Working with Chronic Fear – with Peter Levine, PhD

Trauma can often leave clients with debilitating feelings of fear.

According to Peter Levine, PhD, it can be difficult to help clients break free of chronic fear without addressing its psychophysiology.

In the video above, Peter shares how he works with clients suffering from chronic fear and guides us through one simple exercise that can help clients regulate themselves.

[mortalclown]

Peter could easily retire and he's still helping people in counseling and these videos. Many blessings and thanks for the upload.

[dachater]

Fear and anxiety in the body is so painful and exhausting. I find in so worn out physically, mentally and emotionally afterwards.

[alexb]

I was bullied badly at school as the new boy. The impact is still with me 30 yrs later. The fear and worry comes every day. 😢

[lobibc]

I was raised in fear from birth. I've lived in survival mode for years!

[nedeljkorvovic]

Peter Levine and Gabor Mate, the two of them are the only absolutely sincere and caring people and experts who, without the slightest aggression or need to impose their attitude and their work on someone, do their work so heartily and openly that they selflessly share their gift and knowledge...Thank you

[Yosetime]

This is very good advice. I do jumping jacks because they tire me out. There is something about the physical movement of the body that releases stress almost immediately. The trick is to have a plan for what to do after the movement. I usually plan on keeping moving just doing simple household chores with music on. Within minutes, I don't even remember what was freaking me out. And I don't try to go back to figure it out. I just forget about it. Thanks for the reminder!

[rebeccadewinter]

God I wish I had found this years ago. It would have saved me so many wasted years. The fear of fear crippled me for so long . Just know you will come through as long as you accept, all the sensations are Only sensations. 🦋

[mountainmolerat]

If you've been anxious long enough, the bodily sensations sometimes seem to have a "mind" of their own and come up even when the mind is thinking about something neutral or even pleasant.

[nightsky]

I am in a lot of confusion due to my chronic anxiety for 12 years… Thank you for sharing.

[sonjahalcyon]

Artists know this naturally, drawing, drumming, dancing, singing clears fear, anxiety and shutdown for me. I have flamenco footwork drills that I can do that releases fear and generates energy back into my system.

[GIRLSCOUTTROOP-zczb]

Thanks again for such great guidance. I’m helping my adolescent daughter heal from two elementary school assaults resulting in a lot of trauma trapped in her body. I have learned so much just watching these short clips. My daughter is beginning to recognize how the sensations shift and how her thoughts ruminate and she is gaining in her understanding and is able to “move” in various ways depending on what and where feels it and how it can trick her/overreact and hold her back. Rage shifting down to anger and now down to fear, slowly regaining perspective on what’s happening physiologically. Sometimes her movements may need a walk, a run, a jump etc. we let it play out. She still has moments when she freezes and puts herself into a restraint position on the floor but I am now able to speak to her and remind her that she understands what is happening and that we need to get up and move and let the feeling move all the through and out. When she’s ready we reflect on what happened using Dr Stuart Shanker self-Reg model.

[Olivia-wzby]

I have been chronic fear for years. Sure; I get moments of peace- but it is fleeting. I’m fearful of others in the workplace. I’m ready for this to stop.

[dorisw]

It's funny how when we are in this state the last thing we want to do is move, well I guess that's when we are in frozen state. It takes such a big push, but is so helpful.

[The_New_Abnormal_World_Order]

This is great. I wish society was more accepting of letting us intuitively do things like this that we need to do.

[jeannetet]

I was raised in fear from birth. I have managed to overcome a lot in my daily life, but a serious problem is that when I wake up in the morning, as soon as I open my eyes, I already feel the deep fear, my body is in the bed, with the feeling of stiffness, like when you are in danger and you should not move, not even breathe, a hollowness in the stomach. I remain in silence observing all this and I can rationally separate the sensations and "come to my senses". The associated thought: The world is not a safe place. I would like to wake up and feel the joy of the new day, not the burden of fear. How can I achieve that? Dr. Lavine, thank you very much for contributing to our health through your recommendations.

[shars.]

Yes, when the body mindfully releases the tightness in the body, the thought realizes that the fearful thought has been given to your higher power. That is my experience. Thank you. ❣️

[hilpei]

I love you so much, Dr. Levine. These somatic practices are profound for those of us with fear in the body.

[brittanyjewell]

Seeing Peter skip was exactly what I needed this morning

[hew]

In qigong it's the shaking exercise. Same thing, Disperses excess energy.

[earthdancing]

I'm smiling and tingles in my fingers! TY!