Greetings, Reader!
Last week, I shared Jill’s story about being stuck in survival mode. Since then, so many of you have reached out saying, "That’s exactly where I am. I’m doing the work, but my body won't let go."
If you feel like you’re doing all the "right" things, meditating, breathing, trying to find the magic combination of supplements, but your system is still stuck in protection mode, your nervous system might need a jumpstart. All of those things can be beneficial, but your nervous system has to feel safe enough to receive them.
When Your Nervous System Doesn't Get the Memo
When Elena (name changed and permission given to share this story) first came to see me for CranioSacral Therapy, she described herself as being stuck in a weird combination fight or flight and paralysis.
"I feel like my foot is on the gas pedal, but my emergency brake is on so I'm just burning fuel and getting nowhere," she told me.
She was exhausted but she couldn't sleep or rest, and she had chronic neck tension, regular headaches, and a digestive system that seemed to have forgotten how to function. She hadn't pooped in days, which is a major sign of nervous system dysregulation.
When I gently put my hands underneath her head, I could feel the tension right away. Her poor neck muscles were hard as rocks, and everything was so tight that she could barely turn her head side to side.
Elena got me thinking about the circular relationship between nervous system stress and physical tension. Was the stress creating the tightness, or was the physical tightness sending a danger signal to her nervous system causing her to brace? Either way, her vagus nerve was impacted, both physically and energetically.
At the base of our skull, there is a tiny opening called the Jugular Foramen. This is the gateway where the vagus nerve, which is the communication highway of our rest-and-digest system, exits the skull to travel to the heart, lungs, and gut.
For Elena, years of postural bracing and carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders had definitely put her nervous system into protection mode, and created a physical constriction at this gateway. It's no wonder the signal of safety couldn't get through.
The Shift: From Bracing to Being
In our first CranioSacral Therapy session, we focused on opening space for the vagus nerve so the safety signals could be delivered.
About twenty minutes in, Elena’s body did something beautiful; she took a spontaneous, deep breath that smoothed out into a long, audible sigh. Her stomach gave a loud, healthy gurgle, and that's how we knew her parasympathetic nervous system was coming back online.
I guided her through a nervous system safety practice, and by the end of the session, she could rotate her head smoothly in both directions and her headache was completely gone. Six months of PT and monthly massages hadn't made a dent, but one session of CranioSacral Therapy shifted things completely.
"I feel like I’m finally back in my body," she whispered. It was then that she realized her body had been shaking on the inside for months. In the profound stillness that emerged through our session together, the absence of that vibration was palpable.
A Practice for You: Unkinking the Kink
While the deep work of unlocking the base of the skull and opening space in the neck often requires a skilled set of hands, you can send a signal of safety to your vagus nerve right now through this simple practice.
Try this today:
- Find the Portal: Place your index fingers just under the bony bumps behind your ear lobes.
- Make circles: Using incredibly light touch, gently rub your finger in circles behind your ear. Keep circling as you trace your fingers down the sides of your neck to your collar bones. This is not a deep tissue massage! The pressure should be so light you could perform it on a soap bubble without breaking it.
- The Release: Notice if you feel the urge to yawn, sigh, swallow, or take a deep breath, or if you feel a softening in your jaw or a gurgling in your belly. These are the physical signs that your nervous system is beginning to relax.
Try it and let me know how you feel!
Ready for a Deeper Reset?
While self-care practices are wonderful ways to signal safety to your nervous system, sometimes the nervous system needs more support to reset long-standing patterns of pain and depletion.
If you’re tired of living in protection mode and are ready to experience the deep, restorative peace of a balanced craniosacral system, I’d love to hold space for you.
In love and solidarity,
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Rachel
Doctor of Physical Therapy & Integrative Pain Specialist
Build a resilient nervous system to help you flow through the seasons of your life with courage, wisdom, and compassion.
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PS: If your nervous system needs a deep reset and you'd like to guidance on where to start, schedule a free Nervous System Attunement Strategy Session. You'll get clear on what your nervous system needs and what is keeping you stuck, and we can develop a customized plan tailored to your unique nervous system to help you feel like yourself again.
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Invitations to Work Together
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