What if the key to your next breakthrough therapy session is in your own nervous system? Your therapist self-care is not just about you, afterall.
Effective therapy can be as much about the therapist’s well-being as it is about the client’s courage. De West, a respected leader in the field of therapeutic yoga, emphasizes this point in her special self-care course for therapists. De explains, “Your nervous system is the core of your body. Getting into your core is very important because it gets you grounded and opens you to possibilities.”
Among the other tools in your therapist’s toolkit, nervous system regulation techniques are essential. Here’s why.
Why Nervous System Regulation Matters
The nervous system, often termed the body’s “control center,” affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. As therapists, having control over our nervous system allows us to remain grounded, receptive, and empathetically attuned to our clients.
For therapists, using nervous system regulation techniques throughout the day can lead to enhanced resiliency, a better understanding of our personal triggers, and the ability to navigate our emotional landscapes. It also prepares us to model effective coping strategies for our clients.
3 Basic Techniques for Nervous System Regulation
Here are three foundational techniques that therapists can utilize both during and between sessions:
- Mindful Breathing: Intentional, slow, and deep breathing can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to create a calm and relaxed state. This can be particularly helpful during intense client sessions.
- Conscious Movement: Simple exercises and yoga postures can stimulate the nervous system and shake off sluggishness, or relax us when we are over-stimulated.
- Meditation and Mindfulness: These practices help to cultivate a grounded awareness of our mental, emotional, and physical states, leading to better self-regulation.
Incorporating these techniques into your routine can provide an effective way to balance your nervous system and maintain your best form as a therapist.
Nervous System Care is Self-Care
Effective nervous system regulation not only enhances our ability as therapists to provide support but also empowers us to maintain our own mental and emotional health outside of our practice. As De West puts it, “We get to see how if we’re in distress, and we start to notice we’re feeling a little activated or overwhelmed, that we might be able to use some of these techniques to help balance our nervous system.”
Investing time in nurturing our nervous system is an act of self-care that ultimately benefits both us and our clients. As we learn to track and regulate our nervous system, we become more equipped to help our clients do the same.
Amplify Your Practice with De West
Regulate Your Nervous System with Therapeutic Yoga for Therapists
Looking for an in-depth exploration of how to regulate your nervous system and more? Consider De West’s course WISDOM OF MOVEMENT: Therapeutic Yoga to Nourish the Therapist. This comprehensive training equips therapists with a range of tools and practices to better understand and manage their nervous system responses and feel at ease in your body.
Don’t miss out on De West’s free webinar Self-Stewardship for Therapists: 3 Easy Practices to Refresh Yourself Between Sessions. It’s a fantastic resource for therapists aiming to maintain their mental health while effectively supporting their clients.
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De West, C-IAYT, RYT is a well-loved leader in the yoga community with 32 years of teaching, combining yoga therapy with functional movement principles. De’s unique movement practice allows people of all ages and abilities to experience a positive, relaxed, and transforming experience in both body and mind.
De is a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Yoga Therapists Association and a Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance. She is also a Trauma Informed Yoga Therapist and SATYA teacher (Sensory Awareness Training For Yoga Attunement). Her specialties include trauma, cancer, immune system challenges, women’s health, scoliosis, and muscular-skeletal issues.
De founded Be Center in Boulder, Colorado. She teaches Therapeutic Yoga Practice through online classes and retreats, and one-on-one sessions. Her work — primarily with therapists and their clients — focuses on nervous system regulation to create more peace and freedom in the body and mind.
