Shock Before Trauma: The Science of Deep Brain Reorienting

Dr. Frank Corrigan joins us to share his groundbreaking approach to trauma healing called Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR). With his melodious Scottish accent and over 30 years of experience as a Consultant Psychiatrist in Scotland's National Health Service, Frank explains how his quest to help severely traumatized patients led to this innovative method that addresses trauma at its deepest neurobiological roots.The magic of DBR lies in its focus on a critical moment most approaches miss – the milliseconds of "shock" that occur in the brainstem before emotions like fear, rage or shame ever emerge. Frank walks us through how traditional trauma therapies often overlook this crucial phase, potentially explaining why some people remain stuck despite years of treatment. Through fascinating explanations of brainstem structures like the periaqueductal gray and superior colliculi, he illustrates how DBR's sequence of processing works with our brain's natural healing mechanisms rather than against them.What makes DBR truly revolutionary is its methodical, slow approach that begins with establishing "where self" – a neurological anchoring in present time and space – before identifying the subtle "orienting tension" that precedes shock. By attending to these early responses before emotions flood in, clients often experience processing that feels manageable rather than overwhelming. Frank shares moving clinical examples, including how DBR has helped people with traumatic bereavements that remained unresolved for decades despite trying numerous other approaches.Ready to explore this transformative approach yourself? Whether you're a mental health professional interested in training or someone seeking healing from complex trauma, Frank's compassionate explanation offers hope that even the most deeply embedded trauma responses can be addressed when we understand the brain's natural healing sequence. Visit deepbrainreorienting.com to learn more about this exciting development in trauma therapy that's showing promising research results.-------This episode is sponsored by the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD).The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation is an international, non-profit, professional association organized to develop and promote comprehensive, clinically effective and empirically based resources and responses to trauma and dissociation and to address its relevance to other theoretical constructs.To learn more and become a member, visit: https://www.isst-d.org/Visit https://cfas.isst-d.org/ to access educational offerings for both professionals and non-professionals Support the show