In today’s fast-paced world, we often overlook one of the most critical aspects of our well-being: the health of our nervous system. Our nervous system, the intricate network that governs our physical and emotional responses, constantly tries to communicate with us. However, most of us are disconnected from these signals, leaving us feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck. Somatic Experiencing (SE), a therapeutic approach rooted in understanding and healing the nervous system, offers a path to reconnection.
It’s Pooja on the blog, I’d like to explore how to listen to your nervous system and how somatic experiencing can help you integrate its wisdom into your daily life, leading to greater emotional balance and resilience.
What Is Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing, developed by trauma expert Dr. Peter Levine, is a body-centred therapy that focuses on the body’s physiological responses to stress and trauma. Unlike talk therapy, SE encourages clients to tune into physical sensations, emotions, and movements in the body to help release stored tension and energy.
The nervous system, particularly the autonomic nervous system (ANS), plays a key role in how we respond to stress. SE focuses on the ANS to help restore balance between two critical systems:
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): Governs our “fight or flight” responses, activated during stress or danger.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): Responsible for “rest and digest” functions, helping us relax and recover.
By working with these systems, SE can help us complete the body’s natural responses to stress that may have been interrupted, allowing us to release stored trauma and return to a state of equilibrium.
Listening to the Nervous System
Listening to your nervous system begins with cultivating awareness of your body’s subtle signals. Whether you’re anxious, exhausted, or feel stuck in life, these could be signs that your system is out of balance. Here’s how you can begin the process of tuning in:
- Notice Physical Sensations
Our bodies constantly provide clues about our internal state. Are you feeling tightness in your chest, a pit in your stomach, or tension in your neck? By noticing these sensations without judgment, you can begin to attune to the messages your body is sending.
- Track Your Energy Levels
Are you feeling overly activated, like you’re in a continuous state of fight-or-flight? Or are you experiencing fatigue and shutdown? The nervous system oscillates between these two extremes when it’s out of balance. Identifying these patterns can help you understand how your nervous system is responding to the stressors in your life.
- Tune Into Emotional Cues
Emotions like anxiety, anger, or sadness are also nervous system responses. Instead of trying to suppress or rationalize them, try to feel where they show up in your body. This can help you build a stronger connection to your nervous system.
The breath can be a powerful tool for listening to the nervous system. Shallow, rapid breaths can often indicate stress, while deep, slow breaths can signal relaxation. Tuning into your breath can help you tune into your body’s state in real time.
Integrating Somatic Wisdom into Daily Life
Once you’ve implemented a foundation to listen to your nervous system, the next step can be to integrate this into your daily life. Somatic experiencing can offer practical ways to do this:
- Create Space for Sensory Awareness
Throughout your day, take moments to check in with your body. How does it feel sitting in your chair, walking outside, or eating a meal? Bringing attention to these everyday moments can deepen your connection to your body and help you stay grounded.
- Practice Body Scanning
A body scan involves mentally checking in with different parts of your body to see how they feel. Are your shoulders tense? Are your feet grounded? This practice can help you stay present and recognize areas where you’re holding tension.
- Use Somatic Resources
Somatic resources are things that can bring you a sense of calm and safety. It might be something as simple as noticing the sensation of a warm cup of tea in your hands, the feeling of the sun on your skin, or listening to soothing music. Regularly practicing these grounding techniques can help regulate the nervous system.
- Discharge Excess Energy
When your nervous system is stuck in an activated state, you may need to discharge that energy. Gentle movement, shaking, or stretching can help release built-up tension. Somatic Experiencing encourages slow, mindful movements to allow your body to complete its natural stress responses. This process can restore balance and prevent chronic stress from taking hold.
- Find Your Rhythm of Activation and Rest
SE emphasizes finding a balance between activation (when the sympathetic nervous system is engaged) and rest (when the parasympathetic nervous system is engaged). Activities like yoga, meditation, and spending time in nature can help you find your natural rhythm. By giving your body time to rest and digest after periods of stress, you allow your nervous system to reset and rejuvenate.
- Work with a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner
If you’ve experienced trauma or chronic stress, working with a trained Somatic experiencing practitioner can be incredibly beneficial. They can guide you through the process of recognizing your body’s responses and help you release stored trauma in a safe, controlled way. If you’d like to dive deeper into somatic experiencing and listening to your nervous system, please reach out to Dóchas at 780-446-0300 or info@dochaspsych.com. Book an in-person (Spruce Grove, Alberta) or virtual appointment with one of our therapists here. We’d love to help!
The Dóchas Lifejacket is a free app to help you regulate your emotions and manage stress. Our app gives you personalized strategies based on how you feel in that moment that you can use to calm down.
Final Thoughts
By learning to listen to your nervous system and integrate somatic awareness into your life, you can create profound shifts in your emotional and physical well-being. This process doesn’t happen overnight, but the more you practice, the more in tune you become with your body’s needs.
Somatic Experiencing can help you:
- Reduce chronic stress and anxiety by restoring balance to your nervous system.
- Release stored trauma that may be keeping you stuck in unhelpful patterns.
- Increase emotional resilience by learning to navigate stress in a more adaptive way.
- Enhance your mind-body connection, leading to better health and well-being.
In a world that prioritizes mental activity and productivity, reconnecting with your body and nervous system is a radical act of self-care. Somatic Experiencing offers a pathway to healing by honoring the wisdom of the body and allowing it to guide us back to balance. Start small, be patient with yourself, and trust the process. Your body already knows the way to healing.
About Dóchas Psychological
Dóchas Psychological Services is a well-established and trusted therapy clinic located in Spruce Grove, Alberta. At Dóchas we value the idea that everyone deserves a safe space. Through connection and education, our team works hard to build a trustworthy relationship with each of our clients. It is our goal to create a community for our clients to feel like they belong.
Disclaimer
Information provided through Dóchas Psychological Services blogs or vlogs is meant for educational purposes only. They are NOT medical or mental health advice. You can read more about our disclaimer here.
