The lies about the nervous system being spread on social media...

Here are three lies you've been told about your nervous system from inexperienced social media influencers

Let’s jump in.

Lie #1 having a regulated nervous means being calm.

Truth. Having a regulated nervous system means you are receptive and resilient. You're able to experience fight, flight & freeze AND THEN move through the stress response, decreasing in arousal and sympathetic charge

Lie #2 regulating your nervous system is only about getting outside, moving your body and taking deep breaths.

Truth. These actions cab support you to build your capacity to hold a regulated state. However if you have uncompleted cycles of fight, flight, fawn or freeze (aka unresolved trauma) you may feel good after such activities and also need space to complete such unfinished cycles. Which is where working with somatic therapy practitioner comes in.

Lie #3 shaking your body will regulate your nervous system.

Truth. Shaking can bring you into a relationship with your body but it can also create activation and arousal in your nervous system, which isn’t a good thing if you tend to get stuck in fight or flight responses. Shaking or tapping may cause you to feel over stimulated. 

Truly effective somatic work should meet your body where it’s at and focus on stress response resolution, not regulation per se. 

Want a taster? Check out my ‘Regulate Your Nervous System’ Guided Somatic Healing Practice (it’s FREE).