Why Mindset Strategies Don't Always Work: A Trauma-Informed Perspective on Anxiety
Why Mindset Strategies Don't Always Work: A Trauma-Informed Perspective on Anxiety
For so long we’ve thought of the body and the brain as separate entities; where the brain is a command centre in charge of what’s happening in our body. The story then follows that if we can just think differently, then we will feel better. This can trigger a lot of shame for people who find that top-down strategies such as mindset work or affirmations are not effective in managing their anxiety.
In this episode, Jessica unpacks the latest neuroscience which shows that the brain and body are inseparable, and in fact 80% of the vagus nerve fibers are running from the body up to the brain. This is why bottom-up techniques, which use the sensory systems of the body, are so often the ‘missing piece of the puzzle’ for recovery from chronic stress and trauma.
If we want to be trauma-informed in our organisations, institutions and communities, then we need a paradigm shift that integrates both top-down and bottom-up approaches for nervous system regulation. Listen in to join the revolution!
Takeaways
The autonomic nervous system is the bridge between the brain and body, influencing our survival responses.
Traumatic stress can lead to dysregulation in the nervous system, causing anxiety, shutdown, and dissociation.
The bottom-up approach focuses on sensory information from the body to regulate the survival brain.
The top-down approach involves mindset and cognitive strategies to regulate the nervous system.
Integrating bottom-up and top-down approaches is crucial for expanding the window of tolerance and promoting healing.
If you’d like to learn more about interoception, head to nervoussystemschool.com/mindset to access your free training video.
You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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