#freeze

“You can’t be present and dissociated at the same time.”

These wise words from co-host Jennifer Wallace encompasses why this topic is so important to explore. Presence is the truth of our emotions and our reality, because we cannot heal what we do not feel. Being present with our emotions, and feeling them in our body, allows us to truly understand and heal our nervous system in ways that dissociating from the body cannot.

This is a powerful conversation highlighting what goes on in the brain and nervous system when we dissociate, and how this protective mechanism can become maladaptive when its original function no longer serves us. There is a way to overcome dissociation and authentically feel emotions in the body to truly heal.

In this episode, Elisabeth Kristoff and Jennifer Wallace deep dive into dissociation and its characteristics. The discussion begins with defining what dissociation is and how it is learned at an early age as a protective mechanism, followed by unraveling how dissociation shows up in the brain, specifically which brain structures are involved in disassociation, as well as the connection between the vagus nerve and the interoceptive system as it pertains to dissociation.

It’s not enough to just understand these concepts intellectually, the real healing happens when we can experience them, which means feeling them in our bodies. That’s where Neurosomatic Intelligence Coaching comes in, where we teach you the tools you need to heal the whole self, and move out of dissociation and into the body in a safe way.

Tune in for this and more!

Topics discussed in this episode:

 

• Definition of dissociation

• How dissociation is on a spectrum

• The protective aspects of dissociation

• How dissociation gets wired in the brain from an early age

• The function of the thalamus and how it’s related to dissociation

• The deep connection between the vagus nerve and the interoceptive system

• How the brain makes predictions based on our past experiences

• The possibility to train in new protective skills that are not maladaptive

• Knowing about the  nervous system is not the same as experiencing it

• Spiritual bypassing and dissociation 

• The importance of presence in understanding the truth of emotions

Contact us about private Rewire Neuro-Somatic Coaching: https://brainbased-wellness.com/rewire-private-neuro-somatic-coaching/

Learn more about the Neuro-Somatic Intelligence Coaching program and sign up for the spring cohort now! https://www.neurosomaticintelligence.com

 

Get started training your nervous system with our FREE 2-week offer on the Brain Based Membership site: https://www.rewiretrial.com

 

Connect with us on social media: @trauma.rewired

 

Join the Trauma Rewired Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/761101225132846

 

FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: https://www.drinkag1.com/rewired

 

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

Trauma Rewired podcast  is intended to educate and inform but does not constitute medical, psychological or other professional advice or services. Always consult a qualified medical professional about your specific circumstances before making any decisions based on what you hear. 

We share our experiences, explore trauma, physical reactions, mental health and disease. If you become distressed by our content, please stop listening and seek professional support when needed. Do not continue to listen if the conversations are having a negative impact on your health and well-being. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, or in mental health crisis and you are in the United States you can 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.  If someone’s life is in danger, immediately call 911. 

We do our best to stay current in research, but older episodes are always available.  We don’t warrant or guarantee that this podcast contains complete, accurate or up-to-date information. It’s very important to talk to a medical professional about your individual needs, as we aren’t responsible for any actions you take based on the information you hear in this podcast.

We  invite guests onto the podcast. Please note that we don’t verify the accuracy of their statements. Our organization does not endorse third-party content and the views of our guests do not necessarily represent the views of our organization.

We talk about general neuro-science and nervous system health, but you are unique. These are conversations for a wide audience. They are general recommendations and you are always advised to seek personal care for your unique outputs, trauma and needs. 

We are not doctors or licensed medical professionals. We are certified neuro-somatic practitioners and nervous system health/embodiment coaches. We are not your doctor or medical professional and do not know you and your unique nervous system. This podcast is not a replacement for working with a professional.

The BrainBased.com site and Rewiretrail.com is a membership site for general nervous system health, somatic processing and stress processing. It is not a substitute for medical care or the appropriate solution for anyone in mental health crisis. 

Any examples mentioned in this podcast are for illustration purposes only. If they are based on real events, names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved. 

We’ve done our best to ensure our podcast respects the intellectual property rights of others, however if you have an issue with our content, please let us know by emailing us at traumarewired@gmail.com 

All rights in our content are reserved

 

As a human, you have most likely felt shame to some degree. Although it is a normal human protective emotion to keep us safe on a societal level, shame can become toxic when it persists and when we internalize the critical narrative from that shame.

Toxic shame shows up in many ways, however, the way it shows up physiologically is understood the least, but the most telling. From posture, dilated pupils, tense muscles, to inflammation in the body, headaches, and diseases, it is possible to visibly see shame on a person’s body. This is a result of the body protecting itself, and there is no shame in that. However once it becomes maladaptive, and absolute “I am” statements start becoming permanent fixtures in rumination, one’s perception of self shifts, which can eventually cause serious mental and physical health issues.

On today’s episode, Elisabeth and Jennifer discuss how toxic shame differs from regular shame, how toxic shame shows up, what happens in the body when it does, where toxic shame originates from, how shame and pleasure shows up in those with a history of childhood sexual abuse, and what you can do to recognize and repattern toxic shame with Neuro-Somatic Coaching.

Just as toxic shame is developed, it can be undeveloped, by learning how to recognize when and how it shows up in the body, then repatterning the neural pathways in real time using NSI tools, and allowing repressed emotions to mobilize.

This episode is filled with knowledge and insight you don’t want to miss. Tune in for this and more!


Topics discussed in this episode:

 

• The difference between guilt and shame
• Difference between regular shame and toxic shame
• How toxic shame affects posture
• How shame is a protective response
• What is shame inflammation and its correlation to disease states?
• Why mobilizing the body is crucial to process emotions
• What is emotional attunement?
• Overcoupling of shame and pleasure in the case of childhood sexual abuse
• The types of body boundary violations
• What to do if you are having a toxic shame response?
• Why it’s important for practitioners to understand when a client is in a shame response
• Repattering shame in real time

 

 

Contact us about private Rewire Neuro-Somatic Coaching: https://brainbased-wellness.com/rewire-private-neuro-somatic-coaching/

Learn more about the Neuro-Somatic Intelligence Coaching program and sign up for the spring cohort now! https://www.neurosomaticintelligence.com

 

Get started training your nervous system with our FREE 2-week offer on the Brain Based Membership site: https://www.rewiretrial.com

 

Connect with us on social media: @trauma.rewired

 

Join the Trauma Rewired Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/761101225132846

 

FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: https://www.drinkag1.com/rewired

 

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

 

Trauma Rewired podcast  is intended to educate and inform but does not constitute medical, psychological or other professional advice or services. Always consult a qualified medical professional about your specific circumstances before making any decisions based on what you hear. 

We share our experiences, explore trauma, physical reactions, mental health and disease. If you become distressed by our content, please stop listening and seek professional support when needed. Do not continue to listen if the conversations are having a negative impact on your health and well-being. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, or in mental health crisis and you are in the United States you can 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.  If someone’s life is in danger, immediately call 911. 

We do our best to stay current in research, but older episodes are always available.  We don’t warrant or guarantee that this podcast contains complete, accurate or up-to-date information. It’s very important to talk to a medical professional about your individual needs, as we aren’t responsible for any actions you take based on the information you hear in this podcast.

We  invite guests onto the podcast. Please note that we don’t verify the accuracy of their statements. Our organization does not endorse third-party content and the views of our guests do not necessarily represent the views of our organization.

We talk about general neuro-science and nervous system health, but you are unique. These are conversations for a wide audience. They are general recommendations and you are always advised to seek personal care for your unique outputs, trauma and needs. 

We are not doctors or licensed medical professionals. We are certified neuro-somatic practitioners and nervous system health/embodiment coaches. We are not your doctor or medical professional and do not know you and your unique nervous system. This podcast is not a replacement for working with a professional.

The BrainBased.com site and Rewiretrail.com is a membership site for general nervous system health, somatic processing and stress processing. It is not a substitute for medical care or the appropriate solution for anyone in mental health crisis. 

Any examples mentioned in this podcast are for illustration purposes only. If they are based on real events, names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved. 

We’ve done our best to ensure our podcast respects the intellectual property rights of others, however if you have an issue with our content, please let us know by emailing us jennifer@traumarewired.com  All rights in our content are reserved

The pelvic bowl is the center of our somatic experience, but the majority of women are disconnected from this crucial part of the body. So today, hosts Jennifer and Elisabeth are joined by Veronica Rottman of Waking Womb to address the importance of pelvic floor health.

In this episode, Veronica and our hosts take a deep dive into the relationship to the pelvic floor, exploring the intricate connection the womb space has with our nervous system, emotional regulation, and pleasure. They delve into how societal pressures, personal traumas, and misconceptions about pelvic floor healing contribute to a widespread disconnection from this essential area.

Most importantly, they discuss the crucial role the nervous system and emotional processing plays in healing our relationship with the pelvic floor, including how to reconnect and heal the pelvic floor without overwhelm or retraumatization.

Tune in now to learn more about this sacred aspect of our physical, mental, and emotional health!

Topics discussed in this episode:

 

• Why the pelvic floor relationship is important for healing

• Dissociation, freeze response and shame in relationship to the pelvic floor

• Managing emotions in pelvic floor work

• How chronic self-abandonment impacts the health of the pelvic floor

• The role of the nervous system in pelvic floor health

• Addressing physical pain with emotional exploration

• Misconceptions in pelvic health and trauma healing

• Finding pleasure in pelvic floor healing

• Reframing the concept of 'The Body Keeps the Score'

 

Connect with Veronica Rottman, Waking Womb 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/wakingwomb/

https://linktr.ee/Veronica_Constance_

 

Contact us about private Rewire Neuro-Somatic Coaching:

https://brainbased-wellness.com/rewire-private-neuro-somatic-coaching/

 

Learn more about the Neuro-Somatic Intelligence Coaching program and sign up for the spring cohort now! https://www.neurosomaticintelligence.com/?utm_medium=aff-traumarewired&utm_content&utm_source

 

Get started training your nervous system with our FREE 2-week offer on the Brain Based Membership site:

https://www.rewiretrial.com

 

Connect with us on social media:

@trauma.rewired

 

Join the Trauma Rewired Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/761101225132846

FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: https://www.drinkag1.com/rewired

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

 

Dissociation is one way that our brain keeps us safe from things that may cause us stress or harm. Whether it’s a simple moment of daydreaming or constant state of dissociation in an abusive relationship, being cognitively and physically disconnected is not conducive to healing.

 

During this episode of Trauma Rewired, Jennifer and Elisabeth discuss the spectrum of dissociation and how it can affect the interoceptive system, or how we process and send information to the brain. They go over the symptoms of dissociation, sharing their personal experiences of dissociation related to childhood trauma.

 

Our survival brain sees healing as a threat, but there are ways to rehab the deficits in the nervous system to give more clear information to the brain, helping us to think and see more clearly. For example, training our interoceptive system can fight our hypersensitivity to threats and bring us out of disassociation.

 

To learn what tools can help you retrain your nervous system and the learned conditioned responses that are no longer serving you, tune in to this episode!

 

Topics discussed in this episode:

 

• Misconceptions about dissociation

• The definition of dissociation and its symptoms

• Dissociation as a protective mechanism

• How the interoceptive system works

• Dissociation and the freeze response

• How dissociation affects the body and how we feel pain

• The link to avoidance behavior

• Tools to bring yourself back from a state of dissociation

• Body dysmorphia and deficits in the visual system

• Living in the body to find a safe place to feel and heal

• Dissociation as an effect of peak somatic experiences

 

Learn more about the Neuro-Somatic Intelligence Coaching program and sign up for the spring cohort now! https://www.neurosomaticintelligence.com/?utm_medium=aff-traumarewired&utm_content&utm_source

 

Get started training your nervous system with our FREE 2-week offer on the Brain Based Membership site:

https://www.rewiretrial.com

 

Contact us about private Rewire Neuro-Somatic Coaching:

https://brainbased-wellness.com/rewire-private-neuro-somatic-coaching/

 

Connect with us on social media:

@trauma.rewired

 

Join the Trauma Rewired Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/761101225132846

FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: https://www.drinkag1.com/rewired

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

 

Shame

Season 03, Episode 19

If you listened to our episode on toxic shame last season, then you know that shame is a debilitating emotional response that keeps us from full self-expression. It represses other emotions and inhibits our verbal and non-verbal communication, becoming a barrier to our connection with others.

In this episode, hosts Jennifer and Elisabeth dive even deeper into the neurology of shame and how it impacts our health and relationships. They cover the link between shame and the trauma responses freeze and dissociation, the immunological effects of shame and guilt, and how shame keeps us isolated and drives protective behaviors in those with complex trauma.

Jennifer and Elisbeth also share their own experiences with shame, going into detail with the practices and tools they use to build the capacity in their nervous system and move shame through the body.

It’s incredibly difficult to feel secure and connected when you’re living life with an undercurrent of shame, but acceptance is the first step to addressing these issues. So tune in now to learn how you can start safely processing shame!

Topics discussed in this episode:

 

• Why shame is a necessary emotion

• How shame impacts self-expression

• The body’s somatic experience of shame

• The over coupling of shame during childhood sexual trauma

• How shame drives maladaptive survival behaviors

• The trauma of dissociation

• Working shame through the body

• How nervous system work has helped us work through shame

 

Listen to this episode on Toxic Shame from season 2 here: https://illuminatedwithjennifer.libsyn.com/toxic-shame-cptsd-component

https://pod.link/traumarewired

 

Get started training your nervous system with our FREE 2-week offer:

https://www.rewiretrial.com

 

Learn more about the Neuro-Somatic Intelligence Coaching program here: https://www.neurosomaticintelligence.com/?utm_medium=aff-traumarewired&utm_content&utm_source

 

Connect with us on social media:

@trauma.rewired

 

Join the Trauma Rewired Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/761101225132846

Head to https://brainbased-wellness.com/rewire-private-neuro-somatic-coaching/ for a consultation to identify trauma responses in your own life and learn how to train your nervous system to move out of behaviors that aren’t serving you!

 

FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: https://www.drinkag1.com/rewired

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

 

Last week, Trauma Rewired explored the neurology of narcissism, so this week we’re focusing on empathy. Matt Bush, co-lead educator of the Neuro Somatic Intelligence Training, is back on the show to help us dive deeper into why some people are highly empathic and how they can protect themselves from its overwhelming effects.

Believe it or not, empaths and narcissists have foundational similarities. Not only does the brain chemistry look the same, but empaths and narcissists both struggle with nervous system regulation and look to others to help them regulate their emotions. But whereas the narcissist avoids the emotions of others, empaths are deeply affected and have a physiological experience to the emotions of others on a subconscious level. This can lead to emotional fatigue, chronic stress, poor sense of self and more.

So what’s the difference between having empathy and being an empath, and how can you change subconscious behavior? In this episode, Elisabeth, Jennifer and Matt cover the signs of being an empath, the causes of elevated empathy, such as deficits in the interoceptive system, and how it impacts our overall health.

If you identify as an empath, tune in to learn about the power of nervous system regulation for changing harmful empath behavior!

Topics discussed in this episode:

 

• What it means to be an empath

• Empathy from a neurosomatic perspective

• Causes of high empathy

• Why being an empath isn’t always a good thing

• How deficits in the interoceptive system lead to empath behavior

• The correlation between sensory mismatch and empathy

• How to retain your empathic gifts and also prioritize yourself

• Nervous system regulation as a tool for change

 

 

Get started training your nervous system with our FREE 2-week offer:

https://www.rewiretrial.com

 

Learn more about the Neuro-Somatic Intelligence Coaching program here: https://www.neurosomaticintelligence.com/?utm_medium=aff-traumarewired&utm_content&utm_source

 

Connect with Matt Bush:

https://www.nextlevelneuro.com/a/2147666262/2U4AvzLR

 

Connect with us on social media:

@trauma.rewired

 

Join the Trauma Rewired Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/761101225132846

Head to https://calendly.com/traumarewired/consultation for a consultation to identify trauma responses in your own life and learn how to train your nervous system to move out of behaviors that aren’t serving you!

 

FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: https://www.drinkag1.com/rewired

This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

 

Disassociation is one way that our brain keeps us safe from things that may cause us stress or harm. Whether it’s a simple moment of daydreaming or constant state of dissociation in an abusive relationship, being cognitively and physically disconnected is not conducive to healing. 

During this episode of Trauma Rewired, Jennifer and Elisabeth discuss the spectrum of dissociation and how it can affect the interoceptive system, or how we process and send information to the brain. They go over the symptoms of dissociation, sharing their personal experiences of dissociation related to childhood trauma. 

Our survival brain sees healing as a threat, but there are ways to rehab the deficits in the nervous system to give more clear information to the brain, helping us to think and see more clearly. For example, training our interoceptive system can fight our hypersensitivity to threats and bring us out of disassociation. 

To learn what tools can help you retrain your nervous system and the learned conditioned responses that are no longer serving you, tune in to this episode! 

Topics discussed in this episode: 

● Misconceptions about dissociation 

● The definition of dissociation and its symptoms 

● Dissociation as a protective mechanism 

● How the interoceptive system works 

● Dissociation and the freeze response 

● How dissociation affects the body and how we feel pain 

● The link to avoidance behavior 

● Tools to bring yourself back from a state of dissociation 

● Body dysmorphia and deficits in the visual system 

● Living in the body to find a safe place to feel and heal 

● Dissociation as an effect of peak somatic experiences 

Claim your two FREE weeks:

https://rewiretrial.com 

 

FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use my exclusive offer: www.athleticgreens.com/rewired

 

Interested in becoming a Neurosomatic Intelligence Coach? Visit: 

www.neurosomaticintelligence.com

 

 

Have you been putting off sending that important email or having a difficult conversation? Thesecould be signs of freeze trauma response. Not taking action and procrastinating seems likeinnocent occurrences, because we all do it right? However, these can be seriously damaging to our lives and nervous systems.

The prolonged trauma that lives in our bodies that doesn’t have a chance to move through us
can wreak havoc in not only our lives but in our bodies. We have a hard time knowing when we
are in freeze response because it is so difficult to pinpoint because it gets roped in with
character attributes like laziness or dissociation.

Then why do we do this? Well, our brains are very good at protecting ourselves from real or
perceived threats, so they create these barriers to not put ourselves in situations where we
could potentially have an exaggerated stress response. Then we continue to procrastinate, and
go into numbing activities.

However, there is a way to move through this and design a life where procrastination isn’t the
norm, and we can live more fulfilling, healthier lives. Rewiring our bodies isn’t an easy task, but
the reward is exponential.

Tune in today to hear how you can move out of the freeze trauma response and into life!

Topics discussed in this episode:
● What is the freeze response?
● Why does the freeze response occur?
● What happens when someone stays in a freeze response?
● How dissociation falls under freeze response
● How working with the nervous system can help remedy freeze response
● Protective postures used in freeze response
● Interrupting the protective posture feedback loop
● Shame associated with freeze response
● Is freeze response related to depression?
● Importance of identifying and understanding freeze response

 

Claim your free two weeks here at https://www.rewiretrial.com.

We are live onsite three times a week to answer your questions and help you work with your nervous system. Get the tools to relieve your stress, burnout, and anxiety today!

 

Want to learn more about Neuro-Somatic Intelligence

https://neurosomaticintelligence.com/?utm_medium=aff-traumarewired&utm_content&utm_source

 

FREE 1 Year Supply of Vitamin D + 5 Travel Packs from Athletic Greens when you use
My exclusive offer: www.atheleticgreens.com/rewired

 

Connect with Jennifer & Elisabeth on Instagram!

https://www.instagram.com/trauma.rewired/

https://www.instagram.com/brainbased.wellness/