Therapy with Iris

28/09/2025

Today was a perfect day for getting into the nature and top up my dopamine.

25/09/2025

What would your future self thank you for for?

Imagine your future self: calm, grounded, sleeping through the night knowing that you are able to deal with anything life throws at you. What steps would you have taken to achieve it?

21/09/2025

In the video below I talk about how Safe and Sound Protocol got rid of my travel anxiety.

If you haven't heard about it Safe and Sound Protocol, it's a therapeutic sound programme, designed to go straight into your nervous system and rewire the anxiety out of the nervous system. Despite sounding just like pleasant music, ithe specific frequencies of it make it extremely powerful and change can happen by just listening a few minutes per day.

I used to get really anxious when I needed to go somewhere new on public transport. I would constantly worry if I was on the right bus - even though I knew I was. I am just back from a weekend in London, and calmly and confidently used the underground network. It was liberating not having to worry. Indeed, no thoughts about being on the wrong train popped into my head.

If you are curious how Safe and Sound Protocol could help you or your child, contact me on iris.mcfee@ntlworld.com, mob 07717077131 or the message button below.

18/09/2025

When something big happens in our life, the nervous system responds with fight /flight.

But when fight /flight is not an option, when the issue is too big or has gone on for too long, the nervous system moves into freeze - to shutdown. And it can stay stuck there.

What is it like to live in shutdown?

🔹Not able to feel emotions.
🔹Being part of the conversation but not
Knowing what to say
🔹Feeling disconnected from people, even
the ones closest to you
🔹Exhaustion rest can't solve
🔹Not being able to make decisions
🔹Not being able to take action, regardless how much you want to

Sometimes, survival means going quet.

🧠💬 Living in Shutdown: When Your Nervous System Hits Pause

Sometimes, survival means going silent. Your nervous system is trying to protect you when life feels too much.

Shutdown doesn't have to be a permanent state. Instead of forcing action, we invite in more safety so that it is safe for your nervous system to move out of shutdown

Through co-regulation, soft routines, and compassionate pacing, we can begin to thaw.

You’re not broken. You’re surviving.

And you are not alone. 💛

PolyvagalTheory

15/09/2025

ARE YOU LIVING IN SURVIVAL MODE?

After a stressful event yout nervous system can stay stuck in fight or flight state

After traumatic or stressful event, your body's natural fight - or - flight alarm can get stuck in the ON position, keeping you in a high alert setting when no real danger is present.

How would you know if you are stuck in the fight /flight state?

Below are emotional and Behavioral signs your body thinks it's still in danger (even when it's not)

🔹 Anxiety that won't switch off
🔹 Constant irritability or sudden anger
🔹 Feeling overwhelmed by small things
🔹 Feeling detached from people
🔹 Panic or dread without cause
🔹 Keeping busy to avoid feelings
🔹 Feeling jumpy or scanning for danger
🔹 Avoiding situations that feel too much
🔹 Working hard to manage your emotions and behaviour

If you feeling are constantly anxious and work hard to manage your emotions and behaviour, consider that you may be stuck in fight /flight mode, your nervous system's emergency setting. Trauma or prolonged stress can keep you in the survival mode.

It's important to know that this doesn't need to be permanent setting.. You can reset your nervous system.

🔶Share this to help someone to understand their body better.

13/09/2025

After traumatic or stressful event, your body's natural fight - or - flight alarm can get stuck in the ON position, keeping you in a high alert setting when no real danger is present.

How would you know if you are stuck in the fight /flight state?

Below are emotional and Behavioral signs your body thinks it's still in danger (even when it's not)

🔹 Anxiety that won't switch off
🔹 Constant irritability or sudden anger
🔹 Feeling overwhelmed by small things
🔹 Feeling detached from people
🔹 Panic or dread without cause
🔹 Keeping busy to avoid feelings
🔹 Feeling jumpy or scanning for danger
🔹 Avoiding situations that feel too much
🔹 Working hard to manage your emotions and behaviour

If you feeling are constantly anxious and work hard to manage your emotions and behaviour, consider that you may be stuck in fight /flight mode, your nervous system's emergency setting. Trauma or prolonged stress can keep you in the survival mode.

It's important to know that this doesn't need to be permanent setting.. You can reset your nervous system.

🔶Share this to help someone to understand their body better.

09/09/2025

Wonderful evening with Robin Ince in Gryffe Valley book festival.

He spoke about himself and his ADHD, and how it makes his mind work differently - sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. He described his diagnosis not as a label, but as getting a road map for his mind. I could feel it all coming from his heart. I could feel the real him
It was relatable as I have family members with ADHD. Of course I had to buy the book. I am a sucker for books anyway.

He described his diagnosis as having a user's guide to his mind. Of

05/09/2025

After traumatic or stressful event, your body's natural fight - or - flight alarm can get stuck in the ON position, keeping you in a high alert setting when no real danger is present.

How would you know if you are stuck in the fight /flight state?

Below are 5 physical signs your body thinks it's still in danger (even when it's not)

🔹 Racing heart or palpitations
🔹 Tight jaw, shoulders or back
🔹 Shallow breathing or breathlessness
🔹 Digestive issues like nausea, cramps, IBS,
Constipation
🔹 Trouble sleeping or constant fatigue.

If you are feeling constantly tense, wired or exhausted, consider that you may be stuck in fight /flight mode, your nervous system's emergency setting. Trauma or prolonged stress can keep you in the survival mode.

It's important to know that this doesn't need to be permanent setting.. You can reset your nervous system.

🔶Share this to help someone to understand their body better.

03/09/2025

For a while now your life has been dominated by your overthinking and anxiety, needing to be one step ahead of any hypothetical negative events.

You have promised yourself many times you would do something about it, but life gets in the way.

You don't need a big breakthrough or a grand plan to feel better. Just one small step at home can make a difference., and you can start now.

Every evening, write down 3 things you are grateful for or 3 things that have gone well.

Over the time you will feel
🔹 Less reactive
🔹 More grounded
🔹 Better able to handle stress

Gratitude helps calm the nervous system.

It rewires your brain to notice the good

It builds emotional resilience over time.

You don't need a perfect plan, just a starting point. Every marathon is run in small steps.

You are not alone. 💛

01/09/2025

How often are you asked "How are you" and you always just reply "I am fine" even when you are really not. Even when you have the weight of the world on your shoulders or are hurting so much you don't want to admit it.

Because "Fine" is easier. "Fine" stops people from asking questions. Because "Fine" is a protective response from you nervous system when it doesn't feel safe to open up. "Fine" avoids being vulnerable, because your nervous system treats sharing emotions as a threat.

"I am fine" is your nervous system trying to protect you.

In therapy "I am fine" is a doorway. It's where we start to listen to the body and regulate the nervous system.

You don't have to be "fine". You can be real and still be safe.

You are not alone. 💛

28/08/2025

Do you ever wonder why life seems effortless for some people whilst others seem stuck however hard they try?

Let polyvagal theory explain why.

Your nervous system has 3 states
🔸Safe and social ( ventral vagal) - you feel calm, curious, connected. The world feels safe.

🔸Flight or fight (sympathetic) - you feel angry, anxious, on the edge. The world feels dangerous and you want to take action.

🔸Freeze (dorsal vagal) - you feel numb, alone, disconnected. The world feels dangerous and you want to hide.

As well functioning nervous system moves smoothly between these states. But life events can leave us stuck in flight /fight or freeze.

And when you are stuck, it's hard to
🔹Build your career
🔹Create meaningful relationships
🔹Stick to routines
🔹Take care of your health
🔹Fulfill your dreams

You are not destined to stay stuck. You can get unstuck you can return to more balanced and regulated nervous system and life starts to flow again.

23/08/2025

You have always felt nervous around people. From time to time, you have tried to change it, but it hasn't worked.

Maybe you joined a group but felt out of place. Maybe you left thinking "I am just not made for this."

So why try again? Because what if you were made for this and change just isn't linear.

What if this time is the last time you need to try?

What if the last time the timing was off, not the method.

What if the right space, the right people and right support would make a difference?

Our social anxiety group is for people who may have failed before. For people who have had enough of just pushing through.

We don't do fixes, we build foundations

Join us. Not because you failed before, but because you still want change.

TIME:Wednesday evenings 7-8.30 pm for 6 weeks, starting on the 27th August.

PLACE : Slimming World Johnstone, Houston Square, Johnstone, PA5 8 DT

COST: £99 for all 6 sessions, including take home materials.

CONTACT Iris McFee at iris.mcfee@ntlworld.com or mobile /WhatsApp 07717077131 to book a place or get more information.

BOOKINGS CLOSE Monday, 25th August at 8pm.