AM Mind Your Body

AM Mind Your Body Group programs and movement classes to connect body & mind and sustainably manage stress

Unpopular truth: There’s no shortcut to recovering from chronic stress, trauma, burnout, or any condition related a dysr...
28/04/2026

Unpopular truth:

There’s no shortcut to recovering from chronic stress, trauma, burnout, or any condition related a dysregulated nervous system.

We all want quick fixes, the easiest and fastest way to heal. And there’s certainly an abundance of influencers / ‘coaches’ / self-proclaimed ‘trauma experts’ out there who might like to tell you they can “fix” your issues in no time 🫰

My advice: please please check their credentials and how they claim to achieve that. Because if something seems too good to be true, it probably is…🙅‍♀️

In reality (and I say this as both a Clinical Psychologist having worked in this field since 2008 and a trauma informed yoga teacher and somatic therapist), we need both:

✅ The theory & talk therapy ➕the mind-body work.

✅ Understanding how the nervous system works ➕ working with it (somatically)

✅ Getting to know your patterns ➕learning practical ways to change the ones that have become maladaptive

✅ Psychological flexibility ➕ nervous system flexibility

Just like nutrition ➕ exercise improves your fitness and strength 💪🏼


24/04/2026

One from the archives, and still (doubly) relevant 🦋 🙌🏼 🦋

Because the butterfly hug can be two things, depending on how you use it.

As a self-soothing practice, it’s simple and grounding.
Arms crossed over your chest, hands resting on your upper arms, gently tapping left–right in a slow rhythm.

The combination of touch and repetition can help your body settle, giving your nervous system something steady to anchor into when things feel overwhelming.

In EMDR, the same movement becomes more intentional.

In my clinical practice I use the left–right tapping as bilateral stimulation to support the brain in processing and integrating difficult experiences. And what’s more, sometimes I ask my clients to follow a range of different tapping patterns, at which point the function is about “taxing the working memory”. This is aimed at helping the brain reorganise and makes sense of what’s been stored.

Same gesture. Different purpose.

One is about soothing in the moment.
The other is about processing and integration.
Both meet the nervous system exactly where it is.

Bessel van der Kolk’s work, particularly through The Body Keeps the Score, has deeply influenced how I understand trauma...
21/04/2026

Bessel van der Kolk’s work, particularly through The Body Keeps the Score, has deeply influenced how I understand trauma.

His book came out in 2014, and before then it was quite radical to see “trauma” as not just as something we think about, but something we carry. In the body. In the nervous system. In the patterns that show up long after the event has passed.

It’s this understanding that underpins my work every day.

Which is why my approach is not just talking about trauma, but helping people gently come back into relationship with their bodies.

Supporting regulation, not just insight. Creating spaces where healing isn’t about pushing through, but about learning to feel safe again.

To meet someone whose work has so profoundly shaped your own approach is a rare kind of privilege.

And yes… there was definitely a little fangirling too haha😁🤍

There’s this misconception that a “regulated nervous system” means being calm all the time.But biologically, that’s not ...
19/04/2026

There’s this misconception that a “regulated nervous system” means being calm all the time.

But biologically, that’s not the goal.

A healthy nervous system is responsive, adaptive, and flexible. It means being able to move between activation and settling, without getting stuck.

Even physiologically, we see this in things like heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of how adaptable your nervous system is.

This is what we’re really working towards in therapy, yoga, and nervous system work:

Not perfection.
Not constant calm.

But capacity.

Meditation has been widely adopted into Western health and clinical spaces, often as a go-to for stress, anxiety, and ev...
17/04/2026

Meditation has been widely adopted into Western health and clinical spaces, often as a go-to for stress, anxiety, and even trauma.

And to be clear:
There is evidence to support its use.

Research* shows meditation can lead to meaningful reductions in anxiety symptoms, particularly when compared to no treatment or minimal intervention. It can also perform similarly to other active treatments in some contexts.

But that’s only part of the story.

Much of this research has been conducted in non-clinical or mildly distressed populations, in structured settings, with guidance and support.

That’s very different from how meditation is often recommended in real-world practice.

And importantly: meditation isn’t risk-free.

Some people may experience increased anxiety, dissociation, emotional overwhelm, and reactivation of traumatic memories.

From a nervous system perspective, this makes sense.
Stillness. Internal focus. Reduced external orientation.

These are not universally regulating conditions, particularly for trauma-affected clients.

So the question isn’t just: “Does meditation work?”

It’s:

* Who is it for?
* When is it appropriate?
* What adaptations are needed?
* And how are we holding its cultural and spiritual origins?

Because when we extract practices without context (and apply them universally) we risk moving away from both clinical integrity and cultural humility.

And (just like ice baths) it’s not one-size-fits-all.

*For those interested in the research, see references in the comments)

If you’ve been feeling rushed, stressed, anxious, burned out and want to help calm your nervous system - think small ste...
08/04/2026

If you’ve been feeling rushed, stressed, anxious, burned out and want to help calm your nervous system - think small steps.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life, start with simple(ish) behavioral modifications and see what works.

Because calm is shaped in the in-between moments,
how you move through your day
when no one’s watching.

Most of us live on autopilot:
scrolling, rushing, avoiding, pushing through.

Mindfulness gently interrupts that.

The aim here is NOT to make you perfectly calm,
but to make you more present and aware.

And from there, things start to shift.

What’s one small swap you could try today?

(P.S. The mindful eating part is good fun. Try eating with your eyes closed and you’ll be surprised how much your sense of taste switches on 🤓)

As a Clinical Psychologist I see the effects of this every day in my practice. And I’m certainly guilty of these 5 nervo...
06/04/2026

As a Clinical Psychologist I see the effects of this every day in my practice. And I’m certainly guilty of these 5 nervous system drains too!

The risk is those draining patterns you repeat every day might feel “normal” but they’re not neutral.

They shape your baseline physiology over time.

Nervous system regulation isn’t about hacks or quick fixes.

And it’s not about doing more 🙅‍♀️

It’s about building a different relationship with your internal bodily cues, and understanding your patterns.

Small, consistent shifts matter.
Because your body is always adapting to the environment you create.

DM or comment “Regulate” for a sneak peek of our program.

02/04/2026

There’s time to study, and work, and “be productive”. For sure.

And there needs to be time to just ‘be’.

To enjoy early morning beach walks, watching the waves, smelling the salty sea breeze, feeling the sand underneath my feet.

My recent trip to the reminded me of that.

I didn’t take many pictures, intentionally left my phone back at my accommodation.

No watch, no time pressure, no plans.

Letting the day unfold. Yes, there was but my mind and body needed rest.

And my own experience of has taught me the importance of early

So here it is, my reflection on exactly that - being is enough 🤍

Easter long weekend = a good time to pause 🐣 Whatever meaning Easter holds for you, this long weekend is a chance to slo...
31/03/2026

Easter long weekend = a good time to pause 🐣

Whatever meaning Easter holds for you, this long weekend is a chance to slow down, move your body, and reset your nervous system.

Unwind, reconnect, gently energise - we are here!

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