Robert Gilman, an expert in optimal zone resilience and developing new patterns to become less triggered, discusses the optimal zone and defensive zone in our nervous system, breaking the cycle of reflexive response when triggered, optimal zone hygiene practices, healing intergenerational trauma, and the impact of triggers and defensive responses on our well-being.
Shifting from a justice-oriented approach to a healing-oriented one allows for a future-oriented perspective that addresses trauma and fosters growth.
Understanding the concept of the optimal zone and defensive zone within the autonomic nervous system is crucial for recognizing triggers and developing resilience skills.
Embracing triggers and engaging in cognitive, emotional, and somatic healing can transform trauma into opportunities for growth and complexity.
Deep dives
Focus on Healing for a Healthier Future
The importance of shifting the focus from a justice-oriented approach to a healing-oriented one is highlighted. While justice aims to rebalance past scales, focusing on healing allows for a future-oriented perspective to create a healthier system. This shift towards healing recognizes the need to address trauma, increase self-awareness, and develop new patterns to regulate triggers. By embracing triggers as opportunities for growth and complexity, individuals can peel back layers of trauma and engage in cognitive, emotional, and somatic healing.
Understanding the Optimal Zone and Defensive Zone
The podcast explores the concept of the "optimal zone" and its counterpart, the "defensive zone," which are states within the autonomic nervous system. The optimal zone is characterized by qualities like curiosity, calmness, clarity, confidence, connection, courage, creativity, and compassion, and facilitates rational discourse and empathy. In contrast, the defensive zone triggers fight-flight-freeze responses and inhibits rational thinking and empathy. The importance of recognizing triggers and developing optimal zone resilience skills is discussed, emphasizing the need to shift from blame and punitive responses to understanding and self-regulation.
Healing, Repatterning, and Forgiveness
The podcast delves into the process of personal and collective healing. It emphasizes the importance of feeling and embracing emotions as a way to transform triggers, patterns, and trauma into opportunities for growth. The conversation touches on cognitive, emotional, and somatic components of healing, as well as the need for self-regulation and the integration of new skills. Additionally, the podcast explores the idea of forgiveness as a future-oriented practice that shifts focus from justice to healing and aims to create a healthier system. Restorative and transformative justice models are mentioned as alternatives to punitive approaches.
Developing Awareness of Triggers
In this episode, the importance of recognizing and being aware of triggers is discussed. Triggers, ranging from mild to intense, occur frequently in our lives. They can be as simple as an email subject line or the overwhelming nature of social media. By developing awareness of our triggers, we can see them as opportunities for growth and learning. It is suggested that taking breaks, practicing deep breathing, and engaging in activities that release muscle tension can help regulate our nervous systems and move us out of triggered states.
Optimal Zone Resilience and Inner Capacities
The concept of optimal zone resilience is explored in the episode. Optimal zone hygiene involves incorporating practices throughout the day that promote well-being, such as deep breathing and muscle release. When triggered and in a defensive state, it is important to be aware of the trigger and give oneself space to process the emotions and regain a sense of calm. The episode also emphasizes the significance of developing inner capacities, including self-awareness, self-compassion, and the ability to handle challenging situations. By cultivating these inner resources, individuals can navigate triggers and conflicts with more resilience.
What the optimal zone is and how it relates to our nervous system
What the defensive zone is and how it relates to our nervous system
How our triggers are amplified by past trauma, agitation from other events of the day, and chronic stress
How we can break the cycle of reflexive response when we are triggered and develop new patterns to become less triggered next time
The notion of optimal zone hygiene, and practices we can employ to stay in our optimal zone
Optimal zone first aid; i.e. things we can do in groups as preparation to better respond when someone is triggered
Healing, particularly with respect to intergenerational trauma
How this conversation fits into Robert's course at the Context Institute, Bright Future Now
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