08/05/2025
The "flight, fight, freeze" label often increases fear, worry, and self-judgment, especially if there's a lack of self-compassion.
This categorization of human behavior can lead to a sense of pathology and stuckness, rather than an exploration of what's possible.
Upon learning the polyvagal terminology years ago, I became quite skilled at tracking when my nervous system would dip into flight or freeze states. But the act of noticing and labeling would also bring a wave of judgment and shame. I didn't feel empowered, I felt stuck.
When doing Feldenkrais somatic movement, I would often be distracted by anxiety or chronic pain sensations. As explained in my previous posts on central sensitization, these chronic pain sensations are simply pain messages generated by a brain that feels unsafe and overwhelmed.
In the Feldenkrais Method, creating internal safety is paramount to somatic learning. We simply can't learn if we are stressed or fearful. For most students, safety can be found through support from the ground, moving at your own pace, and resting as often as you need.
However, for students who experience high levels of chronic pain or anxiety, these conditions might not be enough to convince the brain that it's safe.
So I began weaving in elements of Pain Reprocessing Therapy and Parts Work into my Feldenkrais practice. Relating to the part of me that was feeling overwhelmed and worried about my pain in an explicit and compassionate way has made all the difference!
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To give you a sense of how I with these patterns with my Feldenkrais students...
✨️ 1. I invite you to get curious about your habits of thinking and movement in order to understand what is actually happening with greater specificity.
In a moment where you might notice "freeze energy" or the desire to flee, what movements or contraction are taking place? This includes micro-movements that correspond to worrying, overthinking, and anticipating.
✨️ 2. Once you have awareness of what you are actually doing, you can explore strategies for being with the discomfort and pain, which might include:
👣 Sensing and scanning (aka somatic tracking), while offering attention and care to the parts that hurt
💗 Self-compassion and reassuring self-talk - "You are so brave. You are doing the movements so good. Yes, these sensations are uncomfortable but I can be with them."
👁 Conscious compartmentalization - say to your sensations, "I hear you, I care about you, but can you step aside so that I can focus on this lesson or enjoy this experience?"
If this post resonates and you're curious about the integration of Feldenkrais and PRT, send me a DM and check out my offerings.
