Emotional First Aid: Addressing Emotions and Trauma with Botanicals and Havening Touch Therapy
By Julie Gosh & Amy Lupton
When we speak about administering first aid, our first inclination is to tend to something on the body… such as a cut, burn or scrape. Quickly the wound is tended, maybe an antiseptic and bandaid are applied and then the immune system takes over and does the rest.
The injury then heads into auto-pilot, healing from the inside, and in a few days, when the bandage comes off, the wound reveals it has patched up and ready to face the world again.
But what about emotional first aid?
Many times, when an emotional trauma occurs, we don’t deal with it the same way we would bodily first aid. Emotions are shoved down: press on, push past, keep trucking, suck it up.
We deal with this frequently with clients and even in our own life. We all have some unresolved emotional trauma to a certain extent, and it can stem from childhood or adult experiences. We can often recognize that an emotional trauma is occurring (like a death, loss of job, or relationship trouble). Other times emotional trauma can be more subtle, building in the background for long periods of time (sometimes over generations of passed down hurt).
When emotional trauma occurs we have a little timekeeper within the brain called the Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This part of the brain chooses how we respond to situations, and when a trauma or negative experience is encoded, this little part of our brain pushes pause at the moment of the encoding leaving the brain in a state of permanent vigilance to stimuli that represents the trauma. This is the core reason why the past feels like it’s happening in the present moment.
We are energetic and emotional beings, aware and taking in all around us.
This can be a tricky concept for some to be aware of. We often pick up emotions from others, empathically taking on what they are feeling. Even past memories, smells, sights and tastes can also trigger emotional trauma. If you aren’t aware, it could send you spiraling without knowing why, especially when the brain has created a “pause moment” from a trauma past.
Unresolved emotional trauma can manifest in many ways, causing pain, anxiety, irritability, panic, disease…just about anything you can think of as a symptom can be a result of emotional trauma.
What can you do when it feels like the brain and body are reacting to emotional trauma without your consent?
First of all, be kind and compassionate with yourself just like you would for someone you love that is having a rough go. The amygdala’s (the part of the brain that processes and experiences emotion) main job is to keep you safe, and it reacts 4x faster than the blink of an eye. That’s really fast!
Reactivity in the face of a trigger might just be that the amygdala is hijacking the show.
When your brain picks up a threat stimulus that is familiar, it’s off to the races releasing stress hormones and turning on the sympathetic nervous system. You might try to interrupt this process, but often it feels quickly overwhelming. The thinking brain is always late to this party.
It’s important to learn to not get angry with the brain or angry at the body or angry with yourself for not doing better. Depending on what life events have occurred for you, and depending on if they are encoded in the amygdala, you can find yourself feeling really stuck or out of control about certain things. This is your brain. You can learn to work with it and not against it to free yourself from the past that shows up yet again in the present.
It is all connected, and you should always be treated and treat yourself as a whole being. Botanicals and Havening touch therapy can affect a change in biochemistry, often making headway in easing emotional trauma.
So how do you deal with it?
Can the body and heart of emotions work together?
Can Havening touch therapy elicit emotional calm and resolve?
Can Botanical Medicine keep the body resilient and adapting to stressors?
YES!
Botanicals to Address Emotional Trauma
Note: There are many many herbs that can address emotional health, and I will be sharing a few of my faves that I use frequently. A word of caution: Botanical medicine must be used with the guidance of an expert on plants/nutrient/pharmaceutical interactions. There are many ways they can co exist, but herbs are just as strong as some pharmaceutical medications and should be treated with care. If you are being treated with pharmaceutical meds, please contact your doctor before using.
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
The flower name means “energy in adversity” and has always been praised for its calming effects.
It is excellent for panic attacks and recurrent panic attacks that have resulted in or stem from emotional trauma. It can also help if you are having trouble sleeping. Especially when the trouble sleeping is from an inability to relax – to let down one’s guard and feel safe in a safe place. This pleasant tasting spiritual herb relaxes your energy, which allows you to become receptive.
Uses: The most popular use is tea, although you can use in bath, tincture form, and in cooking. Liferoot’s fave way to use chamomile is in tea form (adding honey and ginger).
Indications: Safe for children, pets & pregnancy (3rd trimester and on). Patients allergic to plants in the Aster family may experience allergic reactions to chamomile.
Rose (Rosa rugosa)
Rose is all around a tonic plant, good for many levels in the body, mind, and spirit.
Common Wealth Herbs describes this amazing herb, “Wild Roses provide cover for small animals from larger predators. Rose works similarly in instances of trauma and distress: providing emotional “cover”; your very own cloud of safe space. Rose can help in the moment of trauma and disaster, and is especially useful for aid workers who are choosing to stay in a less-safe place in order to help others get to safety. Rose is also fantastic for long term recovery, especially when it’s difficult to find emotional protection from recurrent thoughts and memories of the trauma. Rose is great in tea, tincture, or elixir; it’s particularly fun to infuse rose petals in honey.”
This calming nervine is wonderful for the whole family, and can be used as a respiratory and immune aid. And it smells divine. :)
Uses: Making an aerosol spray can be a wonderful way to experience the healing properties of rose. We also have Roses Supposes Toner that is great for the skin and mood!
Courageous Heart Tonic is also a wonderful nourishment with rose hips.
Indications: Rose is considered safe for children, pets and pregnant and nursing mamas.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow is considered a warrior medicine, making you strong in battle and protected when wounded. It was named after Achilles, the Greek mythical hero who used it to stop the bleeding wounds of his soldiers during the Trojan War in 1200 BC. In Medieval times, yarrow leaves were rolled up and stuffed in the nose to stop bleeding.
Yarrow is fantastic for anyone who feels that they need a little armor, whether that’s because they’re emotionally (or still physically!) wounded from traumatic events. It is also wonderful for fevers.
Uses: Yarrow can be taken as tea, though it is somewhat bitter, or as tincture or flower essence.
Indications: Check with practitioner before use in children or pregnant/breasfeeding women.
Lavender (Lavendula)
Throw the ego aside with lavender. This herb is known for its clarity and accuracy of the mind, casting aside any pride you feel about a situation.
Lavender will help you see the real story, the whole picture, in pure light. This is an unbelievable herb for when conflict arises with a relationship, lavender can bring in awareness and clarity. It is also wonderful for contemplation, if truth is needing to be sought out, or remember (great for childhood traumas that the memory isn’t quite clear).
Wearing lavender flowers was quite commonplace in the 1800s, and I think this is a wonderful way to work in lavender when you need clarity and relationship help. I have had people shove a sachet of lavender in their bra, put in their purse or pocket, and let the aroma resonate your mind.
Uses: Worn, used in baking, as a tea (wonderful paired with lemon juice), as a tincture. Great in diffusers and used aromatically as an essential oil.
Indications: Safe for children, babies, pregnant and nursing mamas.
Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)
Emotionally, lemon balm is wonderful to cool down heated emotions such as anger, fiery rage, or uncontrollable grief. It is great for fits of crying, soothing it to its core.
It is a nervine, and can clam almost any condition. This herb is wonderful for children who might be going through difficult emotional phases such as tantrums or pre-teen anger spells.
Uses: Best in a tea infusion. Overnight infusion and soaking is best, drink in small doses diluted with water. Can add some lemon or honey for children, although most children do not mind the taste. Can keep a fresh leaf of lemon balm on your person, or give to someone in need. Bonus: It’s a great bug repellant in the summer, so keep one planted near outer doorways. :)
Indications: Only use in last few weeks of pregnancy, safe for children. Can be problematic if you have severe thyroid issues, so check with doc before use.
Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Also known as stinging nettle (which causes a stinging sensation when fresh nettle contacts the skin, but not present when dried). This plant is an amazing tonic, great for immune boosting, allergic reactions and seasonal allergy suffering.
On an emotional realm, Nettle is great for overcoming things that have “stung” or hurt in your life. It has vast protective properties, and encourages adaptability in tough situations. Its sting reminds you that we all have setbacks, but over time, they heal and become adversities that make us stronger. In traditional folklore, it was used to rid yourself of unwanted emotions.
Uses: A nettle tincture can be very effective when there is a paramount emotional situation that has occurred, If you are trying to clear stuck or past hurts, a tea will work splendidly. Make sure to always get organic nettle, as the non-organic can be quite bothersome for the energetic being.
Indications: Although I feel that nettle is perfectly safe and nourishing in pregnancy/breastfeeding, some herbalists feel that it should only be consumed in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Children over the age of 2 can safely consume nettle, just check with your practitioner before use.
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
According to Traditional Medicinals, “Peppermint is a common yet still powerful spiritual plant that helps motivate and inspire you, bringing you new creative ideas on how to achieve your dreams. It clears and balances the sacral and solar-plexus chakras, lending you confidence and self-esteem. Emotionally, peppermint essential oil helps clear and release emotions of failure, restriction, rigidity and fear of dependence.”
This common plant is found in so many places, foods, gardens, and body products. I have had some profound actualizations when using mint, and many clients have had as well. When self-talk is negative, maybe a client is in the habit of body shaming his or herself, peppermint can bring a soothing confidence.
Uses: Mint tea can soothe the body and digestion, perk you up when used aromatically (mint essential oil is wonderful in a diffuser), and wonderful to crunch fresh from the garden.
Indications: Safe for pregnancy (there is some contention to wait until after first trimester), breastfeeding (although be careful around small babies as it is quite potent). I would avoid this one to use on pets, unless diluted, because it is such an aromatic herb, and can overload olfactory senses.
What are Havening Techniques® and How Can They Help?
These beautiful yet simple psychosensory techniques are able to find the specific neurons at work in the encoding of an event and very quickly (most of the time) completely collapse the encoding plus all the cognitive, somatosensory, autonomic and emotional components as well. It can feel quite miraculous!
Here is Julie showing an intro and a few ways to start some self Havening:
If you will take a few minutes a day to do some simple Havening, you will be contributing greatly to down-regulating the stress system of the body.
Havening reduces baseline stress as well as present moment distress, lowering cortisol and norepinephrine, and releasing gaba, oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine.
You really do not need to be at the whim of stress and basic stress responses. Stuff is going to happen, and if you know how to bring calm and safety to the amygdala, life and health will be so much better.
"Self-havening works by decreasing the impact of pain and stress on the mind and body while enhancing feelings of well-being." Dr. Kate Truitt
There are many other self-havening exercises, such as CPR for the Amygdala and Creating Possibilities Protocol. CPR for the Amygdala is a powerful and profound way to heal old memories and deal with intense emotional content, showing 50 ways you can use Self-Havening to heal yourself and sculpt your brain for an incredible life.
Support Options:
Julie hosts workshops via Zoom where she teaches a number of powerful techniques to be used regularly to heal the brain and thus heal your life! She can also show you how to use partner Havening with children or loved ones.
If you are interested in a 1-1 session to heal trauma, emotional triggers, anxiety, phobias, grief, and even chronic pain, please visit juliegosh.com and contact her or sign up on her email list to get all the latest workshop dates.