Finding Joy - Dealing with Traumatic Memory By Dr. Sanjyot Pethe

1. Finding Joy
Dealing with Traumatic Memory
By Dr. Sanjyot Pethe
HELP Talks
June 9, 2018

2. Intent of the talk
• Joy and Trauma
• Traumatic Memory
• Finding Joy
Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however have to be a life sentence
– Peter Levine

3. How Trauma Impacts Joy
There is no
present or
future, only the
past,
happening over
and over again Trauma lives in the
body and till the
time is released, it
keeps becoming
overwhelmed
Trauma inhibits
ability to connect to
others. It inhibits
ability to receive
and give love,
compassion
Trauma keeps the
body in constant
anger, fear, disgust,
guilt and shame
Locked up trauma
leads to pain,
disease,
discomfort. It takes
away ability to
relax.

4. Safe
brain
Threat
brain
Healthy
Adventure
Challenge
Energy
Enthusiasm
Toxic
Addictive
Compulsive
Exhausting
Stressful

5. Safe
brain
Threat
brain
Healthy
Joy
Curiosity
Triumph
Calm
Love
Toxic
Anger
Fear
Disgust
Guilt
Shame
Healing Traumatic memories

6. Memory
• Two types – Explicit and implicit
• Explicit – Declarative, episodic
• Implicit – Emotional, Procedural

7. Thinking about memories
• We make memories, but memories make us
too
• When we retrieve a memory, we open it to
edit
• Current mood has an impact on interpretation
or belief
• Traumatic memories intrude the present
moment and keeps us in the past

8. Negotiating traumatic memory
• Grounding and presence
• Positive to negative
• Small memories process through the body
• Mourning and avoiding the false sense of
redemption
– Forgiveness
– Compensation
– Revenge

9. Joyfulness
• Valuing happiness
• Engaging in pleasure giving activities that
engage the body
• Soothing imagery
• Reconciling with oneself – Imagination of the
new self, new life
• Reconnection with others
• Finding meaning
Helplessness and Isolation are core experiences of psychological trauma.
Reconnection and empowerment are core experiences of recovery

10. Thank You
Peter Levine - Trauma and Memory
Bruce Perry – The boy who was raised as a dog
Nelisha Wickramemasinghe - Beyond Threat
Judith Herman Trauma and recovery