The Great Trauma Rip-Off

Judith A. Swack Ph.D. • November 29, 2023

Janet’s husband committed suicide while at a business conference. Janet’s pain was so intolerable she started drinking every day, and could not sleep without medication. Had he been drinking? Was the company covering something up? Had he said anything to her in their phone calls that should have alerted her to his state of mind? After a few months, her well meaning friends and family members encouraged her to “let go and move on.” After all, she was still young and had her whole life ahead of her. They were certain she would marry again.

A year later, Janet came to me for treatment of her loss, but was afraid to let go of the trauma for fear of losing her husband forever.

This is what I call the great trauma rip-off. When people are traumatized, they can only remember the traumatic circumstances around the tragic event, not the positive experiences that they had with that person before his/her death. How does this happen? Phobias and traumas are irrational and exaggerated reactions caused by shocking experiences that trigger the fight/flight/ freeze reflex. Anything that was in the environment at the time becomes associated with the traumatic memory. Later, encountering anything that reminds you (even unconsciously) of the original event triggers a “body flashback” to the original memory causing a phobic reaction.


Sadly, Janet felt traumatized every time she remembered her husband. She kept imagining him dead in that hotel room and could only feel grief and pain. In essence her husband had become a trauma, and although she was in pain she was afraid that letting go of the trauma meant losing her husband. I told Janet that only when she cleared the trauma would she be able to hold on to and keep the positive memories and feelings associated with her husband and to experience gratitude for the wonderful contributions he had made to her life. Only after she cleared the trauma would she be able to finish grieving and feel his loving presence. Janet agreed to do the HBLU process for clearing trauma.


Since a phobic reaction is a body reflex and can’t be controlled consciously we principally used the Natural Bio-Destressing technique to activate the body’s own calming reflex. This reflex is used by the nervous system to turn off the fight/ flight/freeze reflex, thus neutralizing the phobic reaction. Natural Bio-Destressing requires no prior experience to learn or use successfully. People focus consciously on the emotional reaction they would like to clear and then intentionally activate the calming reflex by stimulating specific nerve endings (using tapping with fingertips) on the face, torso, and hands combined with left brain/right brain integration techniques.

After the first session, Janet was able to sleep without drugs or alcohol. After the third session she was able to spontaneously remember a happy experience with her husband. After the fifth session Janet knew at the deepest level that she would carry with her and cherish her husband always, that he would never want her to be unhappy, and that she could go on with her life. She moved to a new city, found a new job, dated several wonderful men, and 5 years later remarried.


Whether loss trauma occurred less than a year ago or more than 60 years ago, my clients and I have found that the memory of their loved ones is tainted by trauma unless we use the right techniques to clear it completely at the body, unconscious, conscious, and soul levels. Healing trauma at all levels allows people to easily recall special memories of loving connection and appreciate the ways in which their lives were enriched by having known that person.


HBLU™ is an innovative, rapid, and powerful new mind/body/spirit healing methodology developed by Judith A. Swack, Ph.D., a Ph.D. Biochemist/ Immunologist, Master NLP Practitioner, and Mind/ Body Healer. HBLU™ integrates biomedical science, psychology, applied kinesiology, hypnosis, Neuro Linguistic Programming, and other energy psychology techniques with original research on the structure of complex damage patterns. HBLU is so effective because:


  1. The client’s deepest wisdom dictates all the healing work and is thus specific for that individual,
  2. TIt has a menu of well characterized damage patterns and easy protocols for clearing them,
  3. TIt has a comprehensive menu of quick and effective techniques, and
  4. It clears blocks to success at the conscious, unconscious, body, and soul levels simultaneously.


HBLU™ helps people rapidly achieve the results they want to live full, happy, healthy, and satisfying lives. Maybe it can help you, too.Dr. Swack and her associates work with individual clients in person or by phone. Healing from the Body Level Up™, Inc. is located at 56 Pickering St. Needham, MA 02492. Call our office at 781-444-6940 to book an appointment, to order a free information package, and to order audio and videotapes.


Boston Women’s Journal December/January 2006


Hands cupped towards the sun in a cloudy, golden sky, evoking feelings of hope.
By Judith A. Swack, Ph.D. December 2, 2025
Copyright 2013, revised 2025 Judith A. Swack, Ph.D. At the recent ACEP conference (May 2013) I ran into Jane, a woman who had attended my presentation at the Energy Psychology conference the previous October. There I had demonstrated an energy transmission technique that I called “The Look” in which someone remembers a traumatic emotion, locates that feeling in his/her body, and I look at it. About 10 seconds later, the feeling dissolves. At the end of that session, I transmitted that ability to anyone who wished to receive it.
Woman with curly hair in a red sweater hugging herself, eyes closed, against a blue background.
By Judith A. Swack, Ph.D. September 29, 2025
Copyright 2014 revised 2025 Judith A. Swack, Ph.D. Three years ago, John’s blood sugar levels started to rise. Although John’s father and several other relatives had diabetes, John refused to believe he might really have a problem. Although his doctor had encouraged him to modify his diet and lose weight, John continued to eat whatever he wanted, not exercise, and stay fat. Now at age 52, his fasting blood sugar was 150 (normal is 70-99). When I asked him if he knew that he had diabetes, he told me that there was controversy over whether or not fasting blood glucose was a legitimate test for diabetes, and the medical establishment was now considering the A1C measurement as more accurate. So John got an A1C test, which also showed he was diabetic.
By Judith A. Swack, Ph.D. August 26, 2025
Copyright 2025 Judith A. Swack, Ph.D. Jane was dating two men at once and having trouble deciding who to choose. She listed all of John’s wonderful qualities and all of Steven’s wonderful qualities and remarked, “If I could just put the two of them together I’d have the perfect man.” When asked why she didn’t just date one man who had everything, she said she was keeping one man as a backup because she didn’t feel safe with either one of them. Puzzled, I asked, “Why would you date, let alone marry, anyone you didn’t feel safe with? Clearly, you’ll never marry either of these men.” Jane simply looked astonished. Love is a beautiful thing. We all need to love and be loved. Sadly, many of us have been hurt by the people we love and who are supposed to love us. When that happens, we no longer feel safe, and we shut down the ability to give and receive love. The tragedy is that we can no longer feel loved or experience ourselves as loving beings. We no longer experience the nourishing flow of warm golden buttery energy that uplifts the heart/soul, connects us all, and soothes all pain. And everyone else we could be loving is robbed. According to the dictionary, the word “vulnerable” means open to attack. When someone says, “I’m afraid to be vulnerable” he/she should be afraid to be vulnerable, but he/she should not be afraid to be emotionally open, emotionally present, or emotionally close. Opening to give and receive love should not make one vulnerable. So what to do about it? With HBLU we acknowledge the fear and heal the traumas, dysfunctional family system and cultural brainwashing patterns that caused it. This allows people to reach out with their hearts and share one of the greatest gifts in life. If you or anyone you know would like to open your heart to love, get happily married, or improve your marriage or other relationships, HBLU methodology can help you. If you would like to learn more or schedule an appointment, please call 781-444-6940 , email info@hblu.org , or go to www.hblu.org . Blessings, Judith