Summary of Peter A. Levine & Gabor Mate's In an Unspoken Voice

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

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#1 We are all susceptible to the effects of trauma and loss. They can strike us down in a fraction of a second, and we can be utterly devastated. We become hopelessly frozen by terror and helplessness.

#2 I was hit by a car while crossing the street. I was sent flying, and when I came to, I was lying on the road, unable to move or breathe. I was terrified that I had a broken neck. I was confused and unable to think clearly. I needed someone to hold onto.

#3 I am rushed to the hospital, and as I am being stretchered into the emergency room, I hear a garbled radio communication requesting a full trauma team. My heart sinks. I am afraid that my injuries may require the major trauma center in La Jolla, some thirty miles away.

#4 I feel a strong tension developing from the spine in my upper back. I sense my right arm wanting to extend outward, and I see a momentary flash. The black asphalt rushes toward me, and my hand slapping the pavement feels like a raw burning sensation. I feel tremendous relief, along with a deep sense of gratitude that my body did not betray me.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Mar 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669365143

IRB Media

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Insights on Peter A. Levine & Gabor Mate's In an Unspoken Voice

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

We are all susceptible to the effects of trauma and loss. They can strike us down in a fraction of a second, and we can be utterly devastated. We become hopelessly frozen by terror and helplessness.

#2

I was hit by a car while crossing the street. I was sent flying, and when I came to, I was lying on the road, unable to move or breathe. I was terrified that I had a broken neck. I was confused and unable to think clearly. I needed someone to hold onto.

#3

I am rushed to the hospital, and as I am being stretchered into the emergency room, I hear a garbled radio communication requesting a full trauma team. My heart sinks. I am afraid that my injuries may require the major trauma center in La Jolla, some thirty miles away.

#4

I feel a strong tension developing from the spine in my upper back. I sense my right arm wanting to extend outward, and I see a momentary flash. The black asphalt rushes toward me, and my hand slapping the pavement feels like a raw burning sensation. I feel tremendous relief, along with a deep sense of gratitude that my body did not betray me.

#5

The ability to bounce back from trauma is important, as it can help us recover faster and avoid PTSD. The small protective spontaneous movements we make after a traumatic event can help us bounce back faster, as they allow us to continue the defensive and orienting responses.

#6

The healing approach that I present in this book helps clients develop an awareness and mastery of their physical sensations and feelings. It is based on the theory that humans have always tried to cope with powerful and terrifying feelings by doing things that contradict their perceptions of fear and helplessness.

#7

I have drawn upon findings in the neurosciences to explain how our nervous system has evolved a hierarchical structure, how these hierarchies interact, and how the more advanced systems shut down in the face of overwhelming threat.

#8

The capacity for self-regulation is what allows us to handle our own states of arousal and difficult emotions, thus providing the basis for the balance between authentic autonomy and healthy social engagement.

#9

The paramedic’s readout of my heart rate indicated that my body was ready to take evasive action, which is how I survived my accident. If my body had not been prepared for action, I could have developed posttraumatic stress disorder.

#10

Our ability to self-regulate is what allows us to survive beyond the brutal grip of anxiety, panic, night terrors, depression, and physical symptoms that are the hallmarks of prolonged stress and trauma.

#11

The shaking and trembling I experienced while lying on the ground and in the ambulance are a core part of the innate process that helped me recover from trauma. They are mechanisms that help us restore our equilibrium after we have been threatened or highly aroused.

#12

When we are able to live through states of high arousal, we are able to maintain equilibrium and sanity. When we are unable to do so, we are more likely to be traumatized.

#13

The stress response is a complex system that varies from person to person. It can be activated in different ways, and it can vary in