Greetings, Reader!

Sometimes all it takes is asking one simple question to shift everything.

For several clients this week, that question was this:

Is your nervous system attuned to safety or danger?

The nervous system has so much to manage that it relies on patterns for the sake of efficiency. When it is exposed to repeated stress, it learns to anticipate, becoming vigilant and sensitive.

When the nervous system is attuned to danger, everything feels like a threat, and it creates a feedback loop that is self-sustaining. For example, you might feel exhausted from constantly monitoring for threat, but you can't sleep because your nervous system is on high alert. The lack of sleep sends a signal back to your nervous system that it isn't safe to rest, and further elevates the level of threat.

When it comes to pain, if your nervous system is attuned to danger, every new sensation can seem scary and be interpreted as pain.

One of my clients was so sensitive to sensation that she couldn't tolerate the feeling of socks on her feet, and she had to sleep with her feet outside of the covers at night because the weight of the sheets felt unbearable.

To help her break free from this debilitating pain, we began by teaching her nervous system to collect evidence of safety. Little by little, her nervous system began to trust that it was safe. As she learned not to fear sensation, the hypervigilance and hypersensitivity faded.

Another new client returned for her second visit this week and shared, with amazement and gratitude, how much of an impact this question of attunement has already had on her life. When she felt herself losing her patience or feeling overwhelmed, she paused and reoriented herself to safety. She could feel the reactivity soften in the moment, and in just a week, she felt noticeably less depleted and overwhelmed, and more capable of meeting the big life challenges she has been facing.

This is the magic of the nervous system. It learns and adapts to the information is receives, which means that what you practice really matters.

If this resonates with you (and you are truly not in immediate danger), I invite you to sit with these questions over the next few days: In what ways are you teaching your nervous system that it is safe, or reinforcing the need to stay vigilant? What is one thing you can shift to orient yourself to safety?

I hope this invitation helps you feel more situated in yourself, and more attuned to your nervous system's needs and way of communicating.

Resilience doesn’t mean you never feel the impact of stress or that you never feel pain; It means your body remembers how to return to safety and connection.

Imagine what your life would be like if you felt at home in your body, you were able to stay present when life got tough without shutting down or running away, and you had the energy to show up for the people, causes, and experiences that really matter to you.

If exploring an embodied path towards that vision feels nourishing, I invite you to schedule a free Nervous System Attunement Strategy Session.

I would be honored to support you.

In love and solidarity,

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.

Invitations to Work Together Practice Qigong with me online to boost your nervous system's resilience. Unwind tension in your nervous system with CranioSacral Therapy. Rewire your nervous system in my upcoming Break the Pain Cycle program. Schedule a FREE Nervous System Attunement Strategy Session.​