Nervous system regulation became very important to me when I was diagnosed with severe PTSD after undergoing three spine surgeries in five years. I spent five years dealing with chronic pain, losing the ability to walk and care for myself multiple times, and the extreme financial burden that comes with health issues. Needless to say, when I was told I was in extreme burnout due to the PTSD, I wasn’t surprised.
I was, however, surprised at how bad I actually felt and how hard it was to find nervous system healing techniques that worked for me. As a Dallas Life Coach who walks the walk and lives life in accordance with the principles I work with my clients on, I am generally functioning in a regulated, peaceful state. I knew how to keep my nervous system happy when I had big life stressors, but the five years I endured were REALLY BIG LIFE STRESSORS. I suddenly was in a deep hole wondering how to get out of the fight or flight mode that my body had become accustomed to.
Signs Your Nervous System is Dysregulated
I could feel the extreme burnout in every fiber of my being as my nervous system constantly scanned for danger. When the yard men came and turned on a leaf blower, it took everything in me not to go outside, take the leaf blower out of the poor man’s hands and smash it into the ground.
If you’re curious as to signs your nervous system is dysregulated, wanting to damage property because you can’t tolerate loud noise is a very clear sign! Having disrupted sleep, brain fog, not being able to be in the present moment and feeling blah about life are also clear signs your nervous system is dysregulated, but you likely already know that since you’re reading this blog post.
Nervous System Coaching Dallas
What you probably really want to know is how to calm your nervous system, so I’m going to be very real with you about this and tell you what a lot of doctors and other mental health professionals probably don’t want you to hear. You see, highly clinic people often love a blanket approach to healing. I mean let’s be honest, I’m sure nonclinical people like other life coaches do too (in case you’re wondering about the difference between therapy and life coaching, click HERE).
As I researched and implemented things like how to calm anxiety naturally and how to relax your nervous system, it became blatantly clear to me that I had to find what worked for me, and not everything was going to work for me. In fact, what works for me and what works for you could also be two different things, and this is what it is so important for you to have clarity on who you are and for you to get out of your head, stop overanalyzing and instead ground into your feeling body, your authentic self, your intuition.
If you’re wondering how to reset your nervous system, you first need to learn how to stand in your power. Yeah, see, all the clinical people who are like just do these three things and you’ll be fine don’t love that, because it takes the power away from them (the external) and puts the power back where it belongs, within you (the internal). This is something I coach clients on all the time! If you find yourself giving your power away, not being able to access your intuition and having analysis paralysis, I invite you to apply for a complimentary consultation. You can also click HERE for clarity on the coaching process.
How To Reset Your Nervous System After Trauma
What actually helped me regulate my nervous system:
- Dance – I was already a dancer before my three spine surgeries so the passion was already here, however there is a lot of research about the healing powers of dance.
- Stopping multitasking – This meant walking my dog without listening to an audio book, watching TV and not scrolling the phone. Doing one thing at a time and quieting the noise was a game changer.
- Putting my phone on do not disturb – LIFE CHANGING. I already had most notifications turned off, but the constant disruption of non-urgent text messages that would then send me into a social media rabbit hold spiral was not helpful at all.
- Routine, especially in the morning and at night – I could tell my body was craving familiarity. It made me feel safe and relaxed.
- Extra caffeine used wisely – Oh you know people are all up in arms about this one! There were days I could barely function, and I had to function. Having one extra cup of coffee before 3pm made me feel more normal, and feeling more normal pulled me through the nervous system dysregulation.
- Going gluten free and anti-inflammatory – Not eating gluten and eating mostly anti inflammatory/Mediterranean was shockingly effective, not that hard, and delicious.
- Working with a professional – I had regular life coaching sessions to help me sort through things, stay accountable and figure out what came next. I also did EMDR with a therapist to help move the trauma out of my way.
What did not help me regulate my nervous system:
- Meditation – Sorry not sorry, this is was not at all helpful. In fact, it created a space to continually bring up the trauma I was trying to work through and let go of, so it made me more anxious and dysregulated. It felt better to sort through the trauma with my life coach and therapist. Outside of those sessions I needed peace, forward motion, and a break from the trauma.
- Somatic exercise/vagus nerve exercises for stress – This was disappointing to me. I thought I was going to like it so much that I would get certified in it and add it to my coaching practice, but honestly none of it (outside of dance) did anything for me whatsoever.
- Breathing exercises –My body was in extreme trauma, breathing quite literally hurt my back so yeah, this was not helpful.
- Anxiety medication – Ooof this was so not it for me! I took anxiety meds for a month and I noticed that they blocked my ability to process emotions. The last thing I needed was for negative emotions to be stuck in my body!
- Shaming my way into regulation – The power of self talk is very real, and when your nervous system is off, the voice in your head is probably more nasty than it usually is. This could not be less helpful. Grace, nurturing and acceptance are much better.
- Allow myself to live in the exhaustion – The exhaustion has to be put in a container otherwise it will take over you.
Calming The Nervous System
This is a practice, like yoga, that takes time, intentionality and that requires a high level of self awareness. I invite you to apply for a complimentary consultation if you’re feeling called to support and empowerment through this process. I’ve lived it, and I’m trained in it as a Life Coach. Dallas is home, but you can live anywhere and coach with me.
