Raja Selvam Archives - Bodynamic International

Working around Developmental Defenses

Since a traumatic experience is essentially one of disintegration, it is understandable that it would bring out any pre-existing defenses. It becomes important then, for SE practitioners to learn how to spot these defenses and work around them. Otherwise, the SE process in general, and self-regulation in particular, will be hindered. The purpose of this note is not to teach people how to work developmentally. The purpose is rather, to give SE practitioners some ideas about how they might work around the developmental defenses that most often manifest in SE sessions.

Developmental Shock Trauma

Shock trauma can, of course, occur at any time in one's life. Thus it might occur within developmental stages (pre-birth through adolescence). The focus in this workshop is on trauma that occurs within particular developmental stages -- the attachment stages: Existence (2nd Trimester to 3 months): Need (1 month to 1.5 years of age); and Autonomy (8 months - 2.5 years). During these periods, most of the infant's experience is in the sensory motor realm. Spoken language is barely available, and the limbic and cortical portions of the infant's brain are not fully developed.