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On the Significance of Generalizing and the Amygdala:
The inability to correctly access and re-experience (emotionally and physically) and then label or name specifics (cognitive awareness) of preverbal trauma prevents lateral hemispheric integration and a cognitive synthesis. Without this specificity and cognitive synthesis, the amygdala (the part of limbic system in the brain where fear and intense emotions are encoded) will continue to fire indiscriminately at any environmental trigger that is even remotely reminiscent of the original trauma, thus keeping the client constantly fighting off feelings of anxiety or fear. The amygdala is our primitive evolutionary response to danger. When under perceived threat, the amygdala fires indiscriminately and rapidly as its primary function is to keep the organism from life threatening situations. This ancient center of the brain assists in our survival. The amygdala, when working correctly, is our "ally".
However, once there has been an early traumatic imprint (which is encoded implicitly) the amygdala is not capable of moderating this emergency reaction. From that point on, the amygdala responds to any and all vaguely similar environmental stimuli and generalizes to otherwise what would ordinarily be very neutral or benign triggers. In short, the person is always on "red alert". This continuous heightened alert state, in the primal context, becomes what mental health "experts" label as "generalized anxiety". Later when this propensity to fear is paired more specifically, the "generalized" anxiety may turn into panic attacks, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive thought patterns or behaviors, obsessive fear of sickness or preoccupation with death.
So what finally stops the amygdala from being on a hair-trigger and generalizing without discernment? The answer is elegantly simple and scientifically consistent with successful treatment of trauma that occurs later in childhood or adulthood. It is precisely the ability to first access body memories and then, most importantly, to put language, time, and context (name or label) to the preverbal trauma that allows the generalizing to outside stimuli, as well as internally- induced cues, to cease. Then, and only then, will the amygdala return to a normalized state.
Specificity and context are not "luxuries" when treating trauma as other trauma therapies and body-centered therapies try to profess. Rather, these are critical factors for the deepest healing to occur. Ignorance of effective techniques and how to cognitively integrate early trauma is not a scientific basis for declaring that what works for verbal trauma is somehow" not necessary" or "irrelevant" for treating non-verbal trauma. If a client is going to go to the depth of his or her pain than we, as therapists, owe that person the best healing possible. This unique combination of access, specificity, labeling and detail of implicit memories is what Primal Therapy offers over other body-centered or trauma therapies today and it is a MAJOR difference!
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