Regulating our nervous system
We have two nervous systems that make up our survival response. Our sympathetic nervous system ( fight-flight-freeze-fawn) and our parasympathetic nervous system (rest and restore/rest an digest).
Our fight-flight-freeze-fawn is designed to be activated in short bursts when a physical threat is in front of us, and when the threat has passed, our rest and restore nervous system is supposed to take over, promoting a state of recovery.
There are three reasons why this system doesn’t work so well in modern society. First, we have evolved to worry about the future and ruminate on the past, meaning that we now are under constant threat. Secondly, the system is designed for physical threats like running from a tiger, not the mental stressors we face today. Lastly, the system can not tell the different between a thought/memory and what is actually happening, meaning that our fight flight can now activated via thinking.
Fight-flight response creates lots of physical changes. Our heart rate increases, blood supply goes away from the organs we don't need, breathing rate changes, and the mind races. If we aren't actually in danger, this results in feeling dizzy, nausea, pins and needles, jelly legs, heart palpitations and tight chest. Manifesting in todays society as anxiety, agitation, and anger.
Freeze is our primal instinct to play dead when fight/flight is no longer an option. The body shuts down and goes heavy. In todays society, this translates into lethargy, low motivation and low mood.
Cold water exposure does activate our fightflight but the trick is that it is a short physical threat which the system is designed for. The aim is to learn how to activate our rest and restore nervous system whilst in the water through controlling our breath and the attention of mind. A skill we can then apply to other stressful situations.
the mind
Our mind is designed to alert us to potential dangers. In the olden days, If there was a noise in the trees, we would run ''just in case'' .Translate this to the modern world. Your mind will tell you your worse fear based on what you value the most ''don’t do that you'll look stupid'', ''you’re not doing good enough job'', ''they don't like you'' , ''your selfish'' , ''what If worse case does happen'', ''what if it’s all your fault?'', '' what if you fail?’’. This is the survival part of our brain talking. These thoughts are not facts. It is just the mind being over protective.
We could be thinking for half an hour before we even realise, & by this time, we have had the physical and emotional reaction. We then get annoyed at ourselves ''why you being so irrational?'', '' why you being so negative?'', '' why can’t you just think positive?'' . This is the more human part of our brain talking.
We cannot always control what the mind says, but we do hold the power to learn which thoughts we believe and let dictate what we do. We do not have to believe them, argue with them or get tangled in them. We can learn to notice the thoughts and bring our attention back to the present moment.
Mission statement
There's a noticeable gap between traditional talk therapies and somatic approaches. While talk therapies are widely accessible through NHS commissioning, not everyone seeks therapy. Moreover, there's a stigma attached to somatic therapies, often viewed as unconventional or "woo woo," deterring logical-minded individuals.
I aim to bridge this divide and bring wellness to a range of people. Theflowhub will be able to tailor events for different needs, ranging from corporate business events to people looking to be part of a community, to people who wanting to improve wellbeing.
Using my background in mental health alongside somatic techniques, I aim to merges these approaches, offering a holistic solution that combines therapeutic knowledge with somatic experiences.
My passion stems from the belief that both talk therapies and somatic practices hold immense value, yet not everyone accesses them. By destigmatizing these approaches and making them more accessible, I hope to reach a wider audience and promote wellness from both perspectives.