Top-Down, Bottom-Up and Other Modes of Travel to The Self. . .

You may have heard of the concept of Top-Down vs Bottom-Up therapies.  Put simply, Top-Down therapies focus on talking about things - using logic and reason - as a gateway into awareness and understanding of our situation; Bottom-Up practices - such as exercise or yoga - may help us to feel and release stress. Both aim to assist us in bringing ourselves into equilibrium, in finding our way to greater emotional regulation. Both methods have been proven over many years to be somewhat helpful, some of the time for some people.

Not surprisingly, newer studies now show that a third "way in" to healing combines the two.  Many therapies fall into what have been called "Side-Door" methods.  While Top-Down therapies activate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (the logical thinking aspect) of your brain, and Bottom-Up practices activate the part of the brain known as the limbic system (governs emotion and behavior) ,  Side-Door methods activate a number of brain systems' intelligence into holistically unified awareness.  The theory (and in my experience, functional truth) is that the unification of our thinking/feeling/action brain parts is what allows transformation of previously held pain into something new.

The two images above are from the work of psychotherapist
Jennifer Nurick. Visit her Instagram account HERE.

The above image is from the website of therapist
Stephanie Baine. You can visit her site HERE

QUESTION: Do you see yourself as a Top-Down or a Bottom-Up processor?  In my many decades of working with people, I have found that most of us naturally lean one direction or another. Yes, some fall in the middle, or are able to process in either direction. But in general, people tend to be Top-Down or Bottom-Up in their processing style. 

Further, in alternative healing, we talk about the four aspects of self:
Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, Physical:

Each of these has importance to the wholeness of our being.  When all are well tended to, we feel safe and strong, loved and loving, intelligent and intentional, connected and hopeful.  HOW we access these aspects of ourselves varies - and in my experience, knowing whether you are a TD or a BU person can be key in finding your way to that sense of wholeness that makes any stage of living or dying not only tolerable, but potentially quite beautiful.

Maybe for you it is obvious  - or perhaps you could use the following to consider which pertains to you:

TOP-DOWN
As a Top-Down processer, you will usually gravitate first to IDEAS, thoughts, concepts, and may use conversation, information gathering or other thought-focused methods of exploring your situation, task or problem.  In therapy, you think and talk enough, you will find your way DOWN to your emotions, which will offer you release and some healing.

CONCEPTS/THINKING --> EMOTIONS/FEELING

BOTTOM-UP
As a Bottom-Up, you will usually find you are swept into your emotions first; possibly at times even having no clarity about what you are feeling of why - feelings come easily to you. You allow your feelings to flow and after a time, you may begin to find a way to express with words, and bit by bit the verbal and mental clarity of your situation, task or problem reveals itself to you.

FEELING --> THINKING

In Holistic healing, and as a Spiritual Director/Advisor/Companion, I take this one step further, including not just the two central aspects (thinking, feeling) but all four:
Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, Physical

What this looks like in Top-Down is:
VISION/DREAMING -->
CONCEPTS/THINKING -->
EMOTIONS/FEELING -->
SENSATIONS/DOING

What this looks like in Bottom-Up is:
 SENSATIONS/DOING -->
EMOTIONS/FEELING -->
CONCEPTS/THINKING -->
VISION/DREAMING

When I sit with someone, patient, client, friend or family member, I find that understanding whether a person leans toward TD or BU helps me know what might be comfort and what discomfort zones for that person.  This helps me understand how best to be present with that person, what kinds of support will be easiest for or most welcomed by them.  It also helps me to understand more when a person expresses that they are "stuck".  Whatever area of their lives feels stuck to them can usually be unstuck if they consider the concepts of TD/BU healing.

BEING STUCK
Here is what I have found when people feel stuck:  We may be heading the wrong direction!  - - OK, there is no "wrong" direction, but we sometimes get stuck in a false sense of comfort by avoiding proceeding in the direction we find frightening in some way. . .

What happens when a TD person feels stuck, they may be headed Top-UP!
This would be a person who is naturally intellectual or spiritual first, and who struggles with emotionality or being in the physical body. This person, when faced with stress or difficulty, rather than seeking to "drop in" and explore emotional and physical sensations that they may have been avoiding, they run farther from these, going instead into more talking or intellectual study, into more spiritual practices, spiritually expansive practices or prayer.  This, unfortunately, creates more dysregulation or stagnation.
Top-UP might use spiritual bypass or mental rumination to avoid emotional or physical experience needing attention in order to heal.

What happens when a BU person feels stuck, they may be headed Bottom-DOWN!
This would be someone who naturally feels deeply, and may use physical activity to relieve stress, but not step "up" into actual mental awareness, learning  or understanding of what created their situation, why and how they are where they are.  If this is you, you may be someone who - consciously or unconsciously - remains in cycles of internal pain, rather than explore and understand - or expand beyond your pain.
Bottom-Down might use wallowing in constant emotional-processing or hyper-physical activity (or hyper-attentiveness to physical ailments) to avoid accessing a new way of thinking or seeing necessary for change.

There are also those of us who pair our comfort areas like this:
EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL
(Interestingly, this is often - but not always - women or people who are on the feminine end of the spectrum)
PHYSICAL & MENTAL
( And this is often - but not always - men or people who are on the masculine end of the spectrum)

There is absolutely NO judgement here, no better or worse way to be; the key is to learn more about yourself and how you function, so you may seek the tools you need to heal and live your life in a joyfully whole and balanced manner! 

This may seem like a lot - and it is.

If you want to simplify, think of this:

Which ever spots on the Wheel of Being Human you find your ease - this is the place you are a Ninja, this is your Superpower, as they say.  The OTHER areas are your CHALLENGES. And if you are struggling in your life, or if you simply want to balance yourself out, take a risk and see if you can befriend the other aspects of you.

Also, when being present with others, be mindful of what seems easier for them, and which might be their more difficult areas. 
If you want to share something with a TD person, offer ideas.
If you are with a BU person, be with them in their feelings!

I remind you - there is no "best way" to process life!  Some will say that Top Down is the "higher" way, others may say that Bottom Up is more holistic. . . my experience tells me that neither is true - you will unfold what is right for YOU, and please do not allow anyone's judgement to cloud your inner knowledge!  What is right and true for YOU is YOURS to know and go by.

For people lovers, and those who are interested in human behavior (see, I just spoke to BU and then TD folks), it can be fun to take these concepts with you as you go about your day. With each soul you encounter, can you see their way? 
Reminder:
Never with judgement, always with the intention to better yourself as a friend or companion.

And finally, ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THE HEART IS AT THE CENTER; Between the physical/emotional and the mental/spiritual is the HEART. Simply taking 1-5 minutes of breathing in and out of the area of the heart, perhaps placing a hand there, will assist in bringing anyone (no matter their comfort area) into a state of more ease in the moment.
(See my other posts for more on heart-breathing and the current science on electromagnetic messages between heart and brain.)

As usual, you are welcome to contact me with thoughts, questions or to book a session online or in my cozy Bucksport, ME office.

Live Heartfully, Dear Friends.

Rev. Maya


You can read a bit about SIDE DOOR – or MIND/BODY therapies
According to complextrauma.org
https://www.complextrauma.org/complex-trauma/path-to-recovery/
 Alternately, Google  or youtube search the concepts - there is a TON of info out there!

And for a moment of heart-breathing,
Listen to Inda Arie's gorgeous song I AM LIGHT  
on Oprah's Super Soul TV.

And if, like me, you are a junkie for this song, and can listen to it all day,
HERE is a lovely cover version by  Mariagerfjord Korskole
There are many more - both of India herself and others covering her song. 
Have fun, breathe into your heart and remember
YOU ARE LIGHT.