The OmniCube’s First Success Story
I (Joe Kleman) began working with a specific client over one year ago, who is a well-regarded psychotherapist. During our sessions over the past year, we discussed the details of her childhood trauma relating to physical and sexual abuse, as well as polyvagal theory and the freeze/collapse reflex, which she experienced during her trauma. We had finally set up a session to work with the Cube to examine its effects, if any, on mental health. At this point, I had been working on its uses without a complete idea of where it may be going or its relation to healing.
For our first session, I randomly arranged the device to have it ready for when she arrived. There was no reasoning as to where the cables and targets were placed. The cords were set up to allow for some sit-to-stand movements with easily accessible points around the outside of the device. I had set up two cross cables passing through the center of the device that created four quadrants. The cables were placed approximately 16-18 inches above the floor so stepping over wasn’t difficult.
As we worked through each instruction, starting with very simple functions of acquiring one target of a single color, we progressed to working with multiple colors, switching of hands, and turning in different directions. I found that she had no real issues comprehending the cognitive side of the Cube. She had mentioned a few times during the session that she found an odd level of fear having to step over the cables through the center of the device. Even with a decent level of balance, she felt as if she had to hold onto the wall or wanted to hold onto something to help herself climb over.
I had one more assessment to try since she had no issues taking her time and thinking through each instruction I gave her. I decided to add a time constraint to the rules. We kept all of the same instructions from the most recent one, of which she was able to accomplish without any issues whatsoever. She stood in the far back quadrant away from me with instructions to touch all blue and orange targets, alternating from one hand to the other, and alternating from turning left or right. This time, once the timer started, she had 30 seconds to accomplish as many targets as possible.
To my surprise, it appeared as though the polyvagal response kicked in; she wasn’t able to leave the space she was currently standing in. Her body remained at the exact same standing position at which she started. There was no attempt to step over the cable. Hand movements were very simplified and she continued to touch the same targets over and over again without changing or attempting any other ones.
When the timer ran out, she wasn’t able to make any connection between the level of difficulty she had during this exercise and our previous conversations regarding the knowledge of her childhood trauma and the freeze response. When I added duress to the situation, the fear of stepping over the cables and the time to “escape” initiated a freeze response where she stayed in her “safe place”, only accessing what she could without having to step over any cables, continuing to touch only the ones she could reach standing in one place.
The theory I had and that we discussed after her session was that, while under duress, she was unable to access the area of the brain she needed for “escape.” The next step we determined needed testing was whether or not using the same device or an equivalent “obstacle course” in her home would allow her to master the escape over a six-week time frame. The apparatus would have something to step over and a small space she needs to “escape” from. I created this using colored blocks placed adjacent to each other to form a square on the floor. We would then retest the same scenario after six weeks of home practice and see if movement had become easier or if she is able to at least access a second quadrant of movement. The concept would be to uncouple the physical reflex of the fear response from the mental.
After only one week of using the home version of the Cube, she was able to attain a personal goal of hers: riding her bike without pain. She was able to ride her bike for a total of 90 minutes expecting pain upon return to home. She was then able to garden for four hours around her home without pain. This continued into the next
day without her experiencing any pain; just some minor muscle soreness from the extended periods of physical exertion. After approximately 12 weeks of timed movement in her home version of the Cube, she was able to break the tie between her physical reflex and her mental fears.
At the six week mark, I arrived to work with my client. I soon learned from her that, within one hour after leaving our session the prior week, her colleague had passed away from terminal cancer. My client had been asked to handle any email correspondence from clients of her late colleague’s, as well as update the company’s web page to reflect her passing. My client then traveled to see her brother who was terminally ill. Normally, with the traveling and the emotional toll she endured, her symptoms on the left side involving the polyvagal theory or collapse would have triggered and left her debilitated and in bed. She reported that she had neither any symptomatic response, nor any collapse response from the left side of her body from the trauma or fear of the situations she experienced that day.
