In this episode of Trauma Rewired, hosts Jennifer Wallace and Elisabeth Kristof are joined by Matt Bush as they unpack anxiety. The conversation starts with an exploration of how neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD and autism impact executive functioning, sensory processing, and create hypersensitivities that lead to emotional overwhelm. They highlight the importance of self-assessment and retraining of sensory systems to better manage these challenges. Elisabeth Kristof further connects developmental and complex trauma to nervous system responses, noting how trauma shapes our interpretation of signals and can keep individuals in a constant state of fight, flight, or freeze. Jennifer Wallace emphasizes the crucial aspect of self-awareness and deep self-knowledge in managing anxiety, advocating for practices that foster body awareness, emotional expression, and self-regulation. Anxiety is not just a mental disorder but a physiological response emanating from sensory mismatches and respiratory inefficiencies. Chronic hyperventilation, for example, sends constant threat signals to the brain, keeping the nervous system on high alert. Through regular neuro training and specific breathing exercises, individuals can better regulate their nervous systems and reduce anxiety. Let’s reframe anxious thoughts and use cognitive tools to consider positive outcomes, thereby preventing the negative spiral of anxiety and trauma. Discuss the tangible benefits of applying neurosomatic principles to everyday life. Explore sensory mismatches, emphasizing the need to address deficits in visual, vestibular, somatosensory, and interoceptive systems to alleviate anxiety. We advocate for ongoing self-assessment and retraining as ways to establish a new baseline of wellness. Topics discussed in this episode: Impact of Neurodivergence Trauma and Nervous System Responses Self-Assessment and Sensory Retraining Role of Chronic Hyperventilation Anxiety as a Physiological State Cognitive Reframing of Anxiety Female-Specific Anxieties Sensory Mismatch and Anxiety Neurosomatic Intelligence is Enrolling now! Book your Discovery call: https://calendly.com/traumarewired/nsi-discovery-call-with-jennifer Ready to transform Anxiety? Join lead NSI educator Matt Bush for an in-depth workshop where we peel back the layers of anxiety’s complexities and reveal the pathway to lasting relief. https://neurosomaticintelligence.com/rewireanxiety/ Get started training your nervous system with our FREE 2-week offer: https://www.rewiretrial.com If you would like to WATCH the episode and/or have closed captions, check out our TraumaRewired YOUTUBE Channel https://www.youtube.com/@TraumaRewired 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 Full Disclaimer 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
Anxiety is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States.
It affects about 18% of adults, and it's one of the topics that we get the most questions about on our Facebook group, on the brain based site, and something we really love to explore in NSI.
So for this season of trauma rewired, as we're diving into the intersections of mental health, nervous system health, and complex trauma, this is an incredibly important foundational conversation to really start to understand how our lived experiences pattern our nervous system responses and create the physical, the mental, the emotional outputs that impact our health, our well being, and our relationships.
So excited to dive into this conversation today.
Welcome to Trauma Rewired, the podcast that teaches you about your nervous system, how trauma lives in the body, and what you can do to heal.
I'm your co host, Elizabeth Christoph.
I'm the founder of Brainbase.com comma, an online platform where we train the nervous system to rehabilitate input systems, resolve trauma, and change behavior.
And today we're joined again with Matt Bush and Jennifer Wallace, our other co host.
Hi, I'm Jennifer Wallace.
I'm a neurosomatic psychedelic preparation and integration guide, bridging the powerful modalities of medicine with your nervous system.
And I'm also an educator for the neurosomatic intelligence certification program.
I'm Matt Bush, one of the owners of next level neuro.
I'm also an NSI instructor with Elizabeth and Jen.
So thanks for having me on the podcast today.
All right, this is a big topic.
Before we were getting into this, Jen and I were talking about having some of our own anxiety going into this conversation.
It's one of the first recordings we've done for this season.
So there's always living the work that we're talking about.
And when we're talking about anxiety, I think it's important to mention for people that it can show up in many different forms.
We think about this traditional manifestation of anxiety as panic attacks or hyperventilation, the racing heart, the sweaty palms.