The document discusses developmental trauma and its impact on a child's growth and interaction with their environment, emphasizing the chronic effects of early unmet needs. It explores the concept of systems theory and how various character structures formed through developmental stages can result in specific psychological and physiological responses, leading to a distorted sense of self and difficulties in relationships. Key figures like Wilhelm Reich are referenced, highlighting how trauma shapes personal identity and behavior patterns.

1. Analysis of Developmental Trauma
Homayoun Shahri, PhD, MA, LMFT
http://www.ravonkavi.com
Homayoun.shahri@ravonkavi.com

2. Developmental Trauma
● The developmental model discussed in this presentation is
the chronic traumatic experience of a child during his various
developmental stages.
● When needs are frustrated, the child faces perceived
existential threats or suffers from contact deprivation. The
Child may not be seen for who he or she is, or being seen as
an object for the satisfaction of the parents’ narcissistic needs,
etc.
● Chronic developmental trauma changes the way an individual
interacts with the environment, flow of information, and
flexibility of response to the surrounding.

3. Developmental Trauma (Cont)
● Chronic developmental trauma may change the body (boundary) of
the individual, making it rigid at times or flaccid at other times,
resulting in a loss of motility and limiting the individual’s life and
aliveness. It may also change the shape and functioning of the
internal organs.
● Chronic developmental trauma may change the individual’s
metabolism of energy, and exchange of energy with the environment.
● In order to understand the effects of developmental trauma, it is
helpful to start from the basics, that is, from the definition of systems,
since all living organisms can be considered as dynamical systems in
the most general sense of the term.

4. Introduction to Systems Theory
● A system can be viewed as a group of interacting,
interrelated, and interdependent elements and bounded
processes.
● Systems transform inputs that are consumed into
outputs that are produced.
● Systems are characterized by their boundaries, which
separate them from their surroundings. This boundary
may be real or notional but it defines a finite volume,
within which the system operates and exchanges
energy or matter with its surrounding. Systems are also
characterized by their internal laws of functioning.

5. Introduction to Systems Theory (Cont)
● The dynamical system concept is a formalization in which the
behavior of the system is said to be dependent on the time and
position of the system in space.
● Complexity in a system indicates how relationships between parts
give rise to new behaviors and how a system interacts and forms
new relationships with its environment and surroundings.
● Complex systems are open and dynamical, and tend to be self-
organizing.
● Self-organization is the process by which the system may form a
structure or pattern in its behavior without an external entity or
element that’s affecting it.

6. Life Viewed as a System
● Open, Complex, Dynamical, and Self Organizing Systems

7. Drive, Repression, and Identification
1. Impulse (drive) seeking expression
2. Environmental negativity
3. Redirection of the original drive
4. Drive turning against itself
5. Drive seeking alternative expression
6. Muscular Armor blocking the drive
“I came to consider the instinct as nothing more than the motor aspect of pleasure.", Wilhelm
Reich, The Function of the Orgasm

8. Old Object Relations, and Introjects
7.Identification with environmental negativity, and introjection
“And the truth must finally lie in that which every oppressed individual feels within himself
but hasn't the courage to express”, Wilhelm Reich

9. Mother, Father, Child Triad
● Formation of the psyche of a child
“Psychic illnesses are the result of a disturbance of the natural capacity for love.”,
Wilhelm Reich

10. Character Structure
● Sum total all repressed ego instincts (drives) and their
frustration, resulting in introjects, formation of false
self, and formation of muscular armor
“The root cause of all neurosis is disappointment in love”, Wilhelm Reich

11. Character Armor
The CHARACTER is the totality of the mechanical, automatic
and unconscious ways of reacting, by which the individual maintained
his or her psycho-physical balance; a balance that makes
sure that the feelings, emotions and bodily impulses which
for various reasons have been blocked, remain separated
from the consciousness of the individual. (Alexander Lowen)
Reich named this CHARACTER STRUCTURE -
the Character armor, because of its function as a defense.
This armor has a bodily side in the form of chronic
muscular tensions, where the repressed material is hidden.
(Alexander Lowen)

12. Human Nervous System
● Central Nervous System (CNS)
– Brain, Spine
● Peripheral Nervous System
– Somatic
● Afferents (Sensory)
● Efferents (Motor)
– Autonomic
● Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
● Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)
– Dorsal Vagal Complex (DVC – unmyelinated)
– Ventral Vagal Complex (VVC – myelinated)

13. Central and Peripheral Nervous System

14. Hypo, Hyper, and Optimal Window of Arousal
- Sympathetic Nervous System
- Hyper-arousal
- Tense and contracted muscles
- Social Engagement System
- Ventral vagal complex
- Optimal window of arousal
- Hypo-arousal
- Dorsal vagal complex
- Flaccid muscles

15. Drive – Impulse Object or Pleasure Seeking?
Object Seeking Pleasure Seeking
Drive – Impulse

16. Drive – Impulse when facing Environmental Negativity
● If trauma was strong and early, drive – impulse would be
weak
– Contact (seeking objects) and pleasure are sacrificed to
maintain a sense of self
● If trauma was not very strong, drive – impulse might be
strong
– pleasure is then sacrificed (repressed) to maintain
contact

17. A Body Model

18. The Schizoid Character Structure
● Spastic muscles (and/or stringy muscles)
● Usually walks awkwardly
● Split in the body (top and bottom half, or twisted, or split around the center)
● Breathing is very shallow
● Feelings are repressed
● Eyes are dull that do not connect
● Tensions in the joints
● Tendency to live in the head and fantasy
● Has sex to feel alive

19. The Schizoid Character Structure (Cont)
● Existence (womb - 3 months): where a basic imprint of one's
right to exist and sense of being alive is formed, from womb life,
birth and early infancy. In an adult, the disruptions from this
stage can manifest as either a withdrawal from connection and
a strong mental life (early trauma – hypo response), or as an
anxiousness about possible loss of connection to others and a
strong emotional energy (late trauma – hyper response).

20. The Oral Character Structure
● Elongated and narrow body
● Child-like face and body
● Dependent personality
● Knees are locked
● Not much body hair (child-like)
● Complains of lack of energy
● Breathing is not full
● Collapsed chest
● Has sex to seek contact

21. The Oral Character Structure (Cont)
● Need (1 month - 18 months): where the infant's experience of
having core satisfaction of basic needs is established in the
relationship with the parents, leading to the beginning of self-
regulation. In an adult, the disruptions from this stage can
manifest either as a despairing or distrustful attitude about
being able to get your needs met (early trauma – hypo
response), and not being aware of what your needs are or how
to sense satisfaction (late trauma – hyper response).

22. Narcissistic (Psychopathic) Character Structure
● Body is top heavy (energy in the upper half of the body)
● Tends to control using power or manipulation
● Tension in the neck (resulting in disconnection from body)
● Tension in the waist separating two halves of body
● Tension in genital disconnecting it from feelings
● Inflated chest in Power Psychopath, and raised shoulders
or squared shoulders in manipulative type
● Grandiose image of himself
● Has sex to control and manipulate

23. Narcissitic Character Structure (Cont)
● Autonomy (8 months - 2 years, 6 months): The child's curiosity and life force
moves them to explore the world through an explosion of psychomotor skills.
An imprint of the child's impulses toward autonomy is formed. In an adult,
the disruptions from this stage can lead to a lack of awareness of one’s own
impulses and feelings (early trauma – hypo response), or to a fear of having
to give up one’s impulses and feelings in order to be in relationship, leading
to the avoiding of commitments (late trauma – hyper response).

24. Masochistic Character Structure
● Body is muscular and big (may also be fat – stagnant energy)
● Tendency to complain
● Holds in feelings
● Thick/short neck
● Peripherals of the body are not charged
● Pelvis is tucked in, and back is collapsed
● Has a lot of energy but bound in his structure
● Does not enjoy sex!

25. Masochistic Character Structure (Cont)
● Will (2 - 4 years): The child's at this age becomes able to separate
her thinking, intentions, and actions; to make choices and put all her
power into her action. In an adult, the disruptions from this stage can
lead to either acting from a self-sacrificing position and having
difficulties in planning (early trauma – hypo response), or holding
back power and appearing angry, while believing that if there is a
problem it is someone else’s fault (late trauma – hyper response).

26. The Rigid Character Structure
● Body is well proportioned
● Very energetic and industrious (achiever)
● Heart and sexuality are not connected (diaphragmatic tension)
● Suffers from sexual anxiety
● Holds tension in long muscles of the back to “stand tall”
● He is free (in energetic sense), but cannot “let go”,
else he has to open his heart!
● Has sex to conquer

27. Rigid Character Structure (Cont)
● Love/Sexuality (3 - 6 years): Where the child learns to love in a
romantic way and learns to integrate heart and sexual feelings. In an
adult, the disruptions from this stage can lead to a split between
loving and sexual feelings (early trauma – hypo response), and a
romantic or seductive way of being in relationship (late trauma –
hyper response).

28. Character Structure - Energy
● Schizoid – hold together (existence vs need)
● Oral – hold on (need vs independence)
● Narcissistic – hold up (independence vs closeness)
● Masochistic – hold in (closeness vs freedom)
● Rigid – hold back (freedom vs letting go)

29. Words of Wisdom (Alexander Lowen, MD)
We deaden our bodies to avoid our
aliveness.
We then pretend to be alive to avoid our
deadness.