so much in PTSD # Safe relationships help calm the nervous system. In psychology this is called co-regulation: the ability of people to help each other reduce tension through connection. Porges’ polyvagal theory describes this mechanism extensively. A calm nervous system beside you can invite your own nervous system to settle as well.\nIn practice this lives in small things. A calm tone of voice. Predictability. Staying present without applying pressure. Walking together or placing a hand on someone’s shoulder. Leaving room for silence. Not trying to solve everything. For someone living with trauma, this can make a bigger difference than it may seem.\nThe quiet power of presence # Loved ones often feel powerless. They want to do something, but do not know what. Yet support is not always found in solutions. More often it lives in staying, listening, and not walking away when things become difficult.\nSometimes the most healing gesture is not an answer, but reliable presence.\nWhen closeness becomes heavy: walking on eggshells # Not every form of support feels light. Partners and family members can end up in a pattern often described as walking on eggshells.\nYou recognize the pattern in several things that slowly build up: constantly scanning moods, trying to avoid triggers, weighing every word out of fear of escalation, swallowing your own feelings, always remaining alert at home, unconsciously adapting yourself to keep the peace.\nThis usually does not arise from unwillingness, but from survival. Still, it is important to recognize it. Long-term walking on eggshells exhausts people and makes relationships smaller. What started as care can eventually become the disappearance of one’s own self within the family system.\nSecondary traumatization # Loved ones can also develop symptoms themselves through prolonged exposure to stress, intense stories, or ongoing tension within the relationship. This is called secondary traumatization.\nNot every partner develops this, but possible signs include poor sleep, irritability, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, low mood, tension in the body, and becoming hyper-alert themselves. The same principle applies here as for the person with PTSD: take seriously what the body is showing you, and do not wait until things break before seeking help.\nWhat concretely helps partners and family? # Support without rescuing # You do not need to solve everything in order to be helpful. Often people mainly want to feel heard. A good question can sometimes be worth more than good advice, and listening without immediately stepping in gives the other person space to find their own direction.\nProtecting boundaries # Your own rest and safety matter too. Supporting someone does not mean losing yourself. People who constantly cross their own limits eventually become empty. And with that, their ability to truly be there for the other person disappears as well. Boundaries are not a rejection of the relationship; they are what keep the relationship alive.\nHonest communication # Say what you notice and what you need. Not every discomfort can be carefully wrapped in soft language. A direct sentence at the right moment sometimes saves more than weeks of careful maneuvering. Honesty within a loving context is not an attack — it is a form of trust.\nLove comes with a knife.\nRumi\nMaintaining your own life # Friendships, hobbies, and personal recovery space remain important. You are more than someone’s support system. A rich life of your own is not disloyal to the relationship. It is a condition for being able to stay involved over the long term. Anyone who only lives in the shadow of another person’s PTSD eventually loses themselves — and in the end, the relationship too.\nSeeking support # Couples therapy, psychoeducation, or guidance for loved ones can make a real difference. Talking outside the family system about what is happening often creates space again for what became stuck at home. Asking for help is not a sign of failure. It is the opposite.\nWhen family is not safe # Not every family is a source of support. For some people, the wound itself lies there. In those cases, recovery may require distance, clear boundaries, or finding a chosen family: friends, community, or therapeutic relationships.\nSupport does not need to be biologically related to be real. The system within which someone can safely recover is not always the system they were born into.\nThe three centers in relationships # Relationships always affect multiple layers at once. The head interprets and analyzes behavior and conflict. The heart feels love, loss, pain, or connection. The body registers whether contact feels safe, tense, or unpredictable — often before a single word is spoken.\nRecovery in relationships requires attention to all three. Someone who relies only on thinking misses half the truth. Someone who reacts only from emotion becomes exhausted more quickly. The interaction between head, heart, and body carries the relationship.\nPractical questions for shared recovery # A few questions you can ask each other — preferably during a calm moment and not in the middle of conflict:\nWhat helps you when tension rises? How do I notice when I am crossing my own limits? Which words help and which do not? How do we stay connected without pressure? Who supports us when things become heavy?\nNot questions to solve in one conversation — but good questions to begin the conversation.\nYou do not carry PTSD alone # PTSD does not affect only the person with symptoms. Partners, children, and other loved ones often live alongside tension, avoidance, mood swings, or the daily consequences of trauma as well. That is why nobody has to carry this alone.\nThere are peer-support and support groups for partners and families, including through organizations such as the Dutch Veterans Institute and the BNMO. These places can offer recognition, practical support, and shared understanding. Outside veteran networks there are also peer initiatives, therapy groups, and support centers available.\nSometimes relief already begins with realizing you are not the only one.\nFurther reading # Grief in PTSD and Moral Injury The Power of Language Silence and PTSD Trauma and the Body Porges’ Polyvagal Theory Transgenerational Trauma Conclusion: between closeness and boundaries # Trauma affects relationships, but relationships can also help heal trauma. Not by being perfect, but by remaining reliable, honest, and human.\nCloseness without boundaries leads to exhaustion. Boundaries without closeness become rigid. Recovery often grows somewhere in between: where truth and connection meet.\nSources and scientific publications # Porges, S.W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory Herman, J.L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery Wolynn, M. (2016). It Didn’t Start With You Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score Mason, P. \u0026amp; Kreger, R. (1998). Stop Walking on Eggshells — originally written for loved ones of people with borderline personality disorder, but the patterns they describe also apply to families living around PTSD Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Feel free to contact me through the contact form.\n","date":"1 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/family-ptsd-support/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"How Partners and Family Can Help With PTSD: Closeness, Boundaries, and Recovery","type":"posts"},{"content":" Not magic. Not nonsense. But a serious field of research. # PTSD is not simply a memory that refuses to disappear. It is an alarm system that stays active long after the danger has passed. The body startles, the nervous system remains vigilant, and the mind repeats what could not be processed.\nFor many people, trauma therapy, EMDR, exposure therapy, or medication help. For others, the wound remains stubbornly present. That is exactly where interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy is growing.\nNot as a miracle cure. Not as a shortcut. But as a possible additional path for people for whom existing treatment has not been enough.\nWhat are psychedelics? # Psychedelics are substances that temporarily alter perception, emotion, meaning-making, and consciousness.\nWell-known examples include:\nPsilocybin — the active compound in certain mushrooms and truffles LSD — a classic synthetic psychedelic DMT / ayahuasca — often used in ritual contexts MDMA — not a classical psychedelic, but part of this therapeutic field Ketamine — a dissociative substance with established medical uses In PTSD research, the greatest scientific attention currently goes to MDMA, ketamine, and increasingly psilocybin.\nWhy specifically for PTSD? # Trauma is often not a lack of insight. Many people rationally understand exactly what happened. The problem runs deeper: automatic fear responses, shame, avoidance, freezing, loss of trust, and a nervous system that no longer believes in safety.\nThis is precisely where some substances may create therapeutic space — not by erasing the past, but by changing the conditions under which processing becomes possible.\nPossible mechanisms of action # Why might substances such as MDMA or psilocybin achieve something that years of therapy sometimes cannot? The answer likely lies not in magic, but in biology.\n1. Reduced activation of the alarm system # In PTSD, the amygdala — the brain region involved in processing threat — is often chronically overactive. MDMA appears to temporarily reduce amygdala activity while increasing oxytocin and serotonin release. The result can be a sense of safety and connection that is normally difficult to access.\nThat matters in therapy. Recalling traumatic memories usually activates the same alarm system. During an MDMA-assisted session, this may shift: the memory remains accessible, but becomes less overwhelming.\n2. Memory reconsolidation # Memories are not fixed recordings. Every time you recall a memory, it temporarily becomes unstable before being stored again. This process is called reconsolidation.\nThere are indications that some substances may widen or extend this reconsolidation window. Theoretically, this means traumatic memories — while accessible — may become less emotionally charged and less frozen in fear. It is one of the most interesting hypotheses in the field, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood.\n3. Increased neuroplasticity # Psilocybin acts partly through the 5-HT2A receptor, a serotonin receptor involved in learning, flexibility, and adaptation. Research suggests psilocybin temporarily increases neuroplasticity, making the brain more receptive to new connections and learning processes.\nThat may explain why the period after a session is often therapeutically important. The brain is, in a sense, more open, making integration and new meaning-making easier.\n4. Less rigid thinking # In trauma, but also in depression and anxiety, researchers often observe rigid and repetitive thinking and emotional patterns. Psilocybin appears to temporarily disrupt activity in the default mode network — the brain network involved in self-referential thinking and rumination.\nPeople sometimes describe this as a sense of space, distance, or perspective. Not escape, but temporary looseness from fixed mental patterns.\n5. Increased self-compassion and connection # Shame and self-hatred often play a major role in trauma — a deeply rooted sense of I am broken or I am guilty. Both MDMA and psilocybin are associated with increased feelings of connection, gentleness, and self-compassion.\nThat is not merely a side effect. It may be part of the therapeutic mechanism itself.\nImportant caution: these mechanisms are hypotheses and models, not established explanations. The research is promising, but still developing rapidly.\nWhat does therapy look like? # Serious treatment involves far more than taking a substance. It usually consists of three phases.\n1. Preparation # Extensive screening, intake, psychoeducation, and defining therapeutic goals. During this phase, a trusting relationship is built with the therapist(s), which is essential for what follows. Good preparation largely determines how safe and useful the session becomes.\n2. The session # A guided session in a safe, calm setting with trained professionals. Depending on the substance, this can last several hours. The therapist remains present throughout but does not direct the experience. The focus stays on what the participant experiences.\n3. Integration # Probably the most important phase — and at the same time the most overlooked.\nWhat was felt or seen? Which insights are meaningful? How does this translate into daily life?\nIntegration takes time: days, weeks, sometimes months. Conversations with therapists, writing, body-oriented work, peer support — everything that helps transform the experience into lasting change. Without integration, even a profound experience may remain only a memory.\nWhat does the research say? # Research has grown rapidly in recent years — along with the nuance.\nMDMA for PTSD # The most extensive line of research comes from MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). Multiple phase 2 studies showed substantial reductions in PTSD symptoms among participants receiving MDMA-assisted therapy, including people for whom previous treatments had failed.\nA large phase 3 study (Mitchell et al., 2023, Nature Medicine) confirmed these findings: 71% of participants in the MDMA group no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria after treatment, compared to 48% in the placebo group.\nHowever: the FDA did not approve the treatment in August 2024. The U.S. regulatory agency raised concerns about study design, particularly difficulties with blinding (participants can usually tell whether they received MDMA) and questions about generalizability. That does not mean the therapy does not work. It means more robust and carefully designed research is still needed before regular approval can follow.\nPsilocybin for PTSD # Research into psilocybin for PTSD is still in an earlier stage compared to MDMA, but it is growing. Promising results have already been found in depression and existential anxiety, including among seriously ill patients. The move toward PTSD research is now accelerating because the proposed mechanisms — neuroplasticity and loosening rigid thought patterns — fit well with trauma-related problems.\nKetamine # Ketamine is already used clinically, particularly for treatment-resistant depression. Its mechanism differs from classical psychedelics: the effect is shorter and primarily involves the glutamate system rather than serotonin. In PTSD, ketamine is being studied as part of broader treatment approaches, although the evidence remains more limited than for MDMA.\nWhat all this research has in common # Many studies involve small groups, strict screening, and intensive guidance — conditions that are not always easy to replicate in everyday practice. Promising does not automatically mean suitable for everyone, available everywhere, or free of risk.\nIs it legal in the Netherlands? # The legal situation in the Netherlands is more nuanced than many people assume.\nMDMA is listed under Schedule I of the Dutch Opium Act and is illegal outside approved research settings, including therapeutic use. Psilocybin (dried mushrooms) is also on Schedule I. Truffles (sclerotia), however, are not formally prohibited and are commercially sold in the Netherlands. This has led to a growing market of truffle ceremonies and sessions, though these fall outside medical quality standards. Ketamine is a registered medication and may only be prescribed by physicians. Some Dutch clinics use it off-label for depression and trauma. Foreign clinics in countries such as Belgium, Switzerland, or Jamaica operate under different regulations. What is legal there may still be illegal in the Netherlands when imported or used. Commercial providers without medical backgrounds operate outside the healthcare framework. That means no formal oversight, no complaint procedures, and no reimbursement. Always verify current laws and the qualifications of providers carefully.\nWho should be especially cautious? # Not everyone is a good candidate. Thorough screening is not bureaucracy — it is protection.\nExtra caution is needed in cases of:\na personal or family history of psychosis or schizophrenia bipolar disorder severe personality disorders active addiction certain cardiovascular conditions use of serotonergic medication (risk of serotonin syndrome with MDMA) acute instability or crisis situations Possible risks # acute anxiety or panic during sessions disorientation or confusion retraumatization with insufficient preparation or guidance temporary worsening of symptoms impulsive behavior in unsafe settings physical strain (especially increased heart rate and blood pressure with MDMA) disappointment or destabilization due to unrealistic expectations abuse within therapeutic relationships — a real and documented risk among vulnerable participants Ancient traditions and rituals # Long before modern psychiatry, various cultures used consciousness-altering plants in rituals involving healing, grief, community, and meaning. Ayahuasca in the Amazon, psilocybin mushrooms among the Mazatec in Mexico, peyote among Indigenous peoples in North America.\nThat does not automatically make traditional use safe or transferable to modern Western contexts. Rituals are embedded in systems of community, knowledge, and meaning that cannot simply be imported. Still, it shows that human beings have long searched for ways to connect suffering, insight, and healing.\nNot a replacement for foundational recovery # Even when these therapies help, the foundations still matter: safety, sleep, relationships, movement, therapy, rhythm and structure, and meaning. No substance replaces a life that still has to be lived.\nHope without hype # It is possible that psychedelic-assisted therapy will offer meaningful breakthroughs for some people, especially where other treatments have stalled. It is equally possible that it may not fit, may not be necessary, or may come too early.\nThe FDA rejection in 2024 is not proof that these therapies do not work. It is a reminder that science must continue carefully, and that caution matters more than speed.\nSobriety protects better than sensationalism.\nFurther reading # What Is the Difference Between PTSD and Moral Injury? Trauma and the Body Daily Rhythm in PTSD Cortisol and PTSD Post-Traumatic Growth Sources and scientific publications # Mitchell, J. M. et al. (2021, 2023). MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD. Nature Medicine. FDA Briefing Document (2024). Advisory Committee Meeting: Midomafetamine Capsules (MDMA). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Feduccia, A. A. et al. Reviews on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and PTSD. Oehen, P. et al. (2013). Pilot study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant PTSD. Krediet, E. et al. Reviews on psychedelics for PTSD and trauma-related disorders. Reiff, C. M. et al. (2020). Psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychiatry. Bahji, A. et al. Meta-analyses on ketamine for trauma-related symptoms and depression. Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. Psilocybin studies on depression, cognition, and psychological flexibility. Davis, A. K. et al. Psilocybin-assisted therapy research on depression and meaning-making. MAPS / Lykos clinical trial publications on MDMA-assisted therapy — see MDMA-assisted therapy. Conclusion # Psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD is neither hype nor magic. It is a serious field of research with genuine potential and real risks — and with a regulatory reality far more complex than social media often suggests.\nFor some people it may open a door where other treatments have failed. For others it may not be appropriate or necessary.\nThe essence probably lies not only in the substance itself, but in what is built around it: safety, professionalism, guidance, integration — and the courage to feel what once felt too overwhelming to face.\n","date":"13 December 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/psychedelic-assisted-therapy-for-ptsd/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for PTSD: Hope Without Hype","type":"posts"},{"content":"Achilles in Vietnam by Jonathan Shay examines the psychological consequences of war experiences among Vietnam veterans. Shay uses the story of Achilles from Homer\u0026rsquo;s Iliad to show that war trauma and moral injury have existed for thousands of years.\nAccording to Shay, severe trauma arises not only from fear or mortal danger, but primarily when someone experiences profound betrayal by leaders, organizations, or the group they trusted. He calls this “moral injury.” Soldiers are damaged when what they experience or are forced to do clashes with their moral convictions and sense of justice.\nThe book describes how such experiences can lead to anger, alienation, guilt, mistrust, emotional closure, and a loss of meaning. Many veterans feel cut off from society after their return because others do not understand their experiences.\nShay emphasizes that recovery is not just a medical or psychological matter. Recovery also requires recognition, truth, community, and moral restoration. Safety and trust must be rebuilt. The strength of the book lies in the combination of classic literature, psychiatry, and stories from veterans. Through this, Shay shows that trauma is not only about what someone has experienced, but also about the loss of humanity, loyalty, and connection.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/achilles-in-vietnam/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Awareness Through Movement by Moshe Feldenkrais describes how conscious movement can contribute to greater body awareness, flexibility, and the changing of ingrained patterns.\nThe core of the Feldenkrais method is that body and mind form a single whole. Many physical and emotional patterns occur automatically: how someone sits, walks, breathes, or holds tension. Through slow, mindful movements, people can learn to recognize these patterns and discover new possibilities.\nInstead of training for strength or performance, Feldenkrais focuses on subtle perception. Small differences in movement help the nervous system function more efficiently and with less tension. The goal is not to “work harder,” but to move more easily and consciously.\nThe book contains many practical movement exercises where attention is central. By curiously exploring how a movement feels, more relaxation, coordination, and self-regulation often emerge. This can influence pain, stress, and the sense of presence in the body. Although the book does not specifically address trauma, the method has influenced modern body-oriented therapies. In particular, the calm pace, the focus on safety, and the increase in body awareness align well with contemporary insights regarding nervous system regulation and recovery from chronic tension or trauma.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/awareness-through-movement/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Anees Bahji and colleagues published multiple meta-analyses on ketamine in mood and trauma-related disorders. A meta-analysis systematically summarizes the results of many individual studies, allowing for stronger statements about the actual magnitude of an effect.\nFor depression, Bahji\u0026rsquo;s work shows that ketamine (and the derivative form esketamine) can lead to a rapid reduction in symptoms in treatment-resistant depression, sometimes noticeable within hours. However, the effect is short-lived in a portion of patients and requires repeated administration or gradual treatment to maintain results.\nFor PTSD and trauma symptoms, the picture is more cautious. Bahji describes several smaller studies indicating a decrease in re-experiencing, hyperalertness, and intrusive thoughts after ketamine infusions, especially when combined with trauma-focused therapy. However, the number of studies is small, protocols vary widely, and long-term effects have not yet been sufficiently investigated.\nA valuable contribution of the work is the trade-off between efficacy and risks. Ketamine has dissociative and addictive potential; repeated use outside of medical supervision can be harmful. Bahji therefore advocates for strict indication, careful follow-up, and integration into a broader treatment plan, rather than isolated infusions without context.\nThese insights are relevant for Dutch practice. Ketamine is already being used off-label for depression in some clinics, and Bahji\u0026rsquo;s findings help to critically monitor that application. For PTSD, it remains experimental. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/bahji-ketamine-meta-analysis/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson (1950), G.I. Gurdjieff unfolds a complex, spiritual-philosophical narrative intended to shake the reader awake from a mechanical, unconscious life. Packaged as a science-fiction-like travelogue, Beelzebub, a fallen angel traveling through the universe, tells his grandson about humanity and its peculiarities. But behind these narratives lies a deep critique of the state of the human mind, our habits, and the loss of an inner compass.\nGurdjieff believes that most people live on autopilot: driven by habit, social conditioning, and inner conflict. Beelzebub’s Tales is written as a kind of inner exercise book, but coded. The style is deliberately complex, slow, and sometimes confusing. Not to irritate, but to compel the reader to read attentively, to break old patterns.\nCentral to this is the idea that true human evolution is possible, but only through conscious effort and sincere self-observation. The path to ‘objective consciousness’ is not an intellectual one, but a long-term and integral exercise in which body, feelings, and thoughts must be brought back into balance.\nThis book is not a spiritual handbook in the traditional sense, but an alchemical work that confronts the reader with themselves. Beelzebub’s Tales is a myth, an indictment, and an invitation: to wake up, to not take your word for it, and to become truly human, through trial and error.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/beelzebubs-tales-to-his-grandson/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Bioenergetics by Alexander Lowen describes how emotions, tension, and psychological patterns express themselves in the body. Lowen built upon the work of Wilhelm Reich and developed a body-oriented form of psychotherapy: bioenergetics.\nAccording to Lowen, people store emotions and stress not only psychologically but also physically. Chronic tension in muscles, posture, and breathing forms, as it were, an “armor” that suppresses feelings. That armor can offer protection, but at the same time limits liveliness, spontaneity, and contact with oneself.\nThe book describes how body posture, breathing, and movement are connected to emotional patterns. For example, people who constantly maintain control or suppress emotions can literally become tense, stiff, or closed off.\nBioenergetic exercises focus on grounding, breathing, movement, expression, and releasing tension. By feeling the body more and discharging tension, emotions can be experienced more consciously, and greater vitality can emerge. Lowen places great emphasis on restoring contact with the body as the basis for mental health. According to him, true change arises not only through insight or analysis, but also through bodily experience.\nAlthough some of Lowen\u0026rsquo;s theories are nowadays considered outdated or difficult to test scientifically, his work has had a significant influence on modern body-oriented therapies and trauma approaches.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/bioenergetics/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Yehuda (2002) in Biological Psychiatry investigated biological characteristics of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with an emphasis on the regulation of the stress hormone cortisol and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). Rachel Yehuda and colleagues studied people with PTSD—often following war experiences or other severe traumas—and compared their hormonal profiles with those of control subjects.\nA central finding was that PTSD is not simply associated with elevated cortisol, as had long been assumed. On the contrary: many people with chronic PTSD actually exhibit lower basal cortisol levels, but an increased sensitivity of the stress axis to negative feedback. Using dexamethasone suppression tests, the researchers showed that the HPA axis in PTSD often responds more strongly to inhibitory signals. This points to a dysregulated system: the stress response is activated quickly but also abnormally inhibited, which can contribute to hyperalertness, flashbacks, and difficulty recovering from stress.\nThe study also discusses intergenerational and early-life influences. Trauma, especially early in life, can cause lasting changes in stress regulation. These changes influence how an individual responds to stress later in life and can increase vulnerability to PTSD. Yehuda emphasizes that biological markers such as cortisol patterns are not simple diagnostic tools, but they do provide insight into the physiology of trauma.\nThe broader conclusion is that PTSD is associated with specific neuroendocrine patterns rather than a general “overactivation” of stress hormones. This refines the understanding of trauma: it involves a complex dysregulation of stress systems, with implications for treatment, prevention, and research into how trauma is permanently embedded in the body and brain.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/biological-psychiatry/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Ānāpānasati is an ancient Buddhist form of meditation that revolves around attention to the breath. The word comes from Pali:\nānā = inhale apāna = exhale sati = attention or mindfulness Therefore, Ānāpānasati literally means: being attentive to the inhalation and exhalation.\nWhat is the goal of ānāpānasati? # Ānāpānasati is more than a technique to find peace. It is a path of insight and liberation, leading from calmness to deep wisdom (vipassanā). By observing the breath for a prolonged and meticulous period, the mind calms down, distractions disappear, and the transience of all experience becomes visible. ## The Four Stages (Tetrads)\nĀnāpānasati is systematically structured into 16 contemplations, divided into 4 main areas:\n1. Body (kāya) # Awareness of long or short breath Feeling the whole body with the breath Calming the body 2. Feelings (vedanā) # Awareness of joy and happiness Refining feelings Calming feelings 3. Mind (citta) # Observing the mind (sharp, spacious, concentrated) Rejoicing or calming the mind Freeing the mind from distraction 4. Mental Objects (dhamma) # Insight into impermanence, letting go, and the falling away of attachment Leads to liberation (nibbāna) ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/boeddhistische-anapanasati/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Brené Brown spent years researching shame, vulnerability, and human connection. In her book Daring Greatly (2012), she describes how shame is one of the most hidden yet influential emotions people experience.\nAccording to Brown, shame arises when someone believes deep down that they are not good enough. People are afraid of being rejected when others truly see their mistakes, pain, or vulnerability. As a result, many people begin to protect themselves through control, perfectionism, adaptation, or emotional distance.\nBrown makes an important distinction between guilt and shame.\nGuilt is about behavior: I did something wrong.\nShame is about identity: *I am wrong*. It is precisely this conviction that can make people feel small, quiet, and lonely. Brown does not view vulnerability as weakness, but as courage. According to her, genuine connection with others only arises when people dare to be honest about insecurity, sadness, or fear. This requires taking risks, because openness also makes rejection possible.\nCompassion plays an important role in this. People often do not recover by being harder on themselves, but by learning to view themselves with more gentleness and understanding. Connection with others helps greatly in this regard.\nBrown shows that true strength does not arise from perfection or control, but from the willingness to be visibly human — including mistakes, emotions, and vulnerability.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/brown-daring-greatly/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Robin L. Carhart-Harris is one of the most well-known researchers in the field of psilocybin. From Imperial College London and later the University of California San Francisco, he and his team published a long series of studies on the effects of psilocybin in the brain and its application in depression, anxiety, and related disorders.\nA central idea in his work is that psilocybin temporarily reduces the activity of the default mode network (a brain network active during rumination, self-referential thinking, and negative self-images). In depression and PTSD, this network is often overactive. Temporarily loosening fixed patterns can create space for new perspectives and more flexible thinking. In addition, Carhart-Harris investigates how psilocybin increases neuroplasticity (the brain\u0026rsquo;s ability to form new connections). This explains why the period after a session is so therapeutically important. The brain is temporarily more open to learning and reform.\nClinical studies under his supervision showed strong reductions in symptoms in treatment-resistant depression, even compared to classic antidepressants (SSRIs). Direct research on PTSD is more limited, but the mechanism of flexibility and self-compassion aligns with what is needed for trauma processing.\nCarhart-Harris is sometimes interpreted too enthusiastically by the media. His own tone is more cautious: psychedelics are instruments, not miracle cures. According to him, the therapeutic context, preparation, and integration are at least as important as the substance itself. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/carhart-harris-psilocybin/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Hasidic stories are short, often mystical and deeply symbolic narratives originating from the Hasidic tradition within Judaism. They originated primarily in Eastern Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, within the circle of the Hasidic movement which was inspired by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, better known as the Baal Shem Tov (Master of the Good Name).\nWhat makes Chassidic stories special? # 🕯️ They convey spiritual wisdom in an accessible, human way. They are not dry dogmas, but stories that speak to the heart.\n🧭 They often concern ordinary people who come into contact with the divine at an unexpected moment. * 🫀 The emphasis is on inner experience, joy, simplicity, and connection with God in everyday life.\n🪞 They prompt you to self-reflect — often in a gentle yet confronting way.\n💡 Many stories revolve around paradoxes, such as a fool who turns out to be wiser than the rabbi, or a sinner who proves to be closer to God than a devout believer.\nRecurring themes: # The hidden righteous (the tzaddik) The importance of kavanah (inner intention) Finding God in everyday life The power of music, dance, and silence The mystery of prayer A well-known example:\nA student asks the rabbi: “Where does God live?” The rabbi answers: “Where He is let in.” ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/chassidische-verhalen/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Summary of Koch et al. (2019): Dance Movement Therapy and trauma # The article by Sabine C. Koch and colleagues (2019) concerns a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of dance movement therapy (DMT) and other body-oriented movement interventions on psychological functioning, including trauma- and stress-related complaints. The study combines results from multiple studies to determine whether structured, rhythmic movement has a therapeutic effect on emotional regulation, body awareness, and psychological symptoms.\nThe authors conclude that body-oriented forms of movement—such as dance, rhythmic coordination, and expressive movement—can have a measurable positive effect on stress reduction, mood, and interoception (the ability to perceive bodily signals). In people with trauma and PTSD, these interventions appear to work primarily through bottom-up regulation: the body is engaged through rhythm, posture, and movement, allowing the autonomic nervous system to stabilize.\nAn important mechanism described is sensorimotor integration. Through repeated, mindful movements, motor, emotional, and cognitive processes are activated simultaneously. This can help reduce fragmentation—a core problem in trauma. Additionally, rhythm appears to have a regulatory effect on arousal and stress response, comparable to findings from research into breath regulation and co-regulation.\nThe meta-analysis shows that DMT can have significant effects on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and body awareness. Studies for PTSD populations are still limited, but the results point towards improved regulation and a reduction in dissociation.\nKoch and colleagues emphasize that body-oriented interventions are particularly effective when integrated into a broader therapeutic context. They do not replace trauma-focused psychotherapy but can strengthen the physical component of recovery. The research thus supports the growing understanding that trauma must be processed not only cognitively, but also physically.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/dance-movement-therapy-en-trauma/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Alan K. Davis (Johns Hopkins University and later Ohio State University) has been researching the application of psilocybin for depression, anxiety, and loss of meaning for years. His work stands out due to the combination of clinical and qualitative research: he not only measures symptoms but also listens to what participants experience and how they later integrate that experience into their lives.\nIn a major 2020 study published in JAMA Psychiatry, Davis and colleagues showed that two psilocybin sessions combined with psychotherapy led to a rapid and sustained reduction in depressive symptoms in adults with severe depression. A large proportion of the participants were in remission after four weeks.\nA characteristic theme in Davis\u0026rsquo; research is meaning-making. Many participants describe a sense of rediscovered meaning, connection, or a new perspective on life after a psilocybin session. This does not appear to be a side effect, but possibly an active factor. For people with PTSD, moral injury, and existential despair, rediscovering meaning is often key to recovery.\nDavis emphasizes that psilocybin therapy is not an easy path. The experience itself can be intense and confronting, and subsequent integration requires attention and guidance. However, according to his research, for people for whom other treatments have stalled, it can be a valuable addition to the existing range of care.\nDavis advocates for accessible, well-regulated treatment, with attention to the diversity and vulnerability of participants. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/davis-psilocybin-meaning-making/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"The article by the American Diabetes Association (2004) in Diabetes Care provides an overview of the diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus and the underlying pathophysiology. The ADA primarily distinguishes between type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, and several specific forms with genetic or medical causes. The central point is that diabetes is characterized by chronically elevated blood glucose due to problems with insulin production, insulin action, or both.\nType 1 diabetes arises from autoimmune destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas, causing insulin production to cease. Type 2 diabetes—by far the most common form—is characterized by insulin resistance combined with a gradual insulin deficiency. Risk factors include being overweight, lack of physical activity, genetic predisposition, and age. The article describes diagnostic criteria based on fasting glucose values, oral glucose tolerance tests, and symptoms of hyperglycemia. The ADA emphasizes that prolonged elevated glucose leads to microvascular and macrovascular complications: retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Early detection and strict regulation of blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipids are therefore essential. Treatment includes lifestyle interventions (diet, exercise, weight management), medication, and, for type 1, always insulin. Blood glucose self-monitoring and patient education are considered core components of effective care.\nAn important point in the article is that diabetes management must be multidisciplinary and focused on the long term. The condition is viewed not only as a disorder of glucose metabolism but as a systemic disease affecting multiple organs and regulatory systems. Early intervention and consistent treatment can significantly reduce complications and improve quality of life.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/diabetes-care/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Carl Gustav Jung did not view dreams as random images, but as messages from the unconscious. According to Jung, a dream reveals what often remains hidden in daily consciousness. Dreams can therefore help you understand yourself better.\nAn important idea of ​​Jung\u0026rsquo;s is that people have not only a personal unconscious, but also a collective unconscious. Ancient images and patterns are stored within it that recur across cultures. Jung called these images archetypes. Examples include the wise old man, the mother, the hero, or the shadow.\nThe shadow plays a major role in his work. These are parts of yourself that you would rather not see or that you suppress. In dreams, these parts can become visible in symbolic form. According to Jung, it is important not to push that shadow away, but to learn to understand it. That helps with inner growth.\nJung therefore viewed dreams not only as a processing of experiences, but also as an attempt by the psyche to restore balance. A dream can warn, provide direction, or make hidden feelings visible. His work has had a major influence on psychology, spirituality, art, and modern ideas regarding personal development and awareness.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/dreams-and-symbolism/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" The study by Kral et al. (2018) sheds fresh light on the impact of mindfulness meditation on the brain, particularly in people who integrate this practice into their daily lives long-term and intensively. Instead of measuring superficial changes, the research focuses on deep, structural shifts in brain activity and connectivity, and on what this means for attention, emotion, and sense of self. A striking finding is that long-term mindfulness practice leads to a stronger connection between brain regions involved in interoception (feeling your body from within) and regions important for attention and self-regulation. Simply put: people who meditate frequently not only feel what is happening in their bodies better, but they can also stay with it with more focus and calm. The study also examines changes in the default mode network (DMN), the network that is active when we daydream or are preoccupied with ourselves. In experienced meditators, this network is less dominant and more flexible, indicating a less stuck, more open form of self-experience.\nWhat Kral et al. show is that mindfulness not only reduces stress or ‘relaxes,’ but actually rearranges the brain — towards greater presence, embodied self-knowledge, and emotional resilience.\nThis study invites curiosity: what if attention training is not merely incidental, but a key to inner growth and mental health? And how can we apply these insights in therapy, education, or our daily lives?\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/effect-meditation-mindfullness/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Embodied cognition is an approach within cognitive science that posits that thinking does not take place solely in the brain, but in the entire body and in interaction with the environment. Cognition arises from the continuous interplay between the brain, senses, motor skills, and context. According to this view, the classic image of the human being as a brain that processes information separate from the body is too limited.\nA core idea is that perception and action are inextricably linked. What someone perceives is partly determined by what he or she is physically capable of doing. A staircase looks different to a child than to an adult because their bodies have different capabilities. Thinking is therefore not just about manipulating representations in the head, but also about being prepared to act in the world.\nFurthermore, the body influences emotions and decision-making. Posture, breathing, and muscle tension have a direct impact on mood, attention, and risk assessment. Someone who sits tensely thinks differently than someone who moves in a relaxed manner. In this approach, emotions are viewed as physical states that guide thinking, not as purely mental labels.\nThe environment is also part of the cognitive system. Tools such as pen and paper, a computer terminal, or a workbench function as extensions of thinking. By placing things outside the head—notes, diagrams, physical objects—cognitive load is reduced, creating space for more complex reasoning. Cognition is thus distributed across brain, body, and world.\nEmbodied cognition influences various domains. In education, it emphasizes learning by doing and moving. In therapy, the focus lies on bodily regulation alongside conversation. In robotics and artificial intelligence, there is a growing awareness that intelligent behavior is difficult to understand without a body capable of perceiving and acting.\nIn short: thinking is not a standalone process in the head, but a dynamic interplay of body, brain, and environment.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/embodied-cognition/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Born \u0026amp; Fehm (2000) in Endocrine Reviews provide an overview of the interaction between sleep and the endocrine system. Their central point: sleep is not a passive state, but an actively regulated process closely linked to hormonal rhythms. Many hormones follow a circadian pattern and are specifically influenced by different sleep phases, particularly deep sleep (slow-wave sleep).\nThe authors describe how the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), growth hormone, prolactin, melatonin, and cortisol are interconnected with sleep architecture. For instance, growth hormone is primarily released during the first cycles of deep sleep, which is important for recovery and metabolism. Cortisol, on the other hand, drops in the early night and rises towards morning. Sleep disruption—due to stress, shift work, or sleep deprivation—can disrupt these rhythms and lead to elevated cortisol levels, reduced insulin sensitivity, and other metabolic consequences. The article also emphasizes the role of sleep in memory, immune function, and energy balance via hormonal pathways. Chronic sleep disruption can contribute to obesity, mood disorders, and impaired stress regulation. Conversely, hormonal changes (for example, due to stress or illness) can disrupt the sleep structure itself, which can create a vicious cycle.\nBorn and Fehm conclude that healthy sleep is essential for endocrine stability. Sleep deprivation or fragmentation impacts multiple hormonal systems and thereby affects both physical and mental health. The article underscores that sleep and hormonal regulation should be viewed as one integrated system, not as separate processes.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/endocrine-reviews/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"The publication by Meaney and Szyf (2005) describes how early environmental influences—particularly parental care—have long-lasting effects on the regulation of the stress system. Their work is based on animal research, especially in rats, and shows that differences in maternal behavior (such as licking and grooming) cause lasting changes in the stress response of offspring.\nCentral to this is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), the system that regulates the production of stress hormones such as cortisol (in humans). Rat pups that receive a lot of care develop a more efficient negative feedback in this system. This means that their stress response calms down more quickly. Pups that receive less care, on the other hand, show an increased and longer-lasting stress response.\nAccording to the authors, the key to these differences lies in epigenetic mechanisms, particularly DNA methylation. They demonstrate that maternal behavior influences the methylation of the gene encoding the glucocorticoid receptor in the hippocampus. More care leads to less methylation and thus to higher gene expression, resulting in better stress regulation. Less care produces the opposite effect.\nRemarkably, these changes remain stable into adulthood but are not immutable. Experimental interventions were able to partially reverse the epigenetic markers. With this, Meaney and Szyf underscore that genes do not determine a fixed fate: environmental influences “program” biological systems, but plasticity persists.\nThe study provides fundamental evidence that early experiences leave biological traces that influence behavior and stress sensitivity. The work formed an important basis for subsequent studies into the intergenerational transmission of stress and trauma in humans.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/environmental-programming-of-stress-responses/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Expressive Writing: Words That Heal by James W. Pennebaker and John Evans explains how writing about profound or emotionally charged experiences can contribute to both psychological and physical recovery. The book builds on decades of research by Pennebaker, which shows that people often benefit from short, structured writing sessions in which they write down what is bothering them honestly and without censorship. It is not about beautiful writing, grammar, or style, but about giving meaning to experiences.\nThe core message is simple: write about what keeps you awake. By putting thoughts and feelings into words, more order often emerges from chaos. People see connections, recognize patterns, and gain distance from overwhelming emotions. That process can reduce stress and increase mental clarity. The book states that writing is sometimes more effective than talking, because you can explore what is really going on in silence and at your own pace.\nThe authors also describe how to approach this practically. A well-known method is to write for about 15 to 20 minutes over a few days about a difficult event, including facts, emotions, and its impact on your life. It is important that you write privately and be honest. The text does not need to be saved or shared. It is precisely this freedom that makes openness possible.\nAt the same time, the book warns that expressive writing is not a miracle cure. Not everyone benefits in the same way, and professional guidance may be necessary in cases of severe trauma or acute psychological complaints. The book\u0026rsquo;s strongest point is the combination of science and practical applicability: it makes a simple tool accessible that many people can use independently for processing, insight, and resilience.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/expressive-writing/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In August 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an extensive briefing document regarding MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This was prompted by the application from Lykos Therapeutics (formerly MAPS) to officially approve the treatment as a medicine.\nThe FDA experts reviewed the Phase 3 studies by Mitchell and colleagues. Despite the positive results — a large proportion of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD after treatment — the committee identified significant methodological issues. The main objection concerned blinding: participants and therapists could almost always distinguish whether someone had received MDMA or a placebo. This undermines the validity of the outcomes. In addition, the committee had concerns regarding participant selection, reliance on a specific therapy protocol, the reporting of side effects, and signs of potential transgressive behavior within some research settings.\nBased on this assessment, the committee recommended by a majority vote to reject the application. The FDA followed this recommendation. Important to note: the rejection does not mean that MDMA-assisted therapy does not work. It means that better, standardized, and more transparent research is needed before regular approval can follow.\nThe decision has indirect consequences for the European and Dutch situation. FDA approval was often a stepping stone to broader clinical availability. Now, it will take longer for MDMA therapy for PTSD to become available in a regulated setting — although the research will continue. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/fda-briefing-mdma-2024/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In recent years, Allison A. Feduccia has published several review articles with colleagues on MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Feduccia worked for a long time as a researcher at MAPS (later Lykos Therapeutics) and is one of the most referenced voices in this field.\nHer reviews summarize the state of research on three points.\nEfficacy. Several studies — pilot, phase 2, and ultimately phase 3 — consistently show a decrease in PTSD symptoms in participants who received MDMA therapy, even in people for whom previous treatments were insufficient. Effects usually remained visible for months to a year after treatment. Mechanisms of action. Feduccia discusses how MDMA temporarily dampens the activity of the amygdala (the alarm system in the brain), while increasing feelings of connectedness and self-compassion via oxytocin and serotonin. This creates a window in which trauma processing can take place in a less overwhelming way.\nSafety and boundaries. The reviews also mention the risks: temporary increases in heart rate and blood pressure, possible psychological destabilization, and the importance of trained supervisors. Examples of boundary-crossing behavior within research settings are explicitly discussed. Following the FDA rejection in 2024, Feduccia left Lykos and became a critical voice within the field. Her more recent publications advocate for stricter methodology and better protection of participants in future research. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/feduccia-mdma-review/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn describes how mindfulness can help with stress, pain, illness, and emotional overload. The book forms the basis of the MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) program, which is used worldwide in healthcare and therapy.\nKabat-Zinn explains mindfulness as being consciously present in the current moment, without immediately judging or pushing away what you are experiencing. According to him, many people live largely on autopilot: constantly preoccupied with the past, the future, or control. As a result, the body and mind often become chronically tense.\nThe book combines practical exercises with explanations regarding stress, emotions, and physical health. Breathing, meditation, body awareness, and mindful movement help to notice signs of tension sooner and to deal with difficult experiences differently.\nKabat-Zinn emphasizes that mindfulness does not mean that problems disappear or that one must always be calm. It is precisely about learning to remain present with “full life” — including pain, uncertainty, grief, and chaos — without being completely swept away by it.\nThe core of the book is that attention and awareness can create space between stimulus and reaction. This creates more freedom of choice, peace, and resilience, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/full-catastrophe-living/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Haptonomy: Science of Affectivity by Frans Veldman (NL)describes haptonomy as an approach in which feeling, contact, and bodily experience take center stage. Veldman developed his ideas based on observations regarding human touch, safety, and affective connection.\nAccording to Veldman, the way people experience physical and emotional contact has a major influence on their sense of safety, identity, and presence. Loving affirmation and safe touch help a person feel open, connected, and alive. Conversely, a lack of safety or rejection can lead to closure, tension, and withdrawal.\nHaptonomy focuses strongly on the conscious experience of the body and the emotional world. This involves not only emotions but also how a person is literally present within themselves, in contact with others, and in the space around them.\nThe book describes affectivity as a fundamental human quality: the ability to be touched and to touch others in a safe and human way. Touch often plays an important role in this, but always in relation to trust, respect, and attunement. Although the scientific basis for haptonomy is limited and controversial within mainstream science, the approach has had a significant influence in the Netherlands, particularly within guidance regarding pregnancy, care, bodywork, and personal development.\nThe core of Veldman\u0026rsquo;s vision is that human recovery and growth do not proceed solely cognitively, but are deeply connected to bodily experience, safety, contact, and affective connection.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/haptonomy/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In an Unspoken Voice by Peter A. Levine builds upon the ideas from Waking the Tiger. In this book, Levine explains in more detail how trauma affects the brain, body, and emotions, and why recovery is not possible through talking alone.\nAccording to Levine, trauma occurs when the nervous system becomes overwhelmed and remains stuck in a state of threat. The body then continues to react as if the danger is still present. This can manifest as anxiety, tension, anger, dissociation, insomnia, or physical complaints without a clear medical cause.\nLevine emphasizes that trauma is not only stored in memories or thoughts but also in automatic bodily reactions. Therefore, recovery focuses on relearning to feel safe within the body. Small signals such as breathing, posture, tension, or subtle movements play an important role in this.\nThe book describes how people can connect with difficult feelings step by step without becoming overwhelmed again. By gently moving back and forth between activation and rest, the nervous system can slowly discharge and re-regulate. The central message is that recovery is possible when the brain, body, and consciousness become more connected again. Safety, presence, and body awareness form the basis for this.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/in-an-unspoken-voice/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In Search of the Miraculous is a spiritual and philosophical book by P. D. Ouspensky about the teachings of George Ivanovich Gurdjieff. The book describes Ouspensky\u0026rsquo;s quest for deeper knowledge about humanity, consciousness, and inner development.\nThe core of the book is that people usually live in a kind of sleep state. We think we act consciously, but according to Gurdjieff, we often react automatically to habits, emotions, and external influences. True freedom only arises when one learns to observe oneself and live more consciously.\nAn important idea in the book is that humans do not have a fixed “I.” Instead, we consist of many different parts that constantly alternate. As a result, people are inwardly divided and contradictory. Through attention, self-inquiry, and practice, one can develop greater unity.\nThe book also describes various spiritual paths. Gurdjieff calls his method “the fourth way”: a path in which one works inwardly while remaining fully engaged in daily life. The book combines psychology, mysticism, philosophy, and practical exercises. For many readers, it is a confronting yet inspiring work on awareness and human development.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/in-search-of-the-miraculous/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"The study Holocaust exposure induced intergenerational effects on FKBP5 methylation by Yehuda (2016) investigates whether traumatic experiences from the Holocaust can leave biological traces that are visible in subsequent generations. The researchers focused on the FKBP5 gene, which is involved in the regulation of the stress hormone system (the HPA axis). Changes in the regulation of this gene can influence how the body copes with stress.\nThe study compared three groups: Holocaust survivors, their adult children, and a control group without direct Holocaust exposure. In both survivors and their descendants, the researchers found changes in DNA methylation of the FKBP5 gene. Methylation is an epigenetic process that determines how active a gene is without altering the genetic code itself. Notably, the methylation patterns in parents and children were not identical, but were clearly correlated. This points to a form of intergenerational transmission of stress-related biological changes.\nThe results suggest that extreme traumatic experiences can have long-lasting effects on stress regulation, and that these effects remain partially visible in the next generation. The study does not demonstrate deterministic transmission of trauma, but rather an increased sensitivity of the stress system. According to the authors, this may contribute to greater vulnerability to stress-related complaints, depending on later life circumstances and resilience factors.\nImportantly, the researchers emphasize that epigenetic changes remain modifiable. Environmental factors, therapy, and social context can reshape the regulation of the stress system. The study thus provides a biologically substantiated indication that intergenerational trauma can have an impact not only psychologically but also physically, while simultaneously leaving room for recovery and plasticity.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/intergenerational-effects-on-fkbp5-methylation/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" It Didn't Start With You by Mark Wolynn deals with intergenerational trauma: psychological and emotional patterns that you did not cause yourself, but inherited from previous generations. Wolynn argues that inexplicable fears, depressions, relationship problems, or physical complaints can often be traced back to unprocessed experiences of parents, grandparents, or even further back. War, loss, exclusion, violence, or shame leave traces that continue to reverberate within family systems. The core: what is not processed is passed on. This happens through behavior, language, loyalty, and sometimes even through epigenetic changes. People unconsciously adopt roles or beliefs to keep the family system “whole.” As a result, you may carry feelings that do not seem to fit your own life experiences.\nWolynn combines systemic work, trauma therapy, and case studies from his practice. He shows how recurring phrases, persistent fears, or relational patterns often provide an entry point to the origin of the problem. By recognizing and naming that origin, the burden can shift. The goal is not to assign blame, but to see what belongs to you and what does not. That distinction creates space.\nThe book offers concrete steps: mapping out family history, recognizing “core phrases” that drive your inner beliefs, and reformulating them so that you break free from old loyalties. According to Wolynn, recovery occurs when you acknowledge the past, take the right place in the system, and stop carrying what is not yours. This results in greater autonomy, peace, and a more realistic connection with others. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/it-didnt-start-with-you/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"According to Carl Gustav Jung, a person is much larger than the part of themselves that they consciously know. Beneath everyday consciousness, according to him, lies the unconscious: a deeper layer in which feelings, memories, desires, and repressed parts of the personality are hidden.\nAn important concept in his work is the shadow. The shadow consists of traits or emotions that a person would rather not see in themselves. These can be anger, fear, or jealousy, but also strength, spontaneity, or vulnerability. People often suppress these parts because they do not fit with how they want to see themselves or how they think others want to see them.\nJung believed that the shadow often reveals itself through dreams, symbols, and projections onto other people. For example, someone may be strongly annoyed by the behavior of another, while that behavior actually reflects something of a hidden part of themselves.\nIn addition, Jung worked extensively with symbolism. He viewed symbols as bridges between the conscious and the unconscious. According to him, images such as water, mountains, fire, shadows, or ancient sages do not appear by chance. They refer to deeper psychological processes that recur worldwide in stories, religions, and myths.\nAccording to Jung, inner growth does not arise from perfect control, but from awareness. Whoever learns to recognize and tolerate their shadow becomes more fully human and lives less from automatic patterns.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/jung-shadow-symbolism/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Kabbalistic breath meditations are spiritual exercises from the Jewish mystical tradition (the Kabbalah) in which conscious breathing is combined with visualization, sacred sounds (such as Hebrew letters or names of God), and intention (kavanah). The goal is not only relaxation, but the opening of spiritual layers of consciousness and aligning with the inner dimensions of creation.\nIn the Kabbalistic view, breath (neshima) is directly connected to the soul (neshama). Every breath is an opportunity to reconnect with the divine. Breath is not merely physiological, but a channel of spiritual energy.\nHow does it work? # 🕊️ Conscious breathing: Slow, rhythmic breathing helps to quiet the mind. * 🔠 Visualization of Hebrew letters: Some meditations have you, for example, inhale and exhale the letters of the name יהוה (JHWH).\n🧘 Body focus: The energy centers in the body (such as the heart, the forehead, or the pelvis) are consciously felt or activated during breathing.\n🧩 Kabbalistic Tree of Life: Some exercises guide the breath along the sefirot (the 10 energy channels of the Tree of Life).\n✡️ Divine names: The breath is connected to sacred sounds or combinations of letters, such as \u0026ldquo;Eheieh\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;Adonai\u0026rdquo;, or \u0026ldquo;Shaddai\u0026rdquo;.\nWhy do people do this? * To soften the ego # To gain insight To open oneself to the Oneness And often also simply to be more deeply present ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/kabbalistic-breath-meditation/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In 2020, Erwin Krediet and colleagues published a comprehensive review article on psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD and related trauma disorders. The article appeared in a psychiatric scientific journal and is among the most cited Dutch-language contributions to this field.\nKrediet maps out three groups of substances. MDMA is discussed as the best-researched form, with strong effects in pilot and phase 2 studies. Psilocybin and LSD are placed in an earlier research stage, but with promising mechanisms via neuroplasticity and the loosening of rigid thought patterns. Ketamine receives attention due to its existing clinical application in depression and the first indications that it may also help with PTSD symptoms. A strong point of the review is the attention paid to what happens within the session. Krediet emphasizes that the substance alone does not do the work. The therapeutic context, the relationship with the facilitator, the preparation, and the subsequent integration are equally decisive for the result. The authors refer to this as \u0026ldquo;set and setting\u0026rdquo; — a concept from the early psychedelic research tradition.\nThe review concludes with a sober agenda. More and larger studies are needed, with better blinding, longer follow-up, and clear protocols for screening and integration. For the Dutch situation, Krediet advocates for a regulated research setting with sound ethical frameworks, instead of the current grey area of ​​commercial truffle providers. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/krediet-psychedelics-ptss-review/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In the Sufi tradition, there is a form of meditation called Latifa. The word literally means: subtlety, gentleness, or inner refinement. The practice focuses not on control or performance, but on gently opening attention to what lives deep within. It is precisely in this respect that Latifa can be valuable for people with PTSD or Moral Injury.\nIn the case of trauma, the nervous system is often constantly tense. The body remains alert, as if danger is still present. With Moral Injury, something else is often added to this: guilt, shame, loss of trust, or a damaged moral compass. Many people try to suppress that pain, but in doing so, they actually become further removed from themselves.\nLatifa works differently. During the meditation, one focuses attention calmly on various inner layers of experience: the heart, the breath, feelings, memories, and silence. Not to solve everything immediately, but to remain present without judgment with what is felt. That requires gentleness instead of struggle. That is where the seven dimensions of meaning-making touch upon the exercise.\nAcceptance begins with acknowledging what is truly there, without pushing yourself away. Desire is about the realization that, despite everything, life and direction are still present within a person. Hope often arises in a very small way: a moment of calm, a deepening breath. Trust grows slowly when the body notices that silence does not always mean danger. Letting go does not mean forgetting, but stopping the constant inner tension. Love appears when gentleness towards yourself and others can return. And ultimately, willing emerges again: the readiness to participate in life once more. The Latifa is therefore not a quick fix. It is rather a quiet path back to humanity, connection, and inner space. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/latifa/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Live! a small book written by one of my teachers during my training at the Pulsa Academy: Jan de Dreu, offers original and proven ingredients to let you be guided and surprised by your answers to your life questions. The knowledge presented in these eight uplifting pointers relates to various aspects of our daily lives.\nask yourself what you want to learn now accept all that is wrestle with your most dominant shortcoming be still, and listen dare to be special, peculiar, and unpredictable let go of the old baggage be kind to the other say what you want and receive the answer ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/leef/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Brett T. Litz is one of the leading researchers regarding the concept of “moral injury.” His work focuses primarily on military personnel, veterans, and other professions where people are confronted with situations that conflict with their moral convictions.\nOne of the best-known publications is:\nMoral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans\nIn this work, Litz and colleagues describe moral injury as the psychological, social, and spiritual damage that occurs when someone:\npersonally does something that goes against their own values,\nwitnesses serious moral transgressions,\nor feels betrayed by leaders or institutions.\nAccording to Litz, moral injury goes beyond anxiety trauma or classic PTSD. Guilt, shame, self-condemnation, loss of trust, and loss of meaning are central. People may get the feeling that they no longer fit within their own moral worldview. In this article, Litz also describes a model in which recovery revolves not only around symptom reduction, but also around:\nrecognition, responsibility, grief, self-compassion, restoration of connection, and finding meaning anew. Litz emphasizes that moral injury is not the same as a psychiatric disorder. It is often an existential and moral wound. Therefore, recovery requires more than just exposure or symptom treatment; ethics, community, identity, and human relationships also play a major role.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/litz/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In Man\u0026rsquo;s Search For Meaning, Viktor Frankl shows that people can find meaning even under the most severe circumstances. His ideas were shaped by his experiences in concentration camps during the Second World War. There, he saw that people live not only on food or safety, but also on hope and a purpose.\nAccording to Frankl, the most important human drive is not pleasure or power, but the search for meaning. Whoever knows what they live for can endure much. Meaning is not something general that is the same for everyone. Every person must discover it for themselves in the concrete situation of the moment.\nFrankl names three paths to meaning. The first is creating or doing something valuable, such as working, caring, or contributing. The second is love and experiencing beauty, nature, or art. The third is the attitude one chooses towards inevitable suffering. If pain cannot be changed, freedom remains in the way one deals with it.\nAn important concept in the book is responsibility. According to Frankl, freedom does not mean doing what you want, but responding to what life asks of you. People are not playthings of circumstances. There always remains room to make an inner choice.\nThe message of the book is hopeful and realistic. Suffering is not romanticized, but seen as part of existence. At the same time, Frankl emphasizes that a person is more than their past or their pain. Meaning, dignity, and direction remain possible, even in difficult times.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/mans-search-for-meaning/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" The studies by Mitchell and colleagues (2021 and 2023) investigated the effect of MDMA-assisted therapy in people with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This involved people who had often had symptoms for years and for whom previous treatments were insufficient. In the study, participants received multiple therapy sessions combined with controlled administration of MDMA. During these sessions, participants were guided by specially trained therapists. Additionally, there were preparatory conversations and integration sessions afterwards. The control group received therapy with a placebo or a very low dose of MDMA.\nThe results were striking. Many participants showed a strong decrease in PTSD symptoms. A large proportion no longer even met the criteria for PTSD after the program ended. Symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal also often decreased. The effects remained visible in many participants for months afterward. According to the researchers, MDMA likely helps by reducing feelings of anxiety and mistrust. As a result, people can look back on traumatic experiences more safely without immediately becoming overwhelmed. At the same time, feelings of connectedness, self-compassion, and trust actually seem to increase. This can deepen the therapeutic process.\nThe studies show that MDMA-assisted therapy is promising for people with severe PTSD. At the same time, the researchers emphasize that this treatment can only be safely applied within a professional therapeutic setting with medical supervision.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/mdma-assisted-therapy/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Rosenbaum et al. (2015) in Metabolism investigated how changes in body weight, particularly weight loss, affect energy metabolism and hormonal regulation. The article builds upon previous work showing that the body actively “defends” against weight loss. When people lose weight, energy expenditure and certain hormone levels drop more sharply than one would expect based on lower body weight alone. This phenomenon is often referred to as “adaptive thermogenesis.”\nThe authors describe how the body becomes more efficient after weight loss: resting metabolism, spontaneous activity, and thermic response to food decrease. At the same time, hormones involved in hunger and satiety change. Leptin decreases, which can intensify feelings of hunger and further reduce energy expenditure. Thyroid hormones and sympathetic nervous activity can also change, causing the body to consume fewer calories. Together, these adaptations increase the likelihood of weight gain after a diet. The article also discusses the role of the brain, particularly hypothalamic circuits that regulate energy intake and expenditure. The body appears to have a “setpoint” for weight that it attempts to maintain via hormonal and neural signals. After weight loss, this system often remains set to the previous, higher weight, making relapse biologically more likely.\nImportantly, these reactions can persist for a long time. Even when someone successfully loses weight, the metabolic and hormonal adaptations persist and make weight maintenance difficult. The authors conclude that obesity and weight regulation are not only behavioral issues but are also strongly biologically driven. Effective treatment must therefore take these adaptive counter-reactions of the body into account.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/metabolism/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In Molecules of Emotion (1997), Candace Pert takes us on a fascinating journey through the body and mind and how the two are intertwined much more deeply than we ever thought. As a neuroscientist, Pert discovered the opioid receptor in the brain in the 1970s, which led her to a groundbreaking vision of emotions: they are not vague inner states, but concrete biochemical processes taking place throughout the entire body.\nHer core idea is that emotions are driven by neuropeptides, small molecules that act as messengers between the brain and the body. These molecules (and their associated receptors) are found not only in the brain, but also in the immune system, the gut, and the heart. In other words: your entire body feels and thinks along.\nPert argues that body and mind are not two separate domains, but one integrated system. According to her, the separation traditionally maintained by Western medicine between the physical and the mental, between doctor and patient, is untenable. Molecules of Emotion is therefore more than a scientific book: it is a plea for a new, holistic approach to health, in which emotions, consciousness, and bodily processes are understood together.\nThe tone of the book is personal and inquisitive. Pert combines scientific explanations with stories from her own life and research. In doing so, she invites the reader to look with fresh eyes at stress, illness, healing, and especially at the power of the feeling body.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/molecules-of-emotion/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans (2009), Litz and colleagues focus attention on a form of inner suffering that has long remained underexposed: moral injury. While post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) primarily revolves around fear and survival stress, moral injury describes the deep psychological pain that arises when someone does—or fails to do—something that goes against their moral compass. Think of killing civilians, being unable to prevent violence, or experiencing betrayal by leaders.\nThe authors argue that moral injury carries a different emotional charge than classic traumas: it is not about ‘danger’, but about guilt, shame, loss of trust, and meaning. This can lead to depression, isolation, self-contempt, and existential confusion. The moral self-image is damaged—and with it, the ability to give meaning to one’s own life and actions. Important in the study is the plea for moral repair: recovery requires not only therapy, but also recognition, forgiveness (of oneself or others), responsibility, and the rediscovery of a moral compass. This process is deeply human and often relational: listening without judgment, bearing witness to the suffering, offering space for truth.\nThis study opens an important window onto what war (and other extreme experiences) can do to a person, beyond diagnostic codes. *Moral injury* shows that recovery sometimes does not begin with forgetting what was, but with daring to face it — and reconnecting with who you are at your deepest core. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/moral-injury-and-moral-repair-in-war-veterans/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In Shame and Pride, Donald Nathanson describes shame as one of the most defining human emotions. According to Nathanson, shame arises when a sense of connection, appreciation, or pride is suddenly interrupted. A person feels rejected, inadequate, or perceived in a painful way.\nAccording to him, shame touches directly on identity. It is not just about what someone does, but primarily about how someone perceives themselves in relation to others. As a result, shame can have a deep and lasting impact.\nNathanson describes that people often react automatically to shame without being aware of it. He names four common reactions:\nwithdrawing and avoiding attacking oneself attacking others pretending nothing is wrong These reactions provide temporary protection against pain, but can damage relationships and self-image if they persist for a long time.\nIn addition, Nathanson shows that pride and shame are closely connected. People have a need for recognition, connection, and dignity. When those needs are met in a healthy way, healthy pride and self-confidence emerge. When connection is lost or humiliation occurs, shame grows.\nAccording to Nathanson, recovery is only possible when shame is recognized and discussed. People need safe relationships in which they do not have to hide themselves. Only then can shame slowly transform into greater self-acceptance, connection, and emotional freedom.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/nathanson-shame-and-pride/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Barry Krakow became known for his research into nightmares in relation to trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He investigated why traumatic dreams often keep recurring and how people can learn to cope with them better.\nAccording to Krakow, nightmares are not just an annoying symptom, but a sign that the brain is getting stuck in the processing of fear and stress. People repeatedly experience feelings of danger, powerlessness, or threat in their sleep. As a result, sleep quality is also severely disrupted.\nAn important method from his work is Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT). In this method, a person writes down a recurring nightmare and then consciously changes the course of the dream. For example, the dream is given a safer, calmer, or more powerful ending. Afterward, the person regularly practices this new dream image in their mind during the day.\nThe goal is not to deny what happened, but to allow the brain to experience new possibilities. Research shows that this method reduces the frequency and intensity of nightmares in many people. Krakow also emphasizes that sleep is an important part of trauma recovery. Poor sleep often exacerbates anxiety, tension, and emotional dysregulation, whereas better sleep actually supports recovery.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/nightmares-in-relation-to-trauma/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In 2013, Peter Oehen and colleagues published the first pilot study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy outside the United States. The Swiss study focused on people with treatment-resistant PTSD, a group for whom previous treatments were insufficient.\nTwelve participants received three experimental sessions, combined with intensive therapeutic guidance. Half received a full dose of MDMA, while the other half received a very low dose as an active placebo. Before and after the treatment, the severity of PTSD symptoms was measured using standardized instruments.\nThe results were encouraging, but cautious. Participants in the group that received the active dose showed, on average, a stronger reduction in symptoms than the placebo group. However, the difference was not as large as in later, larger studies. The researchers themselves noted that a dose of 25 mg, originally intended as a placebo, might already have a mild therapeutic effect.\nAn important outcome was that the treatment proved to be safe. There were no serious side effects, and participants indicated that the sessions—despite their intensity—were perceived as valuable. A one-year follow-up showed that some of the participants retained the benefits.\nOehen\u0026rsquo;s study constituted an important step towards the later phase 2 and phase 3 trials of MAPS. It demonstrated that the protocol was also workable in a European, non-MAPS context, and that the efficacy was not solely attributable to the American research tradition. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/oehen-mdma-pilot-2013/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" The parables of Jesus are short, powerful stories that do more than simply inform. They invite reflection, wonder and inner movement. Rather than theological arguments, Jesus chose images from everyday life: a sower, a shepherd, a merchant, a father. This simplicity makes them accessible, while their layers of meaning are timeless and profound. Parables are not intended to give clear-cut answers, but rather to awaken consciousness. Jesus used this form to confront his listeners with their assumptions, to provoke new ways of thinking and to make a spiritual reality tangible.\n🌾 Well-known parables of Jesus # Parable Theme The Sower (Matthew 13) How the word of God is received differently — depending on the \u0026ldquo;soil\u0026rdquo; of a person\u0026rsquo;s heart. The Prodigal Son (Luke 15) Forgiveness, homecoming and the abundant love of the father (God). The Good Samaritan (Luke 10) True love of neighbour sometimes comes from unexpected places. The Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20) Divine justice is not the same as human merit. The Hidden Treasure \u0026amp; The Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13) The kingdom of God is precious and calls for complete surrender. The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18) Whoever receives forgiveness ought also to give forgiveness. The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13) The kingdom begins small but grows powerfully. The Ten Virgins (Matthew 25) Stay awake, be prepared for what is to come. The Lost Coin (Luke 15) The joy of finding something precious — an image of God\u0026rsquo;s joy over repentance. Why parables? # Jesus spoke in parables to make people think. They form a bridge between the visible and the invisible, the earthly and the heavenly. They invite inner work, much as mystical traditions do: through experience, not through reason alone.\nThe true power of a parable lies in the question it leaves behind, not the answer it provides.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/parabels-of-jesus/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In their influential 2004 article, Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun describe the concept of Post-Traumatic Growth. By this, they mean positive psychological changes that sometimes occur after a profound or shocking event. Importantly, this growth does not arise from the trauma itself, but from the struggle with what has happened.\nA trauma can shake up a person\u0026rsquo;s old beliefs. Ideas such as “the world is safe,” “I am in control,” or “I know who I am” can fall away. This creates a period of uncertainty, grief, and confusion. Growth can arise precisely in the process of reflecting, feeling, processing, and finding direction anew. Tedeschi and Calhoun name five areas in which this growth often becomes visible:\ngreater appreciation for life deeper and more honest relationships more inner strength new possibilities and choices spiritual or existential deepening The authors also emphasize that growth and pain can coexist. Someone may still suffer from anxiety, grief, or stress symptoms, and yet notice that something positive has changed. Growth, therefore, does not mean that the damage has disappeared.\nNot everyone experiences post-traumatic growth. Factors such as social support, safety, and time and space for processing play an important role. It is therefore not a mandatory final destination and not proof of success.\nThe core of the article is clear: trauma is not the teacher. The way someone deals with disruption can sometimes lead to greater depth, wisdom, and conscious living.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/post-traumatic-growth/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Summary of Yehuda (2015): Post-traumatic stress disorder # In the review article Post-traumatic stress disorder (2015), neurobiologist and psychiatrist Rachel Yehuda describes the neurobiological and psychological mechanisms underlying PTSD. The article compiles decades of research into stress regulation, hormones, memory, and intergenerational effects of trauma.\nYehuda emphasizes that PTSD is not merely a psychological reaction, but a dysregulation of the stress system. In particular, the HPA axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis), which regulates the production of the stress hormone cortisol, functions differently in people with PTSD. Instead of chronically elevated cortisol levels, as was long assumed, many people with PTSD actually exhibit lower basal cortisol levels in combination with a hypersensitive stress response. This points to disrupted negative feedback in the stress system.\nAdditionally, Yehuda discusses changes in brain regions involved in threat detection and emotion regulation, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. These networks play a role in retaining trauma memories and the difficulty in dampening stress responses. The concept of intergenerational transmission is also addressed: traumatic experiences can influence stress regulation in subsequent generations through epigenetic and relational processes.\nThe article emphasizes that effective treatment of PTSD must address both psychological and biological components. Trauma-focused therapies, medication, sleep restoration, and interventions that regulate the nervous system can all contribute to recovery. According to Yehuda, PTSD is not a static condition, but a dynamic dysregulation of stress and memory systems that, with the right interventions, can also change.\nThe work forms an important basis for the current understanding of PTSD as an interplay of body, brain, and experience.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"The Psychology of Religion and Coping by Kenneth Pargament\nWhy do some people turn to religion to cope with a crisis, while others turn away from it?\nIs religious belief merely a defense mechanism or a form of denial?\nIs spirituality a help or a hindrance in stressful times?\nThis book builds a much-needed bridge between two different worlds of thought and practice, namely religion and psychology, and it sensitively combines theory with personal experiences, clinical insights, and scientific research.\nThe book emphasizes the need for more attention to religion and spirituality in the context of helping relationships and suggests various ways in which faith can be better utilized to help people in crisis. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/psychology-of-religion-and-coping/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Pruessner et al. (2007) in Psychoneuroendocrinology investigated how chronic stress is associated with changes in the brain, particularly the hippocampus, and with the regulation of cortisol. The study builds upon earlier work showing that prolonged exposure to stress hormones can have structural and functional effects on brain regions involved in memory, emotion regulation, and stress response.\nThe authors focused on healthy adults and examined differences in cortisol reactivity (via stress protocols and saliva measurements) and brain structure (via MRI). A key finding was that individuals with elevated or long-term dysregulated cortisol levels often showed a smaller hippocampal volume. The hippocampus plays a crucial role in inhibiting the stress axis (HPA axis). When this area functions less effectively, it can lead to a vicious cycle: poorer inhibition of the stress response → more cortisol → further impact on brain structure.\nThe article also discusses individual differences in vulnerability. Not everyone experiencing stress experiences the same neurobiological consequences. Factors such as early life stress, genetic predisposition, and coping style influence how strongly the HPA axis responds and how well recovery occurs after stress.\nImportantly, the authors are cautious regarding causality. A smaller hippocampus can be both a consequence and a risk factor for increased stress sensitivity. The study supports the idea that chronic stress has an impact that is not only psychological but also measurably biological.\nThe broader implication: prolonged stress has tangible neuroendocrine consequences. Therefore, stress prevention and regulation are not only mentally relevant but also structural for brain health.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/psychoneuroendocrinology/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Lovallo et al. (2005) in Psychosomatic Medicine investigated how early life stress relates to later regulation of the stress response, specifically the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) and cortisol responses. The study focused on healthy young adults without clinical disorders, but with varying levels of reported childhood stress, such as neglect, conflict, or unpredictable home situations. The aim was to see whether early experiences leave lasting traces in physiological stress responses.\nThe researchers used standardized stress protocols (such as mental arithmetic tasks and social evaluation) and measured cortisol via saliva. A central finding was that individuals with higher levels of early stress often exhibited a flattened or reduced cortisol response to acute stress. This does not indicate a “stronger” stress response, but rather a system that is tuned differently. Chronic exposure to stress in childhood can modify the HPA axis in such a way that later responses are dampened or dysregulated. Such a pattern is seen as a potential risk factor for later problems with mood, impulse control, and addiction.\nThe article discusses that these changes are subtle and variable. Not everyone with early stress develops the same physiological patterns; genetic predisposition, later environment, and coping play a role. Nevertheless, the results support the idea that stress regulation is partly “programmed” by early experiences.\nThe broader implication is that psychosocial circumstances in childhood can have measurable effects on adult stress biology, even in seemingly healthy people. This reinforces the insight that prevention and early intervention are important, because prolonged stress during developmental stages can cause lasting adaptations in neuroendocrine systems.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/psychosomatic-medicine/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"The Pulsar vision assumes that everything in our lives is, and ought to be, continuously in motion. The art is to (want to) see this continuous movement time and again and to want to learn from the insights provided by it. The Pulsar vision focuses on sustainable change: much attention is given to people\u0026rsquo;s ability to change themselves. It concerns a profound change, integrated within the individual or organization, towards a larger and more creative living space.\nMore information about this subject is only available in Dutch.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/pulsar-vision/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In the study Putting Feelings into Words (2007), Matthew Lieberman and his colleagues investigate a phenomenon that many already know intuitively: it helps to put your feelings into words. But this study makes it visible in the brain. Using fMRI scans, the researchers discovered that naming emotions — also known as *affect labeling* — leads to a calming effect on the amygdala, the brain region involved in emotional responses such as fear and anger. When subjects name a negative emotion (“I feel angry” or “I am sad”), activity in the amygdala decreases. At the same time, activity increases in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, an area associated with self-reflection and regulation. Simply put: verbalizing feelings creates more inner peace and clarity. What makes this study so special is that it provides neurological evidence for something that has long been applied in therapy, meditation, and even friendship: putting words to what you feel has a healing effect. It is not suppression or analysis, but a direct way to get a grip on inner chaos.\nPutting Feelings into Words thus offers more than scientific insights — it is a confirmation of something fundamentally human. Emotions want to be felt, but also seen and acknowledged. And sometimes that simply begins with daring to say: “I feel this way.” That small act of language turns out to be a key to regulation, connection, and change.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/putting-feelings-into-words/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In 2020, an authoritative review article by Collin M. Reiff and colleagues on psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy appeared in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The article was written on behalf of the Research Working Group of the American Psychiatric Association — an important signal that the mainstream of psychiatry has started taking the subject seriously.\nThe authors discuss five substances that were most researched at the time: MDMA, psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, and ibogaine. For each substance, the mechanisms of action, clinical applications, effect sizes, and side effects are listed.\nRegarding PTSD, it is notable that MDMA is already further along in research than the other substances. For depression, psilocybin studies are promising, especially in people with a life-threatening illness or treatment-resistant depression. For addiction problems, research into ibogaine and ayahuasca is described, but the evidence in this area is still limited.\nAn important merit of the article is the attention paid to warnings. Reiff and colleagues emphasize risks for people with psychotic vulnerability, the importance of careful screening, the role of set and setting, and the fact that many available studies are small and employ strict selection criteria. The results therefore cannot simply be translated to the broader population.\nFor many psychiatrists, the article was their first systematic introduction to this field. It set the tone for later guidelines and discussions within American professional associations, and has since been widely cited internationally. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/reiff-psychedelics-psychotherapy/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Research at the University of Amsterdam into what is popularly called the “head-heart-gut” idea actually falls under several serious research fields: cognitive neuroscience, psychoneuroimmunology, and the so-called gut-brain axis. The UvA uses those terms, not the model of three separate brains. Central to UvA research is the interaction between brain, body, and behavior. A significant part focuses on the gut-brain axis: the enteric nervous system in the intestines, the microbiome, and their influence on stress, mood, and cognitive functions. Researchers investigate how gut bacteria send signals to the brain via immune responses, hormones, and the vagus nerve. These processes prove relevant to depression, anxiety, and stress regulation. It is not a matter of a “gut brain” that thinks independently, but rather a complex feedback system between peripheral nervous systems and the central nervous system. A second line of research investigates the role of body signals such as heart rate and breathing in emotion and decision-making. Within cognitive and affective neuroscience at the UvA, for example, researchers look at heart rate variability (HRV) and interoception: how well people perceive internal body signals and how this relates to stress, trauma, and emotional regulation. These studies show that heart and respiratory signals influence brain activity and vice versa. In this context, the heart functions as part of a regulatory system, not as a separate brain.\nThe UvA places these findings within an integrated model of body and brain. The nervous system, the immune system, and hormonal systems together form a network that influences behavior and mental health. The popular metaphor of three brains can sometimes be helpful in therapy or coaching, but is not used literally in academic research. Instead, one speaks of mutual regulation between brain, body, and environment. In short: UvA research confirms strong bidirectional communication between the brain, heart, and gut. However, the idea of ​​multiple “brains” is primarily a simplified metaphor for a complex, integrated biological system.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/research-uva/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Summary of LeDoux (2012): Rethinking the Emotional Brain # In his 2012 article, Joseph LeDoux reformulates the way we view the “emotional brain” and, in particular, the role of fear and threat responses. LeDoux, a leading neuroscientist, focuses on the neurobiology of threat detection and the associated defense responses of the nervous system, not primarily on ‘fear’ as a conscious emotion, but on the automatic processes that prepare the body for survival.\nCentral to this work is the idea that stimuli that are originally meaningless can acquire meanings of danger through association with real threats. A process that is often studied via Pavlovian threat conditioning. In this process, the brain links a cue (for example, sound or image) to an aversive experience, causing the same cue to automatically trigger a defense response later, even without conscious experience of fear. LeDoux emphasizes that the neural circuits enabling these automatic responses (particularly within the amygdala and related subcortical systems) do not automatically cause the conscious emotion of ‘fear’. Instead, they influence physiological and behavioral responses to threat. These circuits operate independently of the higher cognitive interpretation of experience, which takes place in other brain regions (such as the prefrontal cortex).\nThis is relevant for trauma research because it highlights that survival responses are deeply rooted in the nervous system and often lie beyond conscious control. It explains why trauma responses can persist physically, regardless of what someone rationally knows or says.\nIn LeDoux’s view, this means that effective therapies must address both automatic (body \u0026amp; circuit level) and conscious (cognitive) processes.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/rethinking-the-emotional-brain/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In her influential article Six Views of Embodied Cognition (2002), Margaret Wilson outlines six different perspectives that together shape the growing field of embodied cognition. In doing so, she challenges the classic idea that cognition takes place primarily ‘in the head,’ separate from the body and environment. Instead, she examines how thinking arises from and depends on our bodily experiences, motor actions, and the world around us.\nThe six views she discusses range from the role of bodily interaction in cognitive processes to the proposition that our brain and our environment work together as a single system. Some approaches emphasize how perception and action directly influence each other, without the need for ‘abstract thinking’ to intervene. Others emphasize how we form mental representations based on sensorimotor experiences.\nWilson is critical and analytical: she evaluates the strengths and limitations of each perspective. Her conclusion is nuanced. Not all ideas under the banner of embodied cognition are equally convincing or empirically substantiated, but together they form a powerful alternative to traditional cognitive science. She particularly emphasizes the importance of further research that takes these bodily dimensions of thinking seriously.\nThis article invites reconsideration: what if thinking is less of a ‘head matter’ and more of a dance between brain, body, and world? Wilson’s overview is clear, thought-provoking, and forms an excellent starting point for anyone wishing to delve into the embodied mind.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/six-views-of-embodied-cognition/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" SSufi breathing exercises are part of an ancient mystical tradition in which breath is seen as a bridge between the material and the divine. Within Sufism — the inner path of Islam — breath (nafas) is not merely a physiological phenomenon, but a spiritual vehicle: every breath is an opportunity to draw closer to God (Allah).\nImportance of breath in Sufism # Breath plays a central role in spiritual awakening. Sufi masters emphasize that awareness of the breath opens the heart, softens the ego, and purifies the soul.\nIn some Sufi orders (such as the Naqshbandiyya or Mevlevi), breathing techniques are linked to specific dhikr practices (repetition of God\u0026rsquo;s names). The goal is presence in the moment and the penetration of the divine into every cell of the body.\nExamples of Sufi breathing exercises # 1. Conscious breathing with God\u0026rsquo;s name # On the inhalation: Allaaah silently think or whisper On the exhalation: silence, or Hu (the inner name of God) ​​This breathing is often combined with heart focus: as if you are breathing through your heart. 2. Four-part breathing # Inhale → hold → exhale → silence Each phase can be accompanied by a mantra or inner prayer 3. Breath and movement # In the Mevlevi dance (the whirling dervishes), breathing is connected with rhythm, surrender, and centering in the heart. These exercises do not constitute dogma but an invitation to stillness, connection, and surrender. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/sufi-breathing-exercises/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Sufi parables are short, often poetic stories used within the Sufi tradition, the mystical branch of Islam. They appear simple, but contain multiple layers of meaning. These stories are not told to explain something, but to awaken the spirit and touch the heart. What makes Sufi parables special?\n🌙 They invite insight through experience, not through reasoning.\n🧩 They are full of paradoxes and unexpected twists that break logical patterns.\n💫 They appeal to inner knowing, rather than intellectual understanding.\n🌾 They are often funny or playful, but have a deep, spiritual undertone. 🔍 They invite the listener to reflection, as if the true meaning is only unveiled later.\nRecurring themes:\nThe search for the true Self\nThe illusion of separateness\nThe folly of the ego\nThe hiddenness of the divine in the everyday\nThe role of the master (the sheikh) and the disciple\nA well-known example (often attributed to Nasreddin Hodja):\nNasreddin searches for his key under a lamppost. “Did you lose it here?” someone asks. “No,” he says, “but the light is better here.”\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/sufi-parables/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In Shame and Guilt, Tangney and Dearing investigated the difference between shame and guilt. Although these emotions are often used interchangeably, they show that psychologically, they involve two distinct experiences.\nAccording to their research, guilt focuses primarily on behavior. A person thinks:\n“I did something wrong.”\nShame focuses on the person themselves:\n“There is something wrong with me.”\nThat difference has major consequences. Guilt can help people take responsibility, apologize, or change their behavior. Shame more often leads to withdrawal, self-criticism, avoidance, or anger.\nTangney and Dearing describe that shame is often associated with a negative self-image and psychological complaints such as depression, anxiety, and relationship problems. People feel smaller, inferior, or rejected. As a result, open contact with others becomes more difficult. Guilt is usually less destructive because the focus lies on a concrete action rather than on the person\u0026rsquo;s identity.\nThe researchers emphasize that healthy development requires gentleness and realistic responsibility. People do not have to be perfect to remain valuable.\nTheir work has become important within trauma therapy and research into moral injury, because many people after trauma struggle not only with what they did, but especially with who they think they have become.\n← Back t\n","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/tangney-dearing-shame-and-guilt/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Guyton \u0026amp; Hall’s Textbook of Medical Physiology is a standard work in medicine that explains the functioning of the human body systematically and mechanistically. Originally developed by Arthur C. Guyton and later revised by John E. Hall, the book emphasizes cause-and-effect relationships and the integration between organ systems.\nThe core is homeostasis: the body maintains stable internal conditions via tightly regulated feedback mechanisms. The book first covers the basics – cell membrane physiology, transport mechanisms, action potentials – and then builds up to organ systems such as the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, and nervous systems. Each system is explained not only anatomically but, above all, functionally: how is blood pressure regulated, how does ventilation adapt to exertion, and how do the kidneys control fluid and electrolyte balance?\nA strong point is the quantitative approach. Guyton \u0026amp; Hall use diagrams, graphs, and conceptual models to make regulation understandable. The kidney, for example, receives extensive attention as the central regulator of blood volume and blood pressure. The interaction between the nervous system and hormones also recurs throughout: rapid neural control versus slower hormonal modulation.\nPathophysiology is linked to normal physiology. Many chapters show how disturbances in one link—for example, insulin deficiency or reduced cardiac output—cause cascades in other systems. This provides insight into disease as a dysregulation of normal regulatory mechanisms.\nIn short, the book offers an integrated and analytical framework for understanding the human body. The focus is not on isolated facts, but on interconnected regulatory systems.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/textbook-of-medical-physiology/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"The Aftermath of Violence — From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror by Judith Lewis Herman examines the long-term consequences of violence, abuse, and terror on individuals and societies. The book builds upon her earlier work on trauma and places a strong emphasis on power, insecurity, and human relationships.\nHerman shows that violence often causes not only physical harm but also a deep erosion of trust, identity, and belonging. This applies to domestic violence as well as war, torture, and political oppression. Victims often lose their sense of safety and control over their own lives.\nAn important theme is that trauma often arises within relationships or systems where dependency and power play a role. As a result, people are wounded not only by what happens but also by betrayal, silence, or denial from those around them.\nThe book emphasizes that recovery is not just an individual process. Recognition by others, social support, and civic responsibility play a major role. Without recognition, victims often remain isolated, and shame and mistrust can persist. The central message is that violence damages human connection, but that recovery becomes possible precisely through safety, truth, community, and the rebuilding of relationships and meaning.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-aftermath-of-violence/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In The Body Keeps the Score (2014), psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk shows how deeply trauma takes root in body and mind and how it can disrupt our perception, relationships, and sense of self. He draws on decades of clinical work, brain research, and personal stories to make clear: trauma is not a ‘past’ that is over, but an experience that becomes fixed in the nervous system and is relived over and over again, often without words.\nVan der Kolk explains how the brain changes under trauma: the amygdala remains hyperactive, the language center often partially shuts down, and the capacity for self-regulation becomes disrupted. This explains why talking alone does not always help. The body must be included in the healing process; after all, it knows what happened.\nIn addition to traditional therapies, he explores alternative routes to recovery, such as EMDR, yoga, neurofeedback, and body-oriented therapy. What these approaches have in common is that they help to experience the body as safe again, and to remove the nervous system from a constant state of threat.\nThe book is deeply human and at the same time scientifically grounded. Van der Kolk writes with compassion and urgency, and he shows that healing is possible not by thinking away the trauma, but by gradually integrating it.\nThe Body Keeps the Score is a powerful invitation to understand trauma as a bodily reality, and recovery as something that begins with safety, connection, and rediscovering the self, within the body.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-body-keeps-the-score/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In The Developing Mind, Daniel Siegel compellingly brings together brain science, psychology, and attachment theory to create a new understanding of how our mind originates and takes shape. His central question: how do the body, brain, and relationships together develop the self and consciousness? Siegel argues that the brain is not a standalone organ, but is deeply interwoven with our social experiences. The mind lives in connection with our body *and* with others. A core concept in the book is integration: the ability to connect different parts of the brain, and of our experience, into a coherent whole. A well-integrated brain can respond flexibly, regulate emotions, and form meaningful relationships. But if integration falters, for example due to trauma, neglect, or insecure attachment, development becomes unbalanced.\nSiegel connects neurobiological insights with practical examples from parenting, therapy, and daily life. In this way, he shows how secure relationships literally shape the wiring of the young brain, and how empathy, reflection, and connection contribute to a healthy mind. His approach, known as interpersonal neurobiology, advocates for a holistic view of human functioning.\nThe Developing Mind is not dry science, but an invitation to look deeper: at how our brain grows, how our mind is shaped, and how important relationships are in this process. Whoever reads it gains not only more insight into child development, but also into the vulnerable, powerful dynamics of being human itself.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-developing-mind/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" The Embodied Mind by Francisco Varela, Evan Thompson, and Eleanor Rosch is a groundbreaking work that connects Western cognitive science and Buddhist philosophy. The central message? Cognition is not something that takes place solely in our heads; it arises in the interaction between body, brain, and environment. Knowing is not an objective record of an ‘external world’, but a process of embodied engagement: we know the world because we act within it. The authors criticize the traditional view of the mind as a kind of computer that processes input. Instead, they introduce the concept of enactivism: meaning does not arise from the outside, but is actively created in the relationship between observer and world. Our consciousness is therefore always situated, dependent on context, bodily experience, and history. What makes this book special is how it connects insights from phenomenology (particularly Husserl and Merleau-Ponty) with Buddhist meditation practices. The authors advocate for neurophenomenology: an approach in which subjective experience is examined from within, alongside objective measurements of the brain. In this context, meditation is not viewed as airy-fairy, but as a serious method for getting to know the mind from within.\nThe Embodied Mind invites wonder: about what consciousness truly is, how we know what we know, and how we can learn to look differently not only at ourselves, but also at science. The book challenges, disrupts, and opens a path to a more embodied understanding of the human mind.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-embodied-mind/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In the Energetic Heart (2009), Rollin McCraty and his team at the HeartMath Institute explore an intriguing perspective: the heart is not just a pump, but also an intelligent, communicative, and energetic center. The study shows that the heart emits a powerful electromagnetic field — the largest of all organs — and that this field not only influences our brain function and emotions internally, but also affects our interactions with others externally. Central to this is the concept of heart coherence: a state in which heart rhythm, breathing, the nervous system, and emotions are in harmony. In such a state, we function optimally — both physically and mentally. Heart coherence proves to be measurable, trainable, and linked to increased clarity, resilience, and connectedness. What we feel in our heart therefore has a direct impact on how we think, act, and interact with others. The study goes beyond classical physiology and opens the door to a more subtle awareness of the role of the heart in human experience. The researchers even suggest that the heart sends signals to the brain that influence cognitive processes — a reversal of the traditional idea that the brain ‘controls’ the body.\nThe Energetic Heart is simultaneously scientifically grounded and invitingly spiritual in tone. It invites a re-evaluation of intuition, emotion, and energetic attunement. In a world full of mental stimuli, this study offers a surprisingly clear plea: listen to your heart — not only figuratively, but also literally, for it might well be wiser than you think. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-energetic-heart/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In The Feeling of What Happens, neurologist Antonio Damasio explores an intriguing question: how does the self arise? His answer does not begin with thinking, but with feeling. According to Damasio, consciousness is not an abstract thought process, but is rooted in the physical experience of the body in emotions, feelings, and the awareness of ourselves as a body in motion.\nHe distinguishes between three layers of the self: the proto-self (the automatic regulation of bodily states), the core self (the direct, moment-to-moment consciousness that “I” feel that “I” experience something), and the autobiographical self (the narrative in which we shape our life and our identity). What is remarkable is that these layers all build upon bodily processes. Without a body, Damasio argues, there is no self. A key claim in the book is that feelings often viewed as irrational or disruptive are crucial for consciousness and for sensible decision-making. People whose brain\u0026rsquo;s emotional system is damaged can often still reason perfectly well, but make dramatically poor choices. Emotion and reason are therefore not opposites, but partners in thinking.\nDamasio’s style is clear and inviting, his argument peppered with examples from the clinic, evolution, and neurological research. The Feeling of What Happens opens up a surprising perspective on who we are. Not a mind separate from the body, but a living, feeling organism that experiences itself. It is a book that invites us to rethink consciousness not as something ethereal, but as something deeply bodily.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-feeling-of-what-happens/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In The Four Agreements (1997), Don Miguel Ruiz shares centuries-old wisdom from the Toltec tradition, translated into clear, practical guidelines for a freer and more conscious life. According to Ruiz, many people live in a dream full of fear, judgment, and self-limiting beliefs — a dream that keeps us trapped in pain, guilt, and repetition. The path to liberation? Four simple yet deeply transformative insights. Be impeccable with your words: words are powerful. They can heal or destroy. By speaking honestly, carefully, and lovingly, you set in motion a movement of inner truth and pure relationships.\nTake nothing personally: what others say or do says more about them than about you. By letting go of other people\u0026rsquo;s projections, you free yourself from unnecessary suffering. Do not make assumptions: we constantly fill in the blanks without truly checking them. Asking questions and communicating clearly prevents misunderstandings and creates genuine connection.\nAlways do your best: not perfectly, but sincerely. Doing your best is different every day — and that is precisely what makes it liberating. It prevents both self-reproach and procrastination.\nRuiz writes with simplicity and depth. His insights may sound logical, but prove surprisingly powerful in practice. TThe Four Agreements is not a theoretical book, but an invitation to daily practice. Whoever has the courage to truly apply these guidelines will notice that the inner dream changes — from fear to freedom, from judgment to love.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-four-agreements/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"In The Haunted Self, Onno van der Hart, Ellert Nijenhuis, and Kathy Steele explain how severe and prolonged traumatic experiences can divide the personality. They call this structural dissociation. According to the authors, dissociation is not merely \u0026ldquo;feeling cut off,\u0026rdquo; but a genuine separation between parts of the personality that carry different tasks.\nOne part focuses on daily life and tries to function normally. This is called the seemingly normal part. Other parts remain connected to fear, pain, memories, and survival responses such as fight, flight, or freeze. These trauma-oriented parts can suddenly become active due to triggers in the present.\nThe authors describe that symptoms such as flashbacks, panic, shame, physical tension, memory problems, and erratic behavior are often better understood from this internal division. People then do not react \u0026ldquo;illogically,\u0026rdquo; but from parts that were once necessary for survival.\nTreatment therefore requires a safe and step-by-step approach. First comes stabilization: increasing safety, learning to regulate emotions, and building cooperation between parts. After that, trauma processing can take place. In the final phase, integration is central: greater coherence, freedom of choice, and participation in everyday life.\nThe book connects theory, research, and practice. It shows that trauma can leave deep marks on body and mind, but also that recovery is possible. With understanding, pace, and a good therapeutic relationship, split-off experiences can be processed step by step. The core message is that symptoms are often survival reactions and not a sign of weakness or unwillingness.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-haunted-self/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, mythologist Joseph Campbell reveals a universal pattern hidden in myths, fairy tales, and religious stories from around the world: the monomyth, or the hero's journey. According to Campbell, virtually every mythical figure — from Odysseus to Buddha, from Gilgamesh to modern movie heroes — follows a similar trajectory of calling, trial, transformation, and return. This so-called hero’s journey often begins with an inner or outer call to adventure, followed by confrontations with obstacles, inner dragons, and guides. Ultimately, the hero undergoes a fundamental transformation that not only changes him but also gives something back to the community. What Campbell demonstrates with this is that myths are not old stories to be preserved in books, but vivid mirrors of our own inner path of development.\nHis work is steeped in symbolism, psychology (particularly influenced by Jung), and deep reverence for the power of stories. Campbell invites us not to seek the hero in distant times or fictional worlds, but to recognize him within ourselves. Every person is challenged to leave the familiar behind, enter the unknown, and reinvent themselves.\nThe Hero with a Thousand Faces is more than a study of myths: it is a guide to inner growth. Campbell offers no ready-made path, but a universal structure in which we can recognize our own way. A book that demands not only to be read, but also to be lived. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-hero-with-a-thousand-faces/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In The Neuroscience of Human Relationships (2006), Louis Cozolino examines how our brains are shaped in, by, and for relationships. His central message is clear yet profound: the brain is a social organ. Our neurological development from infancy to adulthood takes place within human connection. Without secure relationships, that development stagnates; with loving attunement, it flourishes. Cozolino combines insights from attachment theory, psychotherapy, and neuroscience into a compelling argument. He demonstrates how key brain regions, such as the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex, develop in close interaction with the social environment. Emotional attunement, empathy, and security are not luxuries in this context, but basic biological needs.\nA striking aspect of the book is the emphasis on neuroplasticity: the idea that the brain continues to adapt throughout life. This opens the door to healing, even for those who were damaged in their youth. Therapy, friendship, and even profound conversations can literally change brain connections. Relationships thus become a form of brain architecture.\nCozolino writes with warmth and curiosity. His style is clear and accessible, even to readers without a medical background. What makes this book special is the way it connects scientific knowledge with something we often already know intuitively: that genuine encounters have a healing effect.\nThe Neuroscience of Human Relationships is an invitation to view relationships not only as something social or psychological, but also as something physical, serving as nourishment for the brain and the foundation of our humanity.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-neuroscience-of-human-relationships/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" In The Polyvagal Theory (2011), Stephen Porges introduces an innovative view of the autonomic nervous system, the part of our nervous system that unconsciously regulates heart rate, breathing, and stress responses. His theory explains why we can connect in a relaxed way in certain situations, while in others we suddenly freeze or fight/flight. The key? The vagus nerve — and especially its evolutionary layers. Porges describes three ‘defense systems’ in our nervous system. The oldest, the dorsal vagal system, causes freezing or dissociation in the face of danger. The sympathetic system prepares us to fight or flee. And the most recent, the ventral vagal system, enables us to feel safe, connect, and respond socially. These three systems function like switches: depending on how safe or threatened we feel, the body automatically activates one of these modes.\nWhat makes this theory special is the emphasis on neuroception; the unconscious way in which our nervous system constantly assesses whether a situation is safe, unsafe, or life-threatening, long before we are consciously aware of it. That explains why someone with trauma seemingly ‘just’ loses contact or reacts intensely: the nervous system perceives danger, even when it is objectively not there.\nPorges’ work sheds new light on therapy, parenting, and social interaction. It reminds us that safety is not a secondary matter, but a prerequisite for connection and growth. The Polyvagal Theory invites us to listen to ourselves and others not only with the head, but also with the body. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/the-polyvagal-theory/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Trauma and Recovery by Judith Lewis Herman is regarded as one of the most important books on psychological trauma. Herman demonstrates that trauma does not arise solely from a shocking event, but primarily from prolonged powerlessness, violence, or insecurity. She discusses, among other things, war trauma, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and political oppression.\nA key idea in the book is that trauma often leads to a loss of safety, trust, and connection with others. People may develop symptoms such as anxiety, flashbacks, emotional numbness, shame, anger, or dissociation. Herman also describes how prolonged trauma affects identity, relationships, and the sense of control over one\u0026rsquo;s own life.\nIn addition, she introduces the concept of “complex trauma.” This refers to trauma that recurs repeatedly, often within dependent relationships. The consequences of this are usually deeper and longer-lasting than those of a single shocking event.\nHerman describes recovery as a three-phase process. First, sufficient safety and stability must be established. Afterward, space can be created for the processing of memories and emotions. In the final phase, recovery revolves around reconnecting with everyday life, relationships, and a sense of purpose.\nThe core of the book is that recovery is possible, but that this requires time, safety, recognition, and human connection.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/trauma-and-recovery/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Trauma and the Body by Pat Ogden describes how trauma not only affects thoughts and emotions but becomes deeply visible in the body. The book forms the basis of “Sensorimotor Psychotherapy,” a body-oriented form of trauma therapy.\nOgden shows that traumatic experiences are often stored in automatic bodily reactions: muscle tension, posture, breathing, movements, and reflexes. For example, people may be constantly alert, stiffen, shrink, or hold tension without being aware of it.\nAccording to Ogden, talking alone sometimes falls short because trauma often originates in parts of the nervous system that are non-verbal. Therefore, therapy also focuses on bodily perception and subtle signals of activation and relaxation.\nThe book describes how clients learn step by step to notice bodily reactions without becoming overwhelmed. Small movements or unfinished defense reactions—such as pushing away, withdrawing, or setting boundaries—can still be consciously completed. This helps the nervous system to experience more regulation and safety. The core of the book is that body and mind cannot be viewed separately. Recovery from trauma requires attention to the entire system: thinking, feeling, moving, and physical experience.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/trauma-and-the-body/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"TRE (Tension \u0026amp; Trauma Releasing Exercises) is a method developed by American therapist David Berceli. The goal is to release tension and stress that have built up in the body through natural vibrations of the muscles and nervous system.\nThe method consists of a series of simple exercises that primarily activate the legs, hips, and lower back. Afterward, a slight vibration often occurs spontaneously in the body. According to Berceli, this is a natural mechanism of the nervous system to release tension, similar to how animals sometimes tremble after stress.\nPeople use TRE for stress, tension, burnout, PTSD, and chronic anxiety. Some experience more relaxation, better sleep, or less physical tension. At the same time, TRE is not a miracle cure. In people with severe trauma or dissociation, it can also evoke intense emotions or reactions. Therefore, guidance by a well-trained TRE provider is important, especially in cases of complex trauma.\nScientific research into TRE is growing, but is still limited. There are indications that it can help with relaxation and stress regulation, but the method has been researched less extensively than, for example, EMDR or cognitive trauma therapy.\nTRE fits within a broader development in which the body and nervous system are increasingly taken into account in the recovery from trauma and long-term stress.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/trauma-releasing-exercises/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy by David Emerson describes how yoga can be adapted for people with trauma and complex PTSD. The book is based on the work of the Trauma Center in Boston and combines knowledge about trauma, body awareness, and the nervous system.\nEmerson shows that trauma often leads to alienation from the body. Many people feel tension, numbness, or even overwhelm, which can make contact with bodily signals feel difficult or unsafe. Trauma-sensitive yoga attempts to gently restore that contact.\nThe emphasis is not on performance, perfect postures, or spiritual ideals. Freedom of choice, safety, and body awareness are more important. Instructions are therefore given in an inviting rather than coercive manner. People maintain as much control as possible over their own movements and boundaries.\nThe book describes how simple movements, breathing, and attention can help to better recognize signals of tension and relaxation. As a result, more regulation of the nervous system and a greater sense of presence in the body gradually emerge. An important premise is that recovery from trauma does not occur solely through thinking or talking. The body plays a central role. By rebuilding safe experiences within the body, people can develop more connection, stability, and self-confidence step by step.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/trauma-sensitive-yoga/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"Peter A. Levine\u0026rsquo;s Waking the Tiger describes trauma not primarily as a psychological problem, but as something that becomes stuck in the nervous system. According to Levine, trauma arises when a person becomes overwhelmed and the body cannot complete a stress response. Energy intended for fighting, fleeing, or freezing then remains stuck, as it were.\nLevine looks extensively at animals in nature in this regard. A wild animal can often tremble, shake, or take a deep breath after danger, after which the nervous system calms down again. People often suppress such reactions due to fear, shame, or social expectations. As a result, tension remains present in the body, and symptoms such as anxiety, hyperalertness, exhaustion, dissociation, or physical pain can arise.\nThe book explains that recovery is not about reliving the trauma, but about restoring safety in the body step by step. Levine calls this “somatic experiencing.” Small, controllable movements between tension and relaxation help the nervous system to release trapped survival energy. The core of the book is hopeful: trauma does not have to be a lifelong prison. According to Levine, the body also possesses a natural capacity for recovery, regulation, and resilience.\n← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/waking-the-tiger/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":" Summary of Walker (2017): Why We Sleep # The book Why We Sleep (2017) by neuroscientist Matthew Walker is not a single experiment, but a broad synthesis of decades of sleep research from neuroscience, endocrinology, and psychiatry. Walker describes how sleep plays a fundamental role in brain recovery, emotional regulation, and physical health. His work is particularly relevant for stress- and trauma-related complaints, as disrupted sleep is a core characteristic of PTSD.\nA central finding in the book is that sleep — and particularly deep sleep and REM sleep — is essential for processing emotional experiences. During REM sleep, emotional memories are reactivated in a state where stress hormones are relatively low. This helps the brain reduce the emotional charge of experiences without erasing the memory itself. When REM sleep is disrupted, that release may fail to occur, causing memories to remain emotionally “charged.”\nWalker also discusses the effect of chronic sleep deprivation on the stress system. Lack of sleep increases the activity of the amygdala (threat detection) and reduces the regulatory influence of the prefrontal cortex. This leads to stronger emotional responses and less regulation. Additionally, sleep deprivation affects the HPA axis and the release of stress hormones, which can contribute to anxiety, irritability, and reduced resilience.\nFor people with PTSD, this means that sleep restoration is an essential part of treatment. Improving sleep patterns, light exposure, and evening routines can help stabilize the nervous system and support emotional processing. Walker emphasizes that sleep is not a passive state, but an active biological process that is crucial for psychological recovery and the integration of experiences. ← Back ","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/why-we-sleep/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"Publications","type":"publications"},{"content":"Welcome. If this is your first time on this site, you might not know where to start. There are over seventy source summaries, twenty-six posts, and a number of long pages. That is a lot to take in all at once.\nThis page provides a reading order. Five posts, totaling about an hour\u0026rsquo;s read, that give you a good introduction to the rest of what can be found here. They are not the easiest, nor the hardest, but together they form a mini-course that puts the basic concepts in their place.\n[Text continues below the image\u0026hellip;]\nA learning path in five steps # 1. What is the difference between PTSD, CPTSD, and moral injury? # First, the names. PTSD, complex PTSD, and moral injury sound similar but do not mean the same thing. This post clearly explains the difference, with examples from professions where people frequently encounter this pain. Those who know the terms can better articulate what is going on.\n→ Read: Difference between PTSD, CPTSD, and moral injury\n2. Head, heart, and gut: three brains, one person # A framework. Head, heart, and gut function as three systems that ideally work together, but often become disconnected during trauma. This is the neuroscientific translation of an age-old insight and the recurring theme of almost every other post.\n→ Read: Three Brains, One Human\n3. Trauma and the Body: How the Body Holds Memories # The core hypothesis. Trauma is not just in your head. It is in your nervous system, your posture, your breathing. This post explains why talking alone often doesn\u0026rsquo;t help, and why working with the body plays a central role in modern trauma recovery.\n→ Read: Trauma and the Body\n4. In the Moment # A first practical entry point. How does the world enter us and how do we react to it? The Law of Four (Gurdjieff/Ouspensky) explains the cycle between body, emotion, and thought — and what trauma does to it.\n→ Read: At the moment itself: the Law of Four and what trauma does to you\n5. Post-traumatic growth # Finally, a hopeful perspective. Trauma can hollow out a person, but research shows that it can also lead to forms of growth. Not despite, but through the rupture. Not easy positivity: a sober overview of what post-traumatic growth is, and what it is not. → Read: Post-traumatic growth\nNext # From here you can go in different directions:\nfor in-depth articles: the Blog — all posts, with themes such as daily rhythm, silence, neuroplasticity, moral injury, and more for the philosophical framework: The Fourth Way — the path where many of these insights converge for the scientific substantiation: Sources — more than seventy book and article summaries, organized thematically for who I am: About me for the purpose of this site: About this website A final word # Read at your own pace. Nothing needs to be read all at once. Some posts need time to sink in. Some posts only become relevant when a certain phase of life calls them up.\nHow do you pick up the thread of your old life again? How do you move on when you begin to understand deep in your heart that you can no longer go back? There are things that time cannot heal. Some wounds are too deep and permanent.\n— J.R.R. Tolkien, based on The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King\nQuestions or a comment? Contact us.\n","date":"21 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/","section":"Start here","summary":"","title":"Start here","type":"page"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/posts/","section":"Blog","summary":"","title":"Blog","type":"posts"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/body-oriented-therapy/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Body-Oriented-Therapy","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/categories/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Categories","type":"categories"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/connection/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Connection","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/equine-assisted-therapy/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Equine-Assisted-Therapy","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/feldenkrais/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Feldenkrais","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/haptotherapie/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Haptotherapie","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/haptotherapy/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Haptotherapy","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/lichaamsgerichte-therapie/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Lichaamsgerichte-Therapie","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/categories/moral-injury/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Moral-Injury","type":"categories"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/categories/mysticism/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Mysticism","type":"categories"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/mysticism/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Mysticism","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/categories/mystiek/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Mystiek","type":"categories"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/mystiek/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Mystiek","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/nervous-system/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Nervous-System","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/paardencoaching/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Paardencoaching","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/poetry/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Poetry","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/poezie/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Poezie","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/categories/ptsd/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Ptsd","type":"categories"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/categories/ptss/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Ptss","type":"categories"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/rumi/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Rumi","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/soefisme/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Soefisme","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/somatic-experiencing/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Somatic-Experiencing","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/sufism/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Sufism","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Tags","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/tre/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Tre","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/verbondenheid/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Verbondenheid","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"16 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/zenuwstelsel/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Zenuwstelsel","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/dreams/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Dreams","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/droom/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Droom","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/fourth-way/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Fourth-Way","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/nachtmerries/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Nachtmerries","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/nightmares/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Nightmares","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/polyvagal-theory/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Polyvagal-Theory","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/polyvagale-theorie/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Polyvagale-Theorie","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/rem-slaap/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Rem-Slaap","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/rem-sleep/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Rem-Sleep","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/slaap/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Slaap","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"9 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/sleep/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Sleep","type":"tags"},{"content":"Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is een therapeutische methode ontwikkeld door de Britse psycholoog Paul Gilbert. De aanpak is vooral bedoeld voor mensen die veel last hebben van schaamte, zelfkritiek, angst of traumatische ervaringen. CFT helpt om een vriendelijkere en stabielere relatie met jezelf op te bouwen.\nDe basis van CFT is dat ons brein niet is ontworpen om altijd rustig en gelukkig te zijn. Het brein probeert vooral te overleven. Daardoor reageren mensen snel op gevaar, afwijzing of stress. Gilbert beschrijft drie emotieregulatiesystemen die hierbij een rol spelen.\n1. Dreigingssysteem # Dit systeem beschermt ons tegen gevaar. Het activeert angst, boosheid of stress. Bij trauma of langdurige spanning kan dit systeem te vaak aanstaan.\n2. Jaagsysteem # Dit systeem helpt ons doelen bereiken. Het gaat over presteren, succes, winnen en erkenning krijgen. Het kan motiveren, maar ook uitputten.\n3. Kalmerings- en zorgsysteem # Dit systeem zorgt voor rust, veiligheid, verbondenheid en herstel. Juist dit systeem is bij veel mensen onderontwikkeld of moeilijk bereikbaar.\nCFT leert mensen om het kalmeringssysteem sterker te maken. Dat gebeurt met oefeningen in ademhaling, aandacht, lichaamsbewustzijn, verbeelding en helpende zelfspraak. Het doel is niet om problemen te ontkennen, maar om ermee om te gaan vanuit kracht en mildheid.\nEen belangrijk inzicht van Gilbert is dat veel innerlijke strijd niet ontstaat uit zwakte, maar uit oude overlevingspatronen. Zelfcompassie betekent daarom niet medelijden met jezelf, maar wijs en moedig reageren op pijn.\nDe kern van CFT is helder: wie leert vriendelijker met zichzelf om te gaan, creëert meer rust, veerkracht en ruimte voor herstel.\n← Terug ","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/publications/compassion-focused-therapy/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publications"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/epigenetica/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Epigenetica","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/epigenetics/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Epigenetics","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/familieopstellingen/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Familieopstellingen","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/family-constellations/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Family-Constellations","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/hellinger/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Hellinger","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/many-selves/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Many-Selves","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/structural-dissociation/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Structural-Dissociation","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/structurele-dissociatie/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Structurele-Dissociatie","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/transgenerational-trauma/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Transgenerational-Trauma","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/transgenerationeel-trauma/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Transgenerationeel-Trauma","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/vele-ikken/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Vele-Ikken","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"8 May 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/wolynn/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Wolynn","type":"tags"},{"content":"Feel free to get in touch using the form below. I read everything and usually reply within a few days.\nName Email Subject Message Send ","date":"21 April 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/contact/","section":"Contact","summary":"","title":"Contact","type":"contact"},{"content":"","date":"15 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/body/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Body","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"15 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/candace-pert/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Candace-Pert","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"15 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/emoties/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Emoties","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"15 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/emotions/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Emotions","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"15 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/lichaam/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Lichaam","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"15 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/neuropeptiden/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Neuropeptiden","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"15 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/neuropeptides/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Neuropeptides","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/co-regulatie/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Co-Regulatie","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/co-regulation/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Co-Regulation","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/familie/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Familie","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/family/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Family","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/partner/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Partner","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/relaties/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Relaties","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 March 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/relationships/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Relationships","type":"tags"},{"content":"The information on this website is intended as general information and personal reflection. The content does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice and is not a substitute for professional help.\nIf you are experiencing symptoms or have concerns about your mental health, please contact your GP or a qualified healthcare provider. In a crisis: call your local emergency number (such as 112 or 911) or go to your nearest emergency department.\nStruggling with suicidal thoughts: contact a crisis line in your country. Visit befrienders.org for local support worldwide.","date":"17 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/disclaimer/","section":"Pages","summary":"","title":"Disclaimer","type":"pages"},{"content":"","date":"17 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/pages/","section":"Pages","summary":"","title":"Pages","type":"pages"},{"content":"We handle personal data with care. This website is designed to collect as little data as possible. We only use what is necessary to make the site work and to understand how it is used.\nThis site has a static structure. There is no database or account system. This limits the amount of data that is technically processed.\nAnalytics # We use Umami Analytics to see how the website is used.\nUmami is privacy-friendly and does not place tracking cookies.\nIP addresses are not stored visitors are not tracked individually data is only used in aggregated form no profiles are built The sole purpose is: insight into site usage, so that we can improve the website.\nCookies # This website uses only functional cookies that are necessary for the operation of the site.\nNo tracking or marketing cookies are placed.\nContact # If you contact us via the contact form, we may receive data such as:\nname email address any other information you send along We use this data only to respond to your message.\nWe do not retain it longer than necessary and do not share it with third parties, unless this is technically necessary to process the mail (for example, via a mail provider).\nSharing of data # We do not sell or rent personal data.\nData is only shared if this is necessary for the functioning of the website (for example, hosting or email) or when we are legally obliged to do so.\nSecurity # We take appropriate technical measures to protect data against misuse or unauthorized access. Because this site is static and does not use accounts or a database, the amount of stored data is limited.\nYour rights # You have the right to:\nrequest access to data we hold about you have data corrected or deleted object to processing To do so, please send a message via the contact form below.\nChanges # This privacy statement may be amended if the website or legislation changes. The most recent version is always available on this page.\nContact # For questions about privacy or this website, please use the contact form.\n","date":"17 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/privacy/","section":"Pages","summary":"","title":"Privacy Statement","type":"pages"},{"content":"","date":"15 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/body-memory/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Body-Memory","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"15 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/lichaamsgeheugen/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Lichaamsgeheugen","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/categories/art-of-living/","section":"Categories","summary":"","title":"Art-of-Living","type":"categories"},{"content":"","date":"1 February 2026","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/grounding/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Grounding","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 February 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On this site I place insights from psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and mystical traditions alongside personal experience and reflection. The aim is to search for words, patterns, and practical orientation for what remains after life-changing events and for what may become possible afterward.\nWhy this site exists # Some experiences cannot be reduced to a single discipline, diagnosis, or story. People who go through profound events, whether as professional witnesses, directly affected individuals, or loved ones, quickly discover that language and standard approaches are often not enough. Some things permanently shift your worldview, moral compass, and sense of direction. This website is an attempt to put words to those experiences.\nThe content is not therapy, not doctrine, and not a system you are expected to adopt. It is a workshop. A place where experiences, observations, and sources are placed side by side to make patterns visible. Trauma, moral injury, loss of meaning, and recovery are not abstract themes here, but concrete realities. At the same time, the goal is not to remain stuck in the problem, but to explore what becomes possible after disruption: clarity, direction, and a form of inner craftsmanship.\nWhat you will find here # The site consists of several main sections:\nBlog — articles on themes such as breathing, daily rhythm, the body as memory, the three brains, neuroplasticity, moral injury, post-traumatic growth, and Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way. Research is translated into accessible language and connected to practical life. Sources — a thematic overview of the references and publications used throughout the site. About Me — background information about the author. Who is this site for? # I write with four groups of readers in mind:\npeople living with PTSD, complex trauma, or moral injury who are looking for depth alongside treatment relatives and loved ones who want to understand what someone is going through professionals seeking context, language, and literature beyond rigid protocols readers interested in the art of living, inner work, and the meeting point between ancient traditions and contemporary science Those looking for absolute truths will need to search elsewhere. Those looking for recognition, nuance, or another perspective may find something useful here.\nPrinciples — and what this site is not # Much of what is written here builds on existing literature from psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy. That knowledge is valuable, but rarely complete. It is therefore combined with personal reflection and lived experience. That makes this site inherently subjective. Not as a weakness, but as a deliberate choice: only what has been lived through has a place here.\nThis website does not offer a program to follow and makes no promise of quick solutions. Change, when it happens, is slow and often uncomfortable. What is possible is learning to look more clearly at yourself, your reactions, and the way you create meaning from what happens. That process requires honesty and sometimes friction. This site is intended as a tool in that process, not as an endpoint. You yourself remain the instrument.\nThis site is explicitly not a replacement for professional care. Anyone struggling with PTSD, complex trauma, or moral injury deserves appropriate treatment. What is written here may serve as a tool alongside treatment, not instead of it. For legal and privacy-related matters, see the disclaimer and the privacy policy.\nWho writes this? # All texts on this site are written by Hans Busch: born in Nijmegen in 1968, former police officer, project and program manager, organizational change consultant, and poet. My education at the Pulsar Academy, together with years of reading and study around PTSD, moral injury, and the art of living, forms the background of what is written here. More about my work, experience, and motivation can be found on the about me page.\nFinally # In short: this is a place for exploration and structure. For placing experience and insight alongside each other. For readers willing to think critically and test what is written here for themselves. Use what works, leave behind what does not. Responsibility for interpretation and application always remains with the reader.\nQuestions or comments? Feel free to send a message through the contact form.\n","date":"17 November 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/about-this-website/","section":"Pages","summary":"","title":"About This Website","type":"pages"},{"content":"","date":"17 November 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/about-this-site/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"About-This-Site","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"17 November 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/disclaimer/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Disclaimer","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"17 November 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/moral-injury/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Moral-Injury","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"17 November 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/over-deze-site/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Over-Deze-Site","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"17 November 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2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/consciousness/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Consciousness","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 January 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/inner-work/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Inner-Work","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"1 January 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/innerlijk-werk/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Innerlijk-Werk","type":"tags"},{"content":"The Fourth Way is a spiritual and practical path of development created by George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff (1866–1949). Unlike many spiritual traditions, it does not seek withdrawal from the world, but instead works within ordinary life. Its starting point is becoming conscious by bringing thought, feeling, and action into alignment. Today, the Fourth Way also proves useful as a framework for personal development, stress regulation, and recovery after trauma.\nIntroduction: a path in the middle of life # There are spiritual paths that withdraw from the world. Monasteries. Caves. Silence.\nGurdjieff’s Fourth Way takes a different direction. Not withdrawal, but ordinary life as the field of practice. Work, relationships, exhaustion, conflict — precisely there the work must happen.\nThe Armenian-Greek mystic G.I. Gurdjieff (1866–1949) argued that human beings mostly live mechanically. We react automatically. Thinking, feeling, and doing operate separately from one another. His answer was not a belief system, but a practice of consciousness: integrating head, heart, and body in daily life.\nIn an age of stress, PTSD, and moral confusion, his approach feels surprisingly relevant. Not as therapy in the clinical sense, but as an art of living. As a path of recovery.\nWhat is the Fourth Way? # Gurdjieff distinguished three traditional spiritual paths:\nThe way of the fakir — through the body The way of the monk — through the heart (devotion) The way of the yogi — through thought The Fourth Way combines all three. Not in isolation, but in ordinary life. Work and relationships are not obstacles, but fuel for inner development.\nMuch of what we know about the Fourth Way today comes through P.D. Ouspensky, a Russian thinker who worked with Gurdjieff for many years. His book In Search of the Miraculous remains the most accessible introduction to this teaching.\nFour core principles # The Fourth Way rests on several foundational ideas. Here are four of them.\n1. Mechanicalness: living on autopilot # According to Gurdjieff, human beings mostly live “asleep.” By mechanicalness he meant acting automatically, without awareness. A stimulus appears, a thought follows, an emotion ignites, the body joins in, and everything happens by itself.\nModern neuroscience describes something similar. Research into automatic threat responses (LeDoux, 2012) shows that the brain reacts to danger signals extremely quickly and largely outside conscious awareness. In PTSD this system becomes hypersensitive. The body reacts before thought can regulate the response.\nThe Fourth Way attempts to make that automatic chain visible. Not to suppress reactions, but to add a layer of awareness to them.\n2. Self-remembering: being present while doing something # Self-remembering is perhaps the most distinctive concept of the Fourth Way. It is not meditation. Nor is it an extra layer of thinking. It is something that takes place alongside ordinary activity.\nAn example. You are washing dishes. Normally you notice the plate and the soap while the rest of your attention drifts elsewhere — to plans, worries, or an earlier conversation. Self-remembering means: feeling your feet on the ground, knowing that you are standing there washing dishes, and seeing the plate at the same time. Two things simultaneously: attention to the activity, and awareness that you are the one doing it.\nIt sounds simple. In practice it disappears within seconds. The practice lies precisely in returning to it.\n3. The three centers: head, heart, and body # Gurdjieff viewed the human being as composed of three centers, each with its own pace and language:\nthe intellectual center (thinking) the emotional center (feeling) the moving and instinctive center (body) In a healthy life these three work together. Under stress, trauma, or overstimulation they become disconnected. The head analyzes, the body reacts, the heart withdraws, and none of them knows what the others are doing.\nDevelopment does not mean strengthening one center, but restoring coherence between them. For a neuroscientific translation of this idea, see Three Brains, One Human.\n4. Conscious effort: fine-tuned attention # Conscious effort is different from willpower. Willpower pushes; conscious effort guides. Willpower exhausts itself; conscious effort trains itself. The difference lies in the quality of attention brought to the action.\nA simple example: walking up stairs for five minutes with awareness of breath and posture burns the same calories as running up absentmindedly. But it develops something different. Not just fitness, but the habit of remaining present while something is difficult.\nFor someone recovering from trauma, this becomes a key skill: learning to stay with tension without drowning in it or fleeing from it.\nThe many “I”s: the inner crowd # One of Gurdjieff’s sharpest observations was that human beings do not possess a single fixed “I.” What we call “I” is actually a shifting collection of moods, roles, and voices. The morning self wants to exercise. The evening self wants chips. One “I” makes a promise; another has to live with it.\nFor readers with PTSD or complex trauma, this image is immediately recognizable. Trauma research describes something similar as structural dissociation: parts of the personality functioning separately from one another (Van der Hart et al., 2006). These parts are not a disease, but the way a human being survives under pressure.\nThe Fourth Way does not ask you to “eliminate” these parts. It asks you to see them. Only from that seeing can something like a conscious center emerge that connects them.\nThe stop exercise: a practical technique # One of Gurdjieff’s best-known exercises is surprisingly simple: stop in the middle of an action. Unexpectedly. Whatever posture you are in. Then observe what happens in your body, breath, and thoughts.\nThe exercise works for two reasons.\nFirst, it reveals how automatic behavior actually is. Only when you do not continue do you notice how strong the urge is to keep going.\nSecond, it creates a brief space of awareness. A break in the usual chain of stimulus-response-stimulus-response. That break is exactly where the Fourth Way does its work.\nIn modern terms this could be called an interoceptive pause: a moment in which you notice what is happening in your body before acting again. For people with an overstimulated nervous system, this can become a valuable building block if applied carefully.\nWhat do the movements mean? # One of the most characteristic parts of Gurdjieff’s work are the movements: complex rhythmic movement sequences performed in groups and accompanied by music.\nAt first glance they resemble dance or gymnastics. In reality they are designed to activate multiple centers simultaneously. A participant must:\nperform a specific movement follow the rhythm divide attention observe inwardly This requires concentration, coordination, and emotional involvement at the same time.\nAlthough there is little direct research on the movements themselves, studies of rhythmic movement interventions in trauma show similar effects. Body-oriented therapies and dance interventions can contribute to nervous system regulation and reduction of dissociation (Koch et al., 2019). Ordinary forms of movement, such as sports and walking, move in the same direction: reconnecting attention and body.\nThe movements can be understood as a form of integrated training of attention, movement, and emotion — a practical form of neuroplasticity.\nThe Fourth Way and PTSD # For people with PTSD, fragmentation is a familiar experience. The body reacts, the head analyzes, the heart shuts down or becomes overwhelmed.\nThe Fourth Way does not offer trauma therapy, but it does offer a framework:\n1. Integration of centers # Recovery is not only about understanding what happened, but also about learning to inhabit the body again. This aligns with the insights of Bessel van der Kolk (2014): trauma lives in the body and requires bodily integration.\n2. Rhythm and structure # Gurdjieff emphasized regularity in sleep, work, and practice. Modern sleep science shows that rhythm is crucial for stress regulation (Walker, 2017). Structure calms the nervous system. See also Daily Rhythm and PTSD.\n3. Conscious effort # Instead of automatic avoidance, one learns to remain present with tension without drowning in it. This resembles expanding the window of tolerance: the zone in which you can tolerate stress without freezing or panicking (Siegel, 1999).\nThe Fourth Way can therefore serve as a complementary life practice alongside regular therapy. The connection with neuroplasticity suggests that practice can genuinely support change in the brain.\nMoral injury and inner division # Moral injury arises when someone acts against their own values or witnesses moral violations. The result is often guilt, shame, and loss of meaning.\nGurdjieff spoke about inner contradictions: parts within us that oppose each other. He did not see moral tension as failure, but as material for awareness.\nThe Fourth Way invites us to observe this tension without completely identifying with it. Not reducing yourself to your mistake, but not denying it either. That requires courage and attention. Working through grief connected to moral injury is an essential part of that process.\nModern research into recovery from moral injury emphasizes meaning-making, community, and integration of experience. Here Gurdjieff’s work touches contemporary psychology.\nSimilarities with Michaël Derkse’s Pulsar Vision # The Pulsar Vision of Michaël Derkse describes development as a rhythmic movement of impulse, expression, reflection, and integration. Growth does not unfold linearly, but in waves.\nThis closely aligns with the Fourth Way:\nBoth emphasize rhythm Both see moments of rupture as opportunities for deepening Both recognize that setbacks are part of development Where Gurdjieff speaks about effort and remembrance, Pulsar speaks about consciously moving through developmental waves. Both approaches view life itself as the teacher.\nWhat the Fourth Way is not # For balance, several important caveats should be stated clearly.\nIt is not a replacement for therapy. With PTSD, complex trauma, or moral injury, professional treatment is almost always necessary. The Fourth Way can be a supportive practice, not an alternative. It is not a scientifically validated method. Many exercises, including the movements, have never been systematically researched. The overlap with trauma science is plausible, but not the same as proof. Gurdjieff was controversial. His methods could be harsh, and some followers allowed group dynamics to become unhealthy. Anyone exploring this path should remain critical and never place authority above common sense. A teacher is not essential, but not irrelevant either. Much of the work can be practiced alone. For movements and group work, however, an experienced teacher is advisable. Practical ways to apply it daily # What does this look like in practice?\nMorning # Wake up at a fixed time Spend a few minutes feeling the breath and body Do not begin the day immediately with screens During the day # Observe automatic reactions Bring attention to posture and breath Create short moments of self-remembering Try a stop exercise once in a while Evening # Reflect without judgment Consciously calm the rhythm of the day Reduce stimulation Small repeated actions build inner stability.\nScientific connections # Although the Fourth Way itself is not a scientific program, there are clear overlaps with modern research:\nLeDoux (2012): automatic threat circuits Bessel van der Kolk (2014): the body as a storage place for trauma Koch (2019): rhythmic movement and regulation Siegel (1999): integration of brain systems Walker (2017): rhythm and sleep recovery Pert (1997): emotions as body-wide signals — see Candace Pert and trauma These insights underline that integrating body, emotion, and attention is essential for recovery.\nThe Fourth Way as an art of living # The Fourth Way is not a theory to study, but a practice to live. Here, the art of living means:\nattention in action honesty toward inner division rhythm instead of chaos integration of head, heart, and body It does not require perfection. It requires practice.\nFrequently asked questions # Is the Fourth Way a religion? # No. There are no doctrines or rituals you must follow in order to “belong.” The teaching does touch questions that religions also ask: who am I, why am I here, how do I wake up? But it is a method of work, not a belief system.\nCan I practice the Fourth Way without a teacher? # Largely, yes. Self-observation, self-remembering, and the stop exercise can all be practiced alone. For the movements and certain group exercises, an experienced teacher is recommended. Start modestly, read Ouspensky, and only later consider finding a teacher if needed.\nWhat is the difference between the Fourth Way and mindfulness? # Mindfulness mainly focuses on awareness of the present moment, often in silence. The Fourth Way focuses on awareness while in action — washing dishes, working, talking. Mindfulness is more an attitude of observation; self-remembering adds an active awareness of oneself. The two can complement each other well.\nDoes the Fourth Way help with PTSD? # Not as therapy, but as a practice alongside treatment. Its attention to body, rhythm, and the development of awareness overlaps with much that is important in trauma recovery. Begin more intensive exercises, such as the stop exercise or prolonged self-observation, only when your nervous system has enough stability for it. Discuss it with your therapist.\nWhat is a good first book? # In Search of the Miraculous by P.D. Ouspensky is the most accessible introduction. For a contemporary, body-oriented perspective, The Body Keeps the Score and The Polyvagal Theory connect well with it.\nConclusion: a path in the middle of life # Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way is not a quick fix and not a therapy protocol. It is a way of living. An invitation to wake up in ordinary life.\nFor people with PTSD and moral injury, this path can offer support alongside professional treatment. The body is not avoided, but included. Rhythm replaces chaos. Awareness replaces automatic reaction.\nRecovery is not a leap, but a series of small conscious moments. One step. One breath. One movement with attention.\nThat is where it begins.\nFurther reading # Three posts on this site directly connected to the Fourth Way:\nThree Brains, One Human — about the cooperation between head, heart, and gut Daily Rhythm and PTSD — how regularity calms the nervous system Post-Traumatic Growth — about development through rupture and difficulty Questions? # Do you recognize this in yourself or in your work with others? Use the contact form to get in touch with me.\n","date":"1 January 2024","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/the-fourth-way/","section":"Pages","summary":"","title":"The Fourth Way of Gurdjieff","type":"pages"},{"content":"","date":"18 May 2023","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/betekenis/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Betekenis","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"18 May 2023","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/inner-dialogue/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Inner-Dialogue","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"18 May 2023","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/innerlijke-dialoog/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Innerlijke-Dialoog","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"18 May 2023","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/language/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Language","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"18 May 2023","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/self-talk/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Self-Talk","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"18 May 2023","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/taal/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Taal","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"18 May 2023","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/zelfspraak/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Zelfspraak","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"13 February 2022","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/cptsd/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Cptsd","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"13 February 2022","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/cptss/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Cptss","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"13 February 2022","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/difference/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Difference","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"13 February 2022","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/verschil/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Verschil","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"26 March 2020","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/dissociatie/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Dissociatie","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"26 March 2020","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/dissociation/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Dissociation","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"26 March 2020","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/frame-of-reference/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Frame-of-Reference","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"26 March 2020","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/law-of-four/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Law-of-Four","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"26 March 2020","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/ouspensky/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Ouspensky","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"26 March 2020","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/referentiekader/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Referentiekader","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"26 March 2020","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/tags/wet-van-vier/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Wet-Van-Vier","type":"tags"},{"content":"Nijmegen 1968, police officer, project and program manager, consultant, change management expert, and poet: a brief overview.\nMy career has led me through the worlds of public order and safety, consultancy, and ICT within environments with a high level of confidentiality, as well as the healthcare sector. Two extremes where I have worked with passion and great pleasure on wonderful assignments and results, and met remarkable people.\nDuring my career, I was trained as a change management expert at the Pulsar Academy. During this training, I discovered thematic parallels between Michaël Derkse\u0026rsquo;s Pulsar Vision and Gurdjieff\u0026rsquo;s Fourth Way. This ultimately proved to be very valuable to me in dealing with PTSD and moral injury. During the period I worked as a consultant, I noticed that I started seeing myself less and less as an advisor.\nAn advisor tells someone what to do.\nI work more as an \u0026ldquo;inviseur\u0026rdquo;: someone who helps make visible what is already present but is not yet seen. Not offering solutions, but allowing insight to emerge, so that change from within becomes possible.\nOn this website, I write about PTSD, moral injury, recovery, and the art of living, drawing on a combination of personal experience, professional background, and studies of, among others, Gurdjieff\u0026rsquo;s Fourth Way and the Pulsar Vision. My interest lies primarily in the connection between the body, meaning-making, and awareness in recovery processes.\nAdditionally, I am a member of The Guild of Millers and regularly operate the Oukoper Mill in Nieuwer ter Aa.\nFor those who want to know more about my professional life or follow my work, I can be found on LinkedIn.\nI can only follow the paths of the heart, every path of the heart. Along that path I travel, and the only real challenge is to follow the path to the end. Along the path of the heart I look around and around, breathless. - Don Juan\n","date":"28 November 2018","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/about-me/","section":"Pages","summary":"","title":"About Hans Busch","type":"pages"},{"content":"","date":"28 November 2018","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/auteur/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Auteur","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"28 November 2018","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/hans-busch/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Hans-Busch","type":"tags"},{"content":"Nijmegen 1968, politieman, project- en programmamanager, inviseur, veranderkundige en dichter: in vogelvlucht.\nMijn loopbaan voert door de werelden van openbare orde en veiligheid, consultancy en ICT binnen de omgevingen met een hoog afbreuk niveau en de zorg. Twee extremen waar ik met passie en veel plezier heb gewerkt aan mooie opdrachten en resultaten en bijzondere mensen heb ontmoet.\nGedurende mijn loopbaan ben ik opgeleid als veranderkundige aan de Pulsar Academie. Tijdens deze opleiding ontdekte ik thematische paralellen tussen de Pulsar Visie van Michaël Derkse en de Vierde Weg van Gurdjieff. Dit is voor mij uiteindelijk zeer waardevol gebleken in het omgaan met PTSS en moral injury.\nGedurende de periode dat ik als consultant werkte, merkte ik dat ik mezelf steeds minder als adviseur ben gaan zien. Een adviseur vertelt wat iemand moet doen.\nIk werk eerder als \u0026ldquo;inviseur\u0026rdquo;: iemand die helpt zichtbaar maken wat al aanwezig is, maar nog niet gezien wordt. Niet oplossingen aandragen, maar inzicht laten ontstaan, zodat verandering van binnenuit mogelijk wordt.\nIk schrijf op deze website over PTSS, moral injury, herstel en levenskunst vanuit een combinatie van persoonlijke ervaring, professionele achtergrond en studie van onder andere de Vierde Weg van Gurdjieff en de Pulsar Visie. Mijn interesse ligt vooral in de verbinding tussen lichaam, betekenisgeving en bewustwording in herstelprocessen.\nDaarnaast ben ik lid van Gilde van Molenaars en laat geregeld de Oukoper Molen in Nieuwer ter Aa draaien.\nVoor wie meer wil weten over mijn werkzame leven of het werk wil volgen, ben ik te vinden op LinkedIn.\nIk kan alleen maar de wegen volgen van het hart, elke weg van het hart. Daarlangs reis ik en de enige echte uitdaging is om de weg te volgen tot het eind. Langs de weg van het hart kijk ik rond en rond, ademloos. - Don Juan\n","date":"28 November 2018","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/over-mij/","section":"Pages","summary":"","title":"Over Hans Busch","type":"pages"},{"content":"","date":"28 November 2018","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/ptss/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Ptss","type":"tags"},{"content":"","date":"28 November 2018","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/tags/vierde-weg/","section":"Tags","summary":"","title":"Vierde-Weg","type":"tags"},{"content":"In Acknowledging What Is (1998) deelt Bert Hellinger de essentie van zijn systemische benadering van familie en menselijke relaties, bekend als familieopstellingen. Centraal in zijn werk staat het idee dat mensen onbewust verstrikt kunnen raken in de dynamiek van hun familiesysteem — soms generaties terug — en dat deze verstrikkingen zich uiten in terugkerende patronen, innerlijke onrust of zelfs fysieke klachten.\nHellinger nodigt uit tot een radicaal andere manier van kijken: niet naar schuld of oorzaak, maar naar verbondenheid, ordening en het erkennen van dat wat er ís. Volgens hem kent elk familiesysteem een eigen ‘orde van liefde’ waarin plaats, balans en lotsverbondenheid een rol spelen. Wanneer iemand (bewust of onbewust) buitengesloten wordt of geen plek krijgt, raakt het systeem uit evenwicht — met gevolgen voor latere generaties.\nDe kracht van familieopstellingen ligt in het zichtbaar maken van die verborgen dynamiek. In een opstelling wordt het familiesysteem ruimtelijk neergezet, vaak met representanten, waardoor er ruimte ontstaat voor een andere beweging — een beweging van erkenning, respect en loslaten. De sleutel tot heling is, volgens Hellinger, erkennen wat is, zonder oordeel, zonder verzet.\nHet boek is filosofisch, spiritueel en tegelijkertijd praktisch. Het nodigt uit tot innerlijke rust, niet door iets te ‘fixen’, maar door waar te nemen met een open hart. Hellingers benadering is soms confronterend, maar altijd gericht op bevrijding. Acknowledging What Is laat zien hoe we pas werkelijk vrij kunnen worden, als we durven buigen voor het geheel waar we deel van uitmaken.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/acknowledging-what-is/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"Caffeine and cortisol response\nLovallo en collega’s onderzochten in een dubbelblind crossover‑onderzoek (n=96; 48 mannen en 48 vrouwen) hoe acute en chronische cafeïne-inname de cortisolrespons beïnvloeden. De proefpersonen gebruikten gedurende vier opeenvolgende weken driemaal daags capsules met placebo (0 mg), 300 mg of 600 mg cafeïne, waarna op de testdag op 9.00, 13.00 en 18.00 uur een dosis van 0 mg of 250 mg werd gegeven. Speekselcortisol werd acht keer verzameld tussen 7.30 en 19.00 uur ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]).\nBelangrijkste bevindingen:\nSterke cortisolpiek na onthouding: Na vijf dagen cafeïne‑onthouding veroorzaakte het ochtend-challenge‑dosis van 250 mg een sterke cortisolstijging over de dag (p\u0026lt;.0001) ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]). Onvolledige tolerantie bij dagelijks gebruik: Tijdens 5‑daagse inname van 300 mg of 600 mg per dag miste de ochtendpiek, maar na de 13.00‑u dosis trad opnieuw een significant cortisolverhoging op tussen 13.00–19.00 uur (p tussen .02 en .002) ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]). Terug naar rustniveau in de avond: In de avond daalden cortisolwaarden weer naar controle‑niveau ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]). Beperkte ontwikkeling van tolerantie: Hoewel matig dagelijks gebruik (300–600 mg) de vroege cortisolrespons blokkeert, blijft de HPA‑as deels gevoelig voor de middagdosis. Conclusie: Gezonde jongvolwassenen ontwikkelen slechts gedeeltelijke tolerantie voor de cortisolstimulerende effecten van cafeïne. Een ochtenddosis wordt gecompenseerd bij regulier gebruik, maar latere doses gedurende de dag blijven nog cortisolreacties uitlokken. Deze bevinding onderstreept dat zelfs regelmatige cafeïneconsumenten nog endocriene effecten ondervinden bij inname later op de dag.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/caffeine-and-cortisol-response/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":" Samenvatting van Purnell \u0026amp; Brandon (2005) – Cortisol and insulin resistance: Clinical implications # In dit overzichtsartikel bespreken Purnell en Brandon (2005) de nauwe relatie tussen cortisol en insulineresistentie, en de mogelijke klinische gevolgen daarvan. Cortisol is een glucocorticoïde hormoon dat onder normale omstandigheden bijdraagt aan de handhaving van het glucosemetabolisme, vooral tijdens stress. Bij chronisch verhoogde spiegels verandert deze rol echter van adaptief naar schadelijk.\nDe auteurs leggen uit dat langdurige verhoging van cortisol leidt tot verhoogde glucoseproductie in de lever, verminderde opname van glucose in spier- en vetweefsel, en stimulatie van vetopslag, vooral in het abdominale gebied. Deze processen vormen samen de basis voor insulineresistentie, waarbij het lichaam steeds meer insuline nodig heeft om dezelfde hoeveelheid glucose op te nemen.\nEen belangrijk aandachtspunt in het artikel is het verschil tussen fysiologische en pathologische cortisolniveaus. Bij patiënten met het syndroom van Cushing, waarbij er sprake is van overproductie van cortisol, is insulineresistentie een duidelijk klinisch verschijnsel. Maar ook bij mensen zonder endocriene aandoening kunnen psychosociale stress, slaapgebrek of depressie leiden tot milde, maar langdurige verhoging van cortisol, met metabole ontregeling tot gevolg.\nConclusie: Chronisch verhoogde cortisolniveaus zijn een belangrijke risicofactor voor het ontstaan van insulineresistentie en type 2-diabetes. Het herkennen van stress-gerelateerde hormonale ontregeling is cruciaal in de preventie en behandeling van metabole aandoeningen.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/cortisol-and-insulin-resistance/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"The Dark Night of the Soul (1584) beschrijft volgens Johannes van het Kruis het proces waarin een mens door een diepe innerlijke ontregeling gaat om tot een directe, ongefilterde verbinding met het goddelijke te komen. Het boek is geen roman maar een spiritueel-psychologisch stappenplan, geschreven als uitleg bij zijn eigen mystieke gedichten.\nDe kern: echte innerlijke groei verloopt via ontmanteling. Alles waar iemand normaal houvast aan heeft — overtuigingen, emoties, zingeving, zelfs het gevoel van God — wordt tijdelijk weggenomen. Dat noemt hij de “donkere nacht”. Het doel is niet lijden op zich, maar het losmaken van gehechtheden en illusies.\nJohannes onderscheidt twee fasen. De eerste is de nacht van de zintuigen. Hier verliest iemand plezier in religieuze oefeningen, succeservaringen en emotionele bevestiging. Praktijken die eerst betekenis gaven voelen leeg. Dat dwingt tot een minder egogedreven vorm van geloof en leven. Het gaat om zuivering van oppervlakkige motieven: controle, erkenning, troost zoeken.\nDe tweede fase is de nacht van de geest. Die is zwaarder. Hier vallen ook diepere zekerheden weg: identiteit, begrip, gevoel van richting. Het kan voelen als verlatenheid, zinloosheid en innerlijke chaos. Volgens Johannes is dit geen teken dat iets fout gaat, maar juist dat oude structuren afgebroken worden. Het verstand kan het proces niet sturen; het moet verdragen en doorstaan.\nDe uitkomst is wat hij “vereniging” noemt: een staat waarin de persoon minder gedreven wordt door angst, ego en behoefte aan controle. In moderne termen: meer stabiliteit, minder reactiviteit, helderder waarnemen. Niet omdat problemen verdwijnen, maar omdat de gehechtheid eraan afneemt.\nHet boek is rauw en nuchter. Geen snelle verlichting, geen feel-good spiritualiteit. Groei betekent hier: door de ontregeling heen, zonder te vluchten. Pas na de leegte ontstaat volgens Johannes een vorm van vrijheid en helderheid die niet afhankelijk is van omstandigheden.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/dark-night-of-the-soul/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"In de speciale editie van Frontiers in Psychiatry (2018) staat een vernieuwende visie op trauma en herstel centraal. De verzameling artikelen daagt traditionele denkkaders uit: in plaats van te focussen op stoornissen en symptomen, ligt de nadruk op hoe trauma het hele lichaam, brein en sociale functioneren beïnvloedt. Er wordt gekeken naar trauma als een verstoring van integratie in het zenuwstelsel, in de verbinding met anderen, en in het zelfgevoel.\nDe bijdragen komen uit verschillende hoeken: neurowetenschap, psychotherapie, ontwikkelingspsychologie en zelfs mindfulness. Wat ze delen, is een meer relationele en belichaamde benadering. Trauma wordt gezien als iets dat niet alleen ‘in het hoofd’ zit, maar letterlijk in het lichaam wordt opgeslagen met gevolgen voor hoe iemand voelt, denkt en reageert.\nEr is veel aandacht voor de rol van het autonome zenuwstelsel (bijvoorbeeld in polyvagaaltheorie), de impact van vroege hechtingservaringen, en de kracht van lichaamsgerichte therapieën. Ook wordt onderzocht hoe interventies zoals EMDR, sensorimotor psychotherapy en neurofeedback werken op het niveau van hersennetwerken en lichaamsbewustzijn.\nOpvallend is de toon van hoop en nieuwsgierigheid. Deze editie laat zien dat herstel mogelijk is niet door simpelweg symptomen te bestrijden, maar door veilige verbindingen te herstellen, het lichaam weer als thuis te leren ervaren en het verhaal van het zelf opnieuw te weven.\nVoor wie werkt met trauma, of het zelf draagt, biedt Frontiers in Psychiatry (2018) een rijke, actuele en mensgerichte kijk op wat genezing werkelijk vraagt: aanwezigheid, afstemming en belichaming.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/frontiers-in-psychiatry/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":" Craig (2002) betoogt dat **interoceptie**—het waarnemen van de interne fysiologische toestand van het lichaam—een fundamentele zintuiglijke modaliteit is die de basis vormt van gevoel, emotie en zelfbewustzijn. In plaats van een vage “lichaamsfeedback” beschrijft hij een specifiek neuroanatomisch systeem dat signalen uit organen, weefsels en het autonome zenuwstelsel verzamelt en integreert. Kernpunt: interoceptieve signalen (bijv. hartslag, temperatuur, pijn, jeuk, honger, ademhaling) worden via lamina I-neuronen in het ruggenmerg en de hersenstam naar de thalamus en vervolgens naar de insula geleid. Vooral de anterieure insula fungeert als integratiegebied waar deze lichamelijke toestanden worden vertaald naar subjectieve gevoelens. Volgens Craig vormt dit een hiërarchisch model: van ruwe fysiologische signalen naar bewuste, affectieve ervaring.\nHij stelt dat emoties in essentie geïnterpreteerde lichaamstoestanden zijn. Gevoelens zijn dus geen losstaande mentale constructies maar representaties van de actuele lichamelijke conditie. Dit proces draagt bij aan homeostase: het brein gebruikt interoceptieve informatie om gedrag en autonome reacties te sturen die de interne balans bewaren.\nDaarnaast koppelt Craig interoceptie aan het gevoel van het “zelf”. De continue mapping van lichaamstoestand in de insula zou een neurale basis vormen voor subjectief bewustzijn: weten hoe je je voelt is tegelijk weten dat jij het bent die dat voelt. Dit positioneert interoceptie als een kerncomponent van zelfervaring, besluitvorming en emotionele regulatie.\nDe studie leverde een invloedrijk model waarin interoceptie, insula-functie en emotie sterk met elkaar verbonden zijn. Het werk heeft latere theorieën over embodied cognition, emotionele bewustwording en klinische stoornissen (zoals angst, depressie en somatische klachten) diepgaand beïnvloed.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/interoception/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":" Samenvatting van Arendt (2005) – Melatonin: characteristics, concerns, and prospects # Melatonine is een hormoon dat geproduceerd wordt door de pijnappelklier en fungeert als een sleutelmarker van het circadiane ritme – onze interne biologische klok. De concentratie van melatonine in het bloed of speeksel geeft nauwkeurig aan wanneer ons lichaam de nachtstand ingaat. Een veelgebruikte methode om dit te meten is via het afbraakproduct 6-sulfatoxymelatonine in de urine.\nEndogene melatonine bevordert slaap door de lichaamstemperatuur te verlagen, slaperigheid op te wekken en het slaap-waakritme te synchroniseren. Exogene melatonine (supplementen) kan het ritme verschuiven wanneer het op het juiste moment wordt ingenomen. Dit is met name nuttig bij jetlag, ploegendienst, of bij mensen met een niet-24-uurs ritme, zoals blinden.\nToepassingen van melatonine gaan verder dan alleen slaap: het wordt ook onderzocht voor preventie van ritme-gerelateerde aandoeningen, zoals bepaalde vormen van kanker. Er zijn echter nog zorgen over de variatie in meetmethoden, doseringsverschillen tussen studies, en het gebrek aan langetermijnonderzoek naar veiligheid bij chronisch gebruik.\nConclusie: melatonine is een belangrijk hormoon dat verder reikt dan slaap alleen. Het helpt om het biologische ritme te stabiliseren en kan therapeutisch waardevol zijn bij uiteenlopende aandoeningen. Wel is verdere standaardisatie en onderzoek nodig voor verantwoord en effectief gebruik op lange termijn.\nBron: Arendt, J. (2005). Melatonin: characteristics, concerns, and prospects. Journal of Biological Rhythms, 20(4), 291–303. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16077149\n","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/melatonin-characteristics-concerns-and-prospects/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":" In Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans (2009) richten Litz en collega’s de aandacht op een vorm van innerlijk lijden die lang onderbelicht bleef: moral injury. Waar posttraumatische stressstoornis (PTSS) vooral draait om angst en overlevingsstress, beschrijft moral injury de diepe psychische pijn die ontstaat wanneer iemand iets doet, of nalaat, wat indruist tegen zijn of haar morele kompas. Denk aan het doden van burgers, het niet kunnen voorkomen van geweld, of het ervaren van verraad door leiders.\nDe auteurs stellen dat moral injury een andere emotionele lading heeft dan klassieke trauma’s: het gaat niet om ‘gevaar’, maar om schuld, schaamte, verlies van vertrouwen en zingeving. Dit kan leiden tot depressie, isolatie, zelfverachting en existentiële verwarring. Het morele zelfbeeld raakt beschadigd en daarmee ook het vermogen om betekenis te geven aan het eigen leven en handelen.\nBelangrijk in de studie is het pleidooi voor moral repair: herstel vraagt niet alleen om therapie, maar ook om erkenning, vergeving (van zichzelf of anderen), verantwoordelijkheid en het hervinden van een moreel kompas. Dit proces is diep menselijk en vaak relationeel: luisteren zonder oordeel, getuigen van het leed, ruimte bieden voor waarheid.\nDeze studie opent een belangrijk venster op wat oorlog (en andere extreme ervaringen) met een mens kan doen, voorbij diagnosecodes. Moral injury laat zien dat herstel soms niet begint bij het vergeten van wat was, maar bij het durven onder ogen zien en opnieuw verbinden met wie je ten diepste bent.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/moral-injury-and-moral-repair-in-war-veterans/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":" In Philosophy in the Flesh stellen George Lakoff en Mark Johnson een radicale gedachte centraal: ons denken is niet los van ons lichaam, maar er diep in geworteld. Ze breken met het klassieke idee dat de geest puur rationeel of universeel is. In plaats daarvan laten ze zien dat abstracte concepten — zoals tijd, moraal of waarheid — voortkomen uit onze lichamelijke ervaringen. We begrijpen bijvoorbeeld tijd vaak als een reis of beweging (“we kijken uit naar de toekomst”), omdat ons brein die abstractie baseert op onze fysieke oriëntatie in de ruimte. De auteurs introduceren het begrip conceptuele metaforen: onbewuste denkstructuren die we gebruiken om de wereld te begrijpen. Deze metaforen zijn geen literaire versiering, maar vormen letterlijk de bouwstenen van ons denken. Door te analyseren hoe taal en metaforen werken, leggen Lakoff en Johnson bloot hoe cultuur, lichaam en brein samenwerken om betekenis te creëren.\nHet boek is zowel een filosofische als een cognitiewetenschappelijke verkenning, en stelt fundamentele vragen: als onze redenering zo lichamelijk is, hoe objectief kan kennis dan zijn? Wat betekent dat voor moraal, wetenschap, of zelfs ons zelfbeeld?\nLakoff en Johnson nodigen ons uit om vertrouwde aannames los te laten. Hun werk opent een nieuw perspectief op wat het betekent om mens te zijn: denken is niet zwevend of neutraal, maar geworteld in hoe we als belichaamde wezens in de wereld staan. Wie dit boek leest, gaat taal, denken én filosofie anders ervaren.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/philosophy-in-the-flesh/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":" Samenvatting van: Physiology, Cortisol – Thau, Gandhi \u0026amp; Sharma (2023) # Cortisol, vaak aangeduid als het ‘stresshormoon’, is een steroïde glucocorticoïde afkomstig uit de zona fasciculata van de bijnieren en wordt gereguleerd via de hypothalamus-hypofyse-bijnier-as (HPA-as). ACTH uit de hypofyse stimuleert deze productie, waarbij cholesterol via desmolase wordt omgezet in pregnenolon – de snelheidsbeperkende stap. In de bloedbaan circuleert cortisol grotendeels gebonden aan transporteiwitten en wordt lokaal geactiveerd of geïnactiveerd door enzymen 11β-HSD1 en 11β-HSD2.\nCortisol beïnvloedt vrijwel elk orgaansysteem – van het zenuwstelsel en immuunsysteem tot spijsvertering, ademhaling en skeletspieren. In acute stresssituaties bevordert het de vetverbranding, gluconeogenese en eiwitafbraak, waardoor glucose vrijkomt voor hersenen en spieren. Tegelijkertijd onderdrukt cortisol het immuunsysteem, onder andere door apoptose van immuuncellen en verminderde productie van ontstekingscytokines.\nLangdurige cortisolstijging leidt tot blijvende gluconeogenese, verhoogde glycogeensynthese in de lever, maar verminderde glucoseopname in spier- en vetweefsel – dit alles draagt bij aan insulineresistentie. Ook stimuleert het proteolyse en lipolyse, maar paradoxaal genoeg kan het bij chronische stress leiden tot vetopslag, vooral visceraal.\nVia negatieve terugkoppeling op CRH en ACTH zorgt cortisol onder normale omstandigheden voor hormonale balans. Verstoring van deze terugkoppeling kan echter leiden tot endocriene aandoeningen zoals het syndroom van Cushing of de ziekte van Addison.\nConclusie: cortisol is essentieel voor de stressrespons, energiehuishouding en immuunregulatie. Het is een krachtig en veelzijdig hormoon dat, mits in balans, een bondgenoot is – maar bij chronische activatie een stille ondermijner van gezondheid wordt.\n","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/physiology-cortisol/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"Maurice Nicolls Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (1952) is een praktische uitwerking van de ideeën uit de Vierde Weg. Nicoll, zelf arts en leerling van Gurdjieff en Ouspensky, vertaalt hun vaak abstracte systeem naar dagelijkse psychologische observaties en oefeningen. De kern: de mens leeft grotendeels mechanisch, gestuurd door automatische reacties, overtuigingen en emotionele patronen. Werk begint met het zien van die mechaniek zonder jezelf ermee te vereenzelvigen.\nNicoll benadrukt het onderscheid tussen “essentie” (wat aangeboren en echt is) en “persoonlijkheid” (aangeleerd gedrag en sociale maskers). Innerlijke groei vraagt dat je persoonlijkheid observeert en relativeert, zodat essentie zich kan ontwikkelen. Hij beschrijft hoe negatieve emoties, innerlijk gepraat en voortdurende identificatie met gedachten energie verspillen en bewustzijn vernauwen. Het doel is niet onderdrukken, maar zien wat er gebeurt terwijl het gebeurt. Dat opent ruimte voor een andere reactie.\nEen terugkerend thema is zelfherinnering: gelijktijdig bewust zijn van jezelf en van wat je doet. Volgens Nicoll vormt dat de kernpraktijk die een mens minder fragmentarisch maakt. Daarnaast bespreekt hij de noodzaak van bewuste inspanning, het verdragen van innerlijke frictie en het werken met tegenslag als materiaal voor ontwikkeling. Het systeem ziet het dagelijks leven – werk, relaties, irritaties – als oefenterrein.\nDe commentaren zijn opgebouwd uit korte essays en notities voor leerlingen. Ze leggen nadruk op discipline, eerlijk zelfonderzoek en langdurige praktijk in een groep of schoolcontext. Nicoll presenteert de leer niet als theorie, maar als een methode om meer aanwezigheid, innerlijke samenhang en realistisch zelfinzicht te ontwikkelen.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/psychological-commentaries-on-the-teaching-of-gurdjieff-and-ouspensky/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":" Samenvatting van Kirschbaum \u0026amp; Hellhammer (1994) – Salivary cortisol in psychoneuroendocrine research # In hun invloedrijke studie bespreken Kirschbaum en Hellhammer (1994) de waarde van speekselcortisol als een betrouwbare en niet-invasieve biomarker voor het meten van stressresponsen in psychoneuro-endocrinologisch onderzoek. Cortisol is het eindproduct van de hypothalamus-hypofyse-bijnier-as (HPA-as) en speelt een centrale rol bij de fysiologische reactie op stress.\nDe auteurs benadrukken dat speekselmetingen van cortisol goed correleren met de vrije (biologisch actieve) fractie in het bloed. Omdat cortisol in speeksel niet aan eiwitten gebonden is, weerspiegelt het puur de actieve component. Dit maakt het bijzonder geschikt voor onderzoek naar acute en chronische stress, dagelijkse ritmes, en individuele verschillen in stressgevoeligheid.\nEen belangrijk onderdeel van de studie is het beschrijven van het cortisol awakening response (CAR) – een natuurlijke piek in cortisol binnen 30 tot 45 minuten na het ontwaken. Deze piek is een betrouwbare indicator van HPA-as-activiteit en blijkt gevoelig voor factoren als werkstress, slaapkwaliteit en psychische belasting.\nDaarnaast bieden Kirschbaum en Hellhammer praktische richtlijnen voor het verzamelen van speekselmonsters, het controleren van verstorende factoren (zoals eten, tandenpoetsen of roken) en het standaardiseren van meetmomenten. Ze pleiten voor een grotere inzet van deze methode in zowel klinisch als gedragswetenschappelijk onderzoek.\nConclusie: Speekselcortisol is een robuuste, eenvoudige en effectieve methode om stresshormonen te meten. Het maakt langdurig en herhaald meten mogelijk zonder belasting van de proefpersoon – essentieel bij studies naar stress, stemming en gezondheid.\nBron: Kirschbaum, C., \u0026amp; Hellhammer, D. H. (1994). Salivary cortisol in psychoneuroendocrine research: recent developments and applications. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 19(4), 313–333.\n","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/salivary-cortisol-in-psychoneuroendocrine-research/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"Van Liempt en collega’s onderzoeken in een reeks studies de onderlinge relatie tussen slaapstoornissen en PTSS bij veteranen, gebruikmakend van prospectieve cohort-analyses, polysomnografie, hormoonmetingen en een kleinschalige geneesmiddelstudie ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]).\n1. Predictieve rol van slaapstoornissen: Veteranen met pre-deployment nachtmerries hadden significant meer kans op PTSS na zes maanden. Andersom bleken insomnie-symptomen voor vertrek minder voorspellend .\n2. Objectieve slaapverstoringen: Bij PTSS zijn er vaker nachtelijke ontwakingen, en deze correlaten met verhoogde ACTH-waarden (stresshormoon) én verlaagde groeihormoonproductie, samen met verhoogde hartslagnorm . Deze hormonale ontregeling hangt samen met slechter geheugen bij opstaan.\n3. Verstoorde hormoonbalans: PTSS-patiënten lieten een duidelijke afname in GH‑afgifte ’s nachts zien. Deze verminderde hormoonuitstoot, gekoppeld aan slaapfragmentatie, lijkt geheugenconsolidatie te belemmeren .\n4. Behandeling met prazosine: In een RCT veranderde prazosine de objectieve slaapparameters niet significant, maar vermindering van nachtmerries werd wel gemeld. Andere medicamenten (zoals atypische antipsychotica) toonden enige potentie, maar het bewijs blijft beperkt ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]).\nKernboodschap: Slaapstoornissen spelen een prominente rol als zowel oorzaak als gevolg van PTSS. Nachtelijke ontwakingen, hormonale dysregulatie (ACTH↑, GH↓) en nachtmerries verstoorden geheugenprocessen en vormden een vicieuze cirkel. Van Liempts werk onderstreept dat behandeling van slaapproblemen, en niet alleen de PTSS zelf, cruciaal is om het herstel te ondersteunen en de HPA‑as te resetten.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/sleep-disturbances-and-ptsd/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"Stress and body shape\nDe studie onderzocht of vrouwen met meer buikvet (hoge taille-heupverhouding, WHR) een verhoogde HPA-asactiviteit door stress vertonen, zelfs bij een normaal BMI ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]).\nMethode 59 gezonde, pre‑menopauzale vrouwen (30 hoge WHR, 29 lage WHR) namen deel aan vier opeenvolgende labsessies: drie stressprotocollen en één rustdag. Tijdens elke sessie werden cortisolniveaus en psychologische reacties gemeten ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]).\nBelangrijkste bevindingen\nVrouwen met hoge WHR beoordeelden stressorproeven als bedreigender, presteerden slechter en rapporteerden hogere chronische stress . Bij de eerste stressdag werd significant meer cortisol uitgescheiden door de hoge-WHR-groep vergeleken met de lage-WHR-groep ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]). Bij magerere vrouwen met centrale vetopslag ontbrak habituatie: bij herhaalde stress (dagen 2 en 3) bleef cortisolrespons verhoogd, terwijl deze daalde bij hun peers met lagere WHR ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov][1]). Interpretatie Deze resultaten tonen dat centrale vetophoping samenhangt met een verhoogde psychologische stressgevoeligheid en een dysregulatie van de HPA-as, vooral bij slanke vrouwen die geen gewenning laten zien . De continu verhoogde cortisolproductie kan mogelijk bijdragen aan de toename van visceraal vet.\nConclusie Stress‑groottes beïnvloeden cortisolreacties; vrouwen die vatbaar zijn voor centrale vetophoping vertonen intensere en langdurigere cortisolrespons op stress. Dit ondersteunt het model dat psychologisch stress bijdraagt aan centrale obesitas en zo het risico op diabetes, hart- en vaatziekten vergroot .\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/stress-and-body-shape/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"Cortisol: Slecht? Niet altijd – Te laag is óók gevaarlijk\nOp social media wordt cortisol vaak afgeschilderd als \u0026ldquo;de boze stresshormoon\u0026rdquo;, iets wat je koste wat kost moet verlagen. Maar dat beeld is te eenzijdig. Te laag cortisol is minstens zo problematisch – en soms zelfs levensbedreigend.\nEen laag cortisolgehalte ontstaat meestal door bijnierinsufficiëntie, zoals bij de ziekte van Addison (primaire oorzaak), of door een stoornis in de hypofyse (secundaire oorzaak). Ook langdurig gebruik van corticosteroïden, zoals prednison, kan leiden tot een onderdrukte HPA-as waardoor je lichaam zelf geen cortisol meer aanmaakt.\nDe symptomen van een te laag cortisolgehalte zijn vaak vaag, maar samen verontrustend: aanhoudende vermoeidheid, spierzwakte, duizeligheid bij opstaan, lage bloeddruk, buikklachten, en soms zelfs donkere verkleuring van de huid. Psychisch kun je te maken krijgen met neerslachtigheid, angst, of een volledig gebrek aan energie en stressbestendigheid.\nIn acute situaties – zoals bij ziekte of verwonding – kan een tekort leiden tot een Addisoncrisis: levensbedreigende bloeddrukdaling, shock, en bewustzijnsverlies. Dat vereist direct medisch ingrijpen met hydrocortisoninjecties.\nDe oplossing? Diagnose via bloedonderzoek (ochtendcortisol, ACTH) en als nodig levenslange vervangende therapie met hydrocortison of vergelijkbare middelen. Belangrijk is ook educatie: mensen met bijnierinsufficiëntie moeten stressdoses kunnen toedienen, en een SOS-kaart of -penning dragen.\nKortom: cortisol is geen vijand, maar een essentieel overlevingshormoon. De kunst is balans. Minder stress is goed – maar te weinig cortisol is een serieus gezondheidsrisico.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/te-laag-cortisol/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"In the psychobiology of nutrition van Gibson (2020) en collega’s geven in deze overzichtsstudie een helder en samenhangend beeld van hoe voeding en psychobiologie samenwerken. Ze startten met het fundament: voedingsstoffen beïnvloeden niet alleen het lichaam, maar ook de hersenwerking via neurotransmitters, hormonen en het zenuwstelsel. Essentiële vetzuren, aminozuren, vitaminen en mineralen spelen cruciale rollen bij het moduleren van stemming, cognitieve functies en gedrag.\nVerder lichten ze emotioneel eten toe: stress, stemming en psychologische prikkels beperken niet alleen eetgedrag, maar worden ook beïnvloed door what we eten. Ze benadrukken de wederkerigheid – voeding beïnvloedt gemoedstoestand, en gemoedstoestand stuurt voedselkeuze.\nLeerprocessen en conditionering vormen een ander belangrijk punt. Smaak- en omgevingscues kunnen snel leiden tot geconditioneerde voorkeuren en automatiseren ons eetpatroon. Deze inzichten leggen fundamenten voor interventies bij obesitas en eetstoornissen.\nDaarnaast wordt de rol van het microbioom besproken: darmbacteriën produceren signalen die de HPA-as beïnvloeden, stressrespons wijzigen, en eetlust en stemming moduleren. Ze plaatsen dit in het bredere kader van de darm-hersen-as.\nZe analyseren verder experimenteel onderzoek over energierestrictie en selectieve voedseldeprivatie. Kortdurende onthouding leidt tot cravings, terwijl langdurige caloriebeperking regelmatig tot afname in trek leidt – een proces van uitlearning.\nTot slot bespreekt de studie implicaties voor voedingsinterventies: doelgerichte micronutriëntsuppletie, timing van maaltijden, stressmanagement en gedragsmodificatie kunnen gecombineerd leiden tot voordelen in mentale gezondheid en eetgedrag.\nKernboodschap: Psychobiologie en voeding zijn onlosmakelijk verbonden. Voeding beïnvloedt ons brein, gedrag en emotie complex, via meerdere systemen. Om eetgedrag en psychische gezondheid effectief aan te pakken, is een geïntegreerde benadering nodig die voeding, neurobiologie en gedragswetenschappen combineert.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/the-psychobiology-of-nutrition/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"Understanding the stress response (Harvard Health 2018)\nDe stressrespons is een evolutionair verdedigingsmechanisme dat het lichaam voorbereidt op “vechten of vluchten”. Bij het waarnemen van een bedreiging (zoals een naderende auto of werkstress) stuurt de amygdala een alarm naar de hypothalamus, waarna het sympathisch zenuwstelsel wordt geactiveerd. De bijnieren geven adrenaline (epinefrine) af, wat leidt tot een snellere hartslag, verhoogde bloeddruk, versnelde ademhaling, verscherpte zintuigen en extra energie via vrijkomende glucose en vetten ([health.harvard.edu][1]).\nLopende activiteit van de amygdala zet de HPA-as in werking: de hypothalamus produceert CRH, gevolgd door ACTH uit de hypofyse, wat leidt tot cortisolafgifte door de bijnieren. Cortisol houdt het lichaam alert, maar zodra de bedreiging weg is, daalt het via het parasympathisch systeem .\nHoewel acute stress functioneel is, wordt chronische activering gevaarlijk. Structurele schade aan bloedvaten, verhoogde bloeddruk, arteriële plaques, gewichtstoename, depressie, angst en verslaving kunnen daaruit voortvloeien ([health.harvard.edu][1]). Cortisol stimuleert eetlust en vetopslag, terwijl adrenaline stress kan onderdrukken maar het lichaam op langere termijn uitput .\nOm de stressrespons te reguleren zijn bewezen interventies:\nOntspanningstechnieken zoals diepe buikademhaling, geleide visualisatie, yoga en tai chi (de “relaxation response”) verlagen bloeddruk en hartslag ([health.harvard.edu][1]). Beweging, zoals wandelen of aerobics, breekt de spiraal van spanning en helpt herstel . Sociale steun vormt een buffer tegen chronische stress en verbetert weerstand . Kernboodschap: De stressrespons is essentieel voor overleving, maar als deze langdurig actief blijft, schaadt dat de lichamelijke en mentale gezondheid. Gerichte ontspanning, lichaamsbeweging en sociaal contact zijn effectieve tegenstrategieën om de balans in het lichaam te herstellen.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/understanding-the-stress-response/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"","type":"archief"},{"content":"Achilles in Vietnam van Jonathan Shay onderzoekt de psychische gevolgen van oorlogservaringen bij Vietnamveteranen. Shay gebruikt het verhaal van Achilles uit de Ilias van Homerus om te laten zien dat oorlogstrauma en morele verwonding al duizenden jaren bestaan.\nVolgens Shay ontstaat ernstig trauma niet alleen door angst of levensgevaar, maar vooral wanneer iemand diep verraad ervaart door leiders, organisaties of de groep waarop hij vertrouwde. Dit noemt hij “moral injury”. Soldaten raken beschadigd wanneer wat zij meemaken of moeten doen botst met hun morele overtuigingen en gevoel van rechtvaardigheid. Het boek beschrijft hoe zulke ervaringen kunnen leiden tot woede, vervreemding, schuldgevoel, wantrouwen, emotionele afsluiting en verlies van betekenis. Veel veteranen voelen zich na terugkeer afgesneden van de samenleving omdat anderen hun ervaringen niet begrijpen. Shay benadrukt dat herstel niet alleen een medische of psychologische kwestie is. Herstel vraagt ook om erkenning, waarheid, gemeenschap en moreel herstel. Veiligheid en vertrouwen moeten opnieuw opgebouwd worden. De kracht van het boek zit in de combinatie van klassieke literatuur, psychiatrie en verhalen van veteranen. Daarmee laat Shay zien dat trauma niet alleen gaat over wat iemand heeft meegemaakt, maar ook over verlies van menselijkheid, loyaliteit en verbondenheid. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/achilles-in-vietnam/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Awareness Through Movement van Moshe Feldenkrais beschrijft hoe bewuste beweging kan bijdragen aan meer lichaamsbewustzijn, flexibiliteit en verandering van ingesleten patronen.\nDe kern van de Feldenkrais-methode is dat lichaam en geest één geheel vormen. Veel lichamelijke en emotionele patronen verlopen automatisch: hoe iemand zit, loopt, ademt of spanning vasthoudt. Door langzame, aandachtige bewegingen kunnen mensen die patronen leren herkennen en nieuwe mogelijkheden ontdekken. In plaats van trainen op kracht of prestatie richt Feldenkrais zich op subtiele waarneming. Kleine verschillen in beweging helpen het zenuwstelsel om efficiënter en minder gespannen te functioneren. Het doel is niet “harder werken”, maar gemakkelijker en bewuster bewegen. Het boek bevat veel praktische bewegingsoefeningen waarbij aandacht centraal staat. Door nieuwsgierig te onderzoeken hoe een beweging voelt, ontstaat vaak meer ontspanning, coördinatie en zelfregulatie. Dat kan invloed hebben op pijn, stress en het gevoel van aanwezigheid in het lichaam. Hoewel het boek niet specifiek over trauma gaat, heeft de methode invloed gehad op moderne lichaamsgerichte therapieën. Vooral het rustige tempo, de focus op veiligheid en het vergroten van lichaamsbewustzijn sluiten goed aan bij hedendaagse inzichten over zenuwstelselregulatie en herstel van chronische spanning of trauma. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/awareness-through-movement/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Anees Bahji en collega\u0026rsquo;s publiceerden meerdere meta-analyses over ketamine bij stemmings- en traumagerelateerde stoornissen. Een meta-analyse vat de resultaten van veel afzonderlijke studies systematisch samen, waardoor sterkere uitspraken mogelijk worden over hoe groot een effect werkelijk is.\nVoor depressie laat het werk van Bahji zien dat ketamine — en de afgeleide vorm esketamine — bij therapieresistente depressie tot een snelle, soms al binnen uren merkbare afname van klachten kan leiden. Het effect is bij een deel van de patiënten echter kortdurend en vraagt herhaalde toediening of opbouwende behandeling om resultaat vast te houden. Voor PTSS en trauma-symptomen is het beeld voorzichtiger. Bahji beschrijft enkele kleinere studies die wijzen op afname van herbeleving, hyperalertheid en intrusieve gedachten na ketamine-infusies, vooral wanneer dit gecombineerd wordt met traumagerichte therapie. Maar het aantal studies is klein, de protocollen variëren sterk, en de langere termijneffecten zijn nog onvoldoende onderzocht. Een waardevolle bijdrage van het werk is de afweging tussen werkzaamheid en risico's. Ketamine heeft een dissociatief en verslavend potentieel; herhaald gebruik buiten medisch toezicht kan schadelijk zijn. Bahji pleit daarom voor strikte indicatie, zorgvuldige opvolging en integratie in een breder behandelplan, in plaats van losse infusies zonder context. Voor de Nederlandse praktijk zijn deze inzichten relevant. Ketamine wordt in sommige klinieken al off-label ingezet bij depressie, en de bevindingen van Bahji helpen om die toepassing kritisch te volgen. Voor PTSS blijft het experimenteel. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/bahji-ketamine-meta-analysis/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson (1950) ontvouwt G.I. Gurdjieff een complexe, spiritueel-filosofische vertelling die bedoeld is om de lezer wakker te schudden uit een mechanisch, onbewust leven. Verpakt als een sciencefictionachtig reisverhaal vertelt Beëlzebub, een gevallen engel die door het universum reist, aan zijn kleinzoon over de mensheid en haar eigenaardigheden. Maar achter deze vertellingen schuilt een diepe kritiek op de staat van de menselijke geest, onze gewoontes en het verlies van innerlijk kompas.\nGurdjieff gelooft dat de meeste mensen op automatische piloot leven: gedreven door gewoonte, sociale conditionering en innerlijke verdeeldheid. Beelzebub’s Tales is geschreven als een soort innerlijk oefenboek, maar dan gecodeerd. De stijl is bewust ingewikkeld, traag en soms verwarrend. Niet om te irriteren, maar om de lezer te dwingen met aandacht te lezen, om oude patronen te doorbreken.\nCentraal staat het idee dat echte evolutie van de mens mogelijk is, maar alleen via bewuste arbeid en oprechte zelfobservatie. De weg naar ‘objectief bewustzijn’ is geen intellectueel pad, maar een langdurige en integrale oefening waarin lichaam, gevoel en denken opnieuw in balans moeten worden gebracht.\nDit boek is geen spiritueel handboek in traditionele zin, maar een alchemistisch werk dat de lezer confronteert met zichzelf. Beelzebub’s Tales is zowel een mythe, een aanklacht als een uitnodiging: om wakker te worden, om jezelf niet te geloven op je woord, en om, met vallen en opstaan, werkelijk mens te worden.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/beelzebub-vertellingen-aan-zijn-kleinzoon/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Bioenergetics van Alexander Lowen beschrijft hoe emoties, spanning en psychische patronen zich uitdrukken in het lichaam. Lowen bouwde voort op het werk van Wilhelm Reich en ontwikkelde een lichaamsgerichte vorm van psychotherapie: bio-energetica.\nVolgens Lowen slaan mensen emoties en stress niet alleen psychisch op, maar ook lichamelijk. Chronische spanning in spieren, houding en ademhaling vormt als het ware een “pantser” dat gevoelens onderdrukt. Dat pantser kan bescherming bieden, maar beperkt tegelijk levendigheid, spontaniteit en contact met jezelf. Het boek beschrijft hoe lichaamshouding, ademhaling en beweging samenhangen met emotionele patronen. Mensen die voortdurend controle houden of emoties onderdrukken kunnen bijvoorbeeld letterlijk gespannen, stijf of afgesloten raken. Bio-energetische oefeningen richten zich op grounding, ademhaling, beweging, expressie en het losmaken van spanning. Door het lichaam meer te voelen en spanning te ontladen kunnen emoties bewuster ervaren worden en kan meer vitaliteit ontstaan. Lowen legt veel nadruk op het herstellen van contact met het lichaam als basis voor psychische gezondheid. Volgens hem ontstaat echte verandering niet alleen door inzicht of analyse, maar ook door lichamelijke ervaring. Hoewel sommige theorieën van Lowen tegenwoordig als verouderd of moeilijk wetenschappelijk toetsbaar worden gezien, heeft zijn werk veel invloed gehad op moderne lichaamsgerichte therapieën en traumabenaderingen. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/bioenergetics/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Yehuda (2002) in Biological Psychiatry onderzochten biologische kenmerken van posttraumatische stressstoornis (PTSS), met nadruk op de regulatie van het stresshormoon cortisol en de hypothalamus-hypofyse-bijnier-as (HPA-as). Rachel Yehuda en collega’s bestudeerden mensen met PTSS – vaak na oorlogservaringen of andere ernstige trauma’s – en vergeleken hun hormonale profielen met die van controlepersonen.\nEen centrale bevinding was dat PTSS niet simpelweg gepaard gaat met verhoogd cortisol, zoals lang werd aangenomen. Integendeel: veel mensen met chronische PTSS vertonen juist lagere basale cortisolniveaus, maar een verhoogde gevoeligheid van de stress-as voor negatieve feedback. Met dexamethason-suppressietests lieten de onderzoekers zien dat de HPA-as bij PTSS vaak sterker reageert op remmende signalen. Dat wijst op een ontregeld systeem: de stressreactie wordt snel geactiveerd, maar ook abnormaal geremd, wat kan bijdragen aan hyperalertheid, herbelevingen en moeite met herstel na stress.\nDe studie bespreekt ook intergenerationele en vroege-levensinvloeden. Trauma, vooral vroeg in het leven, kan blijvende veranderingen in stressregulatie veroorzaken. Deze veranderingen beïnvloeden hoe iemand later op stress reageert en kunnen de kwetsbaarheid voor PTSS vergroten. Yehuda benadrukt dat biologische markers zoals cortisolpatronen geen simpele diagnose-instrumenten zijn, maar wel inzicht geven in de fysiologie van trauma.\nDe bredere conclusie is dat PTSS gepaard gaat met specifieke neuro-endocriene patronen in plaats van een algemene “overactivatie” van stresshormonen. Dit verfijnt het begrip van trauma: het gaat om een complexe ontregeling van stresssystemen, met implicaties voor behandeling, preventie en onderzoek naar hoe trauma langdurig in lichaam en brein wordt vastgelegd.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/biological-psychiatry/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Ānāpānasati is een eeuwenoude boeddhistische meditatievorm die draait om aandacht voor de ademhaling. Het woord komt uit het Pali:\nānā = inademen apāna = uitademen sati = aandacht of opmerkzaamheid Ānāpānasati betekent dus letterlijk: aandachtig zijn bij de in- en uitademing.\nWat is het doel van ānāpānasati? # Ānāpānasati is meer dan een techniek om tot rust te komen. Het is een pad van inzicht en bevrijding, dat leidt van kalmte naar diepe wijsheid (vipassanā). Door langdurig en nauwgezet de adem te observeren, kalmeert de geest, verdwijnen afleidingen, en wordt de vergankelijkheid van alle ervaring zichtbaar.\nDe vier fasen (tetrads) # Ānāpānasati is systematisch opgebouwd uit 16 contemplaties, verdeeld over 4 hoofdgebieden:\n1. Lichaam (kāya) # Bewust zijn van lange of korte adem Het hele lichaam voelen bij de adem Het lichaam kalmeren 2. Gevoelens (vedanā) # Bewust zijn van vreugde en geluk Gevoelens verfijnen Gevoelens kalmeren 3. Geest (citta) # De geest observeren (scherp, ruim, geconcentreerd) De geest verheugen of kalmeren De geest bevrijden van afleiding 4. Mentale objecten (dhamma) # Inzicht in vergankelijkheid, loslaten, en het wegvallen van gehechtheid Leidt naar bevrijding (nibbāna) ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/boeddhistische-anapanasati/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Brené Brown onderzocht jarenlang schaamte, kwetsbaarheid en menselijke verbinding. In haar boek Daring Greatly (2012) beschrijft zij hoe schaamte een van de meest verborgen maar invloedrijke emoties van mensen is.\nVolgens Brown ontstaat schaamte wanneer iemand diep vanbinnen gelooft niet goed genoeg te zijn. Mensen zijn bang om afgewezen te worden wanneer anderen hun fouten, pijn of kwetsbaarheid echt zien. Daardoor gaan veel mensen zichzelf beschermen door controle, perfectionisme, aanpassen of emotionele afstand. Brown maakt een belangrijk onderscheid tussen schuld en schaamte. Schuld gaat over gedrag: *ik deed iets verkeerd*. Schaamte gaat over identiteit: *ik bén verkeerd*. Juist die overtuiging kan mensen klein, stil en eenzaam maken. Kwetsbaarheid ziet Brown niet als zwakte, maar als moed. Werkelijk contact met anderen ontstaat volgens haar pas wanneer mensen eerlijk durven zijn over onzekerheid, verdriet of angst. Dat vraagt risico, omdat openheid ook afwijzing mogelijk maakt. Compassie speelt hierin een belangrijke rol. Mensen herstellen vaak niet door harder voor zichzelf te worden, maar door zichzelf met meer mildheid en begrip te leren bekijken. Verbinding met anderen helpt daarbij sterk. Brown laat zien dat echte kracht niet ontstaat door perfectie of controle, maar door de bereidheid om menselijk zichtbaar te zijn — inclusief fouten, emoties en kwetsbaarheid. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/brown-daring-greatly/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Robin L. Carhart-Harris is een van de meest bekende onderzoekers op het gebied van psilocybine. Vanuit Imperial College London en later de University of California San Francisco publiceerde hij met zijn team een lange reeks studies over de werking van psilocybine in de hersenen en de toepassing bij depressie, angst en gerelateerde aandoeningen.\nEen centraal idee in zijn werk is dat psilocybine de activiteit van het *default mode network* (een hersennetwerk dat actief is bij piekeren, zelfgereferentieel denken en negatieve zelfbeelden) tijdelijk vermindert. Bij depressie en PTSS staat dit netwerk vaak overactief. Het tijdelijk losser worden van vastgezette patronen kan ruimte geven voor nieuwe perspectieven en flexibeler denken. Daarnaast onderzoekt Carhart-Harris hoe psilocybine de neuroplasticiteit (het vermogen van het brein om nieuwe verbindingen aan te leggen) verhoogt. Dat verklaart waarom de periode na een sessie therapeutisch zo belangrijk is. De hersenen staan tijdelijk meer open voor leren en hervorming. Klinische studies onder zijn leiding lieten bij therapieresistente depressie sterke afnames van klachten zien, ook in vergelijking met klassieke antidepressiva (SSRI's). Voor PTSS is direct onderzoek beperkter, maar het mechanisme van flexibilisering en zelfcompassie sluit aan bij wat bij traumaverwerking nodig is. Carhart-Harris wordt soms te enthousiast geïnterpreteerd door de media. Zijn eigen toon is voorzichtiger: psychedelica zijn instrumenten, geen wondermiddelen. De therapeutische context, voorbereiding en integratie zijn volgens hem minstens zo belangrijk als de stof zelf. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/carhart-harris-psilocybin/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Chassidische verhalen zijn korte, vaak mystieke en diep symbolische vertellingen afkomstig uit de chassidische traditie binnen het jodendom. Ze ontstonden vooral in Oost-Europa in de 18e en 19e eeuw, in de kring van de chassidische beweging die werd geïnspireerd door rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, beter bekend als de Baäl Sjem Tov (meester van de goede naam).\nWat maakt chassidische verhalen bijzonder? # 🕯️ Ze dragen spirituele wijsheid over op een toegankelijke, menselijke manier. Het zijn geen droge dogma’s, maar verhalen die tot het hart spreken. 🧭 Ze gaan vaak over gewone mensen, die op een onverwacht moment in aanraking komen met het goddelijke. 🫀 De nadruk ligt op innerlijke beleving, vreugde, eenvoud en verbondenheid met God in het alledaagse. 🪞 Ze zetten je aan tot zelfreflectie — vaak op een zachte, maar confronterende manier. 💡 Veel verhalen draaien om paradoxen, zoals een dwaas die wijzer blijkt dan de rabbi, of een zondaar die dichter bij God blijkt te staan dan een vrome gelovige. Thema’s die vaak terugkomen: # De verborgen rechtvaardige (de tzaddiek) Het belang van kavanah (innerlijke intentie) Het vinden van God in het alledaagse leven De kracht van muziek, dans en stilte Het mysterie van het gebed Een bekend voorbeeld:\nEen leerling vraagt aan de rabbi: “Waar woont God?” De rabbi antwoordt: “Waar Hij wordt binnengelaten.”\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/chassidische-verhalen/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is een therapeutische methode ontwikkeld door de Britse psycholoog Paul Gilbert. De aanpak is vooral bedoeld voor mensen die veel last hebben van schaamte, zelfkritiek, angst of traumatische ervaringen. CFT helpt om een vriendelijkere en stabielere relatie met jezelf op te bouwen.\nDe basis van CFT is dat ons brein niet is ontworpen om altijd rustig en gelukkig te zijn. Het brein probeert vooral te overleven. Daardoor reageren mensen snel op gevaar, afwijzing of stress. Gilbert beschrijft drie emotieregulatiesystemen die hierbij een rol spelen.\n1. Dreigingssysteem # Dit systeem beschermt ons tegen gevaar. Het activeert angst, boosheid of stress. Bij trauma of langdurige spanning kan dit systeem te vaak aanstaan.\n2. Jaagsysteem # Dit systeem helpt ons doelen bereiken. Het gaat over presteren, succes, winnen en erkenning krijgen. Het kan motiveren, maar ook uitputten.\n3. Kalmerings- en zorgsysteem # Dit systeem zorgt voor rust, veiligheid, verbondenheid en herstel. Juist dit systeem is bij veel mensen onderontwikkeld of moeilijk bereikbaar.\nCFT leert mensen om het kalmeringssysteem sterker te maken. Dat gebeurt met oefeningen in ademhaling, aandacht, lichaamsbewustzijn, verbeelding en helpende zelfspraak. Het doel is niet om problemen te ontkennen, maar om ermee om te gaan vanuit kracht en mildheid.\nEen belangrijk inzicht van Gilbert is dat veel innerlijke strijd niet ontstaat uit zwakte, maar uit oude overlevingspatronen. Zelfcompassie betekent daarom niet medelijden met jezelf, maar wijs en moedig reageren op pijn.\nDe kern van CFT is helder: wie leert vriendelijker met zichzelf om te gaan, creëert meer rust, veerkracht en ruimte voor herstel.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/compassion-focused-therapy/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Samenvatting van Koch et al. (2019): Dance Movement Therapy en trauma # Het artikel van Sabine C. Koch en collega’s (2019) betreft een systematische review en meta-analyse naar de effecten van dance movement therapy (DMT) en andere lichaamsgerichte bewegingsinterventies op psychisch functioneren, waaronder trauma- en stressgerelateerde klachten. De studie bundelt resultaten van meerdere onderzoeken om te bepalen of gestructureerde, ritmische beweging therapeutisch effect heeft op emotionele regulatie, lichaamsbewustzijn en psychische symptomen.\nDe auteurs concluderen dat lichaamsgerichte bewegingsvormen – zoals dans, ritmische coördinatie en expressieve beweging – een meetbaar positief effect kunnen hebben op stressreductie, stemming en interoceptie (het vermogen om lichamelijke signalen waar te nemen). Bij mensen met trauma en PTSS lijken deze interventies vooral te werken via bottom-up regulatie: het lichaam wordt aangesproken via ritme, houding en beweging, waardoor het autonome zenuwstelsel zich kan stabiliseren.\nEen belangrijk mechanisme dat wordt beschreven is sensorimotor integratie. Door herhaalde, aandachtige bewegingen worden motorische, emotionele en cognitieve processen gelijktijdig geactiveerd. Dit kan helpen om fragmentatie – een kernprobleem bij trauma – te verminderen. Daarnaast blijkt ritme een regulerende werking te hebben op arousal en stressrespons, vergelijkbaar met bevindingen uit onderzoek naar ademregulatie en co-regulatie.\nDe meta-analyse laat zien dat DMT significante effecten kan hebben op depressieve symptomen, angst en lichaamsbewustzijn. Voor PTSS-populaties zijn de studies nog beperkt, maar de resultaten wijzen in de richting van verbeterde regulatie en vermindering van dissociatie.\nKoch en collega’s benadrukken dat lichaamsgerichte interventies vooral effectief zijn wanneer ze geïntegreerd worden in een bredere therapeutische context. Ze vervangen geen traumagerichte psychotherapie, maar kunnen de lichamelijke component van herstel versterken. Het onderzoek ondersteunt daarmee het groeiende inzicht dat trauma niet alleen cognitief, maar ook lichamelijk moet worden verwerkt.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/dance-movement-therapy-en-trauma/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Alan K. Davis (Johns Hopkins University en later Ohio State University) onderzoekt al jaren de toepassing van psilocybine bij depressie, angst en betekenisverlies. Zijn werk valt op door de combinatie van klinisch en kwalitatief onderzoek: hij meet niet alleen klachten, maar luistert ook naar wat deelnemers ervaren en hoe zij die ervaring later integreren in hun leven.\nIn een belangrijke studie uit 2020, gepubliceerd in *JAMA Psychiatry*, lieten Davis en collega's zien dat twee psilocybine-sessies in combinatie met psychotherapie tot snelle en aanhoudende afname van depressieve klachten leidden bij volwassenen met een ernstige depressie. Een groot deel van de deelnemers was na vier weken in remissie. Een kenmerkend thema in Davis' onderzoek is *meaning-making*. Veel deelnemers beschrijven na een psilocybine-sessie een gevoel van hervonden zin, verbondenheid of een nieuw perspectief op het leven. Dat lijkt geen bijwerking, maar mogelijk een werkzame factor. Voor mensen met PTSS, moral injury en existentiële wanhoop is juist het hervinden van zin vaak een sleutel in herstel. Davis benadrukt dat psilocybine-therapie geen gemakkelijk pad is. De ervaring zelf kan intens en confronterend zijn, en de integratie achteraf vraagt aandacht en begeleiding. Maar voor mensen bij wie andere behandelingen vastliepen, kan het volgens zijn onderzoek een waardevolle aanvulling zijn op het bestaande zorgaanbod. Davis pleit voor toegankelijke, goed gereguleerde behandeling, met aandacht voor diversiteit en kwetsbaarheid van deelnemers. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/davis-psilocybin-meaning-making/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In De Held met de Duizend Gezichten onthult mytholoog Joseph Campbell een universeel patroon dat verscholen ligt in mythen, sprookjes en religieuze verhalen van over de hele wereld: de monomythe, ofwel de reis van de held. Volgens Campbell doorloopt vrijwel elke mythische figuur — van Odysseus tot Boeddha, van Gilgamesj tot moderne filmhelden — een vergelijkbaar traject van roeping, beproeving, transformatie en terugkeer. Deze zogeheten hero’s journey begint vaak met een innerlijke of uiterlijke oproep tot avontuur, gevolgd door confrontaties met obstakels, innerlijke draken en gidsen. Uiteindelijk ondergaat de held een fundamentele transformatie, die niet alleen hemzelf verandert, maar ook iets teruggeeft aan de gemeenschap. Wat Campbell hiermee laat zien, is dat mythen geen oude verhalen zijn om te bewaren in boeken, maar levendige spiegels van onze eigen innerlijke ontwikkelingsweg. Zijn werk is doordrenkt van symboliek, psychologie (met name beïnvloed door Jung), en diepe eerbied voor de kracht van verhalen. Campbell nodigt uit om de held niet te zoeken in verre tijden of fictieve werelden, maar te herkennen in onszelf. Ieder mens wordt uitgedaagd het bekende te verlaten, het onbekende te betreden en zichzelf opnieuw uit te vinden. De Held met de Duizend Gezichten is meer dan een studie over mythen: het is een gids voor innerlijke groei. Campbell reikt geen kant-en-klaar pad aan, maar een universele structuur waarin we onze eigen weg kunnen herkennen. Een boek dat vraagt om niet alleen gelezen, maar ook geleefd te worden. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/de-held-met-de-duizend-gezichten/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In De Vier Inzichten (1997) deelt Don Miguel Ruiz eeuwenoude wijsheid uit de Tolteekse traditie, vertaald naar heldere, praktische richtlijnen voor een vrijer en bewuster leven. Volgens Ruiz leven veel mensen in een droom vol angst, oordelen en zelfbeperkende overtuigingen — een droom die ons gevangen houdt in pijn, schuld en herhaling. De weg naar bevrijding? Vier eenvoudige maar diep transformerende inzichten. Wees onberispelijk in je woorden: woorden zijn krachtig. Ze kunnen helen of vernietigen. Door eerlijk, zorgvuldig en liefdevol te spreken, zet je een beweging in gang van innerlijke waarheid en zuivere relaties.\nVat niets persoonlijk op: wat anderen zeggen of doen, zegt meer over hen dan over jou. Door los te komen van andermans projecties, bevrijd je jezelf van onnodig lijden.\nGa niet uit van veronderstellingen: we vullen voortdurend dingen in, zonder het echt te checken. Vragen stellen en helder communiceren voorkomt misverstanden en brengt echte verbinding.\nDoe altijd je best: niet perfect, maar oprecht. Je best doen is elke dag anders — en juist dat maakt het bevrijdend. Het voorkomt zelfverwijt én uitstel.\nRuiz schrijft met eenvoud en diepgang. Zijn inzichten klinken misschien logisch, maar blijken in de praktijk verrassend krachtig. De Vier Inzichten is geen theoretisch boek, maar een uitnodiging tot dagelijkse beoefening. Wie de moed heeft deze richtlijnen echt toe te passen, zal merken dat de innerlijke droom verandert — van angst naar vrijheid, van oordeel naar liefde.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/de-vier-inzichten/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Het artikel van de **American Diabetes Association (2004)**in Diabetes Care biedt een overzicht van de diagnose en classificatie van diabetes mellitus en de onderliggende pathofysiologie. De ADA onderscheidt vooral type 1-diabetes, type 2-diabetes, zwangerschapsdiabetes en enkele specifieke vormen met genetische of medische oorzaken. Centraal staat dat diabetes wordt gekenmerkt door chronisch verhoogde bloedglucose als gevolg van problemen met insulineproductie, insulinewerking of beide.\nType 1-diabetes ontstaat door auto-immuundestructie van de bètacellen in de pancreas, waardoor insulineproductie wegvalt. Type 2-diabetes – veruit de meest voorkomende vorm – wordt gekenmerkt door insulineresistentie in combinatie met een geleidelijk tekort aan insuline. Risicofactoren zijn onder meer overgewicht, weinig beweging, genetische aanleg en leeftijd. Het artikel beschrijft diagnostische criteria op basis van nuchtere glucosewaarden, orale glucosetolerantietests en symptomen van hyperglykemie.\nDe ADA benadrukt dat langdurig verhoogde glucose leidt tot microvasculaire en macrovasculaire complicaties: retinopathie, nefropathie, neuropathie, hart- en vaatziekten en beroerte. Vroege opsporing en strikte regulatie van bloedglucose, bloeddruk en lipiden zijn daarom essentieel. Behandeling omvat leefstijlinterventies (voeding, beweging, gewichtsbeheersing), medicatie en bij type 1 altijd insuline. Zelfmonitoring van bloedglucose en educatie van patiënten worden gezien als kernonderdelen van effectieve zorg.\nEen belangrijk punt in het artikel is dat diabetesmanagement multidisciplinair moet zijn en gericht op lange termijn. De aandoening wordt niet alleen als een stoornis in glucosemetabolisme gezien, maar als een systemische ziekte die meerdere organen en regulatiesystemen beïnvloedt. Vroege interventie en consistente behandeling kunnen complicaties aanzienlijk verminderen en de levenskwaliteit verbeteren.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/diabetes-care/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Carl Gustav Jung zag dromen niet als willekeurige beelden, maar als boodschappen uit het onbewuste. Volgens Jung laat een droom zien wat in het dagelijks bewustzijn vaak verborgen blijft. Dromen kunnen daarom helpen om jezelf beter te begrijpen.\nEen belangrijk idee van Jung is dat mensen niet alleen een persoonlijk onbewuste hebben, maar ook een collectief onbewuste. Daarin liggen oeroude beelden en patronen opgeslagen die overal in culturen terugkomen. Jung noemde deze beelden archetypen. Voorbeelden zijn de wijze oude man, de moeder, de held of de schaduw. De schaduw speelt een grote rol in zijn werk. Dat zijn delen van jezelf die je liever niet ziet of onderdrukt. In dromen kunnen deze delen zichtbaar worden in symbolische vorm. Volgens Jung is het belangrijk om die schaduw niet weg te drukken, maar te leren begrijpen. Dat helpt bij innerlijke groei. Jung zag dromen daarom niet alleen als verwerking van ervaringen, maar ook als een poging van de psyche om evenwicht te herstellen. Een droom kan waarschuwen, richting geven of verborgen gevoelens zichtbaar maken. Zijn werk heeft grote invloed gehad op psychologie, spiritualiteit, kunst en moderne ideeën over persoonlijke ontwikkeling en bewustwording. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/dromen-en-symboliek/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" De studie van Kral et al. (2018) werpt een fris licht op de impact van mindfulnessmeditatie op het brein, met name bij mensen die deze beoefening langdurig en intensief integreren in hun dagelijks leven. In plaats van oppervlakkige veranderingen te meten, richt het onderzoek zich op diepe, structurele verschuivingen in hersenactiviteit en connectiviteit, en op wat dit betekent voor aandacht, emotie en zelfgevoel. Een opvallende bevinding is dat langdurige mindfulnessbeoefening leidt tot een sterkere verbinding tussen hersengebieden die betrokken zijn bij interoceptie (het voelen van je lichaam van binnenuit) en gebieden die belangrijk zijn voor aandacht en zelfregulatie. Simpel gezegd: mensen die veel mediteren, voelen niet alleen beter wat er in hun lichaam gebeurt, ze kunnen er ook met meer focus en rust bij blijven.\nDe studie kijkt ook naar veranderingen in de default mode network (DMN), het netwerk dat actief is als we dagdromen of met onszelf bezig zijn. Bij ervaren mediteerders is dit netwerk minder dominant en flexibeler inzetbaar, wat wijst op een minder vastgelopen, meer open vorm van zelfervaring.\nWat Kral et al. laat zien, is dat mindfulness niet alleen stress vermindert of ‘ontspant’, maar werkelijk het brein herschikt — richting meer aanwezigheid, belichaamde zelfkennis en emotionele veerkracht.\nDeze studie nodigt uit tot nieuwsgierigheid: wat als aandachtstraining niet iets bijkomstigs is, maar een sleutel tot innerlijke groei en mentale gezondheid? En hoe kunnen we deze inzichten inzetten in therapie, onderwijs of ons dagelijks leven?\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/effect-meditatie-mindfullness/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Embodied cognition is een benadering binnen de cognitiewetenschap die stelt dat denken niet alleen in het brein plaatsvindt, maar in het hele lichaam en in interactie met de omgeving. Cognitie ontstaat uit de voortdurende wisselwerking tussen hersenen, zintuigen, motoriek en context. Het klassieke beeld van de mens als een brein dat informatie verwerkt los van het lichaam is volgens deze visie te beperkt.\nEen kernidee is dat perceptie en actie onlosmakelijk verbonden zijn. Wat iemand waarneemt, wordt mede bepaald door wat hij of zij lichamelijk kan doen. Een trap ziet er anders uit voor een kind dan voor een volwassene, omdat hun lichamen andere mogelijkheden hebben. Denken is dus niet alleen representaties in het hoofd manipuleren, maar ook voorbereid zijn op handelen in de wereld.\nHet lichaam beïnvloedt bovendien emoties en besluitvorming. Houding, ademhaling en spierspanning hebben directe impact op stemming, aandacht en risicobeoordeling. Wie gespannen zit, denkt anders dan iemand die ontspannen beweegt. Emoties worden in deze benadering gezien als lichamelijke toestanden die het denken sturen, niet als puur mentale labels.\nDe omgeving maakt ook deel uit van het cognitieve systeem. Hulpmiddelen zoals pen en papier, een computerterminal of een werkbank functioneren als verlengstukken van het denken. Door dingen buiten het hoofd te plaatsen – notities, schema’s, fysieke objecten – wordt cognitieve belasting verlaagd en ontstaat ruimte voor complexere redeneringen. Cognitie is daarmee verdeeld over brein, lichaam en wereld.\nEmbodied cognition heeft invloed op verschillende domeinen. In onderwijs benadrukt het leren door doen en bewegen. In therapie ligt de focus op lichamelijke regulatie naast gesprek. In robotica en kunstmatige intelligentie groeit het besef dat intelligent gedrag moeilijk te begrijpen is zonder een lichaam dat kan waarnemen en handelen.\nKort gezegd: denken is geen losstaand proces in het hoofd, maar een dynamisch samenspel van lichaam, brein en omgeving.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/embodied-cognition/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Born \u0026amp; Fehm (2000) in Endocrine Reviews geven een overzicht van de wisselwerking tussen slaap en het endocriene systeem. Hun centrale punt: slaap is geen passieve toestand, maar een actief gereguleerd proces dat nauw samenhangt met hormonale ritmes. Veel hormonen volgen een circadiaans patroon en worden specifiek beïnvloed door verschillende slaapfasen, vooral diepe slaap (slow-wave sleep).\nDe auteurs beschrijven hoe de hypothalamus-hypofyse-bijnier-as (HPA-as), groeihormoon, prolactine, melatonine en cortisol onderling verbonden zijn met slaaparchitectuur. Zo wordt groeihormoon vooral afgegeven tijdens de eerste cycli van diepe slaap, wat belangrijk is voor herstel en metabolisme. Cortisol daarentegen daalt in de vroege nacht en stijgt richting de ochtend. Verstoring van slaap – door stress, ploegendiensten of slaaptekort – kan deze ritmes ontregelen en leiden tot verhoogde cortisolniveaus, verminderde insulinegevoeligheid en andere metabole gevolgen.\nHet artikel benadrukt ook de rol van slaap in geheugen, immuunfunctie en energiebalans via hormonale routes. Chronische slaapverstoring kan bijdragen aan obesitas, stemmingsstoornissen en verminderde stressregulatie. Omgekeerd kunnen hormonale veranderingen (bijvoorbeeld door stress of ziekte) de slaapstructuur zelf verstoren, wat een vicieuze cirkel kan creëren.\nBorn en Fehm concluderen dat gezonde slaap essentieel is voor endocriene stabiliteit. Slaaptekort of fragmentatie werkt door op meerdere hormoonsystemen en beïnvloedt daarmee zowel fysieke als mentale gezondheid. Het artikel onderstreept dat slaap en hormonale regulatie als één geïntegreerd systeem moeten worden gezien, niet als losse processen.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/endocrine-reviews/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"De publicatie van Meaney en Szyf (2005) beschrijft hoe vroege omgevingsinvloeden – met name ouderlijke zorg – langdurige effecten hebben op de regulatie van het stresssysteem. Hun werk is gebaseerd op dieronderzoek, vooral bij ratten, en laat zien dat verschillen in moederlijk gedrag (zoals likken en verzorgen) blijvende veranderingen veroorzaken in de stressreactie van nakomelingen.\nCentraal staat de hypothalamus-hypofyse-bijnier-as (HPA-as), het systeem dat de aanmaak van stresshormonen zoals cortisol (bij mensen) reguleert. Rattenpups die veel zorg ontvangen, ontwikkelen een efficiëntere negatieve feedback in dit systeem. Dat betekent dat hun stressreactie sneller tot rust komt. Pups die minder zorg krijgen, vertonen daarentegen een verhoogde en langdurigere stressrespons.\nDe sleutel tot deze verschillen ligt volgens de auteurs in epigenetische mechanismen, met name DNA-methylatie. Zij tonen aan dat moederlijk gedrag de methylatie beïnvloedt van het gen dat codeert voor de glucocorticoïdreceptor in de hippocampus. Meer zorg leidt tot minder methylatie en dus tot hogere genexpressie, wat resulteert in betere stressregulatie. Minder zorg geeft het omgekeerde effect.\nOpmerkelijk is dat deze veranderingen stabiel blijven tot in volwassenheid, maar niet onveranderlijk zijn. Experimentele interventies konden de epigenetische markeringen deels terugdraaien. Daarmee onderstrepen Meaney en Szyf dat genen geen vaststaand lot bepalen: omgevingsinvloeden “programmeren” biologische systemen, maar plasticiteit blijft bestaan.\nDe studie levert fundamenteel bewijs dat vroege ervaringen biologische sporen nalaten die gedrag en stressgevoeligheid beïnvloeden. Het werk vormde een belangrijke basis voor latere onderzoeken naar intergenerationele overdracht van stress en trauma bij mensen.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/environmental-programming-of-stress-responses/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Expressive Writing: Words That Heal van James W. Pennebaker en John Evans legt uit hoe schrijven over ingrijpende of emotioneel beladen ervaringen kan bijdragen aan psychisch én lichamelijk herstel. Het boek bouwt voort op tientallen jaren onderzoek van Pennebaker, waaruit blijkt dat mensen vaak baat hebben bij korte, gestructureerde schrijfsessies waarin zij eerlijk en zonder censuur opschrijven wat hen bezighoudt. Het gaat niet om mooi schrijven, grammatica of stijl, maar om betekenis geven aan ervaringen.\nDe kernboodschap is eenvoudig: schrijf over wat je wakker houdt. Door gedachten en gevoelens onder woorden te brengen, ontstaat vaak meer orde in chaos. Mensen zien verbanden, herkennen patronen en krijgen afstand tot overweldigende emoties. Dat proces kan stress verminderen en mentale helderheid vergroten. Het boek stelt dat schrijven soms effectiever is dan praten, omdat je in stilte en op eigen tempo kunt onderzoeken wat er werkelijk speelt.\nDe auteurs beschrijven ook hoe je dit praktisch aanpakt. Een bekende methode is om gedurende enkele dagen ongeveer 15 tot 20 minuten te schrijven over een moeilijke gebeurtenis, inclusief feiten, emoties en de impact ervan op je leven. Belangrijk is dat je privé schrijft en eerlijk bent. De tekst hoeft niet bewaard of gedeeld te worden. Juist die vrijheid maakt openheid mogelijk.\nTegelijk waarschuwt het boek dat expressive writing geen wondermiddel is. Niet iedereen profiteert op dezelfde manier, en bij ernstige trauma’s of acute psychische klachten kan professionele begeleiding nodig zijn. Het sterkste punt van het boek is de combinatie van wetenschap en praktische toepasbaarheid: het maakt een eenvoudig hulpmiddel toegankelijk dat veel mensen zelfstandig kunnen inzetten voor verwerking, inzicht en veerkracht.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/expressive-writing/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In augustus 2024 publiceerde de Amerikaanse Food and Drug Administration (FDA) een uitgebreid briefingdocument over MDMA-geassisteerde therapie bij posttraumatische stressstoornis (PTSS). Aanleiding was de aanvraag van Lykos Therapeutics (voorheen MAPS) om de behandeling officieel goed te keuren als geneesmiddel.\nDe FDA-experts beoordeelden de fase 3-studies van Mitchell en collega's. Ondanks de positieve resultaten — een groot deel van de deelnemers voldeed na behandeling niet meer aan de criteria voor PTSS — zag het comité belangrijke methodologische problemen. Het belangrijkste bezwaar betrof de blindering: deelnemers en therapeuten konden vrijwel altijd onderscheiden of iemand MDMA had gekregen of een placebo. Dat ondermijnt de geldigheid van de uitkomsten. Daarnaast had het comité zorgen over de selectie van deelnemers, de afhankelijkheid van een specifiek therapieprotocol, de rapportage van bijwerkingen en signalen van mogelijk grensoverschrijdend gedrag binnen sommige onderzoekssettings. Op basis van deze beoordeling adviseerde het comité in meerderheid om de aanvraag af te wijzen. De FDA volgde dit advies. Belangrijk om te weten: de afwijzing betekent niet dat MDMA-geassisteerde therapie niet werkt. Het betekent dat er beter, gestandaardiseerd en transparanter onderzoek nodig is voordat reguliere goedkeuring kan volgen. Voor de Europese en Nederlandse situatie heeft het besluit indirect gevolgen. Goedkeuring van de FDA was vaak een opmaat naar bredere klinische beschikbaarheid. Nu zal het langer duren voordat MDMA-therapie voor PTSS in een gereguleerde setting beschikbaar komt — al gaat het onderzoek wel door. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/fda-briefing-mdma-2024/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Allison A. Feduccia publiceerde in de afgelopen jaren met collega\u0026rsquo;s verschillende overzichtsartikelen over MDMA-geassisteerde therapie bij PTSS. Feduccia werkte lang als onderzoeker bij MAPS (later Lykos Therapeutics) en is een van de meest gerefereerde stemmen in dit veld.\nHaar reviews vatten de stand van het onderzoek samen op drie punten. Werkzaamheid. Verschillende studies — pilot, fase 2 en uiteindelijk fase 3 — laten consistent een afname van PTSS-klachten zien bij deelnemers die MDMA-therapie kregen, ook bij mensen bij wie eerdere behandelingen onvoldoende hielpen. Effecten bleven meestal maanden tot een jaar na behandeling zichtbaar. Werkingsmechanismen. Feduccia bespreekt hoe MDMA de activiteit van de amygdala (het alarmsysteem in de hersenen) tijdelijk dempt, terwijl het gevoelens van verbondenheid en zelfcompassie vergroot via oxytocine en serotonine. Dat creëert een venster waarin traumaverwerking minder overweldigend kan plaatsvinden. Veiligheid en grenzen. De reviews benoemen ook de risico's: tijdelijke hartslag- en bloeddrukstijging, mogelijke psychische destabilisatie, en het belang van getrainde begeleiders. Voorbeelden van grensoverschrijdend gedrag binnen onderzoekssettings worden expliciet besproken. Na de FDA-afwijzing van 2024 vertrok Feduccia bij Lykos en werd zij een kritische stem binnen het veld. Haar recentere publicaties pleiten voor strengere methodologie en betere bescherming van deelnemers in toekomstig onderzoek. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/feduccia-mdma-review/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Gezond leven met mindfulness van Jon Kabat-Zinn beschrijft hoe mindfulness kan helpen bij stress, pijn, ziekte en emotionele overbelasting. Het boek vormt de basis van het programma MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), dat wereldwijd in zorg en therapie wordt gebruikt.\nKabat-Zinn legt mindfulness uit als bewust aanwezig zijn in het huidige moment, zonder direct te oordelen of weg te duwen wat je ervaart. Veel mensen leven volgens hem grotendeels op de automatische piloot: voortdurend bezig met verleden, toekomst of controle. Daardoor raken lichaam en geest vaak chronisch gespannen. Het boek combineert praktische oefeningen met uitleg over stress, emoties en lichamelijke gezondheid. Ademhaling, meditatie, lichaamsbewustzijn en aandachtige beweging helpen om signalen van spanning eerder op te merken en anders met moeilijke ervaringen om te gaan. Kabat-Zinn benadrukt dat mindfulness niet betekent dat problemen verdwijnen of dat iemand altijd rustig moet zijn. Het gaat juist om leren aanwezig blijven bij het “volle leven” — inclusief pijn, onzekerheid, verdriet en chaos — zonder er volledig door meegesleept te worden. De kern van het boek is dat aandacht en bewustzijn ruimte kunnen creëren tussen prikkel en reactie. Daardoor ontstaat meer keuzevrijheid, rust en veerkracht, ook midden in moeilijke omstandigheden. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/gezond-leven-met-mindfulness/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Haptonomie: Wetenschap van de Affectiviteit van Frans Veldman beschrijft haptonomie als een benadering waarin gevoel, contact en lichamelijke ervaring centraal staan. Veldman ontwikkelde zijn ideeën vanuit observaties over menselijke aanraking, veiligheid en affectieve verbinding.\nVolgens Veldman heeft de manier waarop mensen lichamelijk en emotioneel contact ervaren grote invloed op hun gevoel van veiligheid, identiteit en aanwezigheid. Liefdevolle bevestiging en veilige aanraking helpen iemand om zich open, verbonden en levend te voelen. Gebrek aan veiligheid of afwijzing kan juist leiden tot afsluiting, spanning en terugtrekking. Haptonomie richt zich sterk op het bewust ervaren van het lichaam en de gevoelswereld. Daarbij gaat het niet alleen om emoties, maar ook om hoe iemand letterlijk aanwezig is in zichzelf, in contact met anderen en in de ruimte om zich heen. Het boek beschrijft affectiviteit als een fundamentele menselijke kwaliteit: het vermogen geraakt te worden én anderen te raken op een veilige en menselijke manier. Aanraking speelt daarin vaak een belangrijke rol, maar altijd in relatie tot vertrouwen, respect en afstemming. Hoewel de wetenschappelijke onderbouwing van haptonomie beperkt en omstreden is binnen reguliere wetenschap, heeft de benadering veel invloed gehad in Nederland, vooral binnen begeleiding rond zwangerschap, zorg, lichaamswerk en persoonlijke ontwikkeling. De kern van Veldmans visie is dat menselijk herstel en groei niet alleen cognitief verlopen, maar diep verbonden zijn met lichamelijke ervaring, veiligheid, contact en affectieve verbondenheid. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/haptonomie/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Het is niet met jou begonnen van Mark Wolynn gaat over intergenerationeel trauma: psychische en emotionele patronen die je niet zelf hebt veroorzaakt, maar hebt geërfd van eerdere generaties. Wolynn stelt dat onverklaarbare angsten, depressies, relatieproblemen of lichamelijke klachten vaak terug te voeren zijn op onverwerkte ervaringen van ouders, grootouders of zelfs verder terug. Oorlog, verlies, uitsluiting, geweld of schaamte laten sporen na die in familiesystemen blijven rondzingen. De kern: wat niet wordt verwerkt, wordt doorgegeven. Dat gebeurt via gedrag, taal, loyaliteit en soms zelfs via epigenetische veranderingen. Mensen nemen onbewust rollen of overtuigingen over om het familiesysteem “heel” te houden. Daardoor kun je gevoelens dragen die niet bij je eigen levenservaring lijken te passen. Wolynn combineert systemisch werk, traumatherapie en casussen uit zijn praktijk. Hij laat zien hoe terugkerende zinnen, hardnekkige angsten of relationele patronen vaak een ingang vormen naar de oorsprong van het probleem. Door die oorsprong te herkennen en te benoemen, kan de lading verschuiven. Het doel is niet om schuldigen aan te wijzen, maar om te zien wat van jou is en wat niet. Dat onderscheid geeft ruimte. Het boek biedt concrete stappen: het in kaart brengen van familiegeschiedenis, het herkennen van “kernzinnen” die je innerlijke overtuigingen sturen, en het herformuleren daarvan zodat je loskomt van oude loyaliteiten. Volgens Wolynn ontstaat herstel wanneer je het verleden erkent, de juiste plek inneemt in het systeem en stopt met dragen wat niet van jou is. Dat levert meer autonomie, rust en realistischere verbinding met anderen op. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/het-is-niet-met-jou-begonnen/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"In an Unspoken Voice van Peter A. Levine bouwt verder op de ideeën uit Waking the Tiger. In dit boek legt Levine uitgebreider uit hoe trauma invloed heeft op hersenen, lichaam en emoties, en waarom herstel niet alleen via praten mogelijk is.\nVolgens Levine ontstaat trauma wanneer het zenuwstelsel overweldigd raakt en vast blijft zitten in een toestand van dreiging. Het lichaam blijft dan reageren alsof het gevaar nog aanwezig is. Dat kan zichtbaar worden als angst, spanning, woede, dissociatie, slapeloosheid of lichamelijke klachten zonder duidelijke medische oorzaak. Levine benadrukt dat trauma niet alleen opgeslagen zit in herinneringen of gedachten, maar ook in automatische lichamelijke reacties. Daarom richt herstel zich op het opnieuw leren voelen van veiligheid in het lichaam. Kleine signalen zoals ademhaling, houding, spanning of subtiele bewegingen spelen daarin een belangrijke rol. Het boek beschrijft hoe mensen stap voor stap contact kunnen maken met moeilijke gevoelens zonder opnieuw overspoeld te raken. Door voorzichtig heen en weer te bewegen tussen activatie en rust kan het zenuwstelsel langzaam ontladen en opnieuw reguleren. De centrale boodschap is dat herstel mogelijk is wanneer hersenen, lichaam en bewustzijn weer meer met elkaar verbonden raken. Veiligheid, aanwezigheid en lichaamsbewustzijn vormen daarbij de basis. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/in-an-unspoken-voice/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"In Search of the Miraculous is een spiritueel en filosofisch boek van P. D. Ouspensky over de leer van George Ivanovich Gurdjieff. Het boek beschrijft de zoektocht van Ouspensky naar diepere kennis over de mens, bewustzijn en innerlijke ontwikkeling.\nDe kern van het boek is dat mensen meestal leven in een soort slaaptoestand. We denken dat we bewust handelen, maar volgens Gurdjieff reageren we vaak automatisch op gewoontes, emoties en invloeden van buitenaf. Werkelijke vrijheid ontstaat pas wanneer iemand leert zichzelf waar te nemen en bewuster te leven. Een belangrijk idee in het boek is dat de mens geen vast “ik” heeft. In plaats daarvan bestaan we uit veel verschillende delen die elkaar voortdurend afwisselen. Daardoor zijn mensen innerlijk verdeeld en tegenstrijdig. Door aandacht, zelfonderzoek en oefening kan iemand meer eenheid ontwikkelen. Ook beschrijft het boek verschillende spirituele wegen. Gurdjieff noemt zijn methode “de vierde weg”: een pad waarbij iemand innerlijk werkt terwijl hij gewoon midden in het dagelijks leven blijft staan. Het boek combineert psychologie, mystiek, filosofie en praktische oefeningen. Voor veel lezers is het een confronterend maar inspirerend werk over bewustwording en menselijke ontwikkeling. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/in-search-of-the-miraculous/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"De studie Holocaust exposure induced intergenerational effects on FKBP5 methylation van Yehuda uit (2016) onderzoekt of traumatische ervaringen uit de Holocaust biologische sporen kunnen nalaten die zichtbaar zijn in volgende generaties. De onderzoekers richtten zich op het gen FKBP5, dat betrokken is bij de regulatie van het stresshormoonsysteem (de HPA-as). Veranderingen in de regulatie van dit gen kunnen invloed hebben op hoe het lichaam omgaat met stress.\nDe studie vergeleek drie groepen: Holocaustoverlevenden, hun volwassen kinderen en een controlegroep zonder directe Holocaustblootstelling. Bij zowel overlevenden als hun nakomelingen vonden de onderzoekers veranderingen in DNA-methylatie van het FKBP5-gen. Methylatie is een epigenetisch proces dat bepaalt hoe actief een gen is zonder de genetische code zelf te veranderen. Opvallend was dat de methylatiepatronen bij ouders en kinderen niet identiek waren, maar wel duidelijk samenhingen. Dit wijst op een vorm van intergenerationele overdracht van stressgerelateerde biologische veranderingen.\nDe resultaten suggereren dat extreme traumatische ervaringen langdurige effecten kunnen hebben op de stressregulatie, en dat deze effecten deels zichtbaar blijven in de volgende generatie. De studie toont geen deterministische overdracht van trauma, maar wel een verhoogde gevoeligheid van het stresssysteem. Volgens de auteurs kan dit bijdragen aan een grotere kwetsbaarheid voor stressgerelateerde klachten, afhankelijk van latere levensomstandigheden en veerkrachtfactoren.\nBelangrijk is dat de onderzoekers benadrukken dat epigenetische veranderingen beïnvloedbaar blijven. Omgevingsfactoren, therapie en sociale context kunnen de regulatie van het stresssysteem opnieuw vormgeven. De studie levert daarmee een biologisch onderbouwde aanwijzing dat intergenerationeel trauma niet alleen psychologisch, maar ook lichamelijk kan doorwerken, terwijl tegelijk ruimte blijft voor herstel en plasticiteit.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/intergenerational-effects-on-fkbp5-methylation/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Volgens Carl Gustav Jung is een mens veel groter dan het deel dat hij bewust van zichzelf kent. Onder het dagelijkse bewustzijn ligt volgens hem het onbewuste: een diepere laag waarin gevoelens, herinneringen, verlangens en verdrongen delen van de persoonlijkheid verborgen liggen.\nEen belangrijk begrip in zijn werk is de *schaduw*. De schaduw bestaat uit eigenschappen of emoties die iemand liever niet van zichzelf ziet. Dat kunnen woede, angst of jaloezie zijn, maar ook kracht, spontaniteit of kwetsbaarheid. Mensen drukken deze delen vaak weg omdat ze niet passen bij hoe zij zichzelf willen zien of hoe zij denken dat anderen hen willen zien. Jung geloofde dat de schaduw zich vaak laat zien via dromen, symbolen en projecties op andere mensen. Iemand ergert zich bijvoorbeeld sterk aan gedrag van een ander, terwijl dat gedrag eigenlijk iets weerspiegelt van een verborgen deel van zichzelf. Daarnaast werkte Jung veel met symboliek. Hij zag symbolen als bruggen tussen het bewuste en het onbewuste. Beelden zoals water, bergen, vuur, schaduwen of oude wijzen komen volgens hem niet toevallig voor. Ze verwijzen naar diepere psychologische processen die wereldwijd in verhalen, religies en mythes terugkomen. Volgens Jung ontstaat innerlijke groei niet door perfecte controle, maar door bewustwording. Wie zijn schaduw leert herkennen en verdragen, wordt vollediger menselijk en leeft minder vanuit automatische patronen. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/jung-schaduw-symboliek/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Kabbalistische ademmeditaties zijn spirituele oefeningen uit de Joodse mystieke traditie (de Kabbala) waarin bewuste ademhaling wordt gecombineerd met visualisatie, heilige klanken (zoals Hebreeuwse letters of namen van God) en intentie (kavanah). Het doel is niet alleen ontspanning, maar het openen van spirituele bewustzijnslagen en het afstemmen op de innerlijke dimensies van de schepping.\nIn de kabbalistische visie is de adem (neshima) direct verbonden met de ziel (neshama). Iedere ademhaling is een kans om je opnieuw te verbinden met het goddelijke. Adem is niet zomaar fysiologisch, maar een kanaal van spirituele energie.\nHoe werkt het? # 🕊️ Bewuste ademhaling: Langzame, ritmische ademhaling helpt om de geest stil te maken. 🔠 Visualisatie van Hebreeuwse letters: Sommige meditaties laten je bijv. de letters van de naam יהוה (JHWH) inademen en uitademen. 🧘 Lichamelijke focus: De energiecentra in het lichaam (zoals het hart, het voorhoofd of het bekken) worden bewust gevoeld of geactiveerd tijdens het ademen. 🧩 Kabbalistische boom van het leven: Sommige oefeningen begeleiden de adem langs de sefirot (de 10 energiekanalen van de levensboom). ✡️ Goddelijke namen: De adem wordt verbonden aan heilige klanken of combinaties van letters, zoals \u0026ldquo;Eheieh\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;Adonai\u0026rdquo; of \u0026ldquo;Shaddai\u0026rdquo;. Waarom doen mensen dit? # Om het ego te verzachten Om inzicht te verkrijgen Om zich te openen voor de Eenheid En vaak ook gewoon om dieper aanwezig te zijn ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/kabbalistische-ademmeditatie/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Erwin Krediet en collega\u0026rsquo;s publiceerden in 2020 een uitgebreid overzichtsartikel over psychedelica-ondersteunde therapie bij PTSS en aanverwante traumastoornissen. Het artikel verscheen in een psychiatrisch wetenschappelijk tijdschrift en behoort tot de meest geciteerde Nederlandstalige bijdragen aan dit veld.\nKrediet brengt drie groepen middelen in kaart. MDMA wordt besproken als de best onderzochte vorm, met sterke effecten in pilot- en fase 2-studies. Psilocybine en LSD worden geplaatst in een vroeger onderzoeksstadium, maar met veelbelovende mechanismen via neuroplasticiteit en het versoepelen van rigide denkpatronen. Ketamine krijgt aandacht vanwege de bestaande klinische toepassing bij depressie en de eerste signalen dat het ook bij PTSS-symptomen kan helpen. Een sterk punt van de review is de aandacht voor wat binnen de sessie gebeurt. Krediet benadrukt dat het middel alleen niet het werk doet. De therapeutische context, de relatie met de begeleider, de voorbereiding en de integratie achteraf zijn even bepalend voor het resultaat. De auteurs spreken hierover als \"set en setting\" — een begrip uit de vroege psychedelische onderzoekstraditie. De review eindigt met een nuchtere agenda. Meer en grotere studies zijn nodig, met betere blindering, langere follow-up en heldere protocollen voor screening en integratie. Voor de Nederlandse situatie pleit Krediet voor een gereguleerde onderzoekssetting met goede ethische kaders, in plaats van het huidige grijze gebied van commerciële truffelaanbieders. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/krediet-psychedelics-ptss-review/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Er bestaat in de soefi-traditie een vorm van meditatie die Latifa wordt genoemd. Het woord betekent letterlijk: subtiliteit, zachtheid of innerlijke verfijning. De oefening richt zich niet op controle of prestatie, maar op het voorzichtig openen van aandacht voor wat diep van binnen leeft. Juist daarin kan de Latifa waardevol zijn voor mensen met PTSS of Moral Injury.\nBij trauma staat het zenuwstelsel vaak voortdurend gespannen. Het lichaam blijft alert, alsof gevaar nog steeds aanwezig is. Bij Moral Injury komt daar vaak iets anders bij: schuld, schaamte, verlies van vertrouwen of een beschadigd moreel kompas. Veel mensen proberen die pijn weg te drukken, maar raken daardoor juist verder verwijderd van zichzelf. De Latifa werkt anders. Tijdens de meditatie richt iemand de aandacht rustig op verschillende innerlijke lagen van ervaring: het hart, de adem, gevoelens, herinneringen en stilte. Niet om alles direct op te lossen, maar om zonder oordeel aanwezig te blijven bij wat gevoeld wordt. Dat vraagt zachtheid in plaats van strijd. Daar raken de zeven dimensies van zingeving aan de oefening. Aanvaarden begint bij erkennen wat er werkelijk is, zonder jezelf weg te duwen. Verlangen gaat over het besef dat er ondanks alles nog leven en richting in iemand aanwezig zijn. Hopen ontstaat vaak heel klein: een moment van rust, een ademhaling die zakt. Vertrouwen groeit langzaam wanneer het lichaam merkt dat stilte niet altijd gevaar betekent. Loslaten betekent niet vergeten, maar stoppen met voortdurende innerlijke verkramping. Liefde verschijnt als mildheid voor jezelf en anderen terug kan keren. En uiteindelijk ontstaat weer willen: de bereidheid om opnieuw deel te nemen aan het leven. De Latifa is daarmee geen snelle oplossing. Het is eerder een rustige weg terug naar menselijkheid, verbinding en innerlijke ruimte. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/latifa/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Leef! biedt originele en beproefde ingrediënten om je te laten leiden en verassen door jouw antwoorden op jouw levensvragen. De kennis die in deze acht opwekkende aanwijzingen wordt aangereikt, heeft betrekking op diverse aspecten van ons dagelijks leven.\n- vraag je af wat je nu wilt leren - aanvaard al wat is - worstel met je meest dominante tekortkoming - wees stil, en luister - durf bijzonder, eigenaardig en onvoorspelbaar te zijn - laat de oude ballast gaan - wees lief voor de ander - zeg wat je wilt en ontvang het antwoord ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/leef/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Brett T. Litz is een van de belangrijkste onderzoekers rond het begrip “moral injury”. Zijn werk richt zich vooral op militairen, veteranen en andere beroepen waarin mensen geconfronteerd worden met situaties die botsen met hun morele overtuigingen.\nEen van de bekendste publicaties is: Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans Hierin beschrijven Litz en collega’s moral injury als de psychische, sociale en spirituele schade die ontstaat wanneer iemand:\nzelf iets doet dat tegen eigen waarden ingaat, getuige is van ernstige morele overtredingen, of zich verraden voelt door leiders of instituties. Volgens Litz gaat moral injury verder dan angsttrauma of klassieke PTSS. Schuld, schaamte, zelfveroordeling, verlies van vertrouwen en verlies van betekenis staan centraal. Mensen kunnen het gevoel krijgen dat ze niet meer passen binnen hun eigen morele wereldbeeld.\nOok beschrijft Litz binnen dit artikel een model waarin herstel niet alleen draait om symptoomvermindering, maar ook om:\nerkenning, verantwoordelijkheid, rouw, zelfcompassie, herstel van verbinding, en opnieuw betekenis vinden. Litz benadrukt dat moral injury niet hetzelfde is als een psychiatrische stoornis. Het is vaak een existentiële en morele wond. Daarom vraagt herstel meer dan alleen exposure of symptoombehandeling; ook ethiek, gemeenschap, identiteit en menselijke relaties spelen een grote rol.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/litz/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" De studies van Mitchell en collega’s (2021 en 2023) onderzochten het effect van MDMA-geassisteerde therapie bij mensen met ernstige posttraumatische stressstoornis (PTSS). Het ging om mensen die vaak al jarenlang klachten hadden en waarbij eerdere behandelingen onvoldoende hielpen. In het onderzoek kregen deelnemers meerdere therapiesessies gecombineerd met gecontroleerde toediening van MDMA. Tijdens deze sessies werden deelnemers begeleid door speciaal getrainde therapeuten. Daarnaast waren er voorbereidende gesprekken en integratiesessies achteraf. De controlegroep kreeg therapie met een placebo of een zeer lage dosis MDMA. De resultaten waren opvallend. Veel deelnemers lieten een sterke afname van PTSS-klachten zien. Een groot deel voldeed na afloop zelfs niet meer aan de criteria voor PTSS. Ook klachten zoals depressie, angst en sociaal terugtrekken namen vaak af. De effecten bleven bij veel deelnemers maanden later nog zichtbaar. Volgens de onderzoekers helpt MDMA waarschijnlijk doordat het gevoelens van angst en wantrouwen vermindert. Daardoor kunnen mensen veiliger terugkijken naar traumatische ervaringen zonder direct overspoeld te raken. Tegelijk lijken gevoelens van verbondenheid, zelfcompassie en vertrouwen juist toe te nemen. Dit kan het therapeutisch proces verdiepen. De studies laten zien dat MDMA-geassisteerde therapie veelbelovend is voor mensen met ernstige PTSS. Tegelijk benadrukken de onderzoekers dat deze behandeling alleen veilig toegepast kan worden binnen een professionele therapeutische setting met medische begeleiding. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/mdma-assisted-therapy/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Rosenbaum et al. (2015) in Metabolism onderzochten hoe veranderingen in lichaamsgewicht, vooral gewichtsverlies, de energiehuishouding en hormonale regulatie beïnvloeden. Het artikel bouwt voort op eerder werk waaruit blijkt dat het lichaam actief tegen gewichtsverlies “verdedigt”. Wanneer mensen gewicht verliezen, dalen energieverbruik en bepaalde hormoonspiegels sterker dan je op basis van het lagere lichaamsgewicht alleen zou verwachten. Dat fenomeen wordt vaak “adaptieve thermogenese” genoemd.\nDe auteurs beschrijven hoe het lichaam na gewichtsverlies efficiënter wordt: rustmetabolisme, spontane activiteit en thermische respons op voedsel nemen af. Tegelijk veranderen hormonen die betrokken zijn bij honger en verzadiging. Leptine daalt, wat hongergevoelens kan versterken en energieverbruik verder kan verlagen. Schildklierhormonen en sympathische zenuwactiviteit kunnen eveneens veranderen, waardoor het lichaam minder calorieën verbruikt. Samen verhogen deze aanpassingen de kans op gewichtstoename na een dieet.\nHet artikel bespreekt ook de rol van de hersenen, met name hypothalamische circuits die energie-inname en -verbruik reguleren. Het lichaam lijkt een “setpoint” voor gewicht te hebben dat het probeert te handhaven via hormonale en neurale signalen. Na gewichtsverlies blijft dit systeem vaak ingesteld op het eerdere, hogere gewicht, waardoor terugval biologisch waarschijnlijker wordt.\nBelangrijk is dat deze reacties langdurig kunnen aanhouden. Zelfs wanneer iemand succesvol gewicht verliest, blijven de metabole en hormonale aanpassingen bestaan en maken ze gewichtsbehoud moeilijk. De auteurs concluderen dat obesitas en gewichtsregulatie niet alleen gedragskwesties zijn, maar ook sterk biologisch gestuurd. Effectieve behandeling moet daarom rekening houden met deze adaptieve tegenreacties van het lichaam.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/metabolism/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"In Molecules of Emotion (1997) neemt Candace Pert ons mee op een fascinerende reis door het lichaam en de geest en hoe die twee veel dieper met elkaar verweven zijn dan we ooit dachten. Als neurowetenschapper ontdekte Pert in de jaren ’70 de opiaatreceptor in de hersenen, wat haar leidde naar een baanbrekende visie op emoties: ze zijn geen vage innerlijke toestanden, maar concrete biochemische processen die zich afspelen in het hele lichaam.\nHaar kernidee is dat emoties worden aangestuurd door neuropeptiden, kleine moleculen die fungeren als boodschappers tussen hersenen en lichaam. Deze moleculen (en hun bijbehorende receptoren) bevinden zich niet alleen in het brein, maar ook in het immuunsysteem, de darmen, het hart. Met andere woorden: je hele lichaam voelt en denkt mee.\nPert stelt dat lichaam en geest niet twee gescheiden domeinen zijn, maar één geïntegreerd systeem. De scheiding die de westerse geneeskunde traditioneel aanhoudt tussen fysiek en mentaal, tussen arts en patiënt is volgens haar onhoudbaar. Molecules of Emotion is dan ook meer dan een wetenschappelijk boek: het is een pleidooi voor een nieuwe, holistische benadering van gezondheid, waarin emoties, bewustzijn en lichamelijke processen samen worden begrepen.\nDe toon van het boek is persoonlijk en nieuwsgierig. Pert combineert wetenschappelijke uitleg met verhalen uit haar eigen leven en onderzoek. Zo nodigt ze de lezer uit om met andere ogen te kijken naar stress, ziekte, genezing en vooral naar de kracht van het voelende lichaam.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/molecules-of-emotion/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"In Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans (2009) richten Litz en collega’s de aandacht op een vorm van innerlijk lijden die lang onderbelicht bleef: moral injury. Waar posttraumatische stressstoornis (PTSS) vooral draait om angst en overlevingsstress, beschrijft moral injury de diepe psychische pijn die ontstaat wanneer iemand iets doet — of nalaat — wat indruist tegen zijn of haar morele kompas. Denk aan het doden van burgers, het niet kunnen voorkomen van geweld, of het ervaren van verraad door leiders.\nDe auteurs stellen dat moral injury een andere emotionele lading heeft dan klassieke trauma’s: het gaat niet om ‘gevaar’, maar om *schuld, schaamte, verlies van vertrouwen en zingeving*. Dit kan leiden tot depressie, isolatie, zelfverachting en existentiële verwarring. Het morele zelfbeeld raakt beschadigd — en daarmee ook het vermogen om betekenis te geven aan het eigen leven en handelen. Belangrijk in de studie is het pleidooi voor *moral repair*: herstel vraagt niet alleen om therapie, maar ook om erkenning, vergeving (van zichzelf of anderen), verantwoordelijkheid en het hervinden van een moreel kompas. Dit proces is diep menselijk en vaak relationeel: luisteren zonder oordeel, getuigen van het leed, ruimte bieden voor waarheid. Deze studie opent een belangrijk venster op wat oorlog (en andere extreme ervaringen) met een mens kan doen, voorbij diagnosecodes. *Moral injury* laat zien dat herstel soms niet begint bij het vergeten van wat was, maar bij het durven onder ogen zien — en opnieuw verbinden met wie je ten diepste bent. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/moral-injury-and-moral-repair-in-war-veterans/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Barry Krakow is bekend geworden door zijn onderzoek naar nachtmerries bij trauma en Posttraumatische stressstoornis. Hij onderzocht waarom traumatische dromen vaak blijven terugkomen en hoe mensen daar beter mee kunnen leren omgaan.\nVolgens Krakow zijn nachtmerries niet alleen een vervelend symptoom, maar een teken dat het brein vastloopt in de verwerking van angst en stress. Mensen beleven in hun slaap steeds opnieuw gevoelens van gevaar, machteloosheid of dreiging. Daardoor raakt ook de slaapkwaliteit ernstig verstoord. Een belangrijke methode uit zijn werk is Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT). Daarbij schrijft iemand een terugkerende nachtmerrie op en verandert vervolgens bewust het verloop van de droom. De droom krijgt bijvoorbeeld een veiliger, rustiger of krachtiger einde. Daarna oefent iemand dit nieuwe droombeeld regelmatig overdag in gedachten. Het doel is niet om te ontkennen wat er gebeurd is, maar om het brein nieuwe mogelijkheden te laten ervaren. Onderzoek laat zien dat deze methode bij veel mensen de frequentie en intensiteit van nachtmerries vermindert. Krakow benadrukt ook dat slaap een belangrijk onderdeel is van traumaherstel. Slechte slaap versterkt vaak angst, spanning en emotionele ontregeling, terwijl betere slaap juist herstel ondersteunt. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/nachtmerries-en-trauma/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Donald Nathanson beschrijft in Shame and Pride schaamte als een van de meest bepalende menselijke emoties. Volgens Nathanson ontstaat schaamte wanneer een gevoel van verbinding, waardering of trots plotseling wordt onderbroken. Iemand voelt zich afgewezen, tekortschieten of gezien op een pijnlijke manier.\nSchaamte raakt volgens hem direct aan identiteit. Het gaat niet alleen over wat iemand doet, maar vooral over hoe iemand zichzelf ervaart tegenover anderen. Daardoor kan schaamte diep en langdurig doorwerken. Nathanson beschrijft dat mensen vaak automatisch reageren op schaamte zonder zich daarvan bewust te zijn. Hij noemt vier veelvoorkomende reacties: - terugtrekken en vermijden - jezelf aanvallen - anderen aanvallen - doen alsof er niets aan de hand is Deze reacties beschermen tijdelijk tegen pijn, maar kunnen relaties en zelfbeeld beschadigen wanneer ze langdurig blijven bestaan. Daarnaast laat Nathanson zien dat trots en schaamte nauw verbonden zijn. Mensen hebben behoefte aan erkenning, verbinding en waardigheid. Wanneer die behoeften gezond vervuld worden, ontstaat gezonde trots en zelfvertrouwen. Wanneer verbinding wegvalt of vernedering ontstaat, groeit schaamte. Volgens Nathanson is herstel alleen mogelijk wanneer schaamte herkend en bespreekbaar wordt. Mensen hebben veilige relaties nodig waarin zij zichzelf niet hoeven verbergen. Pas dan kan schaamte langzaam veranderen in meer zelfacceptatie, verbinding en emotionele vrijheid. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/nathanson-shame-and-pride/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In 2013 publiceerden Peter Oehen en collega\u0026rsquo;s de eerste pilotstudie naar MDMA-geassisteerde psychotherapie buiten de Verenigde Staten. Het Zwitserse onderzoek richtte zich op mensen met therapieresistente PTSS, een groep voor wie eerdere behandelingen onvoldoende hielpen.\nTwaalf deelnemers ontvingen drie experimentele sessies, gecombineerd met intensieve therapeutische begeleiding. De helft kreeg een volledige dosis MDMA, de andere helft kreeg een zeer lage dosis als actieve placebo. Voor en na de behandeling werd de ernst van de PTSS-klachten gemeten met gestandaardiseerde meetinstrumenten. De resultaten waren bemoedigend, maar voorzichtig. Deelnemers in de groep die de werkzame dosis ontving lieten gemiddeld een sterkere afname van klachten zien dan de placebogroep. Toch was het verschil niet zo groot als in latere, grotere studies. De onderzoekers noemden zelf dat een dosis van 25 mg, oorspronkelijk bedoeld als placebo, mogelijk al een mild therapeutisch effect had. Een belangrijke uitkomst was dat de behandeling veilig bleek. Er waren geen ernstige bijwerkingen, en deelnemers gaven aan dat de sessies — ondanks hun zwaarte — als waardevol werden ervaren. Een follow-up na een jaar liet zien dat een deel van de deelnemers de winst behield. De studie van Oehen vormde een belangrijke stap richting de latere fase 2- en fase 3-trials van MAPS. Het liet zien dat het protocol ook in een Europese, niet-MAPS-context werkbaar was, en dat de werkzaamheid niet uitsluitend toe te schrijven was aan de Amerikaanse onderzoekstraditie. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/oehen-mdma-pilot-2013/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Onderzoek aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam naar wat populair het “hoofd-hart-buik”-idee heet, valt in werkelijkheid onder meerdere serieuze onderzoeksvelden: cognitieve neurowetenschap, psychoneuro-immunologie en de zogeheten gut-brain-axis. De UvA gebruikt die termen, niet het model van drie afzonderlijke breinen. Binnen het UvA-onderzoek staat de interactie tussen hersenen, lichaam en gedrag centraal. Een belangrijk deel richt zich op de darm-brein-as: het enterisch zenuwstelsel in de darmen, het microbioom en hun invloed op stress, stemming en cognitieve functies. Onderzoekers kijken hoe darmbacteriën via immuunreacties, hormonen en de nervus vagus signalen naar het brein sturen. Deze processen blijken relevant bij depressie, angst en stressregulatie. Het gaat niet om een “buikbrein” dat zelfstandig denkt, maar om een complex feedbacksysteem tussen perifere zenuwstelsels en het centrale zenuwstelsel. Een tweede lijn onderzoekt de rol van lichaamssignalen zoals hartslag en ademhaling in emotie en besluitvorming. Binnen de cognitieve en affectieve neurowetenschap aan de UvA wordt bijvoorbeeld gekeken naar hartslagvariatie (HRV) en interoceptie: hoe goed mensen interne lichaamssignalen waarnemen en hoe dat samenhangt met stress, trauma en emotionele regulatie. Deze studies tonen dat hart- en ademhalingssignalen hersenactiviteit beïnvloeden en omgekeerd. Het hart fungeert daarbij als onderdeel van een regulatiesysteem, niet als apart brein. De UvA plaatst deze bevindingen in een geïntegreerd model van lichaam en brein. Het zenuwstelsel, het immuunsysteem en hormonale systemen vormen samen een netwerk dat gedrag en mentale gezondheid beïnvloedt. De populaire metafoor van drie breinen kan soms helpen in therapie of coaching, maar wordt in het academisch onderzoek niet letterlijk gebruikt. In plaats daarvan spreekt men over wederzijdse regulatie tussen hersenen, lichaam en omgeving. Kort samengevat: UvA-onderzoek bevestigt sterke tweerichtingscommunicatie tussen hersenen, hart en darmen. Het idee van meerdere “breinen” is echter vooral een vereenvoudigde metafoor voor een complex, geïntegreerd biologisch systeem. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/onderzoek-uva/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" De parabels van Jezus zijn korte, krachtige verhalen die meer doen dan alleen informeren. Ze nodigen uit tot reflectie, verwondering en innerlijke beweging. In plaats van theologische betogen koos Jezus voor beelden uit het dagelijkse leven: een zaaier, een herder, een koopman, een vader. Deze eenvoud maakt ze toegankelijk, terwijl hun lagen van betekenis tijdloos en diepgaand zijn. Parabels hebben niet als doel om eenduidige antwoorden te geven, maar juist om het bewustzijn wakker te schudden. Jezus gebruikte deze vorm om zijn toehoorders te confronteren met hun aannames, omdenken uit te lokken en een spirituele realiteit tastbaar te maken.\n🌾 Bekende parabels van Jezus # Parabel Thema De zaaier (Mattheüs 13) Hoe het woord van God verschillend ontvangen wordt — afhankelijk van de “grond” van iemands hart. De verloren zoon (Lukas 15) Vergeving, thuiskomen en de overvloedige liefde van de vader (God). De barmhartige Samaritaan (Lukas 10) Ware naastenliefde komt soms uit onverwachte hoek. De arbeiders in de wijngaard (Mattheüs 20) Goddelijke rechtvaardigheid is niet hetzelfde als menselijke verdienste. De schat in de akker \u0026amp; de parel van grote waarde (Mattheüs 13) Het koninkrijk van God is kostbaar en vraagt volledige overgave. De onbarmhartige dienaar (Mattheüs 18) Wie vergeving ontvangt, hoort ook vergeving te geven. Het mosterdzaadje (Mattheüs 13) Het koninkrijk begint klein maar groeit krachtig. De tien maagden (Mattheüs 25) Wakker zijn, voorbereid zijn op wat komt. De verloren munt (Lukas 15) De vreugde van het vinden van iets dat dierbaar is — een beeld voor Gods vreugde over bekering. Waarom parabels? # Jezus sprak in parabels om mensen aan het denken te zetten. Ze vormen een brug tussen het zichtbare en het onzichtbare, het aardse en het hemelse. Ze nodigen uit tot innerlijk werk, precies zoals ook mystieke tradities dat doen: door ervaring, niet alleen door verstand.\nDe ware kracht van een parabel ligt in de vraag die ze achterlaat, niet het antwoord dat ze geeft.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/parabels-van-jezus/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Samenvatting van Yehuda (2015): Post-traumatic stress disorder # In het overzichtsartikel Post-traumatic stress disorder (2015) beschrijft neurobioloog en psychiater Rachel Yehuda de neurobiologische en psychologische mechanismen die ten grondslag liggen aan PTSS. Het artikel bundelt tientallen jaren onderzoek naar stressregulatie, hormonen, geheugen en intergenerationele effecten van trauma.\nYehuda benadrukt dat PTSS niet alleen een psychologische reactie is, maar een ontregeling van het stresssysteem. Met name de HPA-as (hypothalamus-hypofyse-bijnier-as), die de productie van het stresshormoon cortisol regelt, functioneert anders bij mensen met PTSS. In plaats van chronisch verhoogde cortisolwaarden, zoals lang werd aangenomen, vertonen veel mensen met PTSS juist lagere basale cortisolspiegels in combinatie met een overgevoelige stressrespons. Dit wijst op een verstoorde negatieve feedback in het stresssysteem.\nDaarnaast bespreekt Yehuda veranderingen in hersengebieden die betrokken zijn bij dreigingsdetectie en emotieregulatie, zoals de amygdala, hippocampus en prefrontale cortex. Deze netwerken spelen een rol bij het vasthouden van traumaherinneringen en het moeilijk kunnen dempen van stressreacties. Ook komt het concept van intergenerationele overdracht aan bod: traumatische ervaringen kunnen via epigenetische en relationele processen invloed hebben op stressregulatie in volgende generaties.\nHet artikel benadrukt dat effectieve behandeling van PTSS zowel psychologische als biologische componenten moet adresseren. Traumagerichte therapieën, medicatie, slaapherstel en interventies die het zenuwstelsel reguleren kunnen allemaal bijdragen aan herstel. Volgens Yehuda is PTSS geen statische aandoening, maar een dynamische ontregeling van stress- en geheugensystemen die, met de juiste interventies, ook weer kunnen veranderen.\nHet werk vormt een belangrijke basis voor het huidige begrip van PTSS als een samenspel van lichaam, brein en ervaring.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"In hun invloedrijke artikel uit 2004 beschrijven Richard Tedeschi en Lawrence Calhoun het begrip Post Traumatische Groei. Daarmee bedoelen zij positieve psychologische veranderingen die soms ontstaan na een ingrijpende of schokkende gebeurtenis. Belangrijk is dat deze groei niet ontstaat door het trauma zelf, maar door de worsteling met wat er is gebeurd.\nEen trauma kan iemands oude overtuigingen door elkaar schudden. Ideeën zoals “de wereld is veilig”, “ik heb controle” of “ik weet wie ik ben” kunnen wegvallen. Daardoor ontstaat een periode van onzekerheid, verdriet en verwarring. Juist in het proces van nadenken, voelen, verwerken en opnieuw richting vinden kan groei ontstaan.\nTedeschi en Calhoun noemen vijf gebieden waarin deze groei vaak zichtbaar wordt:\nmeer waardering voor het leven diepere en eerlijkere relaties meer innerlijke kracht nieuwe mogelijkheden en keuzes spirituele of existentiële verdieping De auteurs benadrukken ook dat groei en pijn tegelijk kunnen bestaan. Iemand kan nog steeds last hebben van angst, rouw of stressklachten, en toch merken dat er iets positiefs veranderd is. Groei betekent dus niet dat de schade verdwenen is.\nNiet iedereen ervaart post traumatische groei. Factoren zoals sociale steun, veiligheid, tijd en ruimte voor verwerking spelen een belangrijke rol. Het is daarom geen verplicht eindstation en geen bewijs van succes.\nDe kern van het artikel is helder: trauma is niet de leraar. De manier waarop iemand omgaat met ontwrichting kan soms leiden tot meer diepgang, wijsheid en bewust leven.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/post-traumatische-groei/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"The Psychology of Religion and Coping van Kenneth Pargament\nWaarom wenden sommige mensen zich tot religie om met een crisis om te gaan, terwijl anderen zich er juist van afkeren? Is religieus geloof slechts een verdedigingsmechanisme of een vorm van ontkenning? Is spiritualiteit een hulp of een belemmering in stressvolle tijden? Dit boek slaat een broodnodige brug tussen twee verschillende denk- en praktijkwerelden namelijk: religie en psychologie en het combineert op gevoelige wijze theorie met persoonlijke ervaringen, klinische inzichten en wetenschappelijk onderzoek. Het boek benadrukt de noodzaak van meer aandacht voor religie en spiritualiteit in de context van hulpverleningsrelaties en suggereert diverse manieren waarop geloof beter ingezet kan worden om mensen in crisis te helpen. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/psychology-of-religion-and-coping/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Pruessner et al. (2007) in Psychoneuroendocrinology onderzochten hoe chronische stress samenhangt met veranderingen in de hersenen, met name de hippocampus, en met de regulatie van cortisol. De studie bouwt voort op eerder werk dat laat zien dat langdurige blootstelling aan stresshormonen structurele en functionele effecten kan hebben op hersengebieden die betrokken zijn bij geheugen, emotieregulatie en stressrespons.\nDe auteurs richtten zich op gezonde volwassenen en keken naar verschillen in cortisolreactiviteit (via stressprotocollen en speekselmetingen) en hersenstructuur (via MRI). Een kernbevinding was dat individuen met verhoogde of langdurig ontregelde cortisolniveaus vaak een kleinere hippocampale volume lieten zien. De hippocampus speelt een cruciale rol in het remmen van de stress-as (HPA-as). Wanneer dit gebied minder effectief functioneert, kan dat leiden tot een vicieuze cirkel: slechtere remming van de stressrespons → meer cortisol → verdere impact op hersenstructuur.\nHet artikel bespreekt ook individuele verschillen in kwetsbaarheid. Niet iedereen met stress ervaart dezelfde neurobiologische gevolgen. Factoren zoals vroege levensstress, genetische aanleg en copingstijl beïnvloeden hoe sterk de HPA-as reageert en hoe goed herstel optreedt na stress.\nBelangrijk is dat de auteurs voorzichtig zijn met causaliteit. Een kleinere hippocampus kan zowel gevolg als risicofactor zijn voor verhoogde stressgevoeligheid. De studie ondersteunt het idee dat chronische stress niet alleen psychologisch, maar ook meetbaar biologisch doorwerkt.\nDe bredere implicatie: langdurige stress heeft tastbare neuro-endocriene gevolgen. Preventie en regulatie van stress zijn dus niet alleen mentaal relevant, maar ook structureel voor hersengezondheid.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/psychoneuroendocrinology/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Lovallo et al. (2005) in Psychosomatic Medicine onderzochten hoe vroege levensstress samenhangt met latere regulatie van de stressrespons, met name de hypothalamus-hypofyse-bijnier-as (HPA-as) en cortisolreacties. De studie richtte zich op gezonde jongvolwassenen zonder klinische stoornissen, maar met verschillende niveaus van gemelde jeugdstress, zoals verwaarlozing, conflict of onvoorspelbare thuissituaties. Doel was te zien of vroege ervaringen blijvende sporen nalaten in fysiologische stressreacties.\nDe onderzoekers gebruikten gestandaardiseerde stressprotocollen (zoals mentale rekentaken en sociale evaluatie) en maten cortisol via speeksel. Een centrale bevinding was dat personen met hogere niveaus van vroege stress vaak een afgevlakte of verminderde cortisolreactie op acute stress vertoonden. Dat wijst niet op een “sterkere” stressreactie, maar op een systeem dat anders is afgesteld. Chronische blootstelling aan stress in de jeugd kan de HPA-as zodanig aanpassen dat latere reacties gedempt of ontregeld zijn. Zo’n patroon wordt gezien als een mogelijke risicofactor voor latere problemen met stemming, impulscontrole en verslaving.\nHet artikel bespreekt dat deze veranderingen subtiel en variabel zijn. Niet iedereen met vroege stress ontwikkelt dezelfde fysiologische patronen; genetische aanleg, latere omgeving en coping spelen mee. Toch ondersteunen de resultaten het idee dat stressregulatie deels wordt “geprogrammeerd” door vroege ervaringen.\nDe bredere implicatie is dat psychosociale omstandigheden in de jeugd meetbare effecten kunnen hebben op volwassen stressbiologie, zelfs bij ogenschijnlijk gezonde mensen. Dat versterkt het inzicht dat preventie en vroege interventie belangrijk zijn, omdat langdurige stress in ontwikkelingsfasen blijvende aanpassingen in neuro-endocriene systemen kan veroorzaken.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/psychosomatic-medicine/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"De Pulsar visie gaat er van uit dat alles in ons leven continu in beweging is en behoort te zijn. De kunst is om deze continue beweging telkens weer te (willen) zien en te willen leren van de inzichten die hierdoor worden aangereikt. De Pulsar visie concentreert zich op duurzame verandering: er wordt veel aandacht gegeven aan het vermogen van mensen zichzelf te veranderen. Het gaat om een diepgaande en in de mens of organisatie geïntegreerde verandering naar een grotere en meer creatieve levensruimte.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/pulsar-visie/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In de studie Putting Feelings into Words (2007) onderzoekt Matthew Lieberman samen met collega’s een fenomeen dat velen intuïtief al kennen: het helpt om je gevoelens onder woorden te brengen. Maar deze studie maakt het zichtbaar in het brein. Met behulp van fMRI-scans ontdekten de onderzoekers dat het benoemen van emoties — ook wel *affect labeling* genoemd — leidt tot een kalmerend effect op de amygdala, het hersengebied dat betrokken is bij emotionele reacties zoals angst en woede. Wanneer proefpersonen een negatieve emotie benoemen (“ik voel me boos” of “ik ben verdrietig”), wordt de activiteit in de amygdala kleiner. Tegelijkertijd neemt de activiteit toe in de rechter ventrolaterale prefrontale cortex, een gebied dat geassocieerd is met zelfreflectie en regulatie. Simpel gezegd: door gevoelens te verwoorden, ontstaat er meer innerlijke rust en overzicht.\nWat deze studie zo bijzonder maakt, is dat het neurologisch bewijs levert voor iets wat in therapie, meditatie en zelfs vriendschap al lang wordt toegepast: woorden geven aan wat je voelt werkt helend. Het is geen onderdrukking of analyse, maar een directe manier om grip te krijgen op innerlijke chaos.\nPutting Feelings into Words biedt daarmee meer dan wetenschappelijke inzichten — het is een bevestiging van iets fundamenteel menselijks. Emoties willen gevoeld worden, maar ook gezien en erkend. En soms begint dat simpelweg met het durven zeggen: “ik voel me zo.” Die kleine daad van taal blijkt een sleutel tot regulatie, verbinding en verandering.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/putting-feelings-into-words/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In 2020 verscheen in het American Journal of Psychiatry een gezaghebbend overzichtsartikel van Collin M. Reiff en collega\u0026rsquo;s over psychedelica en psychedelica-ondersteunde psychotherapie. Het artikel werd geschreven namens de werkgroep onderzoek van de American Psychiatric Association — een belangrijk signaal dat de hoofdstroom van de psychiatrie het onderwerp serieus is gaan nemen.\nDe auteurs bespreken vijf middelen die op dat moment het meest werden onderzocht: MDMA, psilocybine, LSD, ayahuasca en ibogaïne. Voor elk middel worden de werkingsmechanismen, klinische toepassingen, effectgroottes en bijwerkingen op een rij gezet. Bij PTSS valt op dat MDMA al verder in onderzoek is dan de andere middelen. Voor depressie zijn psilocybine-studies veelbelovend, vooral bij mensen met een levensbedreigende ziekte of therapieresistente depressie. Voor verslavingsproblemen wordt onderzoek naar ibogaïne en ayahuasca beschreven, maar de evidentie is daarbij nog beperkt. Een belangrijke verdienste van het artikel is de aandacht voor waarschuwingen. Reiff en collega's benadrukken risico's bij mensen met psychotische kwetsbaarheid, het belang van zorgvuldige screening, de rol van set en setting, en het feit dat veel beschikbare studies klein zijn en strenge selectiecriteria hanteren. De resultaten zijn dus niet zomaar te vertalen naar de bredere bevolking. Het artikel was voor veel psychiaters een eerste systematische kennismaking met dit veld. Het zette de toon voor latere richtlijnen en discussies binnen de Amerikaanse beroepsverenigingen, en wordt sindsdien internationaal veel geciteerd. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/reiff-psychedelics-psychotherapy/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Samenvatting van LeDoux (2012): Rethinking the Emotional Brain # In zijn artikel uit 2012 herformuleert Joseph LeDoux de manier waarop we naar het “emotionele brein” en vooral de rol van angst- en bedreigingsreacties kijken. LeDoux, een vooraanstaand neurowetenschapper, richt zich op de neurobiologie van bedreigingsdetectie en de bijbehorende verdedigingreacties van het zenuwstelsel, niet primair op ‘angst’ als bewuste emotie, maar op de automatische processen die het lichaam voorbereiden op overleving.\nCentraal in dit werk staat het idee dat stimuli die oorspronkelijk betekenisloos zijn, betekenissen van gevaar kunnen krijgen door associatie met echte bedreigingen. Een proces dat vaak bestudeerd wordt via Pavloviaans bedreigingsconditioneren. Hierbij koppelt het brein een cue (bijvoorbeeld geluid of beeld) aan een aversieve ervaring, waardoor dezelfde cue later automatisch een verdedigingreactie triggert, zelfs zonder bewuste angstbeleving.\nLeDoux benadrukt dat de neurale circuits die deze automatische reacties mogelijk maken (vooral binnen de amygdala en verwante subcorticale systemen) niet automatisch de bewuste emotie ‘angst’ veroorzaken. In plaats daarvan beïnvloeden ze fysiologische en gedragsmatige reacties op bedreiging. Deze circuits werken los van de hogere cognitieve interpretatie van ervaring, die in andere hersengebieden (zoals de prefrontale cortex) plaatsvindt.\nVoor trauma-onderzoek is dit relevant omdat het benadrukt dat overlevingsreacties diep in het zenuwstelsel verankerd zijn en vaak buiten bewuste controle liggen. Het verklaart waarom traumareacties lichamelijk kunnen blijven bestaan, los van wat iemand rationeel weet of vertelt.\nIn LeDoux’ visie betekent dit dat effectieve therapieën zowel automatische (lichaams- \u0026amp; circuitniveau) als bewuste (cognitieve) processen moeten adresseren.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/rethinking-the-emotional-brain/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"In haar invloedrijke artikel Six Views of Embodied Cognition (2002) zet Margaret Wilson zes verschillende perspectieven op een rij die samen het groeiende veld van embodied cognition vormgeven. Ze daagt hiermee het klassieke idee uit dat cognitie zich voornamelijk ‘in het hoofd’ afspeelt, los van lichaam en omgeving. In plaats daarvan onderzoekt ze hoe denken voortkomt uit en afhankelijk is van onze lichamelijke ervaringen, motorische acties en de wereld om ons heen.\nDe zes visies die ze bespreekt, variëren van de rol van lichamelijke interactie in cognitieve processen tot de stelling dat ons brein en onze omgeving samenwerken als één systeem. Sommige benaderingen benadrukken hoe perceptie en actie elkaar direct beïnvloeden, zonder dat er ‘abstract denken’ tussen hoeft te komen. Andere leggen de nadruk op hoe we mentale representaties vormen op basis van sensorimotorische ervaringen.\nWilson is kritisch en analytisch: ze evalueert de sterktes én beperkingen van elk perspectief. Haar conclusie is genuanceerd. Niet alle ideeën onder de vlag van embodied cognition zijn even overtuigend of empirisch onderbouwd, maar samen vormen ze een krachtig alternatief voor de traditionele cognitiewetenschap. Ze benadrukt vooral het belang van verder onderzoek dat deze lichamelijke dimensies van denken serieus neemt.\nDit artikel nodigt uit tot heroverweging: wat als denken minder een ‘hoofdzaak’ is, en meer een dans tussen brein, lichaam en wereld? Wilsons overzicht is helder, prikkelend en vormt een uitstekend startpunt voor wie zich wil verdiepen in de belichaamde geest.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/six-views-of-embodied-cognition/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Soefi-oefeningen met adem maken deel uit van een eeuwenoude mystieke traditie waarin adem wordt gezien als een brug tussen het stoffelijke en het goddelijke. Binnen het soefisme — de innerlijke weg van de islam — is de adem (nafas) niet alleen een fysiologisch verschijnsel, maar een spiritueel voertuig: elke ademhaling is een kans om dichter bij God (Allah) te komen.\nBelang van adem in het soefisme # De adem speelt een centrale rol in het spirituele ontwaken. Soefi-meesters benadrukken dat bewustwording van de adem het hart opent, het ego verzacht en de ziel zuivert.\nIn sommige soefi-ordes (zoals de Naqshbandiyya of Mevlevi) zijn ademtechnieken verbonden aan specifieke dhikr-praktijken (herhaling van Gods namen). Het doel is aanwezigheid in het moment en het doordringen van het goddelijke in elke cel van het lichaam.\nVoorbeelden van soefi-ademoefeningen # 1. Bewuste ademhaling met Godsnaam # Op de inademing: Allaaah stil meedenken of fluisteren Op de uitademing: stilte, of Hu (de innerlijke naam van God) Deze ademhaling wordt vaak gecombineerd met hartfocus: alsof je door je hart ademt. 2. Vierdelige ademhaling # Inademen → vasthouden → uitademen → stilte Elke fase kan gepaard gaan met een mantra of innerlijk gebed 3. Adem en beweging # In de Mevlevi-dans (de draaiende derwisjen) is de ademhaling verbonden met ritme, overgave en centrering in het hart. Deze oefeningen vormen geen dogma maar een uitnodiging tot verstilling, verbinding en overgave.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/soefi-adem-oefeningen/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Soefigelijkenissen zijn korte, vaak poëtische verhalen die gebruikt worden binnen de soefi-traditie, de mystieke stroming van de islam. Ze lijken eenvoudig, maar bevatten meerdere lagen van betekenis. Deze verhalen worden niet verteld om iets uit te leggen, maar om de geest wakker te maken en het hart te raken. Wat maakt soefigelijkenissen bijzonder?\n🌙 Ze nodigen uit tot inzicht via ervaring, niet via redenering.\n🧩 Ze zitten vol paradoxen en onverwachte wendingen die logische patronen doorbreken.\n💫 Ze spreken het innerlijk weten aan, eerder dan het intellectuele begrijpen.\n🌾 Ze zijn vaak grappig of speels, maar hebben een diepe, spirituele ondertoon.\n🔍 Ze nodigen de luisteraar uit tot reflectie, alsof de ware betekenis pas later ontsluierd wordt.\nThema’s die vaak terugkeren:\nDe zoektocht naar de ware Zelf\nDe illusie van afgescheidenheid\nDe dwaasheid van het ego\nDe verborgenheid van het goddelijke in het alledaagse\nDe rol van de meester (de sheikh) en leerling\nEen bekend voorbeeld (vaak toegeschreven aan Nasreddin Hodja):\nNasreddin zoekt onder een lantaarnpaal naar zijn sleutel. “Ben je het hier verloren?” vraagt iemand. “Nee,” zegt hij, “maar hier is het licht beter.”\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/soefigelijkenissen/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Tangney en Dearing onderzochten in Shame and Guilt het verschil tussen schaamte en schuld. Hoewel deze emoties vaak door elkaar worden gebruikt, laten zij zien dat het psychologisch om twee verschillende ervaringen gaat.\nVolgens hun onderzoek richt schuld zich vooral op gedrag. Iemand denkt: \u003e “Ik deed iets verkeerd.” Schaamte richt zich op de persoon zelf: \u003e “Er is iets mis met mij.” Dat verschil heeft grote gevolgen. Schuld kan mensen helpen verantwoordelijkheid te nemen, excuses te maken of gedrag te veranderen. Schaamte leidt vaker tot terugtrekken, zelfkritiek, vermijden of boosheid. Tangney en Dearing beschrijven dat schaamte vaak samenhangt met een negatief zelfbeeld en psychische klachten zoals depressie, angst en relationele problemen. Mensen voelen zich kleiner, minderwaardig of afgewezen. Daardoor wordt open contact met anderen moeilijker. Schuld werkt meestal minder vernietigend omdat de focus ligt op een concrete handeling in plaats van op de identiteit van de persoon. De onderzoekers benadrukken dat gezonde ontwikkeling vraagt om mildheid en realistische verantwoordelijkheid. Mensen hoeven niet perfect te zijn om waardevol te blijven. Hun werk is belangrijk geworden binnen traumatherapie en onderzoek naar moral injury, omdat veel mensen na trauma niet alleen worstelen met wat ze deden, maar vooral met wie ze denken geworden te zijn. ← Terug t\n","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/tangney-dearing-shame-and-guilt/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Guyton \u0026amp; Hall’s Textbook of Medical Physiology is een standaardwerk in de geneeskunde dat de werking van het menselijk lichaam systematisch en mechanistisch uitlegt. Oorspronkelijk opgezet door Arthur C. Guyton en later herzien door John E. Hall, legt het boek de nadruk op oorzaak-gevolgrelaties en integratie tussen orgaansystemen.\nDe kern is homeostase: het lichaam handhaaft stabiele interne omstandigheden via nauw gereguleerde feedbackmechanismen. Het boek behandelt eerst de basis – celmembraanfysiologie, transportmechanismen, actiepotentialen – en bouwt daarna op naar orgaansystemen zoals cardiovasculair, respiratoir, renaal, endocrien en zenuwstelsel. Elk systeem wordt niet alleen anatomisch, maar vooral functioneel uitgelegd: hoe wordt bloeddruk gereguleerd, hoe past ventilatie zich aan bij inspanning, hoe sturen nieren vocht- en elektrolytenbalans?\nEen sterk punt is de kwantitatieve benadering. Guyton \u0026amp; Hall gebruiken schema’s, grafieken en conceptuele modellen om regulatie begrijpelijk te maken. De nier krijgt bijvoorbeeld uitgebreide aandacht als centrale regelaar van bloedvolume en bloeddruk. Ook de interactie tussen zenuwstelsel en hormonen komt steeds terug: snelle neurale controle versus tragere hormonale modulatie.\nPathofysiologie wordt gekoppeld aan normale fysiologie. Veel hoofdstukken laten zien hoe verstoringen in één schakel – bijvoorbeeld insulinedeficiëntie of verminderde hartoutput – cascades in andere systemen veroorzaken. Daardoor ontstaat inzicht in ziekte als ontregeling van normale regulatiemechanismen.\nKortom, het boek biedt een geïntegreerd en analytisch kader om het menselijk lichaam te begrijpen. Niet losse feiten, maar samenhangende regelsystemen staan centraal.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/textbook-of-medical-physiology/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"The Aftermath of Violence — From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror van Judith Lewis Herman onderzoekt de langdurige gevolgen van geweld, misbruik en terreur op individuen en samenlevingen. Het boek bouwt voort op haar eerdere werk over trauma en legt sterk de nadruk op macht, onveiligheid en menselijke relaties.\nHerman laat zien dat geweld vaak niet alleen lichamelijke schade veroorzaakt, maar ook diepe aantasting van vertrouwen, identiteit en verbondenheid. Dat geldt zowel voor huiselijk geweld als voor oorlog, marteling en politieke onderdrukking. Slachtoffers verliezen vaak het gevoel van veiligheid en controle over hun eigen leven. Een belangrijk thema is dat trauma vaak ontstaat binnen relaties of systemen waarin afhankelijkheid en macht een rol spelen. Daardoor raken mensen niet alleen gewond door wat er gebeurt, maar ook door verraad, stilte of ontkenning vanuit de omgeving. Het boek benadrukt dat herstel niet alleen een individueel proces is. Erkenning door anderen, sociale steun en maatschappelijke verantwoordelijkheid spelen een grote rol. Zonder erkenning blijven slachtoffers vaak geïsoleerd en kunnen schaamte en wantrouwen blijven bestaan. De centrale boodschap is dat geweld menselijke verbinding beschadigt, maar dat herstel juist mogelijk wordt via veiligheid, waarheid, gemeenschap en het opnieuw opbouwen van relaties en betekenis. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-aftermath-of-violence/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In The Body Keeps the Score (2014) laat psychiater Bessel van der Kolk zien hoe diep trauma zich in lichaam en geest nestelt en hoe het onze waarneming, relaties en zelfgevoel kan ontwrichten. Hij put uit tientallen jaren klinisch werk, hersenonderzoek en persoonlijke verhalen om duidelijk te maken: trauma is geen ‘verleden’ dat voorbij is, maar een ervaring die in het zenuwstelsel wordt vastgezet en telkens opnieuw beleefd wordt, vaak zonder woorden.\nVan der Kolk legt uit hoe het brein onder trauma verandert: de amygdala blijft overactief, het taalcentrum valt vaak deels uit, en het vermogen tot zelfregulatie raakt verstoord. Dit verklaart waarom praten alleen niet altijd helpt. Het lichaam moet meegenomen worden in het helingsproces het weet immers wat er is gebeurd.\nNaast traditionele therapieën onderzoekt hij alternatieve routes naar herstel, zoals EMDR, yoga, neurofeedback en lichaamsgerichte therapie. Wat deze benaderingen gemeen hebben, is dat ze helpen om het lichaam opnieuw als veilig te ervaren, en het zenuwstelsel uit de constante staat van dreiging te halen.\nHet boek is diep menselijk en tegelijk wetenschappelijk onderbouwd. Van der Kolk schrijft met compassie én urgentie, en hij laat zien dat genezing mogelijk is niet door het trauma weg te denken, maar door het geleidelijk te integreren.\nThe Body Keeps the Score is een krachtige uitnodiging om trauma te begrijpen als een lichamelijke realiteit, en herstel als iets dat begint bij veiligheid, verbinding en het terugvinden van het zelf, in het lichaam.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-body-keeps-the-score/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In The Developing Mind brengt Daniel Siegel op meeslepende wijze hersenwetenschap, psychologie en hechtingstheorie samen tot een nieuw begrip van hoe onze geest ontstaat en zich vormt. Zijn centrale vraag: hoe ontwikkelen lichaam, brein en relaties samen het zelf en het bewustzijn? Siegel stelt dat het brein geen op zichzelf staand orgaan is, maar diep verweven is met onze sociale ervaringen. De geest leeft in verbinding met ons lichaam én met anderen. Een kernbegrip in het boek is integratie: het vermogen om verschillende delen van het brein, en van onze ervaring, met elkaar te verbinden tot een coherent geheel. Een goed geïntegreerd brein kan flexibel reageren, emoties reguleren en betekenisvolle relaties aangaan. Maar als integratie stokt, bijvoorbeeld door trauma, verwaarlozing of onveilige hechting dan raakt de ontwikkeling uit balans.\nSiegel verbindt neurobiologische inzichten met praktische voorbeelden uit de opvoeding, therapie en het dagelijks leven. Zo laat hij zien hoe veilige relaties letterlijk de bedrading van het jonge brein vormen, en hoe empathie, reflectie en verbinding bijdragen aan een gezonde geest. Zijn benadering, bekend als interpersoonlijke neurobiologie, pleit voor een holistische kijk op menselijk functioneren.\nThe Developing Mind is geen droge wetenschap, maar een uitnodiging om dieper te kijken: naar hoe ons brein groeit, hoe onze geest gevormd wordt, en hoe belangrijk relaties daarin zijn. Wie het leest, krijgt niet alleen meer inzicht in de ontwikkeling van kinderen, maar ook in de kwetsbare, krachtige dynamiek van het mens-zijn zelf.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-developing-mind/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" The Embodied Mind van Francisco Varela, Evan Thompson en Eleanor Rosch is een baanbrekend werk dat westerse cognitiewetenschap en boeddhistische filosofie met elkaar verbindt. De centrale boodschap? Cognitie is niet iets dat zich enkel in ons hoofd afspeelt; het ontstaat in de wisselwerking tussen lichaam, brein en omgeving. Weten is geen objectieve registratie van een ‘buitenwereld’, maar een proces van belichaamde betrokkenheid: we kennen de wereld doordat we erin handelen. De auteurs bekritiseren het traditionele beeld van de geest als een soort computer die input verwerkt. In plaats daarvan introduceren ze het concept van enactivisme: betekenis ontstaat niet van buitenaf, maar wordt actief tot stand gebracht in de relatie tussen waarnemer en wereld. Ons bewustzijn is dus altijd gesitueerd, afhankelijk van context, lichaamservaring en geschiedenis.\nWat dit boek bijzonder maakt, is hoe het inzichten uit de fenomenologie (met name Husserl en Merleau-Ponty) verbindt met boeddhistische meditatiepraktijken. De auteurs pleiten voor neurophenomenology: een benadering waarbij de subjectieve ervaring van binnenuit wordt onderzocht, naast objectieve metingen van het brein. Meditatie wordt hierbij niet gezien als zweverig, maar als een serieuze methode om de geest van binnenuit te leren kennen.\nThe Embodied Mind nodigt uit tot verwondering: over wat bewustzijn werkelijk is, hoe we weten wat we weten, en hoe we anders kunnen leren kijken niet alleen naar onszelf, maar ook naar de wetenschap. Het boek daagt uit, ontregelt, en opent een weg naar een meer belichaamd begrip van de menselijke geest.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-embodied-mind/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In he Energetic Heart (2009) verkent Rollin McCraty en zijn team van het HeartMath Institute een intrigerend perspectief: het hart is niet alleen een pomp, maar ook een intelligent, communicatief en energetisch centrum. De studie laat zien dat het hart een krachtig elektromagnetisch veld uitzendt — het grootste van alle organen — en dat dit veld niet alleen intern invloed heeft op onze hersenfunctie en emoties, maar ook extern onze interacties met anderen beïnvloedt. Centraal staat het concept van *hartcoherentie*: een toestand waarin hartritme, ademhaling, zenuwstelsel en emoties in harmonie zijn. In zo’n staat functioneren we optimaal — zowel fysiek als mentaal. Hartcoherentie blijkt meetbaar, trainbaar en gekoppeld aan verhoogde helderheid, veerkracht en verbondenheid. Wat we voelen in ons hart heeft dus directe impact op hoe we denken, handelen en met anderen omgaan. De studie gaat verder dan klassieke fysiologie en opent de deur naar een subtieler bewustzijn van de rol van het hart in menselijke ervaring. De onderzoekers stellen zelfs dat het hart signalen naar de hersenen stuurt die cognitieve processen beïnvloeden — een omkering van het traditionele idee dat de hersenen het lichaam ‘aansturen’. *The Energetic Heart* is tegelijk wetenschappelijk onderbouwd en uitnodigend spiritueel van toon. Het nodigt uit tot een herwaardering van intuïtie, emotie en energetische afstemming. In een wereld vol mentale prikkels biedt deze studie een verrassend helder pleidooi: luister naar je hart — niet alleen figuurlijk, maar ook letterlijk, want het zou wel eens wijzer kunnen zijn dan je denkt. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-energetic-heart/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In The Feeling of What Happens onderzoekt neuroloog Antonio Damasio een intrigerende vraag: hoe ontstaat het zelf? Zijn antwoord begint niet bij het denken, maar bij het voelen. Volgens Damasio is bewustzijn niet een abstract denkproces, maar geworteld in de fysieke beleving van het lichaam in emoties, gevoelens en het besef van onszelf als lichaam in beweging.\nHij maakt een onderscheid tussen drie lagen van het zelf: het proto-zelf (de automatische regulatie van lichamelijke toestanden), het kernzelf (het directe, moment-tot-moment bewustzijn dat “ik” voel dat “ik” iets ervaar), en het autobiografisch zelf (het narratief waarin we ons leven en onze identiteit vormgeven). Wat bijzonder is: die lagen bouwen allemaal voort op lichamelijke processen. Zonder lichaam, stelt Damasio, geen zelf.\nEen belangrijke claim in het boek is dat gevoelens die vaak als irrationeel of storend worden gezien, cruciaal zijn voor bewustzijn én voor verstandige besluitvorming. Mensen bij wie het emotionele systeem in het brein beschadigd is, kunnen vaak nog prima redeneren, maar maken dramatisch slechte keuzes. Emotie en ratio zijn dus geen tegenpolen, maar partners in denken.\nDamasio’s stijl is helder en uitnodigend, zijn betoog doorspekt met voorbeelden uit de kliniek, evolutie en neurologisch onderzoek. The Feeling of What Happens opent een verrassende kijk op wie we zijn. Geen geest los van het lichaam, maar een levend, voelend organisme dat zichzelf ervaart. Het is een boek dat uitnodigt om opnieuw na te denken over bewustzijn niet als iets zwevends, maar als iets dieplichamelijks.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-feeling-of-what-happens/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"In The Haunted Self leggen Onno van der Hart, Ellert Nijenhuis en Kathy Steele uit hoe ernstige en langdurige traumatische ervaringen de persoonlijkheid kunnen verdelen. Zij noemen dit structurele dissociatie. Volgens de auteurs is dissociatie niet alleen \u0026ldquo;je afgesloten voelen\u0026rdquo;, maar een echte scheiding tussen delen van de persoonlijkheid die verschillende taken dragen.\nEen deel richt zich op het dagelijks leven en probeert normaal te functioneren. Dit heet het ogenschijnlijk normale deel. Andere delen blijven verbonden met angst, pijn, herinneringen en overlevingsreacties zoals vechten, vluchten of bevriezen. Deze traumagerichte delen kunnen plots actief worden door triggers in het heden.\nDe auteurs beschrijven dat klachten zoals herbelevingen, paniek, schaamte, lichamelijke spanning, geheugenproblemen en wisselend gedrag vaak beter te begrijpen zijn vanuit deze interne verdeling. Mensen reageren dan niet \u0026ldquo;onlogisch\u0026rdquo;, maar vanuit delen die ooit nodig waren om te overleven.\nBehandeling vraagt daarom om een veilige en stapsgewijze aanpak. Eerst komt stabilisatie: veiligheid vergroten, emoties leren reguleren en samenwerking tussen delen opbouwen. Daarna kan traumaverwerking plaatsvinden. In de laatste fase staat integratie centraal: meer samenhang, keuzevrijheid en deelname aan het gewone leven.\nHet boek verbindt theorie, onderzoek en praktijk. Het laat zien dat trauma diepe sporen kan nalaten in lichaam en geest, maar ook dat herstel mogelijk is. Met begrip, tempo en een goede therapeutische relatie kunnen afgesplitste ervaringen stap voor stap worden verwerkt. De kernboodschap is dat symptomen vaak overlevingsreacties zijn en geen teken van zwakte of onwil.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-haunted-self/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In The Neuroscience of Human Relationships (2006) onderzoekt Louis Cozolino hoe onze hersenen gevormd worden in, door en voor relaties. Zijn centrale boodschap is helder en tegelijk diepgaand: het brein is een sociaal orgaan. Onze neurologische ontwikkeling van baby tot volwassene, vindt plaats binnen menselijke verbinding. Zonder veilige relaties stagneert die ontwikkeling; met liefdevolle afstemming bloeit ze op. Cozolino combineert inzichten uit de hechtingstheorie, psychotherapie en hersenwetenschap tot een overtuigend betoog. Hij laat zien hoe belangrijke hersengebieden, zoals het limbisch systeem en de prefrontale cortex, zich ontwikkelen in nauwe wisselwerking met de sociale omgeving. Emotionele afstemming, empathie en veiligheid zijn daarbij geen luxe, maar biologische basisbehoeften.\nEen opvallend aspect van het boek is de nadruk op neuroplasticiteit: het idee dat het brein zich levenslang blijft aanpassen. Dit opent de deur naar genezing ook voor wie in de jeugd beschadigd is geraakt. Therapie, vriendschap, zelfs diepgaande gesprekken kunnen letterlijk hersenverbindingen veranderen. Relaties worden zo een vorm van hersenarchitectuur.\nCozolino schrijft met warmte en nieuwsgierigheid. Zijn stijl is helder en toegankelijk, ook voor lezers zonder medische achtergrond. Wat dit boek bijzonder maakt, is de manier waarop het wetenschappelijke kennis verbindt met iets wat we intuïtief vaak al weten: dat echte ontmoeting helend werkt.\nThe Neuroscience of Human Relationships is een uitnodiging om relaties niet alleen te zien als iets sociaals of psychologisch, maar ook als iets fysieks als voeding voor het brein en fundament van ons mens-zijn.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-neuroscience-of-human-relationships/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" In The Polyvagal Theory (2011) introduceert Stephen Porges een vernieuwende kijk op het autonome zenuwstelsel, het deel van ons zenuwstelsel dat onbewust hartslag, ademhaling en stressreacties reguleert. Zijn theorie legt uit waarom we in bepaalde situaties ontspannen kunnen verbinden, terwijl we in andere plots verstarren of vechten/vluchten. De sleutel? De nervus vagus — en dan vooral de evolutionaire lagen daarvan. Porges beschrijft drie ‘verdedigingssystemen’ in ons zenuwstelsel. Het oudste, dorsale vagale systeem, zorgt bij gevaar voor bevriezen of dissociatie. Het sympathische systeem maakt ons klaar om te vechten of vluchten. En het meest recente, ventrale vagale systeem, stelt ons in staat om ons veilig te voelen, te verbinden en sociaal te reageren. Deze drie systemen werken als schakelaars: afhankelijk van hoe veilig of bedreigd we ons voelen, activeert het lichaam automatisch een van deze modi. Wat deze theorie bijzonder maakt, is de nadruk op *neuroceptie*; de onbewuste manier waarop ons zenuwstelsel voortdurend inschat of een situatie veilig, onveilig of levensbedreigend is, lang voordat we er bewust van zijn. Dat verklaart waarom iemand met een trauma ogenschijnlijk ‘zomaar’ uit contact raakt of heftig reageert: het zenuwstelsel neemt gevaar waar, zelfs als het er objectief niet is. Porges’ werk werpt een nieuw licht op therapie, opvoeding en sociale interactie. Het herinnert ons eraan dat veiligheid geen bijzaak is, maar een voorwaarde voor verbinding en groei. *The Polyvagal Theory* nodigt uit om niet alleen met het hoofd, maar ook met het lichaam te luisteren naar onszelf en naar anderen. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/the-polyvagal-theory/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Trauma and Recovery van Judith Lewis Herman wordt gezien als een van de belangrijkste boeken over psychisch trauma. Herman laat zien dat trauma niet alleen ontstaat door een schokkende gebeurtenis, maar vooral door langdurige machteloosheid, geweld of onveiligheid. Ze bespreekt onder andere oorlogstrauma, huiselijk geweld, seksueel misbruik en politieke onderdrukking.\nEen belangrijk idee in het boek is dat trauma vaak leidt tot verlies van veiligheid, vertrouwen en verbinding met anderen. Mensen kunnen klachten ontwikkelen zoals angst, herbelevingen, emotionele verdoving, schaamte, woede of dissociatie. Herman beschrijft ook hoe langdurig trauma invloed heeft op identiteit, relaties en het gevoel van controle over het eigen leven. Daarnaast introduceert zij het begrip “complex trauma”. Dat gaat over trauma dat zich herhaaldelijk afspeelt, vaak binnen afhankelijkheidsrelaties. De gevolgen daarvan zijn meestal dieper en langduriger dan bij een eenmalige schokkende gebeurtenis. Herman beschrijft herstel als een proces in drie fasen. Eerst moet er voldoende veiligheid en stabiliteit ontstaan. Daarna kan ruimte komen voor verwerking van herinneringen en emoties. In de laatste fase draait herstel om opnieuw verbinding maken met het gewone leven, relaties en zingeving. De kern van het boek is dat herstel mogelijk is, maar dat dit tijd, veiligheid, erkenning en menselijke verbinding vraagt. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/trauma-and-recovery/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Trauma and the Body van Pat Ogden beschrijft hoe trauma niet alleen invloed heeft op gedachten en emoties, maar diep zichtbaar wordt in het lichaam. Het boek vormt de basis van “Sensorimotor Psychotherapy”, een lichaamsgerichte vorm van traumatherapie.\nOgden laat zien dat traumatische ervaringen vaak worden opgeslagen in automatische lichamelijke reacties: spierspanning, houding, ademhaling, bewegingen en reflexen. Mensen kunnen bijvoorbeeld voortdurend alert zijn, verstijven, zichzelf klein maken of juist spanning vasthouden zonder zich daarvan bewust te zijn. Volgens Ogden schiet praten alleen soms tekort, omdat trauma vaak ontstaat in delen van het zenuwstelsel die niet talig zijn. Daarom richt therapie zich ook op lichamelijke waarneming en subtiele signalen van activatie en ontspanning. Het boek beschrijft hoe cliënten stap voor stap leren om lichaamsreacties op te merken zonder overspoeld te raken. Kleine bewegingen of onafgemaakte verdedigingsreacties — zoals wegduwen, terugtrekken of grenzen aangeven — kunnen alsnog bewust worden afgemaakt. Dat helpt het zenuwstelsel om meer regulatie en veiligheid te ervaren. De kern van het boek is dat lichaam en geest niet los van elkaar gezien kunnen worden. Herstel van trauma vraagt aandacht voor het hele systeem: denken, voelen, bewegen en lichamelijk ervaren. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/trauma-and-the-body/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"TRE (Tension \u0026amp; Trauma Releasing Exercises) is een methode van de Amerikaanse therapeut David Berceli. Het doel is om spanning en stress die zich in het lichaam hebben opgebouwd, los te laten via natuurlijke trillingen van spieren en zenuwstelsel.\nDe methode bestaat uit een reeks eenvoudige oefeningen die vooral de benen, heupen en onderrug activeren. Daarna ontstaat vaak spontaan een lichte trilling in het lichaam. Volgens Berceli is dit een natuurlijk mechanisme van het zenuwstelsel om spanning te ontladen, vergelijkbaar met hoe dieren na stress soms trillen. Mensen gebruiken TRE bij stress, spanning, burn-out, PTSS en chronische onrust. Sommigen ervaren meer ontspanning, beter slapen of minder lichamelijke spanning. Tegelijk is TRE geen wondermiddel. Bij mensen met ernstig trauma of dissociatie kan het ook heftige emoties of reacties oproepen. Daarom is begeleiding door een goed opgeleide TRE-provider belangrijk, zeker bij complexe traumaklachten. Wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar TRE groeit, maar is nog beperkt. Er zijn aanwijzingen dat het kan helpen bij ontspanning en stressregulatie, maar de methode is minder uitgebreid onderzocht dan bijvoorbeeld EMDR of cognitieve traumatherapie. TRE past binnen een bredere ontwikkeling waarin lichaam en zenuwstelsel steeds serieuzer worden meegenomen in herstel van trauma en langdurige stress. ← Back ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/trauma-releasing-exercises/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy van David Emerson beschrijft hoe yoga aangepast kan worden voor mensen met trauma en complexe PTSS. Het boek is gebaseerd op het werk van het Trauma Center in Boston en combineert kennis over trauma, lichaamsbewustzijn en het zenuwstelsel.\nEmerson laat zien dat trauma vaak leidt tot vervreemding van het lichaam. Veel mensen voelen spanning, gevoelloosheid of juist overweldiging, waardoor contact met lichamelijke signalen moeilijk of onveilig kan voelen. Trauma-sensitieve yoga probeert dat contact voorzichtig te herstellen. De nadruk ligt niet op prestaties, perfecte houdingen of spirituele idealen. Belangrijker zijn keuzevrijheid, veiligheid en lichaamsbewustzijn. Instructies worden daarom uitnodigend gegeven in plaats van dwingend. Mensen houden zoveel mogelijk controle over hun eigen bewegingen en grenzen. Het boek beschrijft hoe eenvoudige bewegingen, ademhaling en aandacht kunnen helpen om signalen van spanning en ontspanning beter te herkennen. Daardoor ontstaat langzaam meer regulatie van het zenuwstelsel en meer gevoel van aanwezigheid in het lichaam. Een belangrijk uitgangspunt is dat herstel van trauma niet alleen via denken of praten verloopt. Het lichaam speelt een centrale rol. Door opnieuw veilige ervaringen in het lichaam op te bouwen kunnen mensen stap voor stap meer verbinding, stabiliteit en zelfvertrouwen ontwikkelen. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/trauma-sensitive-yoga/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Waking the Tiger van Peter A. Levine beschrijft trauma niet vooral als een psychologisch probleem, maar als iets dat vast komt te zitten in het zenuwstelsel. Volgens Levine ontstaat trauma wanneer een mens overweldigd raakt en het lichaam een stressreactie niet kan afmaken. Energie die bedoeld was om te vechten, vluchten of bevriezen blijft dan als het ware hangen.\nLevine kijkt daarbij veel naar dieren in de natuur. Een wild dier kan na gevaar vaak trillen, schudden of diep ademhalen, waarna het zenuwstelsel weer tot rust komt. Mensen onderdrukken zulke reacties vaak door angst, schaamte of sociale verwachtingen. Daardoor blijft spanning in het lichaam aanwezig en kunnen klachten ontstaan zoals angst, hyperalertheid, uitputting, dissociatie of lichamelijke pijn. Het boek legt uit dat herstel niet draait om het herbeleven van het trauma, maar om het stap voor stap herstellen van veiligheid in het lichaam. Levine noemt dit “somatic experiencing”. Kleine, beheersbare bewegingen tussen spanning en ontspanning helpen het zenuwstelsel om vastgezette overlevingsenergie alsnog los te laten. De kern van het boek is hoopvol: trauma hoeft geen levenslange gevangenis te zijn. Het lichaam bezit volgens Levine ook een natuurlijk vermogen tot herstel, regulatie en veerkracht. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/waking-the-tiger/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":" Samenvatting van Walker (2017): Why We Sleep # Het boek Why We Sleep (2017) van neurowetenschapper Matthew Walker is geen enkelvoudig experiment, maar een brede synthese van tientallen jaren slaaponderzoek uit de neurowetenschap, endocrinologie en psychiatrie. Walker beschrijft hoe slaap een fundamentele rol speelt in herstel van het brein, emotionele regulatie en lichamelijke gezondheid. Zijn werk is vooral relevant voor stress- en traumagerelateerde klachten, omdat verstoorde slaap een kernkenmerk is van PTSS.\nEen centrale bevinding in het boek is dat slaap — en met name diepe slaap en REM-slaap — essentieel is voor de verwerking van emotionele ervaringen. Tijdens REM-slaap worden emotionele herinneringen opnieuw geactiveerd in een toestand waarin stresshormonen relatief laag zijn. Dit helpt het brein om de emotionele lading van ervaringen te verminderen zonder de herinnering zelf te wissen. Wanneer REM-slaap verstoord is, kan die ontlading uitblijven, waardoor herinneringen emotioneel “geladen” blijven.\nWalker bespreekt ook het effect van chronisch slaaptekort op het stresssysteem. Gebrek aan slaap verhoogt de activiteit van de amygdala (dreigingsdetectie) en verlaagt de regulerende invloed van de prefrontale cortex. Dit leidt tot sterkere emotionele reacties en minder regulatie. Daarnaast beïnvloedt slaaptekort de HPA-as en de afgifte van stresshormonen, wat kan bijdragen aan angst, prikkelbaarheid en verminderde veerkracht.\nVoor mensen met PTSS betekent dit dat slaapherstel een essentieel onderdeel van behandeling is. Verbetering van slaapritme, lichtblootstelling en avondroutines kan het zenuwstelsel helpen stabiliseren en de emotionele verwerking ondersteunen. Walker benadrukt dat slaap geen passieve toestand is, maar een actief biologisch proces dat cruciaal is voor psychisch herstel en integratie van ervaringen.\n← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/why-we-sleep/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"In De zin van het bestaan laat Viktor Frankl zien dat mensen zelfs onder de zwaarste omstandigheden betekenis kunnen vinden. Zijn ideeën zijn gevormd door zijn ervaringen in concentratiekampen tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Daar zag hij dat mensen niet alleen leven van voedsel of veiligheid, maar ook van hoop en een doel.\nVolgens Frankl is de belangrijkste menselijke drijfveer niet plezier of macht, maar het zoeken naar zin. Wie weet waarvoor hij leeft, kan veel verdragen. Zin is niet iets algemeens dat voor iedereen hetzelfde is. Ieder mens moet die zelf ontdekken in de concrete situatie van het moment.\nFrankl noemt drie wegen naar betekenis. De eerste is iets waardevols scheppen of doen, zoals werken, zorgen of bijdragen. De tweede is liefde en het ervaren van schoonheid, natuur of kunst. De derde is de houding die iemand kiest tegenover onvermijdelijk lijden. Als pijn niet veranderd kan worden, blijft vrijheid bestaan in de manier waarop iemand ermee omgaat.\nEen belangrijk begrip in het boek is verantwoordelijkheid. Vrijheid betekent volgens Frankl niet doen wat je wilt, maar antwoorden op wat het leven van je vraagt. Mensen zijn geen speelbal van omstandigheden. Er blijft altijd ruimte om een innerlijke keuze te maken.\nDe boodschap van het boek is hoopvol en realistisch. Lijden wordt niet romantisch gemaakt, maar gezien als deel van het bestaan. Tegelijk benadrukt Frankl dat een mens meer is dan zijn verleden of zijn pijn. Betekenis, waardigheid en richting blijven mogelijk, zelfs in moeilijke tijden. ← Terug ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/zin-van-het-bestaan/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"Deze pagina\u0026rsquo;s zijn niet uitgelicht in de reguliere publicatielijst. Ze blijven raadpleegbaar voor wie een specifieke bron zoekt, maar worden niet in de navigatie of sitemap opgenomen.\n","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/archief/","section":"Archief","summary":"","title":"Archief","type":"archief"},{"content":"De haiku, een van oorsprong Japanse dichtvorm zonder rijm, oogt bedrieglijk eenvoudig: slechts drie versregels van respectievelijk vijf, zeven en vijf lettergrepen. Maar juist in die beknoptheid schuilt de uitdaging. Zie in zo’n kort bestek maar eens iets steekhoudend te formuleren.\nVoor mij zijn haiku een oefening in aandacht: beeldvormend schrijven met minimale woorden.\n","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/haiku/","section":"Begin hier","summary":"","title":"Haiku","type":"page"},{"content":"","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/publicaties/","section":"Publications","summary":"","title":"Publications","type":"publicaties"},{"content":"The content of this website is built from lived experience, supplemented by scientific publications, classical works, and mystical traditions. My education at the Pulsar Academy plays an important role in this, alongside years of reading and study around PTSD, moral injury, and the art of living.\nBelow, the sources are organized by theme. Where a source has its own summary page, you can click through for more context.\nTrauma and the body # Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Viking Porges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation Pert, C. (1997). Molecules of Emotion. Scribner Siegel, D. (2012). The Developing Mind Cozolino, L. (2006). The Neuroscience of Human Relationships. Norton McCraty, R. et al. (2009). The Energetic Heart: Bioelectromagnetic Communication Within and Between People. HeartMath Institute Koch, S.C. et al. (2019). Dance Movement Therapy and Trauma Wolynn, M. (2024). It Didn\u0026rsquo;t Start With You Van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E. \u0026amp; Steele, K. (2006). The Haunted Self: Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization. Norton Herman, J.L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books Herman, J.L. (2023). The Aftermath of Violence — From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror Levine, P. (1997). Waking the Tiger — Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books Levine, P. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice — How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. North Atlantic Books University of Amsterdam Research on the Head-Heart-Gut Axis Body-oriented therapy # Ogden, P., Minton, K. \u0026amp; Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body — A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. Norton Emerson, D. (2015). Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy. Norton Veldman, F. (1988). Haptonomy — The Science of Affectivity Feldenkrais, M. (1972). Awareness Through Movement. Harper \u0026amp; Row Lowen, A. (1975). Bioenergetics. Penguin Berceli, D. (2005). Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) Association of Haptotherapists — Haptotherapy for PTSD (PDF) Moral injury and recovery # Shay, J. (1994). Achilles in Vietnam — Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character. Scribner Litz, B.T. et al. (2009). Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans. Clinical Psychology Review Litz, B.T. — overview of work on moral injury Pargament, K. (1997). The Psychology of Religion and Coping. Guilford Stress physiology and neurobiology # Yehuda, R. (2015). Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Yehuda, R. et al. (2002). Biological Psychiatry Yehuda, R. et al. (2016). Intergenerational Effects on FKBP5 Methylation Meaney, M. \u0026amp; Szyf, M. (2005). Environmental Programming of Stress Responses Pruessner, J.C. et al. (2007). Psychoneuroendocrinology Lovallo, W.R. et al. (2005). Psychosomatic Medicine Born, J. \u0026amp; Fehm, H.L. (2000). Endocrine Reviews Rosenbaum, M. et al. (2015). Metabolism American Diabetes Association (2004). Diabetes Care Guyton, A.C. \u0026amp; Hall, J.E. Textbook of Medical Physiology Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep LeDoux, J. (2012). Rethinking the Emotional Brain Lieberman, M.D. et al. (2007). Putting Feelings Into Words. Psychological Science Philosophy and embodied cognition # Damasio, A. (1999). The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness Varela, F.J., Thompson, E. \u0026amp; Rosch, E. (1991). The Embodied Mind Wilson, M. (2002). Six Views of Embodied Cognition. Psychonomic Bulletin \u0026amp; Review Embodied Cognition — Overview Therapy, recovery, and growth # Gilbert, P. Compassion Focused Therapy Pennebaker, J.W. \u0026amp; Evans, J.F. Expressive Writing: Words That Heal Tedeschi, R.G. \u0026amp; Calhoun, L.G. (2004). Posttraumatic Growth: Conceptual Foundations and Empirical Evidence Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living Shame, guilt, and self-image # Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly Nathanson, D.L. (1992). Shame and Pride Tangney, J.P. \u0026amp; Dearing, R.L. (2002). Shame and Guilt Sleep, dreams, and trauma # Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep Germain, A. Sleep Disturbances as the Hallmark of PTSD Nielsen, T. \u0026amp; Levin, R. Nightmares: A New Neurocognitive Model Krakow, B. — research on nightmares and Imagery Rehearsal Therapy Hobson, J.A. — sleep and dream research Jung, C.G. — work on dreams and symbolism Psychedelics and trauma # Mitchell, J.M. et al. (2021, 2023). MDMA-assisted Therapy for Severe PTSD. Nature Medicine FDA Briefing Document (2024). Advisory Committee Meeting: Midomafetamine Capsules (MDMA) Feduccia, A.A. et al. Reviews on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and PTSD Oehen, P. et al. (2013). Pilot Study of MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy for Treatment-resistant PTSD Krediet, E. et al. Reviews on psychedelics for PTSD and trauma-related disorders Reiff, C.M. et al. (2020). Psychedelics and Psychedelic-assisted Psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychiatry Bahji, A. et al. Meta-analyses on ketamine for trauma-related symptoms and depression Carhart-Harris, R.L. et al. Psilocybin studies on depression, cognition, and psychological flexibility Davis, A.K. et al. Psilocybin-assisted therapy research on depression and meaning-making Carlos Castaneda — The Teachings of Don Juan Mystical traditions and the art of living # Gurdjieff, G.I. (1950). Beelzebub\u0026rsquo;s Tales to His Grandson Ouspensky, P.D. In Search of the Miraculous Derkse, M. The Pulsar Vision Rumi, J. The Masnavi (English translations by Reynold A. Nicholson and Jawid Mojaddedi, among others) Rumi, J. The Divan of Shams of Tabriz Schimmel, A. (1993). The Triumphal Sun — A Study of the Works of Jalaloddin Rumi Chittick, W. (1983). The Sufi Path of Love — The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi Shafak, E. (2010). The Forty Rules of Love Dreu, J. de live! Ruiz, D.M. (1997). The Four Agreements. AnkhHermes Campbell, J. (1949). The Hero with a Thousand Faces Frankl, V.E. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning Latifa as Meditation or Prayer Buddhist Anapanasati — Breath as a Path Kabbalistic Breath Meditation Sufi Breathing Exercises Sufi Parables Hasidic Stories Parables of Jesus Kral, T.R.A. et al. (2018). The Effect of Meditation and Mindfulness on the Brain Jung, C.G. — work on shadow and symbolism Richard Bach — Jonathan Livingston Seagull ","externalUrl":null,"permalink":"/en/sources/","section":"Start here","summary":"","title":"Sources","type":"page"}]