Dysregulated Faith

In this series of Dysregulated Faith, Sandra Littlejohn explores how six biblical characters—each caught in moments of intense pressure—exhibit the full range of human stress responses: fight, flight, freeze, fawn, flop, and frenzy. Through a trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming lens, we examine how they can speak directly to our nervous systems today. Connect with Sandra: Email: sandra@dy...

Welcome to Dysregulated Faith—a space for those who love Jesus but find themselves stuck in survival mode. I’m Sandra Littlejohn: parenting coach, writer, neurodivergent mom, and someone who understands what it’s like to follow Christ with a constantly buzzing nervous system. In this first series, we explore the six core stress responses—fight, flee, freeze, fawn, flop, and frenzy—not as moral fai...

In Dysregulated Faith, we’re talking about what it means to follow Jesus while living with a nervous system that’s often on high alert. I’m Sandra Littlejohn—parenting coach, writer, neurodivergent mom—and in this series, we’re unpacking the six core stress responses as survival strategies, not spiritual shortcomings. Today’s focus is Flee: the instinct to escape danger, avoid confrontation, or ge...

In Dysregulated Faith, we explore what it’s like to love Jesus while living with a nervous system that’s often in survival mode. I’m Sandra Littlejohn—parenting coach, writer, neurodivergent mom—and in this series, we’re reframing the six core stress responses as remarkable survival strategies, not spiritual failures. Today’s focus is Freeze: that paralyzing stillness when neither fight nor flight...

The fawn response is a survival strategy that seeks safety by appeasing others—staying agreeable, meeting expectations, and avoiding conflict at all costs. In the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother does everything “right” but is quietly resentful, longing for recognition. We’ll explore how this reflects a nervous system wired for harmony over honesty, and how God invites us into connec...

The flop response is the body’s way of conserving energy when stress feels overwhelming—collapsing, withdrawing, or going numb to survive. Early in Esther’s story, she hides her identity and avoids taking action, even when called to courage. We’ll look at how her hesitance mirrors our own moments of shutdown and how God meets us in stillness, giving us the strength to act when the time is right. Y...

The frenzy response is overactivity in overdrive—overworking, overcommitting, and over-preparing to try to keep danger or disapproval at bay. In Luke 10, Martha is “worried and upset about many things,” missing the peace available at Jesus’ feet. We’ll discuss how this pattern keeps us from true rest and how God calls us out of frantic striving into grounded presence. You’ll hear: The nervous syst...