Podcast Summary
Personal experiences with pain can lead to deeper exploration and healing in the nervous system: Exploring personal pain experiences can deepen understanding of the nervous system and overall well-being, leading to self-compassion, full self-expression, and community support.
Personal experiences with physical and emotional pain can serve as catalysts for deeper exploration and healing in the nervous system. Lindsay Wall, a neuro somatic intelligence practitioner and movement specialist, shares her journey of living with pain and hypermobility since childhood, which led her to specialize in working with neurodivergent individuals and those dealing with pain and hypermobility. For Lindsay, her experiences with pain and hospitalizations in her 30s deepened her interest in understanding the nervous system and its role in overall well-being. This journey of self-discovery and healing parallels that of her co-hosts, Jennifer Wallace and Elizabeth Kristof, who have also found solace and growth in their own nervous system exploration and community building through Brain Based Wellness Together Now. Together, they emphasize the importance of self-compassion, full self-expression, and the power of witnessing and supporting each other on the healing journey.
Addressing both nervous system and emotional components for chronic pain relief: Focusing on strengthening the nervous system and addressing emotional components can significantly improve chronic pain and related conditions.
Focusing on both the nervous system and emotional components can significantly improve chronic pain and related conditions. The speaker shares her personal experience of dealing with chronic pain, joint issues, and frequent migraines. She started with Pilates to strengthen her joints, but discovered the real game-changer was training her nervous system. Initially, they focused on joint-related nervous system training, but soon realized the importance of interoceptive awareness and building safety in the nervous system. This led to a reduction in arthritis symptoms and an unexpected bonus: no migraines for three months. However, she later recognized the emotional component of her pain and began somatic emotional expression work with the speaker. This was a crucial next step in her journey, leading to further relief and understanding of her complex trauma. By addressing both the nervous system and emotional components, the speaker was able to experience tangible improvements in her quality of life.
The power of emotional processing in managing chronic pain: Emotional processing, guided by a coach, can significantly reduce chronic pain levels by releasing emotional components perpetuating the pain cycle.
Emotional processing plays a crucial role in managing chronic pain. The speaker shared her experience of dealing with both migraines and chronic pain due to Ehlers Danlos degeneration. She described how emotional processing, specifically guided by a coach during a somatic experiencing session, led to a significant reduction in her pain level. The emotional release during the session helped her understand the emotional component of her pain and how it was perpetuating the pain cycle. The transformation was remarkable, as she went from daily chronic pain to minimal pain levels. However, it's important to note that emotional processing can be a scary and vulnerable experience, and there may be boundaries that need to be acknowledged and respected. The speaker's experience highlights the power of emotional processing in managing chronic pain and the importance of having a supportive guide during the process.
Suppressing emotions can lead to dysregulation: Neurodivergent individuals may struggle to express and regulate emotions, leading to internalization and potential dysregulation. This highlights the importance of understanding the role of emotions and sensory experiences in mental health.
Emotions, especially for neurodivergent individuals like the speaker, can be intense and challenging to express and regulate. Growing up, the speaker learned to suppress emotions due to difficulty expressing them verbally and fear of hurting others or getting in trouble. This internalization of emotions can lead to dysregulation and pain. The speaker's experience aligns with the idea that our sensory makeup, including our nervous system's response to our sensory world, plays a crucial role in our mental health and behaviors. However, in therapeutic and medical settings, these inner layers of emotion and sensory experiences are often overlooked, leaving the core components of what makes people who they are neglected.
Neurodivergence and Sensory Experiences Shape Our Brains and Mental Health: Understanding neurodivergence and the importance of sensory experiences can lead to self-acceptance and compassion towards individuals with unique brains and lived experiences.
Our sensory experiences and neurodivergence play significant roles in shaping our brains and mental health. Neurodivergence, a term used to describe differences in brain function and processing, challenges the notion of a "normal" brain. Sensory work and creating a full sensory experience are crucial for focusing and learning. The speaker, Leslie, shares her personal experiences of living with dyslexia and recently identifying as autistic, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and compassion towards neurodivergent individuals. The use of the term "normal" can be oppressive and limiting, as everyone's brain and experiences are unique. As we explore these nuanced areas of neurodivergence, it's essential to approach it with curiosity and understanding, recognizing that we all have complex lived experiences.
Understanding Neurodiversity: Recognizing Unique Brain Wiring: Neurodiversity acknowledges individual differences in intelligence and processing abilities, recognizing that everyone falls outside the standard bell curve of neurotypicality, and emphasizes the importance of respecting unique experiences and strengths.
Neurodivergent individuals, those with unique nervous systems and brains wired differently, have varying intelligences and processing abilities. This concept, known as neurodiversity, suggests that we all fall outside the standard bell curve of neurotypicality, with some areas of genius and others with deficits. For instance, an individual might score high in perceptual organizational intelligence but low in processing speed. Neurodivergent individuals are not less intelligent; they simply process information differently. This was illustrated in the example of someone who scored below average on a standard IQ test but excelled in a nonverbal IQ test. Society often requires neurodivergent individuals to communicate verbally, but they may be naturally nonverbal, leading to challenges. It's essential to understand and respect the unique experiences and strengths of neurodivergent individuals. In conclusion, neurodiversity is an important concept that recognizes the individual differences in our brains and the unique ways we process information.
Embracing neurodiversity and supporting our nervous systems: Celebrate neurodiversity and use practices like stimming to express ourselves fully and support our nervous systems, rather than trying to fit into limiting societal norms.
Supporting our nervous system through various means, including neurodivergent practices like stimming, is essential for overall health and self-expression. It's not about trying to suppress our natural gifts or fit into societal norms, but rather making our nervous systems feel safe to explore who we truly are. Neurodiversity, like human and natural diversity, is a form of intelligence that should be celebrated and embraced. The neuro work is about working with our nervous systems to express ourselves fully, rather than trying to fit into a limiting system. Stimming, for instance, is a form of sensory stimulation that helps individuals stay present, process emotions, and deal with their surroundings. It's important to remember that everyone's journey is unique, and embracing our differences can lead to a thriving world.
Combining creativity and neuroscience for neurodivergent individuals: Neurodivergent individuals with complex trauma backgrounds can benefit from using neuroscience-informed practices like habit stacking to manage time effectively and maintain consistent routines. Coaches can offer customized solutions by sharing lived experiences and understanding unique nervous system patterns.
Neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with complex trauma backgrounds, can greatly benefit from combining their artistic creativity with neuroscience-informed practices, such as habit stacking. This approach can help neurodivergent individuals manage their time effectively and maintain a consistent flow in their daily routines. Moreover, coaches and neurodivergent individuals themselves can deeply connect and offer customized solutions by sharing lived experiences and understanding the unique patterns in the nervous system. The Neuroscience of Self-Regulation (NSI) program can serve as a valuable resource for neurodivergent individuals seeking to explore the connection between neurodivergence, complex trauma, and neurology, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of their own experiences and how to work through roadblocks related to shame, worthiness, self-expression, and visibility.
Understanding the intersection of complex trauma and neurodivergence: Individuals with complex trauma and neurodivergence face unique challenges as they navigate the line between informed choices and trauma responses, highlighting the importance of understanding their experiences.
Complex trauma and neurodivergence intersect in complex ways, with the development of the brain being significantly impacted in both cases. The line between anxiety, disassociation, and informed choices can be blurry for individuals with complex trauma. They might identify with social anxiety but question if it's an informed choice or a trauma response. Disassociation, which can be a coping mechanism, might also be a space of imagination and creativity. The exploration of these concepts highlights the need to understand the unique experiences of individuals with complex trauma and neurodivergence, as they navigate a world that may not fully accommodate their differences. Furthermore, the trauma experienced during development when trying to fit into a neurotypical society adds another layer of complexity to the issue.
Exploring Neurodivergence: Assets and Challenges: Neurodivergence, a natural part of who we are, brings assets and challenges. Through an NSI perspective, we can shift from shame to acceptance and gain valuable insights into our unique brains.
Neurodivergence, which includes traits like emotional sensitivity, social anxiety, sensory overload, and dissociation, is a natural part of who we are, shaped by both genetics and environment. These traits can be assets, leading to deeper understanding of the human condition and even contributing to success in certain areas. However, they can also present challenges for mental health and well-being. Exploring neurodivergence through an NSI (Neuroscientifically Informed) perspective can help us shift away from feelings of shame and towards acceptance and understanding of our unique brains. This exploration can also provide valuable insights into the neurology behind these traits and the bigger picture of how our brains function. Overall, embracing neurodivergence as part of our identity can lead to greater self-awareness and acceptance, allowing us to thrive in our unique ways.
Understanding unique nervous system responses in neurodivergent individuals: Neurodivergent brains and nervous systems are complex and unique, requiring individualized approaches to trauma responses.
The importance of understanding the unique nervous system responses in neurodivergent individuals and how it relates to their trauma responses. Neurodivergent brains and nervous systems are complex, and everyone's nervous system is unique. This concept, known as n equals 1, emphasizes the need to work with the nervous system in front of us. Lindsay, as a future Brain Base coach, is passionate about this work and wants to serve those with high pain, chronic fatigue, hypermobility, and neurodivergence. She resonates with these clients because of her personal experience and the need for individualized approaches. Lindsay's goal is to help her clients build self-acceptance, process sensory information, and find regulation through gentle and compassionate methods. By sharing her knowledge and experience, Lindsay hopes to make a positive impact on the neurodivergent community.
Exploring Mental Health Topics from a Neurosomatic Intelligence Perspective: The upcoming Trauma.Rewired podcast season will focus on various mental health topics, bringing in experts and science for powerful conversations, and engaging the community for input on how to best serve listeners.
The upcoming season of the Trauma.Rewired podcast will delve deep into various mental health topics, including complex trauma, neurodivergence, ADHD, personality disorders, borderline, bipolar, and depression, from a neurosomatic intelligence perspective. The hosts plan to bring in experts and science to provide powerful conversations about these topics, as well as complex trauma's place in the mental health system and structural trauma. They encourage their audience to join their community on social media, particularly at trauma.rewired, to engage in active conversations and provide input on how the podcast can best serve its listeners. The hosts aim to make this season an enlightening and insightful exploration of mental health and neurobiology.