Podcast Summary
Exploring the connection between voice, nervous system, and emotional expression: Understanding the body-mind connection and working with the nervous system can improve communication, emotional expression, and overall well-being
Working with our voices and vocal cords can have a profound impact on our nervous systems and overall well-being. By connecting the throat, diaphragm, and pelvic floor, we can vibrate the vagus nerve, allowing us to move between different emotional states more easily. Elizabeth and Jennifer, the co-hosts of the Trauma Rewired podcast, emphasized the importance of understanding the nervous system's role in our relationships and communication. They highlighted the benefits of neurosomatic intelligence, which involves working with the body to promote resilience and behavior change. Elise Bessler, a guest on the podcast and an expert in voice and communication, shared her personal journey of discovering the connection between her voice and nervous system. By working somatically with her voice, she has been able to express herself more freely and authentically, even without consciously trying. Overall, this conversation underscores the importance of understanding the body-mind connection and the role of the nervous system in our communication and emotional expression.
Understanding the Connection Between Voice and Nervous System: Our voice is deeply connected to our nervous system and past experiences. For those with trauma or chronic stress, regaining the ability to communicate effectively involves voice activation and releasing the hold of freeze on our body.
Our voice and the ability to use it confidently and authentically is deeply connected to our nervous system and past experiences. For many people, especially those with developmental trauma or chronic stress, the pattern of losing our voice and being unable to express our needs and desires can run deep. This can lead to feelings of shame and self-doubt, making it difficult to show up as our authentic selves in relationships and other areas of life. However, it's important to remember that our nervous system is neuroplastic and wired for connection. By working on voice activation and vocal toning, we can help our body learn to move into a new response and restore the capacity to communicate effectively. Freeze, a common response to trauma, can lock up the areas of our body needed for communication, including our vocal cords, diaphragm, and pelvic floor. By recognizing the protective nature of freeze and working to release its hold, we can regain our voice and reconnect with ourselves and others.
Creating a 'bubble of safety' for effective communication: Utilizing nervous system tools can help create a sense of safety and flexibility, enabling authentic communication and breaking cycles of shame and hiding for those with complex trauma.
Creating a sense of safety and flexibility within the nervous system is crucial for effective communication and overcoming the fear of vulnerability. Whether it's before a challenging conversation, setting boundaries, or even daily interactions, taking a moment to utilize nervous system tools can help create a "bubble of safety." This practice allows individuals to access their voice and articulate their feelings more authentically. For those with complex trauma, this flexibility can be especially transformative, as it can help break the cycle of shame and hiding that often comes with the freeze response. By naming and acknowledging the freeze response, individuals can begin to have more honest conversations and ultimately build stronger connections with others.
Practice daily body exercises for voice and emotional wellbeing: Daily exercises targeting the throat, diaphragm, pelvic floor, and vagus nerve can enhance vocal range, improve breathing patterns, and boost emotional expression.
Our physical and emotional wellbeing are interconnected, and focusing on daily practices that engage various parts of the body, such as the throat, diaphragm, and pelvic floor, can lead to increased vocal range, improved breathing patterns, and enhanced emotional expression. By working on these areas, we can access the words we need during difficult conversations without excessive preparation, and we can also release tension and fear that may be holding us back. The vagus nerve, which connects these areas, plays a crucial role in this process by allowing us to move between different emotional states and promoting overall regulation. Daily toning and expression practices can help us access the full potential of our voices and bodies, enabling us to communicate effectively and confidently in various settings.
The connection between vocal structures and pelvic floor: Releasing fear and tension from areas like the throat or jaw can positively impact the pelvic floor. Singing can be a form of self-healing and nervous system regulation.
The connection between various body structures, such as the vocal cords and the pelvic floor, is significant. Releasing fear and tension from areas like the throat or jaw can positively impact the pelvic floor. Jenna shares her personal experience of using fear-releasing techniques to improve her vocal tone and overall well-being. She also emphasizes the power of singing as a form of self-healing and nervous system regulation. By engaging in vocal practices and embracing the use of our voices, we can experience emotional processing and improved connections with others. The Neuro Somatic Intelligence (NSI) method offers a structured approach to releasing tension and fear from the body, supporting emotional safety and overall well-being. As our own sound healers, we have the power to create vibrations that shift our nervous systems and enhance our capacity for joy and pleasure.
Exploring the Power of Voice and Healing from Childhood Trauma: Using the voice for self-expression and healing can help free the voice and reduce fawn responses. Daily vocal toning and addressing fawn trauma response can support setting boundaries and overall health with AG1 supplements.
The use of singing, toning, and chanting can be a powerful tool for self-expression and healing, particularly for those who have carried negative stories about their voices from childhood. Vocal toning can help free the voice and make it a joyous experience again. Additionally, addressing fawn trauma response, which is a common response to setting boundaries, is crucial for self-regulation and preventing self-abandonment. Fawn responses, such as people-pleasing, mirroring, overgiving, and perfectionism, can lead to states of depletion and dysregulation. However, using the voice on a daily basis can support setting boundaries and reducing the reflexive fawn response. AG1, a foundational nutritional supplement, can also contribute to overall health and well-being, providing essential vitamins and minerals for gut optimization, stress management, and immune support.
Healing from protective responses with Neurosculpting® Institute tools: The Neurosculpting® Institute's unique approach helps individuals heal from toxic responses to trauma and bullying by focusing on creating felt safety, allowing them to change patterns and confidently speak up.
The Neurosculpting® Institute (NSI) tools have been instrumental in helping individuals heal from the protective responses, such as fawning, that stem from trauma and bullying. These responses often lead to toxic relationships and difficulty speaking up for oneself. The NSI approach offers a unique solution by focusing on creating felt safety at a physiological level, allowing individuals to change patterns and speak up confidently. This felt safety is crucial in various aspects of life, including personal and professional relationships, business, and social media. By using the NSI tools, individuals can learn to create safety within themselves, befriend their protective responses, and develop new, healthier responses. This not only improves communication but also contributes to overall well-being.
Setting and receiving boundaries: Essential for personal growth and healthy relationships: Setting and receiving boundaries is crucial for personal growth, healthy relationships, and fostering safety. Speak the truth, release physical tension, and practice dignity-centered communication to create a positive impact.
Setting and receiving boundaries is essential for personal growth and healthy relationships. When we release physical tension in our bodies and speak the truth, we create a safe space for others to do the same. Boundaries act as "medicine" that allows us to understand where others' limits are and respect them. The ability to set and receive boundaries also requires trust and repetition, as it goes against old patterns that may have been ingrained for decades. Furthermore, dignity-centered leadership communication is crucial for preventing harm and fostering safety. By leading from a healed place, we can communicate effectively and respectfully, creating a positive impact on those we lead. Setting and receiving boundaries and practicing dignity-centered communication are key components of trauma-informed practices, allowing us to lead our lives and organizations with compassion and understanding.
Leaders regulating their own nervous systems for true employee safety: Leaders need to regulate their own nervous systems to ensure true safety and growth for employees, using tools like Neurosequential Interventions.
True felt safety for employees or those not in leadership positions can only be achieved when leaders understand and regulate their own nervous systems. This means everything from preventing harm caused by gaslighting or taking credit, to allowing employees to grow and handle visibility without causing stress. Jennifer's personal experience of this is evident in her growth and embodied readiness to hold space for others. The Neurosequential Interventions (NSI) tools have been instrumental in her journey, initially taken to serve clients but ultimately becoming a tool for her own healing from people-pleasing tendencies. The importance of nervous system practices cannot be overstated in the face of the overwhelming visibility and stress that comes with growth and success.
Healing emotional wounds for personal growth: Ending toxic relationships leads to personal growth, effective communication and conscious closure are key skills, and healing empowers individuals to become experts of their own nervous systems.
Healing one's own emotional wounds is not only essential for serving others but also leads to empowering personal growth. Elise shared her experience of ending a toxic relationship for the first time, which brought about significant healing and self-empowerment. She emphasized that closing relationships can be a grieving process, but it's necessary for personal growth. Furthermore, Elise highlighted the importance of developing the capacity to communicate effectively and close relationships consciously. Additionally, she shared inspiring stories of clients who experienced breakthroughs in their personal and professional lives through her coaching. These stories included individuals leaving her practice because they had gained enough capacity to move on and others who were able to stand in their dignity and have difficult conversations. Elise's goal is to equip her clients with the tools to become experts of their own nervous systems and develop the foundation for long-term growth.
Coaching clients to independence for growth and prevention of burnout: Effective coaching involves helping clients become self-sufficient, enabling coaches to move on and prevent burnout. This growth benefits both parties and allows coaches to serve new clients.
Effective coaching involves helping clients reach a point where they can continue their healing journey independently, allowing the coach to move on and prevent burnout. This process is a testament to the power of coaching and enables the coach to make room for new clients and their unique challenges. Elise Bessler, a communication coach, emphasizes the importance of this growth for both the client and the coach. She encourages those interested in exploring their voice and communication to find her on Instagram (@EliseBessler) and TikTok (potentially EliseBessler), or visit her website (alisebessler.com/links) to learn more about her offerings and book a discovery chat. Elise also shared a chant, "Hear my truth and wash me in the water. Hear my truth and set my soul free," which can be used for vocal activation and self-reflection. For professionals seeking to deepen their impact on clients and prevent burnout, consider enrolling in the Neuro Somatic Intelligence program, which is currently accepting new students.