We know from decades of research that, when appropriately and consistently practiced, meditation can change, heal, and retrain your brain and have a positive impact on a wide variety of mental health concerns. Unfortunately, for someone experiencing unresolved trauma symptoms, many traditional approaches to meditation and mindfulness can create more distress. Often, trauma survivors are triggered by the meditation steps themselves, the experience of “letting go,” and the common instructions to “just sit” and be with the internal experience.  As psychologists and meditation teachers, we understand that it is critical that meditation approaches for trauma and PTSD are individualized, structured, accessible, research-based, practical, and trauma-informed.

This 2 part workshop group explores the neurobiology of trauma and stages of trauma recovery, teaching meditation and mindfulness strategies to facilitate healing at each stage of the recovery process.  

The NeuroMeditation approach includes 4 meditation styles: Focus, Mindfulness, Open Heart, and Quiet Mind. You will learn the brain science and research behind each style, which one’s are best for specific goals/needs, and a variety of tips, tools, and techniques to engage with each one, providing an individualized approach to healing through a meditation-based approach.

Each class includes educational information, meditation practices modified for trauma survivors, and opportunities to discuss and reflect on your practice.

Session 1: This class will explore the impact of trauma on the brain as a way to better understand some of the most common trauma related symptoms. We will discuss the stages of trauma recovery and begin to explore the ways that meditation and mindfulness can assist in the recovery process. Before diving in to any specific practices, we will spend time exploring a variety of strategies to prepare for our meditation journey together.  

Focus Neuromeditation. We will explore the science and practice of using this specific style of meditation for healing. These practices are ideal for strengthening the frontal lobes and improving a variety of cognitive skills such as attention, reaction time, and memory. These practices can also be used to establish mental stability and to teach the brain to shift attention from distressing thoughts to neutral thoughts. This is an important starting point for beginning meditators, and for those in the initial stages of trauma recovery.

Mindfulness NeuroMeditation. The science and practice of mindfulness will be explored with special attention to a trauma-informed approach. These practices facilitate the ability to “accept and let go” of thoughts, feelings, or bodily sensations that might be connected to the trauma.—to experience a new relationship to our thoughts, feelings, and sensations. It is about learning to pay attention to the present moment (where you are now secure/safe) rather than the past or the future. These practices relax regions of the brain associated with anxiety and worry-the very regions most affected by trauma and most supported in recovery

Session 2: Open Heart NeuroMeditation. The Open Heart style of NeuroMeditation focuses on the development of “positive “emotional states, learning to intentionally cultivate feelings of love, joy, and gratitude. These practices can be very powerful in the final stages of the recovery process, as it is common to become stuck in feelings of sadness, loss, grief, anger, and resentment. Not surprisingly, these practices activate various brain patterns associated with empathy, positive emotions, and directed attention.

Quiet Mind NeuroMeditation. Quiet Mind practices involve learning how to calm and “inhibit” parts of the brain involved in our identity-making. This is a powerful practice for challenging  distorted perceptions of ourselves.  By learning to inhibit these automatic processes, there is an opportunity to better understand our “actual” identity, to see the “self” from a more accurate and healthy perspective.

Putting it All Together and Moving Forward. This class is devoted to developing a clear path forward. You will have learned a variety of skills and identified which practices are best for your specific needs. This class will help identify any remaining barriers to continuing your progress. We will also have time to reflect on the course and future directions.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I sign up for one class at a time? No. We designed this set of classes to build on one another. We also feel that it is important for this type of group that the members in attendance are the same each time.

Can I register at the first class? No. We have limited the number of spaces available for this set of classes. In order to plan appropriately, we need everyone to register in advance through our website.

If any of the information or practices are too emotionally challenging, can I leave? Yes. This set of classes was designed by a trauma therapist and was created to be a safe place to explore this information and these practices. We will spend a lot of time offering specific modifications and accommodations so that everyone can participate at their level of comfort. And, if you ever feel that it is too much, you can always leave. We just ask that you check in with one of the instructors before you leave the building.

When: Monday, January 27 and February 3, 2020

Where: NeuroMeditation Institute- 115 W. 8th Ave., Ste. 360   Eugene, OR (corner of 8th and Olive)

Time: 6:00pm-8:00pm

Cost: $60 total for both classes

Instructors:
Jeff Tarrant, Ph.D., BCN
Dr. Jeff Tarrant is a licensed psychologist, and board certified in neurofeedback. He is the founder and CEO of the NeuroMeditation Institute (NMI), LLC and provides certification training for NMI therapist and instructors. Dr. Tarrant is the author of “Meditation Strategies to Rewire the Brain.” Other recent works include a series of virtual reality meditations published by Healium and the book chapter, "Neuromeditation: An Overview and Introduction" in The Handbook of Clinical Qeeg and Neurotherapy. He is a regular presenter at national and international conferences and has a practice in Eugene, OR, USA where he specializes in the use of EEG NeuroMeditation.


Erika Patterson, Ph.D.
As a therapist since 1996, Dr. Patterson has continued to actively train in the field of psychology, while informing her work through ongoing explorations of approaches that deepen, integrate, and expand the traditional understanding of mental, physical, and spiritual health and healing.
She utilizes mind-body interventions such as Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Yoga-Based Approaches to Health & Healing, NeuroMeditation & Mindfulness, and Biofeedback. She also emphasizes the context of social, cultural, and environmental factors underlying mental health.
Dr. Patterson is a Licensed Psychologist. Certified NeuroMeditation Instructor, and Certified Yoga Instructor. She has practiced yoga and meditation for 20 years.