Neuro Affective Relational Model (NARM)

[Spaced_Invader]

I was introduced a couple months ago to NARM through an anonymous fellowship that centers on healing Developmental Trauma using a top down and bottom up approach. I have also been focusing on being my own adult parent. It's a fairly new modality used to treat cptsd and developmental trauma. After only a couple months of therapy I have been noticing huge changes. I notice when I am in dorsal, ventral, or sympathetic. I am feeling my feelings and talking to them as my traumatized inner kids ie., "Hello my anger I know you are in me. I am glad you're here I have been waiting for you." "Thank you anger for trusting me to keep you safe while feeling these feelings. Feeling them is a good thing and I will always keep you safe I promise." I have been prepping meals, excercising every day, calling people back, picking up the phone. I have grown my capacity to feel and felt less overwhelmed by my feelings. Every morning I greet my inner traumatized kids and do a "safe container" with them to get in touch to begin my day. I don't have any biological kids but I feel like I am really responsible for creating a safe and enjoyable life for my dysregulated nervous system (which is what I am referring to when I say inner kids) and the more love and compassion and connection I provide for my painful and intense traumatized feelings, the more time during the day I spend in ventral where they can be curious and explore and create and feel safe. I am going to continue this journey. Thank you NARM and thank you to my anonymous group for all of the healing I have experienced so far. And most of all, thank you to me 😊. **Ventral, Sympathetic, and Dorsal are referring to the Poly Vagal Theory**

[Nathalie99 Partner]

Hi Spaced_Invader,

It's very interesting to hear about your positive experiences.

Healing trauma, especially the type sustained early in life, needs to reach multiple levels.

It's great you are able to reassure your inner child/children - your nervous system that you are there and hopefully feel safe.

It's a huge work and very tough as well. Congratulations on your efforts and how much you accomplished...

[Spaced_Invader in reply to Nathalie99]

Thanks Nathalie99. Yeah the feelings/emotions that have been coming up are intense and overwhelming sometimes. At first I didn't have any ability to handle them so I shut down or dissociated or found an external source of pleasure to be a surrogate parent to my inner kid(s) because I didn't have the capacity. Definitely has been difficult for sure. But so worth it.

[PNIAuthor60 Major Contributor]

Thank you for sharing your experience of NARM. I too have learned of them recently and read the book which gave me great insight into C-PTSD and the somatic manifestations in my body for so many years. I have found that understanding myself and my compromised nervous system has lessened quite a bit of my anxiety over the years.