Session 2
Applying the brakes/Stabilization
When we apply the brakes, we apply a strategy to shift from the fight/flight/freeze back to our ventral vagal - Window of Capacity. This a key skill as it gives us a sense of agency over our fight - flight - freeze.. Remembering our car metaphor - it is not safe to put your foot on the accelerator unless you know how to use the brakes!
When we bring our attention to the here and now, the part of our brain, called neuroception, assesses relative safety. When we perceive enough safety in the present moment, we will return to the stabilization to our ventral vagal - Window of Capacity. Note, this is not thinking we are safe, rather, perceiving safety – feeling we are safe.
Examples of applying the brakes:
• Breathe in for a count of 5, hold for 6 then out for 7
• Notice and squeeze your arms and legs
• Orientating: Example: Noticing what you can hear and see in detail.
Practice for the week
Practice one of the applying the brakes strategies daily
Track your nervous system on your personal profile map
Resourcing
This is building our capacity to comfort and support ourselves. It’s connecting to anything that helps us feel better. Bringing attention to resources can expand and grow our capacity to be in our ventral vagal nervous system - to enter into the Window of Capacity. Some examples are: looking into your dog’s kind eyes, receiving a hug, having your hands in the soil, remembering your favourite beach, watching your child as they sleep, smelling a beautiful flower, listening to a Tūī sing, . You can be really creative.
Because we have a negative bias, it is a lot easier to connect to negativity than to what resources us. Trying to stay with a resource is like catching water in a sieve. It is vital that you not only identify your resources, but, fully connect to how it influences your nervous system. Drink it in like it was medicine. Resources bring balance to our nervous system. Resourcing is not avoidance – we are always going to move in and out of it. We want to use our resources to grow our sense of safety, using it as a foundation and a place that we can return to.
Resourcing can be another tool to apply the brakes. For example, you may be feeling anxious then bring to mind the resource of being at your favourite beach, which can restore your Window of Capacity.
Triggers
A trigger is a result of a stimulus challenge that is too great for the flexibility of your ventral vagal nervous system. When we get triggered, we move into the sympathetic nervous system and/or dorsal vagal nervous system. The challenge of being triggered is that we react rather than respond.
Neuroception
Neuroception is the way our autonomic nervous system takes in information. Neuroception responds to cues of danger and safety from the outside environment, inside our bodies, and between people.
What triggers the neuroception of danger?
1. Cues in the environment, e.g., bush fires, flooding rivers, earth quakes, attacking animals
2. Cues between people, e.g., tense facial expressions, angry tone of voice, body posture
3. Cues from our internal world, e.g., painful sensations, unpleasant memories, images
What triggers the neuroception of safety?
1. Cues in the environment, e.g., your favourite place, a beautiful sunset, your garden
2. Cues between people, e.g., warm tone of voice, smiling face, a hug
3. Cues from our internal world, e.g., pleasant memories, pleasant sensations
Memory Explicit
This is conscious intentional recollection of factual information, previous experiences and concepts. We believe explicit memory comes active around 18 month of age. There is little to no emotionality associated with explicit memory.
Procedural/implicit memory
Implicit memory is less conscious than explicit memory. Things that people don't purposely try to remember are stored in implicit memory. This kind of memory is both unconscious and unintentional.
Emotional memory: memory of the emotions you felt during an experience. For example, when a wave of shame or anxiety grabs you the next time you see your bicycle after the big fall.
Procedural memory: the memory of how to perform a common task without actively thinking. For example, you can ride a bicycle automatically, without having to stop and recall how it’s done.
Traumatic memory
Can be a combination of explicit and implicit memory. Often they are implicit memory, a feeling, without an explicit memory attached.
Identifying your Triggers
Helps us predict, manage and create shifts
Learn to respond rather than react and ‘act out’
Always need to restore ventral vagal first, before reflecting
Sometimes you may never know the ‘why’
Relational and Internal triggers are more subtle
Often just naming ‘I’m triggered’ helps
When filling out the worksheet under boxes 2 and 3 for triggers – write a headline, such as: an angry face, being disrespected, people being late, tone of voice, someone walking away/leaving
Helpful Resources
Anchored : How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory By Deborah Dana
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk
Mindsight by Daniel J. Siegel
The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
Calm App
Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine
The Call To Courage Netflix - Brene Brown - Netflix