There is clear, scientific evidence that abuse has long-term physiological, neurological, emotional and developmental impact.

What happens to people as a result of traumatic stress does shape the brain and the physiology.

Repression of traumatic memory is real. Memory recall of repressed traumatic stress is real and neurologically plausible.

Memories of child abuse are complicated and people do remember in a variety of ways. The process of remembering needs to be respected.

The mind and body cannot be separated.

Memory can be stored in the body or the mind and it can be recovered through expressions of the body or the mind or both, often years after the event.

Memory recall of traumatic events may be auditory recollection, but is more likely to be visual imagery or somatic body sensations.

Somatic sensations, behaviour, body posture and impressionistic feelings can be components of the expression of traumatic memory. Even the organs can be factors in the storing and releasing of memory.

Childhood trauma causes severe stresses to the body that show up in a variety of adult illnesses and diseases -- physical and mental.

Child abuse creates physical, emotional and mental symptoms that may seem unrelated to the abuse.

Repression of traumatic memory is real.

FLASHBACKS

Dissociation – rocks me back
to the age when the trigger
occurred.

That’s tough. Being a 3 year old
in an adult world.

Jacquelyn

LET THE BODY SPEAK

Sun-dogged mornings,
biting cold
in Northern Minnesota.
Sparkling snow,
Frost on the young
men's whiskers,
This was us, we were young.

The mare, Kate,
the huge work-horse
that Charley bought from Olaf,
(Sly devil that he was,
for all our labour - he sold us
a horse with bowed front legs.)
But in the early mornings,
her bowed legs, her huge body
Didn't matter.
She pranced in the lines,
glad to be alive
And eager to get to work.

My own body - reclaimed.
Not sagged under the weight of denial.
It happened.
This is what happened,
And also _____

Jenny

REALLY SEE

Look at me
Really see me
bruises and all.

My body remembers
things my mind
has locked up
in a small dark closet
It shouldn't have happened
but it did.

I don't know where
to draw the line
Now that I've grown
Because
Anything went
when I was too young.

Touch hurts
like a lit cigarette to my skin.

Patricia

IN MY BODY

I do not want to be in my body.
Fragmented
frozen soul
locked in stone
petrified
unwhole.

I do not want to be in my body.
Lost parts,
hold breath,
painful hair,
and feeling gone.

I do not want to be in my body.
Not me
to come alive,
overcome
un-personed.

I do not want to be in my body.
Reconnect,
pulse alive,
solid form
appears.

Can I rest?
never, I know
Pull together me
with love,
a flow.

Body surprise,
it's mine,
Not yours,
to live.

I will be in my body.

Jill

LISTEN

Physical pain, hard
mental anguish, hard
the hardest thing of all B what it does to the core
Silent not by choice
but by force
He is supposed to protect but he kills me

Despite the pain
I overcome
Today I am stronger
conscious of the silent pain in others

No words pass
but so much said
silence speak loud
if people listen
not with ears but with hearts

H.

Discussion - Effects of Abuse on Body and Brain Structures

Body and Mind Split
A body and mind split may manifest as:

• distorted memory
• memory loss,
• a disability to connect,
• learning disabilities,
• fragmentation on all levels,
• triggers,
• split function,
• intrusions in thought processes,
• tricks of memory and
• hyper vigilant memory in some areas.

It may also result in split-brain use such as favouring verbal skills, overemphasizing the intellectual, and the repression of right-brain information.

Somatic Memory
A somatic experience is a clear and vivid memory. We must recognize the power of the body in sending us messages. We must understand that memory is our memory. A person's body language must be trusted - there is a strong connection between body and mind.

Memories are stored anywhere and everywhere. Our organs can store and release memory. Every cell contains emotion and memory.

A somatic experience may manifest as flashbacks, convulsions, physical violence, headaches, disabling depression, a higher frequency of all kinds of illnesses or trembling. Convulsions result from systems in the brain which are being forced to fuse.

Key Points

Whatever happens to people shapes their brain. The brain can be severely damaged from physical abuse. (One example would be shaken baby syndrome.)

Somatic sensations and behaviour can be expressions of memory, as can body posture and feelings. The mind and body cannot be separated.

There is clear, scientific evidence that people repress traumatic experiences. People remember in a variety of ways.

Abuse has long term physiological, emotional, mental and developmental impact. Violence breeds violence, and abuse affects the very structure of the brain. It compromises our ability to survive and thrive.

Abuse also creates symptoms that may seem unrelated to the abuse: physically, emotionally and mentally.

Memory is complicated. People remember in a variety of ways, and this variety needs to be respected. Those who work with people who have had these experiences often suffer vicarious trauma.

Illnesses are related to trauma. Trauma causes physical changes in your body. Childhood trauma causes severe stresses to the body that show up in a variety of adult illnesses and diseases, both physical and mental.

Society is now accepting body memories of abuse and trauma.

REFERENCES ON EFFECTS OF ABUSE ON THE BODY AND BRAIN STRUCTURES:

Bower, Bruce. “Child Sex Abuse Leaves Mark on Brain.” Science News (U.S.), June 3, 1995, vol. 137 no 22, p. 340.

Leserman, Jane, Timothy C. Toomey and Douglas A. Drossman. “Medical Consequences of Sexual and Physical Abuse of Women”. Human Medicine. January 1995, vol. 11 no. 1, p. 23-8.

Littman, Victoria C. “Navigating Through Dyslexia and Abuse: Reversing Abusive Power Relationships and Narrative Structures.” Canadian Women Studies, summer 1993, vol. 13 no. 4, p.42-6.

Mukerjee, Madhusree. “Hidden Scars: Sexual and Other Abuse May Alter a Brain Region.” Scientific American, October 1995, vol. 273 no. 4, p. 14, 20.

National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse. The Relationship Between Parental Alcohol or Other Drug Problems and Child Maltreatment. Chicago, Illinois. (Online) Available http://www.childabuse.org

“Abuse and Existential Pain”. Human Medicine, January 1995, vol. 11 no. 1, p. 8-9.