On this week’s podcast episode, Chela talks with Irene Lyon, MSC and nervous system expert, about… well, the nervous system. Irene has a knack for taking complex information and making it easy to understand and digest, and she does that here. Irene gives us a crash course in all those words and theories about regulation that you’ve heard of but don’t quite understand, including how the ventral vagal system is actually built.
“When you have that little baby that’s fussing and needing regulation, it is learning how to build its ventral vagal nervous system by our coregulation, and when it sees us, when it feels safety, it immediately connects to their heart and calms them down… When we’re born, that isn’t built in”.
This episode offers clear and deep context for those interested in doing their own nervous system healing work, those working as practitioners in any field, and anyone who has ever had a body. For anyone who identifies as a leader or is interested in building greater capacity to lead in their lives, communities and professional fields, this episode reveals some incredible territory around how and why working with your nervous system is foundational to your aims.
Listen in while they talk about:
- How our programming about learning in childhood impacts adult learning and education and what to do about it!
- An in depth nervous system crash course, including fight/flight/freeze responses, big and little T traumas, and how we constantly override our physiology. This is so juicy, especially for those of us who want the quick fix and to get on with things. Here’s why we can’t.
- Moving into a new scale of work, feeling into new edges that might be risks (but feel like major threats), and creating boundaries in your business.
- The difference between trauma trained and trauma informed- why it is crucial to know where your scope of practice and interest is such that you can safely practice in integrity.
- Some of the key leaps and edges Irene has faced when scaling her business and stepping into new leadership territory. So rich for anyone building their work or a business, bumping up against new levels and challenges.
- How building clear and consistent boundaries around her business has been foundational in Irene’s ability to stay regulated. This is so important for anyone who finds that the line between their passion and their work is blurring together and creating friction.
References in this episode:
The Last Dance
Chris Dierkes
Peter Levine on titration
Gary Vaynerchuk
An explanation of the Nervous System – Basic Branches
Polyvagal Theory Explained