Feeling Stuck? Your Body Has Been Trying to Tell You Something
The breakthrough you need isn't in your head—it's in your nervous system.
After last week's unexpected but timely post about unworthiness (inspired by Justin Bieber's vulnerable share), I want to dive deeper into something I see regularly in my practice. As we return to our regular bi-weekly schedule, let's explore a challenge that often underlies those feelings of not being enough.
Have you ever felt like you've done all the things? You've poured over self-help books, diligently journaled your thoughts, tried breathwork exercises, and maybe even gone to therapy, but still, that feeling of being stuck in life lingers? That persistent anxiety or overwhelm that just won't budge, no matter how much you understand it intellectually?
If this resonates with you, you're not alone. As Sarah, one of my clients, shared: "I felt like I was doing everything right - therapy, mindfulness practices, positive thinking - but something still felt off. It wasn't until I learned about my nervous system that things started making sense."
The Missing Piece: Your Body's Wisdom
What many traditional approaches miss is a crucial truth: lasting change doesn't start in your mind - it begins in your body. Your nervous system holds patterns of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm that can't be thought away. These patterns show up as:
That familiar tightness in your chest
The constant knot in your stomach
Shoulders that won't relax
Sleep that isn't restful
A mind that won't quiet down
Does This Sound Familiar?
Take a moment to check if you recognize any of these experiences:
You find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others
You understand your challenges intellectually but still feel stuck
Traditional self-help approaches provide temporary relief at best
You're tired of being told to "just think positive" or "let it go"
Your body feels like it's in constant survival mode
You're doing everything "right" but still feel overwhelmed
The Difference Between Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches
Traditional healing methods often emphasize a top-down approach, which relies on our thinking mind to tackle emotional or physical challenges. While this can be beneficial, methods like talk therapy or mindset shifts may not always touch the deeper, unconscious patterns that your body holds.
In contrast, a bottom-up approach engages your body and nervous system. It looks to your emotions, your physical sensations, and your limbic brain (the emotional center) to heal. This way, we can reconnect the parts of your body and brain that may have become disconnected due to stress or trauma.
What is a Bottom-Up Approach?
Simply put, a bottom-up approach utilizes information from your body to foster healing through:
Your Emotions: Understanding and processing feelings.
Your Physiology: Tuning into bodily sensations.
Your Nervous System: Recognizing how your body copes with stress.
Your Limbic Brain: Accessing deeper emotional memories and patterns.
By focusing on these elements, we can repair the disconnections caused by unresolved stress, trauma, or emotional patterns.
Techniques for Bottom-Up Healing
Here are some effective bottom-up techniques that I incorporate into my practice:
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique): Also known as tapping, EFT is scientifically proven to reduce stress and soothe the nervous system. By tapping on specific acupressure points, we can release unprocessed emotions and reconnect with our bodies.
Polyvagal Practices: These exercises help strengthen your vagus nerve, improving your nervous system regulation and making you feel more anchored and safe.
Art Therapy and Play: Engaging in joy-filled activities can reset your nervous system and restore a sense of safety, bringing you back to a state of natural flow and connection.
A Simple Practice to Try Right Now
Let's experience the power of bottom-up healing with a quick EFT exercise:
Place one hand on your heart
Invite three gentle breaths
Begin tapping on the side of your hand (fleshy part between your pinky and wrist) while saying:
"Even though I feel stuck right now, I'm open to listening to my body's wisdom"
"Even though I feel stuck right now, I choose to be gentle with myself"
"Even though I feel stuck right now, I'm willing to try something new"Continue tapping through these points while noticing any sensations:
Top of head
Eyebrow
Side of eye
Under eye
Under nose
Chin
Collarbone
Under arm
Invite a gentle breath and check in with yourself. Notice any shifts in how you feel - perhaps a slight ease in tension, a deeper breath, or simply a moment of calm. Remember, there's no "right" way to feel; just being present with your experience is enough.
Creating Lasting Change
Remember, your body isn't broken - it's doing exactly what it learned to do to keep you safe. But now we can teach it new patterns through gentle, consistent practice.
Here's what becomes possible with a regulated nervous system:
Restful sleep and renewed energy
Natural motivation and joy
Calm response to challenges
Enhanced resilience
Deeper connection to yourself and others
The ability to change your life and overcome stuckness
Your Next Steps
Feeling better doesn’t have to be another item on your to-do list. With the right support and tools, you can create lasting change through:
Regular EFT tapping practice
Gentle nervous system regulation
Body-aware mindfulness
Compassionate self-connection
If you're ready to explore this approach, I’d love to support you. Let’s start with something simple and grounding.
🌿 I invite you to book a free consultation—a gentle, one-on-one conversation where we’ll explore what’s keeping you stuck and how to begin shifting the stress patterns stored in your body. You’ll leave with clarity, insight, and next steps tailored to your needs.
You deserve to feel safe, grounded, and whole again.
With warmth and support,
🌿 Kay
Stay tuned—your body has so much more wisdom to uncover! Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it.