Ama Freeman, LMHC, LPC

04/22/2024

💜

10/19/2023

04/01/2023

03/26/2023

03/15/2023

Accountability can change your life and relationships.

03/06/2023

DID Awareness Day!!

01/25/2023

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎. The parasympathetic nervous system works to 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 certain 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒔 and bring about a state of 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒔 to the 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚, allowing it to 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒙, and 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓 itself. Parasympathetic responses include an increase of digestive enzymes, decreased heart rate, constriction of bronchial tubes in the lungs, and more relaxed muscles. It is this system that helps us to rest, relax, and 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎. The sympathetic nervous system is known as our 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 or 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 response. When we are faced with a perceived 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 of any kind, whether 𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 or 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍, our sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear and brings about automatic and involuntary responses, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, elevated respiratory rate, and more sweating. The sympathetic nervous syste also shuts down many
parasympathetic responses in order to utilize more energy for the 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 or 𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎: Stimulate the Vagus Nerve
𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆
Forrest bathing and sunshine are medicine for the nervous system.

𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆
and unnecessary stimuli to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

𝑯𝒖𝒈, 𝒄𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆
to elevate, and release endorphins and oxytocin. Co-regulation is very powerful if the other person is calm.

𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅
Try a weighted blanket or walk barefoot, it helps relieve anxiety and ground. Meditation, breath-work or Yoga can also help. Disciplines like yoga increase vagus nerve activity to help keep you calm and are particularly effective for people suffering from anxiety or depression. Breathing slowly and deeply activates your vagus nerve to send messages to your brain that help lower your blood pressure and heart rate.

𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆
to tend to your needs, and do activities that feed your soul.

𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇
by physically moving your body to shake off built-up energy.
Exercise is good for your brain's cognitive faculties. your mental health and your gut flow, thanks to its ability.

𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑷𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔
Cold water plunges or ice baths alleviate inflammation + increase our repair mechanisms. Exposure to cold dampens the light or flight response and increases the rest and digest response, like taking a cold shower or drinking ice water.

𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆
Fats are essential to build nerve tissue (including brain + nerves)
and hormones. You can improve your mood simply by silently repeating positive phrases about your friends and family.

𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑
Set a personal goal of 8 hours to gain all the benefits of our body and mind in rest.

𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈
Humming, chanting and singing are all exercises that increase heart rate variability (HRV).
Higher HRV is linked with reduced morbidity and mortality and improved psychological well-being and quality of life. Laughter is a natural immune booster which, like singing can increase HRV in a group setting. Gargling with water stimulates the muscles of the pallet and has been shown to improve working momory performance.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒄𝒌:
Dr. Levine was inspired to study stress on the animal nervous system when he realized that animals are constantly under threat of death, yet show no symptoms of trauma. What he discovered was that trauma has to do with the third survival response to perceived life threat, which is freeze. When fight and flight are not options, we freeze and immobilize, like "playing dead." This makes us less of a target. However, this reaction is time-sensitive, in other words, it needs to run its course, and the massive energy that was prepared for fight or flight gets discharged, through shakes and trembling. If the immobility phase doesn't complete, then that charge stays trapped, and, from the body's perspective, it is still under threat. The Somatic Experiencing® method works to release this stored energy, and turn off this threat alarm that causes severe 𝒅𝒚𝒔𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 and 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.

𝑾𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎:

• humming
• listening to calm music
• deep sigh
• shacking
• exercising
• yoga
• touch therapy
• gargling
• cold shower
• singing
• chanting
• connecting with nature
• massage
• aromatherapy
• deep breathing
• butterfly hug
• squeezing a stress ball
• practicing mindfulness
• dancing
• body scan
• connecting with loved ones
• placing your hand over your heart with deep breathing
• petting an animal
• doing art
• gentle touch
• regular self-care
• laughter
• gentle tickling
• body therapy
• Suck ice-cubes/splash face with cold water
• Run/walk/dance/sing
• Journal
• Guided meditation
• Box breathing
• 4-7-8 breathing
• Tapping technique
• Practising gratitude
• Visualisation

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑽𝒂𝒈𝒖𝒔 𝑵𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=561947862464754&id=100649571927921

Picture:

𝒃𝒚 𝑲𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓

12/07/2022

I loved and NEEDED this “Unlocking Us” two-parter with Chris Germer, PhD - Mindful Self-Compassion—I can’t wait for y’all to listen!

When I was doing research for “Atlas of the Heart,” I came across the concept of “the near enemy.” Talk about unlocking! I’d been working on a theory of meaningful connection for two decades, and I was totally stuck until I discovered this concept.

Near enemies masquerade as the qualities that we hold important, but they actually corrode those qualities. For example, pity is the near enemy of compassion. When we’re struggling, compassion helps us feel connection and brings healing. But what about someone who responds with, “Bless your heart,” or “You poor thing”? Ugh. Pity doesn’t help us feel connected—it drives separation and makes us feel worse.

Chris has done wonderful work on the near enemies of fierce compassion—that fiery compassion that drives activism, organization, and social justice work. I learned so much from this conversation—Chris’s introspection, reflection, and care are so powerful and helpful.

Glad you’re here for this one.

http://bit.ly/3Ul7ywx

12/07/2022

Dissociative identity disorder - previously known as multiple personality disorder - occurs when a child’s development is disrupted by trauma, preventing them forming a strong sense of self.

10/23/2022

Many hide it well. B