Understanding Your Nervous System States: A Complete Guide to Polyvagal Theory and Self-Regulation
Have you ever wondered why you snap at the people you love most? Why your mind goes completely blank in important meetings? Or why some days you feel unstoppable, while others you can barely drag yourself out of bed? The answer isn’t willpower. It isn’t a character flaw. And it certainly isn’t something wrong with […]
The Hidden Cost of Living for Others: How Societal Expectations Dysregulate Your Nervous System
Understanding the somatic experience of performance and the path to authentic living Have you ever noticed a particular tension that settles into your shoulders when you’re about to do something you “should” do rather than something you want to do? Or the way your breath becomes shallow when you’re performing a version of yourself that […]
Why You Feel Anxious (Even When Everything’s ‘Fine’): Understanding Your Emotions & Nervous System
You wake up at 3am with your heart racing. Your chest feels tight. Your mind is spinning with worries about work, relationships, money, health—everything and nothing all at once. But here’s the thing: logically, everything is fine. Nothing catastrophic happened. No major crisis occurred. And yet, your body is screaming danger. You’ve probably tried the […]
Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Enough for Trauma (And What Actually Works)
You’ve been in therapy for months, maybe years. You’ve talked about your trauma extensively. You understand what happened, why it happened, how it affected you. You’ve gained insight, processed memories, worked through cognitive distortions. Your therapist is skilled, compassionate, and committed to your healing. Yet something crucial remains unresolved. Your body still tenses when triggered. […]
The Intelligence of Your Shutdown Response: Why Freezing Isn’t Weakness—It’s Survival
Understanding the Freeze Response as Sophisticated Survival I want to share a story from my practice that I think about often. A client—I’ll call her Sarah—came to me deeply frustrated with herself. She kept saying: “I don’t understand why I freeze up. I know I should speak up for myself. I know I should say […]
Breaking Free from Love Addiction: Understanding Anxious Attachment as a Nervous System Pattern
Why We Get Addicted to Being Loved (And How Somatic Healing Can Help) Have you ever checked your phone obsessively, waiting for someone to text back? Felt like you might actually die if this person leaves you? Stayed awake at night replaying every word they said, analyzing every shift in their energy, trying to decode […]
Interoception: The Hidden Superpower Your Body Uses to Guide Every Decision
Introduction: Your Body’s Secret Intelligence Network Most people know about the five senses, but there’s a sixth sense that neuroscientists are calling the most important one for mental health and decision-making: interoception. This is your body’s ability to sense its internal state – from hunger and thirst to the subtle gut feelings that guide your […]
Body Dialogue Meditation: Why Talking to Your Pain Actually Works
The idea of having a conversation with your pain might sound unusual, even absurd. Yet this revolutionary approach, known as body dialogue meditation, is transforming how people relate to chronic physical discomfort and finding remarkable success where traditional pain management has fallen short. If you’ve been battling chronic pain—whether it’s persistent back pain, fibromyalgia, tension […]
Understanding People-Pleasing: The Hidden Psychology Behind Approval Addiction
By Abi Beri, Integrative Holistic Therapist What Is People-Pleasing Really? People-pleasing goes far beyond being considerate or helpful. It’s a compulsive behavioral pattern where your sense of safety and self-worth becomes entirely dependent on others’ approval. Unlike healthy accommodation, people-pleasing involves systematically abandoning your authentic needs, desires, and boundaries to avoid conflict or potential rejection. […]
Understanding Your Energy Body: A Somatic Approach to Feeling Your Aura
Have you ever walked into a room and immediately felt the “vibe”? Or sensed someone’s presence before seeing them? You’ve been experiencing your energy body – and it’s far more tangible than you might think. What is Your Energy Body? Your energy body is the subtle field of life force energy that surrounds and interpenetrates […]
