TABS refers to models of trauma treatment that target all four factors that undermine full recovery from trauma:
T – unresolved Traumatic events,
A – Attachment wounding
B – Body symptoms
S – disturbed Sleep
While all models of Trauma Therapy address resolving Traumatic events, many address Attachment wounding, and some Body symptoms, none currently address the disturbed sleep that goes along with PTSD. If you have read this far in this website, you are most likely interested in doing something to improve your sleep problem. Here is how you can begin.
Download the Breathing Assessment Form you will find when you return to the Patients Home page (click button below). Complete the eight observations, which will tell you whether you are a Chest breather, a Mixed breather, or a Belly breather. If you need help with this, you will find all the information you need in Chapter 4 of Putting Trauma to Sleep.
It is important to complete the Assessment prior to beginning breathing practice. Those who are Chest and Mixed breathers will first have to retrain their breathing muscles. Only when you get your breath down into the larger, lower part of the lungs, does breath work activate the parasympathetic (PNS) braking system.
If this step is not first achieved, breathing will continue to stimulate the sympathetic system (SNS) and not be helpful with getting to sleep. Once the transition into Belly breathing has been completed, breathing practice will activate the PNS braking responses. Use of the Yawning breath can be particularly helpful to transitioning into sleep (see Chapter 5 of Putting Trauma to Sleep).
If you have a trauma therapist who is willing to help you with your sleep, ask them to visit our site and find out more about how to integrate Sleep repair into their trauma treatments.