The Great States
This state represents the primal brain and asks the question, “Am I Safe?”
What is the Survival state?
The Executive state is found in this region of the brain.
What are the prefrontal lobes?
Animals, including humans, respond to a threat in the environment in one of these three ways.
What are flight, fight, and freeze?
Following a harrowing experience, animals do this to discharge the energy in the body and thus, don’t experience the effects of ongoing trauma like humans do.
What is shaking?
Someone with this stress response type tends to…
Make other people’s needs more important than our own
Define our self worth by what we do for others
Give to others what we consciously or unconsciously what we wish others would give to us
Give others the care and attention the love and care we’re not giving ourselves
What is the Helper?
This state represents mid-level functionality. It asks the question, “Am I Loved?”
What is the Emotional state?
The Emotional state is found in this region of the brain.
What is the limbic system?
When the body is in a state of sympathetic arousal, blood flow to the skeletal muscles and lungs is increased by this much
What is 25?
What is 200%?
What is 1,200??
The process of synchronizing our physiological states with others to create a sense of safety and connection.
What is co-regulation?
Someone with this stress response type does these thighs…
Try to think our way to a feeling of safety
Constantly thinking about what might go wrong…what if this happens, what if that happens?
Constant thinking in the mind when we’re actually trying to get a feeling of safety
Snowball thinking
Mental tennis
What is the Anxiety type?
This state is the optimal state for problem-solving and learning. This state asks, “What can I learn from this?”
What is the Executive state?
The Survival state can be found in this region of the brain.
What is the amygdala or brain stem?
These are the primary hormones released during times of stress to ensure the body is ready for action.
What are cortisol and adrenaline?
By applying pressure to certain points that correspond to the body’s organs & systems in the feet, hands, and ears, we can influence the autonomic nervous system, particularly the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to manage symptoms associated with stress.
What is reflexology?
Someone with this stress response type tends to…
Believe that our safety in the world is defined by doing things right and if you don't do things perfectly, you’re a failure or a bad person
More focused on the details along the way (vs the Achiever who is more focused on the accomplishment)
Can become so paralyzed by getting it right, we can become paralyzed by the big picture
When we’re constantly caught in the details, we can’t be in the moment, feel connected, or feel the pleasure of life because we’re so focused on trying to get things right.
We’re only safe when we get it right.
What is the Perfectionist?
This state governs the freeze or shutdown state.
What is dorsal vagal?
This branch of the nervous system promotes relaxation and restoration, known as the "rest-and-digest" response.
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
When the body is in a state of sympathetic arousal, these day-to-day autonomic functions are deprioritized.
What are “feed & breed” and “rest & digest”?
Engaging in these activities provides a non-verbal outlet for expressing emotions and can be a powerful tool for stress reduction.
What is art/creative expression?
This stress response type tends to…
Define our self worth by what we do and what we achieve in the world.
No matter what we do, it never feels like enough.
Driven by an underlying sense of “I’m not enough” or “The world is not safe unless I acquire enough stuff to make me safe.”
Constantly feel the need to accomlish more
What is the Achiever?
This state is associated with feeling safe & social.
What is ventral vagal?
This branch of the nervous system prepares the body for action, often referred to as the "fight-or-flight" response.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
The nervous system’s ability to respond to stress in the environment even before we’ve noticed.
What is neuroception?
The practice of consciously controlling your breath to influence your physical, mental, and emotional state.
What is breathwork?
Someone with this stress response type..
The world is only a safe place if I’m in control
We may be trying to control the environment - things need to be done a certain way so I can relax, we may be trying to control other people
We don’t trust others to others to be in positions of authority so we’re constantly taking on the burden and responsibilities for everyone else because no one else can do it and we’re only going to be safe or okay in the world if we take on all that burden
What is the Controller?