Sipora B. Weissman, LCSW

01/27/2026

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) describes the body’s biological response to prolonged stress. It unfolds in three stages: alarm (activation of the sympathetic nervous system and stress hormones like cortisol), resistance (ongoing physiological adaptation to maintain functioning), and exhaustion (depletion of regulatory systems when stress is chronic). Over time, this sustained activation can disrupt immune, endocrine, and nervous system functioning—helping explain burnout, anxiety, and stress-related illness.

If you grew up in unfavorable conditions, where there was a threatening adult, societal stress, a not safe home or environment, your brain as an adult will be on higher alert.

And if you’re a highly sensitive person, environment is really important. Highly sensitive people really take in more of their environment and that could be extremely regulating or dysregulating for your nervous system.

As adults, we have certain choices now. And I understand that there are hard life circumstances that we all have to deal with. If you are able to make your environment more healthy for you now, I would highly recommend you do that.

But also many people who grow up in chaotic environments as children not only was the outside chaotic, The inside was chaotic too. And the inside is still chaotic.

What you can work with is the inside. Helping yourself to find inner safety within your body through grounding or orienting or comfortable sensory stimulation. This is the bottom up message to your brain that you are safe now.

Whether you have a trauma history or are also a highly sensitive person I hope to share more tools here to support your inner system so you can help yourself to make your outside environment, more healthy, and safe for your brain and your spirit.

01/24/2026

NO is OK.

01/13/2026

01/13/2026

https://siporaweissman.com/depression-treatment/

Lacking motivation? Procrastinating more? Getting out of bed feels pointless? Depression Treatment in Ventura California can help.

01/12/2026

01/07/2026

To freeze or fawn is a childhood survival technique. Trying to talk yourself out of a trigger can be tough because it comes from the lower survival parts of the brain that want to keep you safe. For the brain to update an outdated protective response, the brain needs new information called a - prediction error.

An example: as a child, Rob learned that if he speaks up to his father, he gets beaten. So to protect himself, he shuts down and freezes. But now as an adult, when Rob senses any conflict with other adults, he still freezes. This is a trauma response that happens in milliseconds. For Rob‘s brain to update, it needs to learn that if he speaks up for himself, no one‘s gonna beat him anymore. And if they try to, he can now stand up for himself, fight back, leave, call the police. And that would be a brain update.

01/03/2026

This isn’t just about self care. This is about living well…even when life is stressful. This is my prescription, feel free to share yours!
Morning ☀️
Wake up no cell phone! Lay in bed and just be.
Lemon water with salt and sunlight outside for a few minutes.
17-20 mins of breath work (alternative nostril breathing).
10 minute visualization.
Eye yoga and vagus nerve exercises.

Afternoon 🌴
Work!
If time midday, 20 minute meditation.
Outside walks without phone.
Less phone checking and if I can’t control myself I turn it to black and white (it helps).

Eve 🌝
All work, even if it’s work I like, it needs to be done at 9 (I start the day later). Def no work emails!
Yoga Nidra for 20-30 or meditation or I use my Senstate Vagus nerve thingy.
Some yoga stretches.
Read (ok it’s a therapy book but I like it).
Bed no later than 11:30.

12/30/2025

12/25/2025

Wishing everyone rest and renewal ❄️