7) RECOVERING FROM PTSD, WITH PEACE & JOY
PTSD IS NOT JOYFUL!
PTSD is no laughing matter! Yet one of the final signs of recovery from PTSD is a renewed ability to access joyful feelings.
One of my earliest traumatic memories was hearing my Uncle Jeff say, “Olive, we found Frank, but was dead.”
As my mother howled, he bent down to me and said, “Frankie, as the man of the house you have to take care of your mom now.”
I remember feeling a mixture of relief and pride at that moment, but later I felt guilt for wishing my abusive father would die, just days before he passed.
From age seven on, my life became a serious business and kept my nose to the grindstone until I began to burn out in my mid-twenties.
I did not smile, laugh or experience much joy again, until I recovered from PTSD in my mid-sixties.
In 2012, I began training as a clown and was certified as a Laughter Yoga leader.
VIDEO 7 – ‘IN RECOVERY WITH PEACE & JOY’
Video 7, “In Recovery, with Peace & Joy” was designed for use by people recovering from trauma, addictions, anxiety, depression and other related stress-related “dis-eases.
This version contains scenes from the 2013 Canadian Laughter Yoga Conference workshop, “Laughter Medicine-From Prevention to Cure,” during which participants safely practised their own trauma release, emotionally bracketed with peace and joy anchors.
The video can be used by individuals for free, on-line, self-help, or serve as a one-hour workshop guide for energetic healing facilitators.
GROUP WORKSHOP GUIDELINES
Facilities
- Select a quiet, convenient, well-equipped comfortable facility, where strong emotions can be freely expressed.
- For an hour of group participation video, organize the placement of mats or chairs in a half circle in front of playback equipment.
Attendees
- Gather together individuals who are willing to experience possible emotional release, as well as facilitate the healing of others.
- Attendees can include energetic healing facilitators, such as laughter yoga leaders, yoga therapists, mind/body workers, and somatic or trauma therapists.
- If possible, include therapists with experience in emotional tuning, or the components listed under OTHER PTSD RESOURCES
Leader and Group Preparation
- In preparation for the workshop, attendees should review this website, preview Videos 0-6, and actively practice all self-help protocols.
- Workshop leaders should also preview Video 7, and witness what can happen during an emotional release by watching:
Group Participation
- Start the workshop by playing Video 7, and “walk the walk” by following the video instructions along with everyone else.
- Encourage emotional release by avoiding analysis, staying in the “here and now,” and respecting emotional boundaries.
- The workshop can be debriefed by following the instructions at the end of the video.
For more information, click on ABOUT EMOTIONALTUNING