Reframing PTSD as PTS: Post-Trauma Strategy

Introduction

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has long been framed as a disorder—an affliction that requires treatment to eliminate symptoms. However, this perspective may be fundamentally flawed. Rather than viewing PTSD as a disorder, we propose reframing it as Post-Trauma Strategy (PTS)—an unconscious survival mechanism in which the bodymind attempts to ensure future safety. This reframing shifts the focus from pathology to strategy, empowering individuals to engage with their experiences in a transformative way.

The Bodymind and the Question of Safety

Trauma imprints itself not just in conscious memory but also in the deeper, unconscious layers of our nervous system. The bodymind, a concept reflecting the unity of physiological and psychological processes, does not differentiate between past and present when processing trauma. It continuously asks the question: “Will I be safe if this happens again?”

However, the headmind—the rational, analytical part of our cognition—interprets this unconscious questioning as a threat. This misalignment creates a feedback loop where the bodymind replays traumatic memories as intense emotions and sensations, while the headmind misreads these signals as indicators of immediate danger, much like reacting to a horror movie as if the zombies on the screen were real.

Behaviour as Positive Intent

From an NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) perspective, all behaviour—including distressing symptoms of trauma—has a positive intent for the individual. In the case of PTS, the ‘negative’ emotional and physiological responses serve the function of prompting preparation and adaptation to future threats. The challenge is that the bodymind’s language—sensations and emotions—is often at odds with the verbal and analytical processing of the headmind.

The Role of Repetition in Trauma Processing

Sigmund Freud observed that individuals with trauma often experience recurrent nightmares in which they relive distressing events. Rather than being random occurrences, these nightmares serve a functional purpose. They are the unconscious mind’s attempt to resolve the lingering question: “How will I survive if this happens again?”

Freud suggested that the way to stop such nightmares is to consciously replay and alter them while awake—imagining oneself navigating and surviving the traumatic event. This aligns with modern therapeutic techniques such as:

Lucid Dreaming Therapy: Training individuals to become aware in their dreams and alter their responses to trauma-related nightmares.

Image Rehearsal Therapy (IRT): Rewriting the narrative of distressing dreams while awake and practicing a new, empowering resolution.

Somatic Experiencing (SE): Engaging the body in reliving the trauma in a controlled environment to process and release stored tension.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP): Techniques such as the ‘Fast Phobia Cure’ (also known as the V/K Dissociation Technique) allow individuals to reframe and dissociate from traumatic memories.

The Power of Thought in Rewiring Trauma Responses

Neuroscientific research has demonstrated that the brain does not differentiate between real and imagined experiences. Studies on neuroplasticity show that mental rehearsal activates the same neural pathways as real-life experiences. This means that if an individual vividly imagines themselves successfully handling a traumatic situation, the bodymind registers it as a real experience, thereby resolving the question of future safety.

Conclusion: Embracing Post-Trauma Strategy

Understanding PTSD as Post-Trauma Strategy rather than a disorder provides a more empowering and solution-oriented approach to healing. By recognizing that trauma responses are survival-driven rather than pathological, we can shift from suppression and avoidance to conscious engagement and transformation. Techniques such as NLP, Image Rehearsal Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing offer pathways to communicating with the bodymind in its own language, providing it with the answers it seeks. When the bodymind knows it has a strategy for future safety, the distressing symptoms naturally subside.

This paradigm shift not only destigmatises trauma but also aligns with the growing body of evidence supporting self-directed, embodied healing approaches. By teaching individuals to work with their bodymind rather than against it, we open new possibilities for resilience, growth, and post-traumatic wisdom.

Murph 2025

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