Neuroaffective Relational Model (NARM)
Neuroaffective Relational Model (NARM) is one modality practiced by several of our therapists at HeartMind Resiliency that was specifically developed for relational and attachment challenges. It focuses on healing the effects of early childhood trauma while supporting overall well-being. It recognizes that our early experiences, especially those in our earliest relationships, can shape how we relate to ourselves and others throughout our lives.
NARM understands that traumatic experiences can disrupt our nervous system’s natural ability to regulate itself. This dysregulation can lead to various challenges in our lives, such as difficulty managing emotions, forming healthy relationships, and feeling a sense of connection and safety. People with early developmental trauma also are at higher risk of developing chronic health conditions.
The aim of NARM is to help individuals reconnect with their authentic selves and develop healthier patterns of relating to themselves and others. It does this by addressing the underlying root causes of trauma-related issues, rather than just focusing on the symptoms.
In NARM, the therapist works collaboratively with you to create a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship. The therapist helps you explore your early attachment patterns and how these patterns continue to influence present experiences. This process often involves gently exploring difficult emotions and sensations that may arise.
Through NARM, the therapist helps the client develop awareness of their sensations, emotions, and thoughts. This awareness allows the client to make sense of and understand their internal experiences more deeply. By doing so, they can gradually develop the capacity to regulate their nervous system and respond to life’s challenges in a more balanced and adaptive way.
NARM also emphasizes the importance of cultivating healthy boundaries, self-care, and self-compassion. It helps individuals recognize and release shame, guilt, and self-judgment that may have developed as a result of early trauma.
Overall, NARM offers a holistic approach to healing by integrating the top down processing of cognitions and thinking with bottom up processing of the physiological responses of the body’s nervous system. It aims to support you to develop resiliency, create healthier relationships, and live a more fulfilling and authentic life.
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