Trauma and Chronic Pain are difficult to live with; they often occur together and exacerbate each other. This can make recovery more difficult and your experience with each condition worse. Some treatments can bring healing and reduce your suffering for both conditions. How Trauma Can Influence Chronic Pain Trauma and Chronic Pain can influence eachContinue reading “The Connection Between Trauma and Chronic Pain”
Category Archives: Nervous System Dysregulation
What is the Default Mode Network (DMN)?
The Default Mode Network (DMN) is a system of connected brain areas that influences what you think about when you are not focused on a specific task. It can influence your pattern of reactions to social situations and what you think about yourself. It can be behind problems with rumination. There are ways to calmContinue reading “What is the Default Mode Network (DMN)?”
What is Gaslighting?
Gaslighting is a form of manipulation and psychological abuse that can be very damaging to the victim. It can appear in many aspects of life and can really affect your health and well-being. There are ways to recover from gaslighting. What is Gaslighting? Gaslighting is a form of psychological or emotional abuse that manipulates someoneContinue reading “What is Gaslighting?”
Why Your Coping Techniques May Not Be Working for You?
You may find it frustrating when you do something that is recommended or are told that it will help you and it doesn’t work for you. There are reasons why your coping techniques may not be working for you. There are things that therapists sometimes do that can play into this. As well as barriersContinue reading “Why Your Coping Techniques May Not Be Working for You?”
What is the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)?
What is Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)? The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is an evidence-based listening therapy designed to reduce sound sensitivities and improve auditory processing, behavioural state regulation, and social engagement behaviours through filtered music. As a practical application of Polyvagal Theory, the Safe and Sound Protocol acts as a non-invasive, acoustic vagalContinue reading “What is the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)?”
What is Polyvagal Theory
Polyvagal theory is based on the influence of the vagus nerve on different physiological (body) processes as well as psychological states. It also describes how there can be nervous system dysregulation and the process to gain more regulation in the nervous system. The Vagus Nerve The Vagus Nerve is the longest cranial nerve in theContinue reading “What is Polyvagal Theory”
How Do You Tell If Your Nervous System Is Dysregulated?
Nervous system dysregulation can create a lot of stress in your body. You may not know why you are feeling the way you are and not understand that it could be your nervous system. There are a lot of signs that can point to nervous system dysregulation, as well as experiences that can contribute toContinue reading “How Do You Tell If Your Nervous System Is Dysregulated?”
What are Grounding Techniques?
Grounding Techniques are strategies that can bring an overactive nervous system down. They are different ways of calming a nervous system. There are different types of grounding techniques. Not all of these work for everyone. You may need to try a number to figure out what works or combine a few of them to helpContinue reading “What are Grounding Techniques?”
Grounding Techniques that Use Your Senses
Grounding Techniques that use your senses are about using your senses to regain control of your body can help you when you are dysregulated. They can be good to help to ground you in the present moment. Examples of Grounding Techniques that Use Your Senses Scent Photo by Ruslan Zh on Unsplash Taste Sound PhotoContinue reading “Grounding Techniques that Use Your Senses”
Observation Grounding Techniques
Observation grounding techniques use what is in your environment to help ground you. They are beneficial grounding techniques because you can use them pretty much anywhere and there is nothing that you need to have with you to be able to do them. For observation grounding techniques to be effective they need to focus yourContinue reading “Observation Grounding Techniques”