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A dysregulated nervous system is the most confining prison that can trap you. But if you can understand the bodily cues of safety and danger, you can learn how to regulate your responses and harness the most effective key to free your mind. According to Polyvagal theory, your autonomic nervous system can spot cues of danger or safety by analyzing voices, facial expressions, and other bodily movements. When you hear the right intonation or pitch in someone’s voice, for example, you can sense whether that person is safe or unsafe. If your nervous system senses danger, it will make your body feel or do certain things. For example, your heart rate might increase, or you might feel sweaty or shaky, and you might be unable to concentrate on anything but the danger. If your nervous system senses safety, your heart rate will slow down, your muscles will relax, and you will be able to concentrate on other things. Your autonomic nervous system can be useful when there is a need to spot danger. But if there is a misalignment between your nervous system and reality, if you sense danger when there is none, you can end up trapped from within. Your nervous system becomes your prison, and you can end up having panic attacks or feeling jumpy, or give up and withdraw altogether because you just don’t feel safe. Would you like to learn how Polyvagal theory can help you? Check out this new page.
This Thanksgiving, you might find it helpful to understand that your body and mind are responding in a certain way because it is responding to cues of danger or safety. In this article, I explain how Polyvagal theory can help us to understand this in a non-judgmental way. Listen to your body and mind, and go gently. If you need extra help this Thanksgiving, here is a video showing some of the techniques I share with my clients. If you need to explore this more, get in contact. Chris Warren-Dickins Psychotherapist in Ridgewood, New Jersey |
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Psychotherapy in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Covering Bergen County, Essex County, Morris County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Sussex County, Passaic County, Union County, Somerset County, Warren County, Cumberland County, Hunterdon County, Ocean County, Atlantic County, Salem County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Cape May County, Camden County, Burlington County, and Monmouth County.
Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, I am only offering sessions online.
My mailing address is 235 Orchard Place, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Telephone: +1-201-779-6917
Lead clinician: Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC
Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, I am only offering sessions online.
My mailing address is 235 Orchard Place, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Telephone: +1-201-779-6917
Lead clinician: Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC
© COPYRIGHT 2025 CHRIS WARREN-DICKINS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NJ LICENCE # 37PC00618700