Written By: Erin B. Rupert, Somatic EMDR Therapist
It's a cool, sunny day, right before the snow starts flying for a long winter. Not yet able to strap on skis, I decided to venture out on what is likely one of my last trail runs of the season. As I trot through the woods with my dog by my side, my whole body is online and working, a kind of awareness that's central to somatic therapy. With every step I take, my nervous system is there to keep me safe.
Many potential dangers lurk beyond me, plenty out of sight or mind. My body, however, is aware. My brain and nervous system sort through about 11 billion bits of data every second. My conscious mind, on the other hand, is merely concerned with how fast I'm running and what my heart rate is. It's also trying to keep track of rocks and sticks, so I don't twist my ankle (yet again). The amount of information I'm aware of is very small in comparison.
What is my nervous system keeping track of in this moment that I'm not aware of? The nervous system detects tiny changes in the body and the environment and sends this information to the brain to help it respond well.
About halfway up the trail, my system notices a potential threat. It decodes that the long greenish-brown thing on the ground is a snake. My leg hovers a second longer than normal without my being aware of it. My footfalls in an unnaturally long stride. With an abrupt stop, I dart my eyes to the ground and notice this little green snake slithering off into the grass. Both of our nervous systems crafted a specific response to keep us safe.
The Function of the Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) helps us survive. It tracks and codes information to help our lower brain answer, "Is this safe?" How does it do this? The nervous system has two main branches: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
The Sympathetic Nervous System
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) becomes activated after detecting a threat. Adrenaline surges to increase heart rate and blood pressure, dilated pupils, and send a rush of blood to mobilize. Oxygen increases in the brain for heightened alertness. The senses become sharper. Finally, adrenaline elevates glucose availability, supplying the body with energy. The body prepares to mobilize: to fight or get away.
Nervous system activity affects both our bodies and our emotions. Anger, anxiety, panic, or fear often emerge with sympathetic activation. When sympathetically charged, there is a sense that something can be done about it. Excitation of the sympathetic nervous system can also come with excitation and overwhelming joy.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System Has Two Arms. Dorsal Vagal and Ventral Vagal.
The Dorsal Vagal Complex
Sympathetic activity takes a lot of energy. When a threat persists, or is very familiar, our bodies are primed for another path: the dorsal vagal complex in the parasympathetic nervous system.
The parasympathetic nervous system is composed of two parts: the dorsal vagal complex and the ventral vagal complex. The dorsal vagal complex activates when a threat is present. The ventral vagal complex is where the body lives when it senses safety.
With a threat in the system, the dorsal vagal complex evaluates that a threat is too great to spend too much energy. What happens is a type of collapse. The body becomes immobilized. Heart rate and blood pressure lower. All systems nose-dive for the preservation of energy. In dorsal vagal collapse, numbness, helplessness, dissociation, or depression take over. At this point, the body decides that the only way to survive is our most primitive response: stillness, feigning death, seemingly dead to survive the stress. Ultimate self-preservation.
The Ventral Vagal Complex
Because we're designed not to stay in any one place very long. We generally come out of our threat responses when the threat passes. When we're oriented to safety again, we may move through the higher fight or flight sequences, and when even more safety is oriented we enter the ventral vagal complex. Ventral Vagal is our ability to emotionally reconnection with self and others. We move through the threat response cycle and back to reconnection when we have healthy ventral vagal available through self or co-regulation with others.
I think of the ventral vagal complex as our yummy place. This is the place where we have the most freedom. Within this zone, there is a sense of safety, choice, and motivation. We're able to easily engage with others and connect to ourselves. We can think of this as our original design. The place we can come back to. Home. When you have a sense of being yourself, the ventral vagal complex is fully online.
We use our nervous system's information from these four states (fight, flight, freeze, social engagement) to guide the somatic therapy process.
The Assessment of Dysregulation in Somatic Therapy
The nervous system is designed to explore different activation states frequently. A healthy nervous system is flexible. It’s not one that only hangs out in the ventral vagal complex. As they say, “Calm is not the goal.” The goal is to build awareness and nervous system flexibility. Sure, the ventral experience can be pleasant, but being human means having a variety of experiences. We're expected to move through different levels of activation often. It’s when we get stuck in the threat responses like fight, flight, or freeze for longer than the body is wired for, our relationships and physiology can be greatly disrupted.
A dysregulated nervous system is one that tends to get stuck in different levels of activation. Instead of moving into a calm state after a threat has passed, a dysregulated nervous system maintains sympathetic or dorsal vagal activity. If you experience this, you may feel anxious. You know there isn't a present threat, but fear persists. When stuck in the dorsal arm for long periods, you may experience depression, low motivation, memory issues, or feeling like you're in a fog. When these states persist, it may feel impossible to shake.
As a somatic therapist using the somatic lens, we look at nervous system arousal as information, not pathology. A body stuck in a collapsed state is a body that has endured a perceived threat for a long time. This is a body that has survived. Knowing what this body has withstood, we know it will take time to come home, but it is capable of it. The act of coming home to the ventral state and increasing nervous system flexibility is one of the key components of somatic work.
This homecoming unfolds in a methodical and intuitive way. Whether the body has survived a life-changing trauma or struggles to dissolve perfectionist or people-pleasing tendencies, the act of coming home is the same. We start by orienting toward safety and exploring grounding. As we do this basic somatic orientation, we begin to resource the body-mind connection and expand the ventral experience.
Orient and Grounding for Body Awareness
Developing body awareness is a key component of somatic healing. A culture that neglects the body can make people feel disembodied. It's common to feel confused when first asked to explore the experience of the body. There's often a sense that something is "just there," and there is no real need to explore it. But because the body holds so much information, it's worth slowing down and listening.
To explore your nervous system landscape, slow down and check in on yourself. Start from the ground up. Notice your feet, your seat, and how you're connected to the earth right now. Notice both the strong and faint sensations in your body. Tightness. Softness. Contraction. Openness. Warmth. Coolness. Notice how your throat, chest, and stomach feel. There are no right answers. Your experience is what you need to sense.
This basic orientation starts to enhance the insular cortex in the brain. This region handles emotional awareness, empathy, homeostatic functions, among much more. Orienting through the senses strengthens self-awareness. With increased self-awareness, you'll then notice early sympathetic or dorsal vagal activation. If you’re aware of this, you’ll be better able to return home.
How Does One Return to The Ventral Vagal Complex?
There are a few simple strategies to find yourself back in the ventral experience. The Vagus Nerve wanders from the base of your skull, through your face, eyes, and ears, down your throat, to your heart, lungs, and stomach. You can activate this nerve intentionally in many ways.
One of the best ways to slow down, ground, and activate the vagus nerve is through breathing. It's one of the few ways to affect heart rate and blood pressure without medical help. Here are a few trusted breathing exercises to activate the parasympathetic nervous system:
Box Breathing: Inhale for 5 seconds - Hold for 5 seconds - Exhale for 5 seconds - Hold for 5 seconds - Repeat.
This option focuses on creating an even breath pattern with the benefit of slowing down the rate. When breathing slows, the heart rate slows as well.
4-7-8 Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds - Hold for 7 seconds - Exhale for 8 seconds.
This option emphasizes the exhale. It slows the heart and activates the Vagus nerve.
Physiological Sigh: Two short inhales, one long exhale
This breathing exercise acts as a quick reset. We do this naturally. Even your dog does this. If you hear her give an elongated sigh, this is the physiological sigh in action.
Smoothing and massaging your face, ears, neck, and musculature in these areas can start to bring connection and internal support online.
If you're more on the dorsal side of things, your breathing may already be long and slow. Instead, try humming, singing a nostalgic ballad, or moving. Eat crunchy food. Smell "bright" scents like citrus or cinnamon. Or, try cold water immersion. These livelier activities will activate the sympathetic nervous system while keeping the body connected to ventral safety.
Every moment is a chance to connect with your body. Step one, notice your somatic experience. Step 2, recognize your nervous state. Step three, listen to the body. It's ready for you to hear.
If you need more support in developing this habit, reach out to Compass Healing Project for a chance to explore your nervous system's landscape with trained and compassionate professionals.
Begin Connecting With Your Body and Start Healing With Somatic Therapy in San Diego, CA
Take a step toward reconnecting with your body and experiencing a new level of self-awareness. Through somatic therapy, you’ll gain tools to understand the language of your nervous system, helping you feel grounded and present in every moment. Reach out to Compass Healing Project and begin your journey into mindful, body-centered healing with support from compassionate, skilled somatic therapists. Follow these three simple steps to get started:
Reach Out and Fill out our New Client Inquiry Form to get started.
Schedule a discovery call with one of our skilled somatic therapists to discuss your needs and goals.
Begin connecting with your body and healing!
Additional Counseling Services at Compass Healing Project
At Compass Healing Project, we provide a holistic approach to therapy, incorporating a variety of modalities to address a wide range of issues. Alongside helping you connect with your body and heal with somatic therapy, we also offer EMDR, Clinical Sexology, hypnotherapy, ketamine-assisted therapy, and embodiment practices. These therapies are effective in treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief and loss, sexuality concerns, and relationship challenges. For more information and to get to know us better, visit our blog. Our Colorado and California clinics are staffed with caring therapists who specialize in trauma resolution, emotional healing, and integrative therapy here to help you thrive.
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