Justin McMillen: So back in May we were invited to attend
Justin McMillen: So back in May we were invited to attend

Dr. Ratey's addiction symposium where we met Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and van der
Dr. Ratey's addiction symposium where we met Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and van der

Kolk talked about some key issues related to trauma and addiction and I want to
Kolk talked about some key issues related to trauma and addiction and I want to

take a look at why those issues are so critical to address and how we treat
take a look at why those issues are so critical to address and how we treat

them at the Tree House Recovery
them at the Tree House Recovery

Bessel van der Kolk: And so if Self love and
Bessel van der Kolk: And so if Self love and

self compassion can be at the core if you love yourself you
self compassion can be at the core if you love yourself you

take good care of your body and you exercise and you eat the right food but we
take good care of your body and you exercise and you eat the right food but we

struggle with this see, is it top down, let me shove right food into you or
struggle with this see, is it top down, let me shove right food into you or

right exercise or do you from the inside "I better take care of this little creature who is me.
right exercise or do you from the inside "I better take care of this little creature who is me.

Every single person that walks through our doors comes in
Every single person that walks through our doors comes in

with a huge bag of all of the terrible things that they feel about themselves
with a huge bag of all of the terrible things that they feel about themselves

and think about themselves in a way to where it's really hard to expect them to
and think about themselves in a way to where it's really hard to expect them to

have a desire to want to get well.
have a desire to want to get well.

You start to judge ourselves based on the
You start to judge ourselves based on the

things that have that we've done or the things that have happened to us and that
things that have that we've done or the things that have happened to us and that

becomes our identity and so a Tree House our objective is to strip that back to
becomes our identity and so a Tree House our objective is to strip that back to

the basic miracle that is a person to show that to a client and say look this
the basic miracle that is a person to show that to a client and say look this

is you you're a perfect miracle like let's start there let's forget about
is you you're a perfect miracle like let's start there let's forget about

everything you've done and let's build off of that.
everything you've done and let's build off of that.

Graduate: eating eating healthy and like exercising was always there but I
Graduate: eating eating healthy and like exercising was always there but I

didn't have the other tools to to love myself mentally so that was one of the
didn't have the other tools to to love myself mentally so that was one of the

biggest problems like I didn't have that tool I didn't have the I didn't have the
biggest problems like I didn't have that tool I didn't have the I didn't have the

know how to do that or to actually work through that so uh I was exercising and
know how to do that or to actually work through that so uh I was exercising and

eating right but I was also putting poison in my body.
eating right but I was also putting poison in my body.

So now I'm able to forgive myself because I know that
So now I'm able to forgive myself because I know that

wasn't me.
wasn't me.

and so to my mind it is at least as
and so to my mind it is at least as

important to really go to to deal with The trauma actually and so that's not easy to do
important to really go to to deal with The trauma actually and so that's not easy to do

but I think finding words from what happened to you is very important
but I think finding words from what happened to you is very important

And so I think what drives addictions is that the feelings from the past are
And so I think what drives addictions is that the feelings from the past are

painful that you don't want to go there and so the job of therapy is to make it
painful that you don't want to go there and so the job of therapy is to make it

Tolerable to go and access to see What happened to you in the past and once
Tolerable to go and access to see What happened to you in the past and once

you can really contemplate what happened to you back
you can really contemplate what happened to you back

then you can start to begin to approach yourself with
then you can start to begin to approach yourself with

compassion.
compassion.

Yeah if you're happy cool that's um that's a good one to show what but
Yeah if you're happy cool that's um that's a good one to show what but

like being sad you don't show being sad and for men period to open up it's it's
like being sad you don't show being sad and for men period to open up it's it's

really hard like when you get vulnerable and you feel that vulnerability as being
really hard like when you get vulnerable and you feel that vulnerability as being

played with or not taken seriously it automatically turns you to shut off for sure.
played with or not taken seriously it automatically turns you to shut off for sure.

My writing therapist always kept it real there was no keeping thing soft or
My writing therapist always kept it real there was no keeping thing soft or

treating me as a fragile individual so that's important it was really important
treating me as a fragile individual so that's important it was really important

especially for me to open up when most people think about trauma they think of
especially for me to open up when most people think about trauma they think of

like you know they'll think of PTSD a soldier in war but trauma affects
like you know they'll think of PTSD a soldier in war but trauma affects

everyone in different ways I had traumas that I didn't think we're
everyone in different ways I had traumas that I didn't think we're

traumas that I wrote about and it affected me way deeper than I had ever
traumas that I wrote about and it affected me way deeper than I had ever

thought it did and actually working through it gave me a sense of relief and
thought it did and actually working through it gave me a sense of relief and

it opened up a window to see why I do the things that I do and it was because
it opened up a window to see why I do the things that I do and it was because

of a specific situation or an event that I had happen to me.
of a specific situation or an event that I had happen to me.

So with writing therapy you're bouncing off of somebody with a with unbiased
So with writing therapy you're bouncing off of somebody with a with unbiased

completely objective point of view and just getting the raw details
completely objective point of view and just getting the raw details

of what actually happening and removing my emotional feelings towards the
of what actually happening and removing my emotional feelings towards the

situation and actually getting some clarity like that was the relief.
situation and actually getting some clarity like that was the relief.

I think emotions probably drive addiction more
I think emotions probably drive addiction more

than anything else and a person's inability to deal with negative emotions
than anything else and a person's inability to deal with negative emotions

is is a huge cause for addiction in general.
is is a huge cause for addiction in general.

To my mind, the limbic system drives all these behaviors and you can't
To my mind, the limbic system drives all these behaviors and you can't

get there by thinking understanding figuring things out and so you need to quiet
get there by thinking understanding figuring things out and so you need to quiet

the system down and certainly you can quiet it down with exercise and
the system down and certainly you can quiet it down with exercise and

movement but what happens If you stop being able to move?
movement but what happens If you stop being able to move?

You know there's no question that at any point in a person's life
You know there's no question that at any point in a person's life

they're they're gonna get hurt or they're not going to be able to exercise
they're they're gonna get hurt or they're not going to be able to exercise

and so they have to have several different ways to do this
and so they have to have several different ways to do this

and at Tree House we focus on using things like breath work, touch, team play, and exercise
and at Tree House we focus on using things like breath work, touch, team play, and exercise

as well as ways to calm down the limbic system and to give these guys a better
as well as ways to calm down the limbic system and to give these guys a better

sense of emotional regulation.
sense of emotional regulation.

A sense of comradeship and team playing are the best predictor of healthy adult outcome from
A sense of comradeship and team playing are the best predictor of healthy adult outcome from

boys is team sports.
boys is team sports.

Action based induction therapy is designed to help
Action based induction therapy is designed to help

clients or to create scenarios that allow clients to experience different
clients or to create scenarios that allow clients to experience different

types of emotions through carefully coordinated teamwork exercises and
types of emotions through carefully coordinated teamwork exercises and

activities that induce different types of emotional states and then we take
activities that induce different types of emotional states and then we take

those situations and with a therapist on the beach we actually teach them how to
those situations and with a therapist on the beach we actually teach them how to

walk through those things in a way that's healthy and constructive rather
walk through those things in a way that's healthy and constructive rather

than maladaptive.
than maladaptive.

It's like that's what camaraderie is, you know like that's what
It's like that's what camaraderie is, you know like that's what

that's what It's about you know and like ABIT for me
that's what It's about you know and like ABIT for me

that's what I learned is that going through something tough, annoying, something
that's what I learned is that going through something tough, annoying, something

that makes you angry, whatever it is with someone makes it 100 times
that makes you angry, whatever it is with someone makes it 100 times

better - it makes it good, even if it's bad you know so getting getting drilled
better - it makes it good, even if it's bad you know so getting getting drilled

on the beach you know when you're holding the boat over your head your
on the beach you know when you're holding the boat over your head your

shoulders are burning you just want to quit and that guy next to you you just
shoulders are burning you just want to quit and that guy next to you you just

see on his face but you guys keep holding and then you guys start laughing.
see on his face but you guys keep holding and then you guys start laughing.

Touch is a very powerful thing and If you get touched in the right way you
Touch is a very powerful thing and If you get touched in the right way you

can calm your body down before we can understand language the best way we
can calm your body down before we can understand language the best way we

communicate with each other is through physical touch. Neil Trusso: The hugging thing yeah I
communicate with each other is through physical touch. Neil Trusso: The hugging thing yeah I

think we definitely have a hugging culture it's really good for our guys
think we definitely have a hugging culture it's really good for our guys

especially the ones that have a ton of shame and trauma in their past to have
especially the ones that have a ton of shame and trauma in their past to have

somebody who they view as healthy maybe a role model is able to stop give
somebody who they view as healthy maybe a role model is able to stop give

them a second grab them in a big bear hug and
them a second grab them in a big bear hug and

try to you know subliminally subconsciously like transfer like "I
try to you know subliminally subconsciously like transfer like "I

believe in you I'm here for you I care about you I want you to succeed and win"
believe in you I'm here for you I care about you I want you to succeed and win"

in just a just a non-confrontational like I want you to change it's like "I just
in just a just a non-confrontational like I want you to change it's like "I just

got you you're here I'll take everything
got you you're here I'll take everything

you're gonna give me." It's not like oh you're weird cuz you're hugging people
you're gonna give me." It's not like oh you're weird cuz you're hugging people

it's like no like he's happy why is he happy I want happiness too.
it's like no like he's happy why is he happy I want happiness too.

Things like meditation for example is that once you sit still,
Things like meditation for example is that once you sit still,

The crap of your past tends to come up.
The crap of your past tends to come up.

And meditation tends to be very difficult for traumatized people because the
And meditation tends to be very difficult for traumatized people because the

trauma is not out there it's sitting right inside yourself and once it comes you
trauma is not out there it's sitting right inside yourself and once it comes you

tend to become very disturbed.
tend to become very disturbed.

Kathy Du Vernet: We approach yoga as a practical tool as they're moving and breathing at the same
Kathy Du Vernet: We approach yoga as a practical tool as they're moving and breathing at the same

time that they're sparking their vagus nerve by you know initiating that
time that they're sparking their vagus nerve by you know initiating that

response from the vagus nerve that people develop a way of mastering their
response from the vagus nerve that people develop a way of mastering their

thoughts and their emotions because they're creating self-regulation but
thoughts and their emotions because they're creating self-regulation but

also the stuff that we're teaching in there is around having agency having
also the stuff that we're teaching in there is around having agency having

choice because that's oftentimes what's been taken away from people.
choice because that's oftentimes what's been taken away from people.

Graduate: My thoughts about yoga coming in were that it's like
Graduate: My thoughts about yoga coming in were that it's like

for girls it's it's like stretching for girls and when we we first started doing
for girls it's it's like stretching for girls and when we we first started doing

it I was like incapable of of sitting with my own thoughts so I would like I'd
it I was like incapable of of sitting with my own thoughts so I would like I'd

like sit there and go crazy basically I just too many thoughts in my own head
like sit there and go crazy basically I just too many thoughts in my own head

but I you know I learned to to work through those thoughts and and do
but I you know I learned to to work through those thoughts and and do

something positive with them it was - yoga's cool though I liked it
something positive with them it was - yoga's cool though I liked it

breathing techniques is something I still use.
breathing techniques is something I still use.

The nature of trauma is it's about physical immobility
The nature of trauma is it's about physical immobility

it's about your primitive brain saying "oh shit this is it, I'm helpless" so if you
it's about your primitive brain saying "oh shit this is it, I'm helpless" so if you

have a body that is accustomed to being able to take action as the military
have a body that is accustomed to being able to take action as the military

Knows so well I think you become much less prone to get traumatized once you have a
Knows so well I think you become much less prone to get traumatized once you have a

body that really works.
body that really works.

In early recovery one of the biggest issues that the men
In early recovery one of the biggest issues that the men

that we treat deal with is external stressors and so one of our objectives
that we treat deal with is external stressors and so one of our objectives

at Tree House is to help fortify the men that retreat against these external
at Tree House is to help fortify the men that retreat against these external

stressors and the way that we do that is we have a therapy here called ESM and
stressors and the way that we do that is we have a therapy here called ESM and

what ESM does is it uses exercise a 90-minute cross fit style
what ESM does is it uses exercise a 90-minute cross fit style

workout that happens every day as a tool to create more gaba in the hippocampus
workout that happens every day as a tool to create more gaba in the hippocampus

of the brain and this gaba basically acts as a shield or a force field
of the brain and this gaba basically acts as a shield or a force field

against external stressors for the person that we're treating so what does
against external stressors for the person that we're treating so what does

that look like that looks like more gaba in the brain means that when a client
that look like that looks like more gaba in the brain means that when a client

goes out into the real world and he experiences an adverse event he's less
goes out into the real world and he experiences an adverse event he's less

likely to react he's less likely to have a sympathetic response that's gonna
likely to react he's less likely to have a sympathetic response that's gonna

charge him up when he has more gaba in his brain gaba puts the brakes on the
charge him up when he has more gaba in his brain gaba puts the brakes on the

sympathetic nervous system.
sympathetic nervous system.

and basically we got trapped by drugs and talking is only ways out.
and basically we got trapped by drugs and talking is only ways out.

these are complex things and I'm always very worried about people coming up with
these are complex things and I'm always very worried about people coming up with

one answer - yeah - because it's so multi modal.
one answer - yeah - because it's so multi modal.

So one of the problems is that most treatment only tries to address the
So one of the problems is that most treatment only tries to address the

psychology of addiction and talk therapy's not enough addiction is a very
psychology of addiction and talk therapy's not enough addiction is a very

complex condition and the treatment to address addiction needs to be as
complex condition and the treatment to address addiction needs to be as

sophisticated as the people that we're trying to treat and so that's why a
sophisticated as the people that we're trying to treat and so that's why a

Tree House Recovery has developed a true bio psych social approach.
Tree House Recovery has developed a true bio psych social approach.