The Nervous System’s Role in Healing Anxiety and Exhaustion
You’re not overreacting. You’re responding to a nervous system stuck in survival mode. If you're feeling anxious, foggy, or flat, understanding your nervous system is key to healing, not just coping.
What the Nervous System Does
Our nervous system constantly scans for safety or threat, a process called neuroception (Porges, 2011). It determines whether we’re in connection (ventral vagal), protection (sympathetic), or collapse (dorsal vagal).
When stuck in survival mode, we experience:
Racing thoughts or panic (fight/flight)
Shutdown or disconnection (freeze)
Emotional swings or chronic fatigue (cycling states)
Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Always Enough
Cognitive strategies can fall short if the body still feels unsafe. This is why we integrate somatic approaches in trauma-informed care—helping the body feel safe before trying to change thoughts.
Somatic Tools That Support Regulation
Orienting: Gently turn your head and eyes to slowly look around the room. Let your system register that you are safe in the present moment.
Grounding with sensation: Place your hands on your legs and feel the contact. Press your feet into the floor.
Breathwork: Try extending your exhale longer than your inhale. For example, inhale for 4, exhale for 6.
Movement: Gentle rocking, walking, or stretching can help shift stuck energy.
Why This Matters for Helpers
Many clinicians and carers override their body’s cues. You’re trained to be regulated for others, but regulation starts from within. Reclaiming connection to your own body creates space for clarity, rest, and joy.
Closing Thoughts
You don’t need to push through. You need to feel supported, grounded, and safe. Nervous system awareness is not a luxury—it’s a necessity in burnout recovery.
If you're craving more than talk therapy—if you want to feel different, not just think differently—reach out. My work weaves somatic, nervous-system aware approaches into every session.
References:
Porges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory
Ogden & Fisher (2006). Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score