Deep brain re-orienting is a trauma psychotherapy developed by Dr. Frank Corrigan for healing attachment shock. It’s now applied more widely and works by freeing the deep brain and body of old patterns of reacting to historically, threatening stimuli. The client somatically tracks their physiological response to a perceived threat with support of the therapist who is simultaneously monitoring the underlying neural mechanisms.

John and Helen Watkins created this therapy in the 20th century in recognition of the multiplicity of parts within an individual person. In this modality, the therapist helps the client identify different parts of self known as ego states that bear undigested experiences from the past. Once identified and understood ego states can move towards more effective internal communication and collaboration.

This empirically based therapy supports values aligned living in the face of adversity. Clients cultivate mindfulness skills that foster psychological flexibility and emotional regulation and in turn find themselves increasingly able to act either resolve in the direction of desirable change.