09/08/2026
Ever tried to meditate or "think positively" when you were in a full-blown panic? It rarely works.
That’s because when your "higher-order" brain is offline, you can’t access logic or meditation. You have to start with the body.
The Two Approaches:
Top-Down: Using mindfulness, meditation, and cognitive reframing. These are wonderful, but they require your "thinking brain" to be online first.
Bottom-Up: Using your senses, movement, touch, and breath. This is how we bring the "thinking brain" back online when it’s gone offline.
At our centre, we often start bottom-up. By regulating the body first, we create the safety needed for the mind to follow. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don't try to "think" your way out—try to "move" or "breathe" your way back to yourself. 🌿