Beyond Surviving with Rachel Grant

What is interoception and how does developing this ability impact the brain? So glad you asked! In this episode, we explore this concept of interoception and all of the benefits to the brain of increasing our awareness of our internal states! #beyondsurviving #coachrachelsays #nervoussystemregulation #interoception #internalawareness #emotionalregulation #amygdala #insula #incestsurvivor #hippocam...

Did you know that there is a breathing technique that can boost your energy? Indeed there is - let's practice the power breath! #beyondsurviving #energized #traumatoolkit #coachrachelsays #powerbreath #somatichealing #ptsd #childhoodtrauma #metoo #breathingtechnique #nervoussystemregulation #emotionalawareness #bodyawareness #concentration #attention #reducestress #movement #energizingyou Support...

Today we are going to explore the benefits of bringing some moving into a breathing practice (particularly great for children, adolescents, and those with ADHD) because it does not require the body to be still! Give it a try and notice the simultaneous calming and energizing effects of this practice. #beyondsurviving #adhd #traumatoolkit #coachrachelsays #movingbreath #somatichealing #ptsd #childh...

In today's video, I walk you step by step through the Body Breath Meditation. This is a powerful visualization, because it combines a variety of the breathing techniques we been learning in this series to address multiple trauma symptoms, such as interoception, diaphragmatic breathing, right hemisphere activation, and positive emotion induction. Get comfy and enjoy! #beyondsurviving #traumatoolkit...

Did you know that extending exhalations leads to "longer parasympathetic (relaxation response) activation? Well indeed it does --- and that's a helpful thing to know, because that means we can use prolonged exhalation to help ground and self-soothe. Follow along and practice this 5-5-8-2 Breath technique and see if you notice a difference when you slow down your exhale! #beyondsurviving #coachrach...

Did you know that throughout your day, each nostril "takes turns being open or stuffy, and this is related to brain activity"?! In this Balanced Brain Breath practice, we balance activation of the two hemispheres of the brain by alternating breathing through one nostril at a time. Try it out! #coachrachelsays #beyondsurviving #traumatoolkit #breathingtechnique #balancedbrain #somatichealing #stres...

This 5-Count Breath Technique I share with you today incorporates counting and visualization as a way to support the breathing practice and helps you stay focused, so you can reap all of the deep benefits of breathing from the diaphragm. #coachrachelsays #traumatoolkit #beyondsurviving #somatichealing #deepbreath #presence #grounding #destress Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-su...

If you have difficulty breathing slowly, deeply, or run out of breath too soon, the ocean can be your guide to help you lengthen your breath and intensify the relaxation response. This Ocean Breath technique is accomplished by constricting the epiglottis (the epi-what?! - yeah, me too, totally learned some anatomy here!). Check out this guided breathing exercise --- and feel the calming, soothing...

Do you know the 3 poses that most support diaphragmatic breathing? Well, I'm here to share them with you! Breathing through the diaphragm helps us to activate the vagus nerve, which stimulates the relaxation response. This type of breathing will help you come out of states of activation, but it's also a great practice to incorporate into your day to day to strengthen and nurture your nervous syste...

Did you know that there are four important and useful ways that focused breathing changes the brain? Today we explore how using breath to change the brain can help you "reduce and better manage post-trauma symptoms, including arousal and reactivity, trauma re-experiencing, and negative alterations in cognition and mood symptoms." (excerpt from Trauma Treatment Toolbox) #coachrachelsays #beyondsurv...

Ever had someone say to you, “Just take a deep breath” and everything inside of you just wants to backhand them?! I certainly have had that experience. And yet – this is pretty solid advice because focused diaphragmatic breathing is one of the most immediate (and most accessible) ways to activate the vagus nerve, which serves as an amazing “chill out” button for our system when pressed. Tune in to...

Did you know that love can be a powerful antidote to activation?!  One of the amazing things about accessing the feeling of love is that it causes the brain to release oxytocin, which is a powerful hormone that is even sometimes referred to as the "love drug".  This hormone is also a neurotransmitter, and so when released sends all sorts of "feel good" signals to the brain and nervous sy...

There is one thing I know to be absolutely true....we ALL have fears! Fear is a powerful feeling. It can move us to get out of the way of danger, warn us when there is a threat, activate our spidey-senses. Unfortunately, fear can also be paralyzing and cause us to miss out on so much. Let's explore how to be with this feeling and transition out of the energy of fear (particularly when there is no...

When we get angry, the nervous system is cued for fight or flight. Sometimes, what is igniting our anger has nothing to do with a present day injury, slight, injustice, or insult. Rather, the brain/body has picked up on something that cues a historical trauma and we are off our head before we know it. Expanding our capacity to be with anger as it arises, to pendulate from dysregulation back to reg...

Being able to notice and identify the common thoughts you tend to have when yo are distressed is a key skill to develop. This will afford you the opportunity to slow down, challenge negative patterns of thought, and get back in the driver's seat. You do not have to immediately believe the thoughts you have. Let's explore some ways to identify distressing thoughts! #coachrachelsays #neuroscienceoft...

Being able to tune into your body and notice the shifts and changes in your sensations and energy plays a vital role in healing. The more we are connected with the body, the better able we are to identify sensations that are tied to distress and activation and thus be better equipped to drop in and do some regulation before our system is too out of whack. #coachrachelsays #neuroscienceoftrauma #pe...

One of the most damaging outcomes of trauma is that our capacity to cope with stress becomes limited due to our nervous system being all out of whack. This takes a toll on us as day after day we walk out into the world, face life's challenges, and feel like the littlest thing can tip us over the edge. The good news is, we can build our capacity to cope with stress and to stay grounded so that we c...

I share with you a strategy for being able to gauge when you are reaching your boiling point - the level of distress at which your stress level becomes unmanageable. This is critical so that you can slow down when doing trauma healing work, when communicating or interacting with others, or when doing any self-guided healing work. You DO NOT want to go past your boiling point! I also share about ho...

Did you know that there are levels of distress? As survivors of trauma, we often end up thinking in very black and white terms … and this can then cause us to categorize any distress we are feeling as super problematic. By growing your awareness about the different levels of distress, you will be better able to regulate your nervous system and maintain perspective as you are navigating the day to...

It may seem counterintuitive - but one way to expand your capacity for emotional and nervous system regulation is to actually intentionally go into states of dysregulation (like ya gotta hop on the ride in order to learn how to navigate getting off!). Now it's important that you do this with support and using very specific strategies - two of which I talk about here --- pendulation and titration!...

I share about the three types of healing modalities - top, bottom, horizontal. It's important to understand the different entry points for healing and to build a toolkit that has a variety of tools while also identifying which modalities you are most drawn to! I also share a bit about neuroplasticity - so if you've ever been stuck feeling like things are just never going to change - be sure to tun...

I share about the amygdala, insula, hippocampus, pre-frontal cortex, and cingulate cortex. When we experience trauma - these parts of the brain are impacted and lead to specific trauma symptoms. #coachrachelsays #beyondsurviving #neuroscience #activation #fear #nervoussytem #hippocampus #brainbasedhealing Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-surviving . Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...

Get a little sneak peak into what I have in store for you in Season 11! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/beyond-surviving . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is it y'all! The final episode in our series and it's a good one! Now is the time to take it all in! Another year of life has flown by, full of all sorts of things - the good, the bad, the fulfilling, the draining, the satisfying, the depressing, and on and on. The final invitations this week are to find stillness, balance, harmony. To rejoice in both your mistakes and your achievements. And...

The holiday season can be a dissonant one for so many. Good memories. Bad memories. A whole mixed bag. This year, let your inner child be in charge of the planning! Choose what is best for you without fear or obligation. Decide what you would like this season to be for you and create it! What a powerful way to love and reparent your inner child by giving them the holiday they always wanted! #beyon...