Nervous system tending
India Harville, M.A. Disability Justice Activist
ABOUT ME Multiply Disabled Disability Justice Activist Somatic Trainer and Bodyworker Teach this work, because I need this work Shifting some things about how I approach this work
OPENING QUOTE “Colonialism has taught us to fear our own wildness. To fear bodies that don’t neatly follow the rules. But liberation lives in the cracks - in the screams that were never meant to be swallowed, in the shaking that was never meant to be stilled, in the refusal to be digestable” -Pat Duggan, Founder, Liberatory Wellness Network
A NOTE ON NOW There is no one right way to be, feel, react, in times like these Many of us are navigating C-PTSD and/or intergenerational trauma Indigenous conceptions of trauma may resonate more for folks ethnostress, historical trauma, soul loss, soul wounding, colonial trauma response, genocide response These are a natural response to living in these times The tools I am offering today are NOT for pacifying us to these realities, but instead to resource us for resisting
Stefanie Lyn Kaufman Mthimkhulu, Founder Project Let’s
MY ORIENTATION TO THIS WORK Everyone's nervous system is different ALL of our survival strategies are brilliant and should NOT be shamed You are the EXPERT on your own bodymind There is a lot of wisdom in this room that I invite into the conversation My aim is to expand your toolbox and give you more access to choice I teach this work because I need to learn this work
OVERVIEW OF TONIGHT Glimmer Journaling Breakout Room/Solo Time Rest/Restore Moment Practices Part I Guidelines/Invitations Awareness BREAK Practices Part II Freeze, Rest/Restore Flight/Flight, Rest/Restore Fawn, Rest/Restore Breakout Room/Solo Time Closing
GLIMMER NOTEBOOK Glimmers are the opposite of a trigger Glimmers make us feel connected, present, and peaceful Glimmers can help you connect with your body Aim to have a variety of choices I will give you a minute to list a few of your glimmers Add any of the tools that resonate tonight
Social Media, Deb Dana
BREAKOUT ROOM/SOLO TIME Breakout Option Share 2-3 glimmers Be sure to take note of any other glimmers shared that resonate with you Solo Time Take a moment to reflect or rest
REST/RESTORE MOMENT
PRACTICES
INVITATIONS FOR OUR PRACTICE I always encourage people to take a self-inventory before and after each practice Everything I offer is an invitation Be as gentle with yourself as you can today Honor your NO Honor your maybe as a no Not practicing is a practice Everyone’s nervous systems/bodies are unique I will offer a variety of different exercises and tools, practice cross-disability solidarity - every tool may not be for you Short practice times are ideal
AWARENESS REFLECTIONS Do you have a practice of checking in with yourself? IF NO Would you be interested in developing a practice? If YES, see the question on the right IF NO, reflect on why this doesn’t appeal to you at this time
IF YES How do you think about it? Nervous system state Body/Mind/Soul check Stress level Other? Is it a regular practice? How often do you do it? When and where do you do it?
WHAT IS YOUR STATE? Methods 1-10 scale weather color food genre of music 4Fs How do you know? Is this a time when a shift would be beneficial? Gets more accurate, the more you do it Establishes a baseline Multiple Places, The Resilience Toolkit
BODY/MIND SIGNS SETTLING Tummy gurgles Yawning Mouth watering Eyes watering Deeper Breathing Wider pephiphery vision Your observations here
ACTIVATION/OVERWHELM Agitation Shallower breathing Needing to move Narrower visual field Hypervigilence Disassociation Your observations here
Multiple Places: Moving On Center, The Resilience Toolkit, Deb Dana
BREAK
FREEZE AKA Freeze, Flop, Fog, Dorsal Vagal, Immobilization Checking out Disassociation Exhaustion Numbness Depression Helplessness/Hopelessness Conservation of Energy Shutdown Flat affect/no emotions Collapse Trapped "Playing dead" Shame
TOOLS FOR FREEZE
REST/RESTORE MOMENT
FIGHT/FLIGHT
AKA Fight, Flight, Sympathetic, Mobilization Panic Fear Worry/Concern Running/Fleeing Rage Anger Frustration Irritation Protection Fighting Rigid/Tense
TOOLS FOR FIGHT/FLIGHT
REST/RESTORE MOMENT
FAWN AKA People Pleasing, Appease, Survival Submission, Compulsive Compliance Please-Appease Difficulty identifying your own feelings Needing to please others Wanting others to tell you how you feel Feeling scared to share your own opinions
TOOLS FOR FAWN
REST/RESTORE MOMENT
BREAKOUT ROOM/SOLO TIME Breakout Option Share what tools resonated for your today (if any) Share other tools you use Solo Time Take a moment to reflect or rest
TOOL REVIEW ASSESSMENT 1-10 scale weather color food genre of music 4Fs FREEZE Orienting Cross-Body Tools Humming Teeth Counting
FIGHT/FLIGHT Shaking medicine Tearing Exhaling Fidgets FAWN Sensation Work Feeling Wheel 48 hour review Safety Check REST
CLOSING REFLECTIONS
CLOSING QUOTE “Our healing is not about being soothed into submission. It is about remembering that we are meant to feel, meant to move, meant to be alive in our fullest range.” -Prentis Hemphill, Fumbling Towards Repair
REFERENCES/RESOURCES Liberatory Wellness Network - https://liberatorywellnessnetwork.com/ Deb Dana’s work - Rhythms of Regulation - https://www.rhythmofregulation.com/ Stefanie Lyn Kaufman Mthimkhulu Project Lets - https://projectlets.org/ Nkem Ndefo’s work, The Resilience Toolkit - https://theresiliencetoolkit.co/ Shaking Medicine - my indigenous elders and Bradford Keeney’s book https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Shaking-Medicine/BradfordKeeney/9781594771491 Free Feeling Wheel - https://bit.ly/3DpyJnA Stephen Porges Work on Polyvagal theory - https://www.stephenporges.com/ Moving On Center - https://www.movingoncenter.org/ Resmaa Menakem’s work My Grandmother’s Hands - https://resmaa.com/merch/