Understanding that nervous system dysregulation stems from a perceived lack of safety in the brain and body highlights the profound impact of processing emotions. To heal, we must actively show both that we are safe.

Remember, the nervous system doesn't understand words alone; it speaks through nonverbal cues. So, simply saying "I'm safe" won't work. Given that 80% of the communication flows from the body to the brain, our actions and felt experiences are what truly communicate safety.

This is where the power of processing emotions comes in. It allows us to directly engage with the feelings many of us instinctively avoid.

This avoidance, whether conscious or not, keeps the brain on high alert. Often, these avoided emotions are linked to past experiences that felt overwhelmingly threatening, leading our brains to develop patterns of avoidance.

Even now, these unfelt emotions can trigger the same threat response as they did in the past. As long as these feelings remain unacknowledged and unprocessed, they can continue to activate the fight-or-flight system, trapping the body in a state of survival that can make healing incredibly difficult.

However, when we gently turn towards and allow ourselves to feel these uncomfortable sensations and emotions, our bodies can finally process them, creating a deep sense of safety.

This act of feeling communicates safety to the nervous system in its own language, releasing pent-up tension.

By allowing ourselves to experience our emotions, we signal to the brain that there is no immediate danger in feeling them. This builds a powerful foundation of safety over time, allowing the body to shift out of survival mode and into the crucial state of rest and repair necessary for true healing.