Stress lives in your body…not just in your head.
We often treat stress as ‘just mental’, but it shows up in our:
Shoulders and jaw
Gut and breath
Sleep, skin, immune response
Chronic stress reshapes how our autonomic nervous system responds to the world.
It creates wear-and-tear known as allostatic load – a concept first introduced by neuroscientist Bruce McEwen and expanded by Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory.
Your body becomes a memory bank for the things your mind can’t process alone.
That tight chest? That shallow breath?
They’re not in your head – They’re messages from your nervous system.
Healing begins with listening.
Sources:
- McEwen, B. S. (1998) Allostatic load
- Porges, S. W. (2011) Polyvagal Theory
- Van der Kolk, B (2014) The body keeps the score
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