I really liked the concept that trauma is anything that overwhelms the nervous system…it was a gentler and broader viewpoint than I had learned in the past– and that continues to help me with my own inner work and with client work. I had some periods of frustration here and there in the learning curve, that were just related to my wanting to master it all NOW (my own impatience, longstanding with learning new stuff..!) I appreciated Irene’s constant emphasis to go slowly and respect our bodies, and that going too fast was counterproductive. Now when my mind says “keep going”, I try to listen to what my physiology is saying, because I realize it’s the TRUE indicator of my stress level.
I’ve also adapted the exercises to do in various situations throughout my day as a way of LIVING the material more and more– and through that, I believe I’m doing constant little bits of rewiring….I live differently and there’s no going back! I even had a concrete example when my startle response was much less severe than it has been for years, and I came ‘down’ from it really quickly by using what I’ve learned.
I see so much more in what’s happening in my clients now. I feel like I now see everything through the ‘lens’ of the nervous system state and past trauma, and it has really opened my awareness and filled in things I could not quite grasp previously. I am SO grateful to Irene for all she is doing in this field. It has been –and will continue to be– a life-changing piece for me in my health recovery and in my overall quality of life.
