What is NARM and how can it help you heal?
Neuroaffective Relational Model (NARM) is an integrated, holistic, depth-oriented psychotherapy approach to helping individuals heal from complex relational, developmental, and attachment trauma.
Though designed specifically to address complex trauma, I personally believe NARM can profoundly help all humans regardless of whether their history obviously includes trauma.
To be honest, it is challenging for me to concisely and eloquently describe NARM, because the transformative quality of NARM comes alive within the moment-to-moment mindbody experience of a NARM session. The words that come to mind when I attempt to convey the essence of this modality and how it could help you include: depth, presence, curiosity, complexity, unraveling, profound, awakening.
I am trained as a Level 2 NARM provider through the NARM Training Institute. When I signed up to become a NARM practitioner, I didn’t know the extent of expansion and growth I was about to encounter through the proceding months of experiential learning.
Putting the technical verbiage aside, I’d like to describe my own personal experience of the NARM philosophy and therapy sessions in a more experiential way. For me, this is what NARM embodies:
You are seen not as a problem to be solved but a work of art longing to be seen and understood
Your moment-to-moment felt sense experience matters, and provides insight into how your nervous system has oriented to the world around and within you
Your deepest desires are often realized on the other side of your greatest fears. This is the adaptive incentive to staying disconnected from what you want most
Your heart-centered intention is the guide for the exploration within the therapeutic session
Your NARM practitioner has no agenda; their priority is explore with you what’s in the way of you having/being/doing what you deeply desire
The ways you "sabotage” or get in your own way are critical clues to why you feel stuck
Questions about NARM
If NARM is designed to help individuals heal from complex trauma, is NARM then only appropriate for those who definitely have a history of complex trauma?
I wholeheartedly belief that every human being can benefit from engaging with NARM concepts and therapy sessions. While not all individuals have been through obviously traumatic situations such as abuse, neglect and assault, we’ve all experienced the pain of disconnection from self and other. Trauma is not marked by the external events that happen but by how you respond to those events. When as a young person you’re faced with a conflict and forced to make the impossible choice beteween relational attachment or personal authenticity, attachment almost always wins. In this way we disconnect from ourselves and our innate human needs. NARM therapy can help you to reclaim the parts of yourself that you’ve lost, and regain your aliveness in the process.
What is complex trauma? How is this different from PTSD?
There are three categories of trauma: acute, chronic, and complex. Acute trauma is defined by a single traumatic event, such as a car accident or an isolated assualt. Chronic trauma refers to traumatic events or situations that are ongoing, such as domestic abuse or prolonged exposure to war. Complex trauma occurs when an individual experiences repeated, variable forms of traumatic stress such as neglect, emotional abuse, chronic misattunement, and other stressors that overwhelm the nervous system’s ability to cope and develop normally.
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is typically treated with modalities like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy, and antianxiety medications. Somatic experiencing and other body-based, holistic treatments are being more widely recognized as effective for resolving PTSD symptoms.
C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) differs from PTSD in the type of trauma experienced by the individual. In addition to symptoms like a sense of threat, avoidance of trigger stimuli, and intrusive thoughts, people with C-PTSD also experience symptoms related to their identity and sense of self. These include a negative self-concept, emotional dysregulation, and disruptions in relationships.
While treatment for acute PTSD addresses the dysregulation in stress physiology, the approach to treating C-PTSD must also include an exploration of how an individual’s sense of self and identity have been impacted by their traumatic experiences.
How do I know if NARM therapy could be right for me?
NARM might be a good fit for you if…
you feel curious to explore NARM after reading this blog post
you are longing to overcome the internal obstacles in the way of who you want to become and where you want to be in life
you feel ready to play an active role in your healing
you’re willing to engage in an ongoing healing process as it evolves over time
you want to move out of shame and disconnection into heartfullness and connection
NARM might not be a good fit for you if…
you want your symptoms resolved immediately
you are looking for objective answers to your health symptoms
you primarily want a toolbox of external solutions
your symptoms significantly impact your ability to function on a daily basis but you haven’t yet sought personal medical or psychiatric treatment
Curious about how NARM could support your healing? Click the button below to inquire about NARM sessions with Dr. Savannah