HOW IT WORKS
REMISSION IS POSSIBLE!
Nervous system recovery coaching is designed to help those suffering from chronic symptoms and illnesses by addressing the root cause: nervous system dysregulation.
On this page we’ve answered the most common questions we receive about nervous system dysregulation and recovery.
UNDERSTANDING
NERVOUS SYSTEM DYSREGULATION
What is the Nervous System?
The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and nerve cells responsible for most automatic functions, from our thoughts and emotions to bodily functions like hormone production and organ regulation.
The nervous system has two main branches:
- Central Nervous System (CNS) is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is the decision-making headquarters that analyzes and responds to all the information it receives from the body via the spinal cord.
- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) includes all the nerves and nerve cells that branch out from the brain and spinal cord, such as the vagus and sciatic nerves. These nerves send information from our environment and the body to the brain.
Nervous system dysregulation occurs when a branch of the nervous system stops functioning as it should. This can lead to mysterious or unexplained symptoms (e.g., pain, fatigue or anxiety) and disruption in different bodily systems (e.g., immune system, digestive system or endocrine system).
The most common forms of nervous system dysregulation include:
- Central Sensitization: Increased sensitivity in the CNS, amplifying pain signals and causing persistent pain.
- Limbic System Impairment: Disruptions in the brain structures that regulate stress, emotions, and behavior, often leading to heightened survival responses of fight-flight-freeze-collapse.
- Dysautonomia: Imbalances in the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic branches of the Autonomic Nervous System, leading to chronic survival responses of fight-flight-freeze-collapse, often affecting different organs, glands and sensory processes.
Nervous system dysregulation can cause a wide range of issues, including:
- Chronic Symptoms: Pain, fatigue, dizziness, balance issues, skin rashes, or increased muscle tension and weakness.
- Neurological Symptoms: Tics, tremors, involuntary movements and non-epileptic seizures.
- Hormone Imbalances: Impacts different classes of hormones, including stress hormones, reproductive hormones and “happy” hormones.
- Organ Dysfunction: Affects various organs, including the heart, stomach or bladder.
- Immune System Problems: Leads to frequent infections, reactivation of dormant viruses, and/or autoimmunity.
- Lymphatic and Detoxification Issues: Swelling, inflammation, and toxin buildup.
- Mood Issues: Difficulty regulating emotions, feeling spaced out or dissociated, hopelessness, depression and anxiety.
- Cognitive Issues: Brain fog, memory loss, trouble finding words, intrusive thoughts and repetitive thought loops.
- Sensitivities: Increased sensitivity to foods, pollen, chemicals, electromagnetic fields, sunlight, wind, touch, temperature changes, pressure changes, lights, or sounds.
Examples of diagnoses that are related to nervous system dysregulation include:
- Chronic Pain Syndromes: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Burning Mouth Syndrome, Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome.
- Fatigue Syndromes: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome, Long Covid.
- Neurological Syndromes: Functional Neurologic Disorder, Functional Movement Disorder, Functional Seizures.
- Immune Disorders: Chronic Lyme Disease, Long Covid, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.
- Autonomic Disorders: Dysautonomia, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
- Sensory Sensitivities: Tinnitus, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Photophobia (sensitivity to lights), Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome, Allodynia.
- Gastrointestinal Issues: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gastroparesis, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).
Most people we have worked with began experiencing symptoms after a stressful event, which can be:
- Physical Stress: Injury, surgery or accident.
- Emotional Stress: Significant life event or trauma.
- Pathogen-based Stress: Bacterial, viral or parasitic infections.
- Toxin-based Stress: Exposure to mold, chemicals or pesticides.
It may seem that this one stressful event turned your life upside down. However, when we examine people’s life histories, we often find that the triggering event is the proverbial last straw that broke the camel’s back. Their nervous systems were in a state of constant threat and survival for years, sometimes all their lives.
When stress exceeds the nervous system's capacity to recover, chronic physical and emotional symptoms develop.
UNDERSTANDING
NERVOUS SYSTEM RECOVERY
What is the Nervous System approach to recovery?
Nervous system recovery coaching is a holistic approach that combines tools from different modalities to attain physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. This approach recognizes that our body, mind and spirit are interconnected, whether in health or illness.
The process of nervous system recovery involves learning strategies to bring your nervous system back to a state of “safety” and out of the constant “danger” mode.
When the nervous system perceives safety, it can return to its natural state of functioning. This shift moves the focus from immediate survival to long-term thriving. As a result, all bodily systems begin to function optimally again, and the bodily symptoms gradually disappear.
We combine both top-down and bottom-up approaches in our coaching, as their synergistic effects enhance recovery.
A top-down approach targets brain processes such as thoughts, beliefs, emotion processing, and memory processing to create "safety" in the Central Nervous System. This shift changes the body's biochemistry from stress to thriving, allowing bodily functions to return to their optimal state.
A bottom-up approach involves strategies to create "safety" in the body, such as breathwork, vagal toning, or stretching exercises. These techniques help the Peripheral Nervous System send messages of "safety" to the brain and spinal cord, stopping the survival response in the Central Nervous System.
We develop a personalized coaching plan for every individual we work with. Your plan will include tools from one or more therapies, adapted to target the "danger" response and promote nervous system regulation. Our coaching work is informed by the following therapies:
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT): Developed by Alan Gordon, PRT retrains the brain to interpret chronic pain signals as non-threatening, thereby reducing or eliminating them. We apply PRT principles to non-pain symptoms as well.
Parts Work (Inspired by Internal Family Systems Therapy): This approach views an individual as composed of multiple sub-personalities or "parts," each with its own perspective, motivation, and qualities. This trauma-informed approach fosters harmony among these parts, leading to greater self-awareness, emotional balance, and overall well-being.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps individuals identify and change inaccurate thoughts and beliefs to more realistic and helpful patterns. It offers life skills for "how to think," fostering self-acceptance and improving emotional and psychological well-being.
Self-Compassion Focused Therapy (SCFT): SCFT encourages individuals to treat themselves with kindness and understanding during times of suffering. By fostering self-compassion, this therapy helps reduce self-criticism and promotes emotional resilience and well-being.
Positive Psychology: The school of positive psychology has some amazing tools such as focusing on strengths, fostering optimism, and cultivating gratitude, which can enhance overall well-being. The principles of positive psychology encourage individuals to shift their focus from what's wrong to what's right, building resilience and promoting a more fulfilling life.
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT): Commonly referred to as “tapping”, EFT involves tapping on specific points on the body while focusing on an upsetting emotion, thought or physical sensation. This practice has been shown to regulate the nervous system, and reduce anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress.
Somatic Movement: These exercises involve gentle, mindful physical movements to release stored tension, emotions, and trauma in the body. By focusing on bodily sensations and promoting self-awareness, somatic movement helps regulate the nervous system and fosters emotional and physical healing.
Vagal Toning Exercises: Vagal toning exercises stimulate the vagus nerve, a crucial part of the Parasympathetic Nervous System. Techniques such as breathwork or cold exposure help establish optimal vagal tone, balancing the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic branches of the Autonomic Nervous System. These exercises promote relaxation, reduce stress, improve overall well-being, and regulate the nervous system.
Mindfulness Practices: Mindfulness involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. These practices foster a deeper connection with thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, promoting emotional well-being and happiness.
The nervous system approach to recovery is very gentle and well-paced, making it suitable even for highly sensitized nervous systems. However, our online coaching sessions require the use of an electronic device such as a phone, tablet, or laptop. If you are unable to use these devices or engage via video sessions, online coaching may not be the right fit for you.
Our clients have reported:
- Reduction in symptoms
- Greater emotional and physical resilience
- Increased functional capacity
- Improved quality of life
We are currently developing objective measures to assess improvements during and after the coaching process.
Eighty percent of our clients report some improvement within the first six sessions. The timeline for complete elimination of symptoms varies depending on multiple factors.
The more “dangers” perceived by the nervous system, the more pacing and patience is required. Common examples of “dangers” include:
- Multiple kinds of nervous system dysregulation
- Multiple bodily systems impacted
- Co-existing mental health issues
- Use and/or withdrawal from prescription medication
- Co-existing life stressors (e.g., interpersonal relationship issues)
- Self-depleting personality patterns (e.g., self-critical or perfectionist)
- Unhelpful thoughts and beliefs about yourself, your body, or recovery (e.g., “My body is broken, weak, or fragile.”)
- Unhelpful emotion processing styles (e.g., emotion suppression or labeling emotions as “bad” or “weak”)
- Unhelpful behavior patterns (e.g., isolating or withdrawing)
- Lack of helpful coping mechanisms
The best way to get started is by scheduling an initial session with the coach you feel is the right fit. This initial session is designed to assess your unique situation and determine if you and the coach are a good fit. During this time, you’ll be able to share your hopes, goals, and any questions you have.
If you and the coach mutually decide that you are a good fit, you’ll work together to create a personalized coaching plan.. We avoid a one-size-fits-all approach because everyone's nervous system, life experiences, and goals are unique. Therefore, the coaching work, session frequency, ongoing support plan, and any future adjustments will be tailored to your specific needs.
Take the first step toward healing by scheduling an initial session today. Together, we’ll explore how nervous system recovery coaching can help you overcome your chronic symptoms.
Eric helped me get my life back! Since working with him, I’ve seen real improvements in my chronic fatigue. My recovery hasn’t been linear, but having someone to talk to who has been through the same issues has made all the difference. His knowledge and experience have truly changed my life. I continue to get better and look forward to a life free from fatigue.
- Jim (ME/CFS)
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
Traditional medical treatments focus on treating specific body parts or symptoms. However, the body is an interconnected system—what happens in one area affects everything else.For example, gut health is closely linked to immune system health as well as mental health. The nervous system approach considers the body as a whole, incorporating these connections in treatment formulation.
Traditional treatments often focus on managing symptoms, not resolving them. In contrast, the nervous system approach targets the root cause of chronic symptoms—nervous system dysregulation—offering lasting relief.
Medical training programs often don’t emphasize chronic health issues like pain or fatigue in their curriculum. For example, 96% of medical schools in the US and UK, and around 80% in Europe, do not require a dedicated course in pain medicine.* This gap in education can hinder healthcare providers from offering optimal treatment.
The good news is that a growing number of practitioners are beginning to adopt the nervous system approach to treat chronic, unexplained symptoms. This includes physicians, functional medicine practitioners, chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, psychotherapists and health coaches.
We’re encouraged by this rising awareness and hope it will lead to more people receiving appropriate care, avoiding years of unnecessary suffering.
(*Research referenced: NCBI)
We know you might feel skeptical—it’s something we experienced firsthand. We saw doctors in three different countries, each time hoping for answers.
Instead, we were met with a series of prescriptions and procedures to manage symptoms, and, unfortunately, more of this same approach to counter the side effects of the first ones.
We want to be upfront: we’re not claiming to cure you. The truth is, your body already possesses the wisdom and capability to heal. Our role is to help remove the roadblocks that are keeping your nervous system stuck in a survival response, preventing the body from returning to its natural state of health and functioning.
By addressing the root cause—nervous system dysregulation—we support your body in finding its path to recovery. This approach may be different from what you’ve encountered with traditional treatments, but it’s grounded in the belief that your body is capable of healing itself.
Absolutely not. Your symptoms are very real, and you are not imagining them or creating them. While emotional and psychological stress play an important role in the development of your symptoms, they’re not the only factors contributing to the dysregulation of the nervous system. Physiological stressors, such as physical injuries, surgeries, infections, and toxins also play a crucial role.
Our recovery approach recognizes that chronic symptoms are neurogenic, meaning they originate from your brain and nervous system. By focusing on the health of the nervous system, we can address the root cause of your symptoms, offering you a more comprehensive and sustainable path to recovery.
We understand your concern because no two stories are exactly alike. The factors that lead to nervous system dysregulation vary greatly from person to person, as does the combination of symptoms and diagnoses. Everyone's journey is unique.
While the principle of nervous system recovery remains the same for everyone, the tools and strategies that work best will be different for each individual. We recognize and expect that each client will have nuances to their story that are unique to them. That’s why our coaching is highly personalized, tailored to fit your specific needs and circumstances. We’re here to help you find the right approach that works for you.
Take the first step by scheduling an initial session with one of our coaches. We’ll work together to find out how nervous system recovery can help you overcome your chronic symptoms.
Throughout my 12-year journey of chronic pain and fatigue, I have always been proactive in seeking psychological support. However, it wasn't until I started working with Nisha that it all started to make sense for me. None of my previous therapists had ever connected the dots between my childhood trauma, chronic viral infections, neuroplastic changes in the brain, and my symptoms. It was an “aha” moment for me! Nisha truly understands chronic pain and fatigue, both from the lens of her personal experiences and her professional background in mental health and pain neuroscience. I am so glad that I decided to try out coaching with Nisha. It has been a mind-blowing experience!
- Paul (CRPS, CFS)
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Nervous System Dysregulation
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