Harness the power of your nervous system to support healthy
relationships and personal well-being.
Why is it that when you have a tense conversation with a boss, coworker,
or partner, you feel like you're staring down a charging rhinoceros? How
is it that both situations cause a fight-or-flight response--and what
can you learn from it?
As it turns out, the same neurological processes that cause unwanted
stress can also be harnessed to summon relaxation, spaciousness, and
equanimity. In Befriending Your Nervous System, clinician Deb Dana
presents a simple, hopeful message: when you approach these subconscious
processes with openness, mindful attention, and--above all--curiosity,
you can gain the understanding necessary to shape their outcomes. Dana
draws from the recent explosion of research in Polyvagal Theory, which
posits that our most hardwired survival responses are regulated by the
vagus nerve and can be consciously regulated through repeated exercises.
Here, you will learn:
- How to interpret the subtle language of the nervous system
- Present-moment awareness and the mechanics of choice
- Your personal "protection-connection" equation
- How to cultivate and savor positive nervous states
- Why it's paramount that you examine your internalized stories about
the world
- How to discover the stillness available in every moment
- What actually nourishes your autonomic nervous system
- The continuum of resilience
- T--he process of reciprocity, rupture, and repair
- How to recognize physical cues of both safety and danger
Dana teaches how to work with the body's innate ability to pick up
social signals and cultivate "micro-moments" of safety, retraining your
automatic responses to stress, conflict, and hardship. Including
in-depth practices such as guided imagery, meditation, and ongoing
self-inquiry, Befriending Your Nervous System offers a practical
user's manual for anyone seeking greater wellness, self-awareness, and
emotional resilience.
