The Integrative Trauma and Attachment Model (ITATM) ® is a layered / integrative model that incorporates multiple modalities and layers to regulate the body, brain and mind simultaneously. This model provides a safe structured way towork through trauma by de-potentiating the fear looping process, regulating the nervous system, and promoting integration in a manner that seems to consolidate the memory in proper space and time. It is a rich integrative approach with components of sensory processing, somatic therapy, resource installation, bilateral stimulation, sensory regulation work and cognitive reframing.
ITATM is not a talk therapy model. Research has helped us to understand that trauma and negative states decrease integration in the brain, body and nervous system whereas positive states increase integration. Brain images have demonstrated that when recalling trauma right hemisphere (centrally involved in our senses emotional felt state and embodied awareness) where as left hemisphere (centrally involved in reflection, meaning making, and also where are speech centres are) demonstrates little to no activity. This is part of why we often can't talk about what happened.
This model is specifically designed to help people work through their trauma experiences in a safe, structured way. Therapists are trained to focus on presenting trauma experiences, while also treating the underlying experiences that may be amplifying present day experiences.
ITATM is not a talk therapy model. Research has helped us to understand that trauma and negative states decrease integration in the brain, body and nervous system whereas positive states increase integration. Brain images have demonstrated that when recalling trauma right hemisphere (centrally involved in our senses emotional felt state and embodied awareness) where as left hemisphere (centrally involved in reflection, meaning making, and also where are speech centres are) demonstrates little to no activity. This is part of why we often can't talk about what happened.
This model is specifically designed to help people work through their trauma experiences in a safe, structured way. Therapists are trained to focus on presenting trauma experiences, while also treating the underlying experiences that may be amplifying present day experiences.
ITATM Program Evaluation
Thank you to Victoria Dobson for completing a program evaluation of our Integrative Trauma and Attachment Model (ITATM)®. Thank you also to Dr. Paul Frewen, Western University Hospital for acting as our consultant / principal investigator. The results reviewed the progress of 50 adult clients. A variety of standardized measures were used to evaluate change. Overall the findings demonstrated clinically and statistically significant changes. This is not to say everyone is fully recovered at the completion of treatment as we are working with complex trauma and as such there are no easy solutions. However these are outcomes that are very realistic of a complex trauma population and demonstrate that there is benefit to the treatment being offered.
Average reductions in high risk areas are as follows:
These are areas that often impact daily life skills, the ability to remain regulated, maintain safe housing, utilization of high risk and crisis services etc. As such any reductions in these areas demonstrates a positive shift towards a more emotionally regulated state.
The least reduction was observed in relation to somatics. Given that when entering treatment most people are not embodied/aware of their emotions due to the trauma experiences they have had this makes good sense. As we begin to work through treatment people become more embodied and more aware of their emotional felt state, this means they are also more aware of uncomfortable sensations feelings emotions etc. however there is an increased ability to experience these feelings without destabilizing, flooding, dissociating etc. This is all part of the goals of treatment, feeling is healing and again it’s a great indicator that the work we are doing is effective. A video outlining the program evaluation results in full is included below.
Average reductions in high risk areas are as follows:
- Tension Reduction Behaviour 12.1 reduction
- Depression 9.61 reduction
- Suicidality 10.20 reduction
- Anger 9.98 reduction
- Dissociation 8.71 reduction
These are areas that often impact daily life skills, the ability to remain regulated, maintain safe housing, utilization of high risk and crisis services etc. As such any reductions in these areas demonstrates a positive shift towards a more emotionally regulated state.
The least reduction was observed in relation to somatics. Given that when entering treatment most people are not embodied/aware of their emotions due to the trauma experiences they have had this makes good sense. As we begin to work through treatment people become more embodied and more aware of their emotional felt state, this means they are also more aware of uncomfortable sensations feelings emotions etc. however there is an increased ability to experience these feelings without destabilizing, flooding, dissociating etc. This is all part of the goals of treatment, feeling is healing and again it’s a great indicator that the work we are doing is effective. A video outlining the program evaluation results in full is included below.
