Here’s an excellent example of PTSD in Iron Man 3 where the central character Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr. aka the Iron Man, a Marvel comic superhero brought to the silver screen) is triggered by anxiety.
This is where the wrong part is out on deck – the Vaded state is back in the experience, instead of his adult self who is in a cafe talking to friend James Rodes aka War Machine played by Don Cheadle.
Resource Therapy ( RT) theory offers therapists and their clients the Empowerment Protocol for resolving emotional overwhelm and unwanted behaviours associated with PTSD.
We also see the Retro Avoiding state take the helm to get him out of there – classic avoidance. Tony runs to his Iron Man suit where an analytical part, a Retro gains control of the situation by applying intellectual defenses and escapes the Vaded in Fear’s emotional overwhelm.
It’s common for these parts to be involved in PTSD presentations for ourselves and our clients.
Resource Therapists learn specialist methods to support the Vaded in Fear State – the panicked part to feel empowered and facilitate emotional processing to resolution by applying neuroscience. Our brains are plastic and can be rewired. This part can emotionally and physiologically know it’s safe and survived this traumatic event. In the case of Tony, he is not held captive by his kidnappers, he is safe and with his friend in New York.
We then work with unwarranted coping responses, termed Retro States. These parts perform behavior designed to suppress emotions and maintain a person’s control. We see this in PTSD diagnosis – Hypervigilance, Avoidance, Reactivity, Panic, and Flashbacks to name a few symptoms.
RT’s guiding principle is that our parts develop to help and serve a need. As we mature emotionally the ways our needs are met may no longer be required to the same degree as a little person stamping their feet to get what they want. Think of a three-year-old having a tantrum, cute when you are that age. Possibly scary when you are an adult yelling at an upset.
Super excited to be presenting Resource Therapy for PTSD presentations in association with a premier Europe training organization Ego State Therapy Switzerland next weekend online translated English and German.
Curious to learn how parts therapy can be added to your toolkit with protocols designed specifically to treat PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
Start with our introduction course the two-day online Foundation Program. Fun, interactive and practical you will learn how to assist clients in putting the past behind them and fully living in their present. What freedom. Jump to the Fees and Dates page here.