AIR (Adaptive Internal Relational) network therapy
OVERVIEW
What is AIR Network Therapy?
Adaptive Internal Relational Network therapy (AIR) is an evidence-based neuro-developmental therapeutic approach to give people who have experienced complex trauma the freedom and resources to engage fully with themselves and in relationships with others.
AIR has been developed over the past 20 years by Dawn McClelland Phd, LP, Patti Miller MA LP and Phyllis Solon PsyD, LP. To learn more visit the AIR Network Institute.
How does AIR Network Therapy work?
For all people, regardless of trauma, neural networks form in a developmental sequence and are impacted by environmental and relational experiences. Trauma affects how networks of emotion, thought, and perception are formed and neurologically embedded in the brain and body.
Through AIR, healthy connections are strengthened in the brain, increasing clients’ abilities to manage automatic fear and numbing responses, the flight/fight/freeze response, which were adaptive to survival.
Including:
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONAL STANCE
We focus on building and resourcing AIR Networks, creating new possibilities of internal relationship. Through the internal process of building neurological bridges, parts of self learn to connect and help each other and decisions are made through the Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self. These connection and decision processes, built through AIR Networking Resourcing Strategies, develop stronger abilities to regulate emotional, sensory and somatic arousal in the subcortical, brainstem and limbic structures, and somatosensory areas of the brain. Coming back to this focus over and over again within a gracious and competency-based stance allows clients the freedom to build the internal structures that will serve them in their lives and relationships beyond the therapeutic context.
THE ARC OF THERAPY
Phase One
Creating Context and Resource Stabilization
During this first phase we focus on client resilience, competence and understanding of their core survival strategies. The concept of Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self becomes a central part of how we help clients to interact with themselves and the therapist during sessions. Throughout this phase we help the client differentiate and label P/parts, memory and programming/conditioning, which increases internal safety. Containment of memories away from parts is a primary tool of this phase. Assessment of existing adaptive networks is also ongoing. A detailed history of what created the complex dissociative states may or may not be gathered at this point based on a client’s abilities to stay present and stable while talking about traumatic experiences or childhood memories.
Phase Two
Developing Networks and AIR Network Resourcing
Adaptive Internal Relational Networks are neurological structures and relational systems that allow a client to be in a present oriented relationship with all of who they are at any given time. A physiological state of awareness and cognitive alertness is a crucial component to building AIR networks. The Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self/Most Resourced Self, standing in ‘real time’ works with the Adaptive Internal Relational Networks in a fluid and dynamic system that is always moving and always changing. This intentional weaving together of the Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self/Most Resourced Self and the AIR Networks is foundational to clients’ sense of competency and mastery in their own healing and recovery.
Phase Three
Future Resilience and/or Memory Processing
Clients may or may not choose to do memory work. Some people are able to keep memories contained without intrusions into daily life. Some choose working with memories at a later time.
Clients’ owning this decision further enhances a framework of free will and choice. Positive experiences of self are reinforced through AIR Network Resourcing Strategies as a component of Future Resilience.
What is AIR Network Therapy?
Adaptive Internal Relational Network therapy (AIR) is an evidence-based neuro-developmental therapeutic approach to give people who have experienced complex trauma the freedom and resources to engage fully with themselves and in relationships with others.
AIR has been developed over the past 20 years by Dawn McClelland Phd, LP, Patti Miller MA LP and Phyllis Solon PsyD, LP. To learn more visit the AIR Network Institute.
How does AIR Network Therapy work?
For all people, regardless of trauma, neural networks form in a developmental sequence and are impacted by environmental and relational experiences. Trauma affects how networks of emotion, thought, and perception are formed and neurologically embedded in the brain and body.
Through AIR, healthy connections are strengthened in the brain, increasing clients’ abilities to manage automatic fear and numbing responses, the flight/fight/freeze response, which were adaptive to survival.
Including:
- Containing traumatic memory while working to bring dissociated aspects of self into relationship with the Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self.
- Understanding of developmental neurology and information processing theory
- Learning skills for present orientation including the ability to hold multiple perspectives.
- Learning ways to separate selves from the memories, conditioning and programming that they have experienced.
- Understanding the development and usefulness of the Core Survival Networks as well as the evolution over a life time.
- Experiencing competency based traumatic memory processing.
THERAPEUTIC RELATIONAL STANCE
We focus on building and resourcing AIR Networks, creating new possibilities of internal relationship. Through the internal process of building neurological bridges, parts of self learn to connect and help each other and decisions are made through the Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self. These connection and decision processes, built through AIR Networking Resourcing Strategies, develop stronger abilities to regulate emotional, sensory and somatic arousal in the subcortical, brainstem and limbic structures, and somatosensory areas of the brain. Coming back to this focus over and over again within a gracious and competency-based stance allows clients the freedom to build the internal structures that will serve them in their lives and relationships beyond the therapeutic context.
THE ARC OF THERAPY
Phase One
Creating Context and Resource Stabilization
During this first phase we focus on client resilience, competence and understanding of their core survival strategies. The concept of Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self becomes a central part of how we help clients to interact with themselves and the therapist during sessions. Throughout this phase we help the client differentiate and label P/parts, memory and programming/conditioning, which increases internal safety. Containment of memories away from parts is a primary tool of this phase. Assessment of existing adaptive networks is also ongoing. A detailed history of what created the complex dissociative states may or may not be gathered at this point based on a client’s abilities to stay present and stable while talking about traumatic experiences or childhood memories.
Phase Two
Developing Networks and AIR Network Resourcing
Adaptive Internal Relational Networks are neurological structures and relational systems that allow a client to be in a present oriented relationship with all of who they are at any given time. A physiological state of awareness and cognitive alertness is a crucial component to building AIR networks. The Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self/Most Resourced Self, standing in ‘real time’ works with the Adaptive Internal Relational Networks in a fluid and dynamic system that is always moving and always changing. This intentional weaving together of the Interactive Adult Awareness/Most Resourced Self/Most Resourced Self and the AIR Networks is foundational to clients’ sense of competency and mastery in their own healing and recovery.
Phase Three
Future Resilience and/or Memory Processing
Clients may or may not choose to do memory work. Some people are able to keep memories contained without intrusions into daily life. Some choose working with memories at a later time.
Clients’ owning this decision further enhances a framework of free will and choice. Positive experiences of self are reinforced through AIR Network Resourcing Strategies as a component of Future Resilience.