This workshop will go deeper into the body as it will incorporate BBTRS - Bio-dynamic Trauma release system which is a modality I began training in last year and will complete my studies by the end of the year. In addition to this it will be a gentler version and I will use my Clarity Breathwork training which I qulaified in last year (levels 1-5). Details of both modalities are under the Breathwork explanation tab. £20
The image is of me having treatment in the second belt - the jaw where we hold a great deal of tension and this mirrors our hips.
The following extract gives a detailed description of the practice and is from my teacher Giten Tonkov’s book Feel to Heal: Releasing Trauma Through Body Awareness and Breathwork Practice.
EXTRACT: BioDynamic Breathwork & Trauma Release System (BBTRS) is a somatic modality that relies on a suite of elements, which, when applied together, maximize the potential of trauma release, along with the return of balance and the “juice” of life. It draws from the best-researched modalities in the field—including various aspects of somatic approaches; scientifically proven mindfulness and meditation applications; anatomy, massage, and physical therapy; breathwork; sound vibrations; emotional release; and energy.
The six elements of BBTRS function naturally in our bodies, utilising the autonomic processes of the sympathetic nervous system, physics, and energetic connections between people. In order of importance, they are:
Breath
Deep, connected breathing is done through an open mouth, which requires the use of the diaphragm. As “belly breathing” continues—with long, connected breaths, with a focus on the self—relaxation settles in, and the body becomes oxygenated. With this oxygen comes energy. It might seem counterintuitive that with more energy, the mind actually quiets, but it does. If this technique is practiced in day-to-day life, outside a session—inhale to the count of eight, exhale to the count of eight—breathing alone can have a tremendous impact on the body, the emotions, and the ability to manage stress. In the moment. At any time.
Movement
Involuntary physical movements are the most direct and fastest route for tension to escape the body. Various somatic approaches focus specifically on stimulating the tremor response—the body’s natural method of releasing tension—which is described in detail in the book. However, tremoring is not the only involuntary movement common to somatic work. Another is best described as “unwinding,” in which movement originates in the core of the body and spreads toward the limbs. Where tremoring is often fast, unwinding can be slow and measured, sometimes more like a rhythmic dance. Tremoring and unwinding movements can each trigger the other, and both release arrested energy.
Touch
Conscious touch, bodywork, and soft-tissue manipulation—directed toward pressure points, connective tissue, muscles, joints, or nerves—add a dimension to somatic work that allows a practitioner to assist another person in the physical aspects of trauma release. When we apply touch to contracted muscles in the body, we support a flow of energy to areas cut off from their own physical and energetic circulation. A supporting facilitator acts as an external, safe, and knowledgeable resource for a person, ensuring that he or she is not alone. Through loving kindness and a caring touch, the facilitator helps the person to shift attention from one area of the body to another, so energy can dissipate.
Emotional Expression
Emotion is held along with body tension, and both come to the surface during somatic work. In BBTRS, we find that a short emotional expression can be very useful, especially for people who have experienced a long period of trauma. However, somatic trauma release approaches are structured to avoid reactivating and overstimulating people, so emotional expression during a BBTRS session is carefully managed. Therefore, when emotional expression appears—sadness, happiness, anger—we support people in staying with the feeling for a moment, and then moving to the next step relatively quickly. This process usually works very efficiently. By honouring what is coming out, and at the same time remaining connected to the breath, people become masters of their expression.