When Your Body Doesn’t Feel Safe

I often tell my patients here in Viridian that in order to heal, your system needs SAFETY, both physically and emotionally.

When your body feels unsafe (either due to external circumstances such as the people or place surrounding you, or internally), it will use your mind to create this safety.

What does using the mind for safety look like? Rumination (repetitive thought patterns), dissociation, anxiety, avoidance, and defensiveness.

Every time we have an experience, the information from it runs via the nervous system to the brain for processing. If the experience is too overwhelming, too chronic, or we suppress our reactions, that experience creates an imprint on our nervous system. With the energy of the imprint, our nervous system will stress, which can lead do physical &/or emotional symptoms or conditions of many kinds.

Our symptoms are often chased and treated, but they are not the problem itself, but the way the body kept us safe. These coping strategies often stay present for months or years, so creating SAFETY can also take a lot of time and repetition.

HOW?

First, start slowly. Slow, sustainable changes feel SAFE for our nervous system

AWARENESS: Notice the people, and places that make you feel safe, and spend more time there if possible. Also, notice the sensations and responses in your body and mind… both what does safety feel like, and what are my symptoms or responses in fear? Then you can align your time and energy to create the better responses.

Importantly, get INTO YOUR BODY, and out of your head. Nervous system practitioners who do massage, craniosacral therapy, somatic therapy, and Network Spinal are a great way work through the defensive patterns so your body can express safely. Since creating our own safety is an inside job, we highly recommend spending time to create a routine of your preferred mindful practices: time outdoors, diaphragmatic breathing, mindful movement, healthy sleep routines, prayer or meditation, breathwork, journaling, somatic stretches, or whatever else helps you feel good in your body.

If you would like to experience craniosacral therapy and/or Network Spinal In North Arlington to help find your way back to SAFETY, text 612 280-6596 to set up a complimentary phone consult.