13/08/2024
Before revisiting past events—because talking about them makes us relive them—we need to build up our ability to stay present in our body. This requires taking things step by step, using various resources to guide us. By sharing a small part, feeling the activation, and then returning to the present with something comforting, we gradually teach our nervous system to return to safety and resilience.
Nervous system capacity refers to our nervous system’s ability to process stress and return to a calm state. It’s not about avoiding stress but having the flexibility to regulate and bounce back. Trauma can overwhelm us, leading to a freeze response, making it hard for our system to recover and affecting our capacity.
To help us heal, we need to focus on increasing our capacity through body awareness and using somatic resources. Without this, just talking about trauma won’t help. Understanding nervous system capacity is key to overcoming dysregulation and trauma’s impact.