HOLOTROPIC STATES AND DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMA:
A Trauma-Informed, Phase-Oriented Framework
by Lindsey Owens

Abstract

Discussions around the diagnosis and treatment of developmental trauma continue to evolve, yet a growing body of literature highlights its profound impact on physical, emotional, cognitive, and relational functioning. Developmental trauma often involves coping strategies adapted in response to chronic early-life adversity, including physiological and emotional dysregulation, attachment insecurity, and altered perceptions of self and others. Many conventional treatments already emphasize phased, stage-based, and titrated approaches to support stabilization and gradual skill-building. Holotropic states, accessed through classic psychedelics or holotropic breathwork, may open temporary windows of heightened neural plasticity and emotional access, fostering self-awareness, emotional release, and connection with self and others. Because these states can produce rapid or intense physiological and psychological effects, trauma-informed principles regarding preparation, pacing, and titration remain crucial to reduce overwhelm or retraumatization. Developmental trauma survivors may particularly benefit from “low-and-slow” approaches that prioritize stabilization, gradual exposure, and extended preparation and integration; emerging research involving classic psychedelics, holotropic breathwork, or other guided non-ordinary states may need to align with trauma-informed care standards. Psycholytic or hybrid psycholytic–psychedelic frameworks may use lower doses to cultivate emotional tolerance, regulatory capacity, and insight, which for some individuals may suffice without higher-intensity experiences. While preliminary evidence suggests potential benefits of holotropic approaches for developmental trauma, further research is needed to evaluate their safety, feasibility, and clinical utility within individualized, phase-oriented care frameworks.

Keywords: developmental trauma, classic psychedelics, holotropic breathwork, psycholytic therapy, trauma-informed care, phase-oriented treatment.

FULL TEXT HERE.

Lindsey T. Owens, MA: Lindsey is a fifth-year clinical psychology PhD student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Clinically, she has focused primarily on the treatment of developmental trauma. During her tenure at UAB, she has also continued her work in psychedelic-assisted therapy research, which began at NYU in 2016. Her primary research interests center around the use of holotropic states for developmental trauma healing, and her dissertation is a qualitative analysis of holotropic breathwork experiences. She can be reached at Lindseyowens@uabmc.edu