When a Client Is Stuck in the Freeze Response with Peter Levine, PhD 

I have C-PTSD and I can tell you this man knows exactly what he is talking about.

This has happened to me all my life, I had a seriously abusive childhood where in the 'family' I was the vilified child (girls are useless and worthless) The brother was the 'golden child'! Saint Jeffery! I grew up totally unaware that I was being abused and shit on by everyone. I am now 63 years old, I only came to the realisation that I was being abused a few years ago after seeing a private counsellor for 5 years. I spent my life totally dissociated. I'm battling with the results of a completely lost life - I'm now trying to find some sense of 'who I am'. When someone 'has a go at me' I completely freeze, even now and it takes hours to realise it - then it's like 'actually that individual had no right to speak to me like that'! That's when it sinks in! I then feel the rage of injustice! It happens every time. Then I'm like I should have said this or that to them. It's so hard to 'live' in the world when your life was totally ripped away from you from such a young age. Socialising is impossible!

When I went through EMDR therapy I struggled with wanting to kill someone too. She told me it was ok to THINK it, I just couldn't act on it. That was such a new concept for me. It was me telling myself I was such an awful person for even thinking this thought that created the tension for me. Playing out in my HEAD blowing this person up was actually quite helpful in dissipating the anger energy.

I have 2 pulled teeth, 2 cracked teeth, and TMJ with severe jaw pain from teeth grinding/clinching while asleep and sometimes throughout the day. I recently have started to understand and accept the long term effects of my childhood trauma. It has been a physically and emotionally painful process and I'm doing my best to be grateful for the unearthing.

My heart is frozen but breaking open at the same time from heartbreak. Rejection is a deep wound from childhood.

I remember once someone in a position of authority was so disrespectful of someone who was never mean or aggressive to anyone. It triggered something that scared me into watching posts about anger management. Almost as soon as she deemed this helpless old man as not worthy of basic human respect, something in me lost all ability to give her respect. I swear I felt like I could tear her throat out with my teeth. I wasn't even related to the old guy but I felt this woman's attitude was a threat to all humanity. Scary to know what one is capable of feeling.

Memories scare me. I've lost years with dissociation, like I froze time.

This makes sense, so I tried it. It is amazing how this reconnects you to your body and perhaps your sense of self if trauma is severe enough. It takes time because it's about re-establishing a connection to ourselves. That's hard work when you're in freeze, but it's absolutely attainable.

I'm going through similar things due to stress/anxiety now. I started clenching my teeth in my sleep. While I'm awake I overthink and bite my lip until it hurts/bleeds and I don't always realize I'm doing it until it hurts/bleeds. People don't realize how much you physically and mentally go through with anxiety/stress.

Never ever thought my TMJ was a response mechanism! I’ve been dealing with this jaw problem for years! The more I’m stresss the more I freeze the more my jaw cracks! 39 years to finaly understand my problem on a RU-vid video! What is wrong with doctors cus I’ve been in so many I’ve lost the count! Thank you so much for this video! It changed everything for me! ❤

I'm definitely in a freeze place. I have been wanting to get free for awhile.

I suffer from bruxism induced by stress but never realised until now that it's a primal instinct. Wow.

Ironic, I used to bite a lot as a child, even into adulthood. I wasn’t allowed to voice any “negative” emotions growing up or even as an adult because by then I was programmed to keep my mouth shut. I ended up medicated for decades. Now at almost 60 I have intractable diseases, including severe TMJ. To this day I’m afraid to speak my mind. So much pain and suffering. A lifetime living in freeze is not good for the body or mind. I wish I found you 20 years ago.

Thank you dr. Make sense. In the other hand, that is why I don’t work for anyone and don’t have a boss. Anytime there’s a boss and/or a company, there’s a lot of ‘politics’ and unfair situations no matter what company. They’re all unfair. Find the ‘sweet spot’ where SERVICE meets your PASSION and work for yourself, because that’s what you suppose to do. Your business will thrive and you will be happy, and you can say ‘ I never worked a day’, because work will be FUN not work. God bless. ❤️🇺🇦☮️💕🙏🏻🌎👍🍀💚🇺🇦☮️💕

It’s actually been releasing trauma from my neck (pressing on VERY intense pain points) that led me to this info. I haven’t fully released yet but I believe there’s something to be said about tapping into your body first before even understanding/mentally grasping what’s really going on.

Thank you. It's important to know that something like missing a promotion can put your body into a freeze

Perfect synch. I've been dealing with tense jaw/tmj issues for a week...yesterday, I did the tapping technique and anger came up. Lucky for me tonight, your video popped up... thank you for sharing your wisdom and insight..

What a man! You are so amazing!

I think love Peter Levine, his kindness and compassion!

I love the short yet great example of self awareness to have ourselves out of the freeze response. 👏👏👏 THANK YOU !! so much !! Some psychologist have SOME -20 MIN. video & its NOT helpful when People need the help..

WOW that's fascinating story. thanks for sharing and shedding light on all of this interesting trauma knowledge. You are appreciated.

This I'd not what i mean for freeze, I mean having no energy, brain fog, dissociation, weak muscles, for days, weeks months

😭😭😭😭 My jaw muscles will NOT relax! I've been free from abuse for 5 years and I'm safe and in a wonderful, safe marriage now. Suppressing anger with the muscles. Wow. I think I must be really angry 😢 I don't know how to get it to stop. I think I've always been afraid of people who were meant to protect me. It usually kicks in around bedtime. It's like my body is getting ready for an attack. Even taking about my experiences makes my jaw tense up. How do I release this energy/tension!? There's not a lot of info on C-ptsd and trauma! 😢

Just tried it..it's absolutely amazing!!

OM Goodness, I know all these people Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine & even obtained 2 brief trainings from Pat Ogden whose work I love; Now I've got to see who Ruth Lanius is and what her specialty is! As a former BC Women's & Aboriginal Wellness in Community north west BC counsellor this is too late for my former work with clients, but it's so interesting 10 yrs after retiring.

I did the jaw exercise that he described. I saw a whole bunch of memories from the past and know what caused my tmj. I feel like the tension has released. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Thank you ❤️

Suffering from freeze mode and anxiety disorder since 3 years and now suffering from TMJ pain 😭 😭 😭 omg I'm shocked !! And its heartbreaking to know this !! I failed my medical college entrance national exam for these 3 years as my body was stuck in it. Omg thank you so much now I'll hopefully start working on it, sir huge respect for you.🙏🏻❤️‍🩹✨🧿

thank you for this video. I have PTSD and I've gotten stuck before and it's really hard for me to understand let alone someone else. These help others help me, thank you

I've been in freeze-mode for months-- and years to some degree . Regular therapists/ counselors are pretty useless.

I've been in therapy for over 20 years with a lot of trauma, and the freeze thing is new to me. My psychiatrist has always said not to worry and get caught up with the names of diagnosis and just work on our talk therapy. I don't know if I have it or not, but I clench my teeth so hard I broke a tooth and didn't even know, my dentist discovered it. Also I went in for a few physical therapy sessions and the PT said she had never, ever seen stomach muscles so strong (I don't work out, I'm middle aged). I don't remember the details now but they were so strong they interfered with what she was trying to help me with.

I'm 61 had this problem for years cacked teeth ear ache for years thinking ear infection very painful thank you❤ I can work with this😊

@Peter Levine : Is it normal to cry when coming out of the frozen state, and what is the neurologically and physiologically scientific explanation behind the phenomenon of tears when the body relaxes? A heartfelt thank you from Germany for the explanatory video. The video and exercises have been immensely helpful.

Honest Sharing by Gopal has been really helpful for me

I have a theory that, since I’ve worked on my anger management, my fight response got replaced by freeze. Has anyone experienced this, is it possible? I’m trying to make sense of my situation, why I dissociate so much… at least when I was angry my brain could think and I could do my job, now I literally cannot think or be creative, I make the stupidest errors. I wish I could control myself better.

Thank you very much for this channel i am applying this on myself , thank you very much 🌹🌹❤❤

you are a.mazing. thank you very much sir.🌸❣

4:02 The Key - working with the energy that's gotten locked in

It's amazing your technique did change my life. Thanks 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

If there is such a fury, for me it is a signal (after all, the feelings of a child are much more intense than those of an adult) that this anger comes from his early childhood and was triggered by the event with his colleague that unconsciously reminded him of a painful event in his childhood about which he than could not release his anger freely and had to repress his rage and transfer this rage to his colleague. So, if we ignore that this anger comes from childhood, the childhood trauma remains in the body and the exercise is more focused on well-being than living through the trauma and developing insight about the trauma and its dynamics, to know oneself.

Fantastic

Love Peter Levine work you are amazing. I'm revisiting your work atm for my own practice. Beautiful soul 🙏✨

Tnx !!

This sounds like a suppressed fight reflex, not wanting to kill the person per sè. The jaw and shoulders are often affected when my vagus nerve goes off.

I was wondering why my jaw and teeth are cracked, missing and I have CPTSD and I have been isolating and suppressing for five years. I’m cranky but I’m not angry. I wonder why that is? This man is brilliant

Amazing..... I miss the YMCA I'm older it's harder to get to the y 😅😅😅

I can deal with many emotions, but anger...I haven't really found a way to process it. People say to punch pillows n stuff.....but I don't have that violent rage in me. I just need a way to FEEL the anger without it clogging up my whole body.

Some of us continue to go through situations and exposed to groups who have harmed us or continue to cause issues. Perception rhymes with deception. I would think you would help more people if you help them to determine if it’s past or it’s something that could happen again. If I slow myself down, at times I ask myself is this possible/repeat then ask is it a threat in this very moment. Most of the time not in this moment but have had things happen I never could have imagined.

I get a tight abdomen, like inside. Trying to expand bit by bit now with belly breaths. Expand more each time. And I think it’s working

Thank you ❤ I can't believe how easy that was to fix. How about sleep walking do you have any tips for me?

A good therapy has to embrace feeling old feelings and allow them to be felt into a myriad of possibilities - like rages and shames , disgust and losses ..With contexts and memory discussed so feelings can be expressed in "appropriated times" .. Most people don't get enough love as kids and plenty are traumatized - even sadly abused... It's a trail of losses for some all dissociated away until the pressure of their internal truth pushes to consciousness to be integrated and accepted .. Yes it can be done ... Do it slowly though otherwise it will hurt too much emotionally ... Be careful ... xxx

All wonderful stuff. Im just really starting to learn how the freeze response affects me. I mostly learned about fight or flight as its predominate in trauma literature. But freeze plays at least as important a part as the other two and possibly more are the affect of freeze leads to the most suppression. This is a great video but it is a bit disappointing in the respect that it only speaks to the symptoms of the freeze effect. It mostly ignores the trauma responsible for creating this pattern. In the example of the man looking for a promotion its only spokennof how the man feals towards the other man and how it effects his autonomous responses. Not that trauma influenced him to be this way and that there are better ways to deal with the situation rather than treat symptoms or undo the initial trauma use a positive strategy on his life goals.

I’m missing so many teeth now but a lot of that was compounded but not brushing, eating terrible food, not drinking water and be prescribed stimulants from age seven to twenty one

Wow... i mean honestly I've felt really inappropriate anger before and trying to suppress it, i also thought of biting the dude who upset me! Very visceral, my lizard brain was activated that day for sure.

Uops. I just beat my mother (all theatre). I was in terror and cold in the bones tonight. Numb muscles. When I release this energy warm body and sweat again. I tried before this hugging myself and send me love. Other times I sleep my anxiety away. But I like to short out all the keys in my body so I try it. Always the hate an anger my last resort. Is heart breaking... but... it works. Oh my god what a journey! Bless you Levine and all of you guys 🙏

I would love to know more about the freeze response, but I am too sensitive to watch videos about animals being in distress. I understand that this is a great way to show people what we are experiencing so I’m on the quest to find some other videos that don’t have animals in it.if a anyone has any suggestions I would be great so grateful thank you

Oh man, I was with a guy for 4 years who wouldnt accept that I wasnt ready for a relationship so he forced me to be in one with him which lead me to having back pains the doctors couldnt explain. I also grind my teeth to where they'd break off, so loud people heard it through a concrete wall. After 1,5 years I came in, in a wheelchair, I was by then feeling faint all day due to the pain and the doctor finally read my journal and gave me muscle relaxants. THAT helped but the guy would force me for several years after that..I moved, reported him to the police, nothing helped. Finally he tired himself and let me be but by then I was so afraid I was alone for 8 years after. The backpains didnt come back, it was anger for being forced to be with him when I wasnt ready.

Yes sir ruminating, in my sleep grinding my teeth,🦷💥🦷working out at the gym and driving and then grinding my teeth in my sleep 🤤😬😖 cracked one😩🏋🏽‍♂️ resentment betrayal healed ..Veteran PTSD… The VA fix them for me🇺🇸❤️LOVE🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷

Sometimes, when i am alone in night, i freeze. It happened several times. Sometimes when i am in the freeze condition, i hallucinate or hear uncommon things. No emotional incidents. Its just because of fear.Can you please help me.

I having fluctuating hearing loss and autophony due to a patulous Eustachian tube. I'm in a very hard time emotionaly and tinking that my ear issues are likend to that. Thanks a lot!!

Rage is held in the jaw. In Core Energetics, we would have the client bite on a twisted hand towel and growl as we pulled on the ends of the towel! Those were the days!!!

The urge to bite as a response to stress 😬

I missed the concept od nutrition, when trauma happened..example person with narcolepsy get droped jaw..sensation become because of huge adrenalin and cortisol...the brain cant operate, period. Inflamation has to Lower..with food..

*EFT IS PERFECT FOR THAT TYPE OF SITUATION!!*

I'm a little confused how a locking of the jaw is part of the freeze response. I get that he was stuck, that his jaw was freezing, but how is this tied to the physiology of the freeze response? Is it the fear of killing someone that made him go into a dorsal vagal response? Is the polyvagal theory useful here?

Dental caries are an evolutionary response to 'not being allowed to bite'

What is happening at the preganglionic, postganglionic, nicotinic, muscarinic, acetylcholine and acetylcholinesterase during a freeze response ?

What about long term freeze like about not wanting to put yourself out there to date???

👏👏👏❤️

❤️🌸🙏🏻

I'm stuck in freeze. It's awful.

I think pranayam can help with this? I do think so.

Hello, I read your book but don't think I still have an answer for my problem.I am afraid if panic attacks and I had one in the bathtub and then I spend 3 weeks worrying about having another panic attack.The fear was tremendous and now I am traumatised that this fear is hurting me and I can't handle anymore fear..I do breathwork and TRE so I release quite some energy but still the fear/thought still comes.What should I do?I realise it's not only the energy...but the thought as well..?

Who does he mention at 1:30, about armoring? I was very curious to know more.

A Jaw Promotion so to speak :)

Fear

I have TMJ but I don’t feel like biting anyone xD

If you freeze solid, no speech, no movement, you may want to research tonic immobility. Peter Levine has ignored people with dissociative disorders.

Louise Hay says jaw problems is anger, resentment and desire for revenge

dissociatie?

What is helping me for free. Just lie down, comfortably. And bring your awareness to your heart. Or bring your awarenes to itself. Ask yourself: Do I exist? And let your attention go where it goes. And stay there, as long as you need. It is tremendous relief. Also mindfulness. Realize how pleasant it is to breath in and out. When walking, feel the ground with the feet. Slow walking. Slow eating with closed eyes. Another free exercise. When I breathe in, I feel the body part containing anger. When I breathe out, I smile to the body part. I relax. Saying this in my head while breathing surprised me. Or find video from Plum Village channel: What does it mean to go home to yourself? | Thich Nhat Hanh answers questions A lot of tears. A lot of relief. I wish you all to get well soon.

I was C-PTSD in a field of cannibalism my tiger store bags I recovered her hands in a shopping bag.🐾

2:09

The Hannibal Lector Syndrome (THLS)?

3:15

This sounds like German New Medicine. Well it si exactly German New Medicine.

Riveting.... hahaaaaaa

I see no indication of a freeze response in this story? What is he on about? (as in freeze-flop-and-drop) (And the freeze response is contentious - research shows it's more like a "pause to take in and decide the best response" ) The client inhibits his emotional expression (because? he fears the consequences of speaking up? or he lacks the skills to express himself in an effective way that gets the message across while bring true to his feelings) - and then gets stuck in that emotional inhibition reflex pattern (which ALWAYS has much more history to it than this single episode). Why does Peter Levine think is has created something new? This is all well covered in the origins of behaviour therapy - particularly in Andrew Salter's Conditioned Reflex Therapy (possibly the starting point of behavioural therapy). Salter integrated Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Tension Release) with Auto-Hypnosis (teaching self-hypnosis) and the expression of emotion - proposing that excess inhibition (better word than suppression) is the cause of all neurosis. Just teach them how to relax the jaw, how to spot tension and release it - and how to practise self-expression and conscious disinhibition. Simpler and faster, more parsimonious explanation - and you can embed (embody) and generalise the changes very rapidly through hypnosis (imagery rehearsal and generalisation suggestions). IF the issue is coming from not being able to handle a particularly social situation I HOPE that Mr. Levine spent 1-2 sessions on social skills/assertiveness training - e.g. rehearsing how he would have liked to have handled that challenging situation. And ensuring those new assertive skills are well embedded, embodied and generalised. And of course that is working with "the energy" - i.e. helping the client learn how to work with the natural arising emotions in socially effective ways. But one gets no sense of how the therapist actually helps the client with daily problem solving of social situations (which he claims gave arise to the jaw tension)

Hi Friend! 🪴 Will you consider posting more kick ass videos ~ Videos just like this! I want to see what you saw at this time in your own life!

Bitte mit deutschem Untertitel 🙏

Sleeping Beauty Syndrome

Interesting - but this isn't really helpful is it?

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