Peter A. Levine Quotes

‘The paradox of trauma is that it has both the power to destroy and the power to transform and resurrect.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘The effects of unresolved trauma can be devastating. It can affect our habits and outlook on life, leading to addictions and poor decision-making. It can take a toll on our family life and interpersonal relationships. It can trigger real physical pain, symptoms, and disease. And it can lead to a range of self-destructive behaviors.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘Basically, in the fight-or-flight response, the objective is to get away from the source of threat. All of our muscles prepare for this escape by increasing their tension level, our heart rate and respiration increase, and our whole basic metabolic system is flooded with adrenaline.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘We may forget, or be unaware of, how prevalent it is to be sexually traumatized by events that are generally not thought of as traumatizing.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘Though suffering and trauma are not identical, the Buddha’s insight into the nature of suffering can provide a powerful mirror for examining the effects of trauma in your life. The Buddha’s basic teaching offers guidance for healing our trauma and recovering a sense of wholeness.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘In top-down processing, which is normally what we do in psychotherapy, we talk about our problems, our symptoms, or our relationships. And then the therapist often tries to get the client to feel what they’re feeling when they talk about those kinds of things.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘If frightening sensations are not given the time and attention they need to move through the body and resolve or dissolve, the individual will continue to be gripped by fear.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘To my parents, Morris and Helen, I give thanks for the gift of life, the vehicle for the expression of my work, and for your continued full and unequivocal support from both sides of the physical plane.’ – Peter A. Levine

‘I am profoundly indebted to the legacy of Wilhelm Reich, whose monumental contribution to the understanding of energy was taught to me by Philip Curcurruto, a man of simple wisdom and compassionate heart.’ – Peter A. Levine