Understanding Dissociation and Its Impact

“You can’t be present and dissociated at the same time.” These wise words from co-host Jennifer Wallace encompasses why this topic is so important to explore. Presence is the truth of our emotions and our reality, because we cannot heal what we do not feel. Being present with our emotions, and feeling them in our body, allows us to truly understand and heal our nervous system in ways that dissociating from the body cannot.

This is a powerful conversation highlighting what goes on in the brain and nervous system when we dissociate, and how this protective mechanism can become maladaptive when its original function no longer serves us. There is a way to overcome dissociation and authentically feel emotions in the body to truly heal.

In this episode, Elisabeth Kristoff and Jennifer Wallace deep dive into dissociation and its characteristics. The discussion begins with defining what dissociation is and how it is learned at an early age as a protective mechanism, followed by unraveling how dissociation shows up in the brain, specifically which brain structures are involved in disassociation, as well as the connection between the vagus nerve and the interoceptive system as it pertains to dissociation. It’s not enough to just understand these concepts intellectually, the real healing happens when we can experience them, which means feeling them in our bodies. That’s where Neurosomatic Intelligence Coaching comes in, where we teach you the tools you need to heal the whole self, and move out of dissociation and into the body in a safe way.

Tune in for this and more! Topics discussed in this episode:

• Definition of dissociation

• How dissociation is on a spectrum

• The protective aspects of dissociation

• How dissociation gets wired in the brain from an early age

• The function of the thalamus and how it’s related to dissociation

• The deep connection between the vagus nerve and the interoceptive system

• How the brain makes predictions based on our past experiences

• The possibility to train in new protective skills that are not maladaptive

• Knowing about the  nervous system is not the same as experiencing it

• Spiritual bypassing and dissociation 

• The importance of presence in understanding the truth of emotions

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This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com

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