Understanding the Impact of Past Experiences on the Nervous System

They explore how our past experiences can trigger our nervous system and affect our present physical reactions. They discuss the importance of working with the breath to address these triggers and delve into the roots of our nervous system.

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How does breathwork interact with our nervous system, access memories and help integrate traumatic memories? How has it got results treating auto-immune disease, addiction, agrophobia, PTSD and depression? How can it help sleep, detoxification, digestion, immunity, and taking control of negative thought patterns.

In this episode we have the hugely popular practice of Breathwork to look into. After millennia of it being used in bodily practices like martial arts and yoga, conscious breathing was launched into our modern scientific world view by the work of psychologist Stan Grof, who developed Holotropic Breathing in the 1960’s at Harvard, see our Transpersonal Psychology episode for more on that; Breathwork continued to gain in popularity following the focus on the lungs and breathing in near regulation proposed by Dr. Stephen Porges in his Polyvagal Theory, see our devoted episode with Dr. Porges for detail on that; And gained further in popularity with Dr. Pete Levine’s development of Somatic Experiencing, who I am delighted to announce will be coming on the show in the next series, so look out for that.

So having been present for some time in the trauma community, in the last few years the practice has exploded onto the wellbeing scene as well because of all its benefits both physiologically and psychologically.

So who better to talk to about this than expert in a wide range of Breathwork and body-based therapies, Rebecca Dennis. She facilitates workshops, events and retreats alongside her public speaking and individual sessions. She is a gifted speaker and coach, specialising in breathwork, trauma release, somatic modalities, polyvagal theory and nervous system regulation.

Part of her wide popularity is due to her having written three successful books on the topic, the latest being a new edition of Let it Go, “Let It Go and Breathe – A Practical Guide To Breathwork” which has been featured in Amazon and Sunday Times Best Sellers, and which we’ll be discussing today. And she has also collaborated with Google, BBC, Stylist magazine and Sweaty Betty.

What we discuss:

00:00 intro.

05:15 Breathwork explained

09:00 Repressing and controling emotions changes breathing.

12:00 Sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system.

20:50 Long deep breaths don’t necessarily calm you down.

23:50 It’s NOT hyperventilation or hyperoxygenation.

29:00 How traumatic memories can be brought up by the breath.

38:00 Rebecca’s crisis that brought her to breathwork.

43:30 Benefits: Depression relief, confidence, sleep, detox, digestion, immunity, taking control of thought patterns.

46:00 “Let it go” book: the foundations of the breath in daily life, tips and methods.

47:40 Breathe yourself calm - lower abdominal breathing.