I frequently encounter concepts that seem deceptively simple yet hold profound implications for progress in treatment. One of these concepts is present day orientation. Orientation, at its basic essence, is about being acutely present in the here and now. It involves a heightened awareness of one's surroundings, body sensations, and current experiences. While this might sound similar to mindfulness practices, in trauma therapy, it serves a specific purpose that is often a key component to recovery from trauma.
When we recall a memory, particularly a traumatic one, our hippocampus doesn't just retrieve a mental image. It reactivates the entire incident - the emotions, the bodily sensations, the whole lived experience. For someone with unresolved trauma, this reactivation can feel overwhelmingly real, as if the event is happening all over again.
Dr. Frank Corrigan's Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR) theory offers a framework for understanding the role of orientation in memory. The theory stipulates that the midbrain has a crucial role in trauma responses as the orienting response that occurs at the moment of perceived threat. For example, when you hear a knock at your door, your attention will immediately orient to that sound. This immediate response is present in most animals and is an ancient part of our brain and neuro-wiring. It is activated when one perceives that a threat could occur or is occurring. When a person is traumatised, they often feel that they are looping in the traumatic memory as if it is still happening now. It is as if a part of them is timestamped, forever re experiencing the event and therefore the associated distress. When we help an individual reorient to the present moment, and notice that they are indeed safe and that experience belongs to the past, it is no longer happening, it can help the nervous system settle back into the ventral vagal homeostasis. This approach provides a neurobiological basis for why paying attention to our present-moment experience can be powerful in trauma recovery. The worry is that if a person doesn't learn to orient to the present moment safety, they can experience chronic dysregulation which can have significant stress and health effects.
So, the next time you're feeling overwhelmed, try this: Take a moment to really notice where you are. Feel the weight of your body, listen to the sounds around you, observe where you are in space and allow gravity to hold you. Even if you're not completely happy with all aspects of your life or feel stressed, ask yourself if, in this moment, you are safe. You're not just practising mindfulness - you're giving your nervous system vital information that can aid in healing. This is a skill that will help you tolerate trauma treatments like EMDR and have faster results.
Katerina Nemcova
Clinical Psychologist
Comments