Hi,
My name is Corey Reese.
I'm a therapist and a music composer,
And I'm going to guide you through an experience today to help you regulate your nervous system.
Your nervous system is kind of like your body's threat detection system.
It connects your brain to the rest of your body and it controls things like your heart rate,
Breathing,
Muscle tension,
And just how you respond to stress.
So its main job is to constantly scan for safety and help you respond to what's going on around you.
A dysregulated nervous system means that you're basically stuck in survival mode,
Like fight,
Flight,
Or freeze,
Even when there isn't an immediate threat.
So it can feel like anxiety,
Constant tension,
Irritability.
Exhaustion.
Or just difficulty relaxing.
Essentially,
It's like your body struggles to return to a calm state on its own.
Something that I noticed that kind of showed me that my nervous system was off in the first place was I just didn't feel comfortable in my body.
I couldn't really explain.
How?
Or why?
I just felt uncomfortable in my skin,
In my body.
But here's something that was really powerful for me to learn is that that tension,
That difficulty relaxing.
That wasn't because I was doing something wrong.
That was a sign that my nervous system had been working really hard to keep me safe.
Your nervous system is always asking one simple question.
Am I safe right now?
When the answer is unclear,
The body stays in survival mode.
We're basically just set in fight,
Flight,
Or freeze.
What's really important when we notice that is to remember that regulating our nervous system isn't about forcing calm.
It's about allowing.
It's about gently reminding your body that in this moment,
Right here,
Right now.
I'm safe.
I'm safe.
You're safe.
It's okay to soften.
This music that I wrote.
Was created to assist in that softening process.
You I really believe that music is the medicine.
Music is the healer.
So as we begin this process of regulating our nervous systems,
Let's take a few deep breaths together.
In through the nose.
And out through the mouth.
Do that one more time.
In through the nose.
And out through the mouth.
Just notice your breath.
You don't need to change anything.
You don't need to do anything about it.
Just be aware of it.
And just notice any sensations around you.
And now,
Notice any sensations in your body.
Notice any warmth.
Heaviness.
Softening.
Even restlessness.
Whatever is there is okay.
As we continue into the music.
I want you to communicate to your body that it's in charge.
Your body is safe.
You're in control,
So you can do whatever is comfortable for you.
Adjust your body however you'd like.
If you want to have your eyes open,
That's fine.
If you want to close your eyes,
Please do that.
If you want to draw or journal.
Or crochet,
Whatever you want to do.
Just listen to your body.
There's a tool that music composers use called dissonance.
It's that sound that rubs against the grain a little bit.
It just feels a little bit uncomfortable.
And to me,
The sound of the blowing leaves that you're hearing in the background feels like dissonance.
It's just a little uncomfortable.
And music composers use that dissonance for a reason.
I'll let you in on that secret.
We like for it to be a little bit uncomfortable.
Because when that discomfort resolves.
Feels so nice.
When the tension goes away.
You're left with peace.
So part of our work when we're regulating our nervous systems.
Is to learn to sit with discomfort instead of avoiding it,
Or numbing it,
Or distracting from it.
It's important to feel what's there.
Unfortunately,
We have to feel it in order for it to move through us.
And understandably,
A lot of times we don't want to do that.
We don't like those uncomfortable feelings,
So we try and push them away.
Or numb them,
Or distract from them.
That doesn't.
Make it go away.
It's actually a gift to ourselves to let us feel what's there.
There is so much research behind the effectiveness of breathing to help regulate our nervous systems.
And sometimes I discount something like that.
It just seems.
Too basic.
Too simple.
Too easy.
That I discount how effective it could be.
But really.
.
.
Breathing is our way to communicate to our bodies.
That we're safe.
Or not being chased by a lion.
It's okay to be calm.
One of my favorite breathing strategies is called box breathing,
Where you breathe in for four seconds.
Hold for 4 seconds.
Breathe out for four seconds.
Hold for four seconds.
And then start over again.
So let's do some box breathing together for a minute.
Pay attention to how your body is feeling while we're doing this.
So let's breathe in.
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out.
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
Two,
Three,
Four.
In.
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out.
Two,
Three,
Four.
4 Hold 2 3 4 In 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Out 2 3 4 Hold 2 3 4 Good.
And now,
Just take a few minutes to continue doing some box breathing on your own.
You Right now,
Let's do a body scan to reconnect with our bodies.
So I want you to imagine just a warm yellow light.
Beginning to shine at your toes.
And let that light shine.
Loosen,
Soften any tension that's being held there.
And notice the light moving up to your feet.
And up to your calves.
And let that light loosen anything,
Any tension being held there.
Moving to your upper legs,
Your quads Now slowly moving up to your stomach.
A lot of times we can hold tightness and tension in our stomachs,
So just spend a little bit of extra time there.
Try to release any tension.
And now let that light move up to your heart space.
And just feel some warmth,
Feel some glowing.
Notice the warmth spreading from your heart space out through your body.
Notice the light on your fingertips.
And moving up to your palms.
Your arms to your shoulders to your neck.
And your jaw.
And your face.
And up to your forehead.
And then notice that light.
Pushing out through the crown of your head.
And now just enjoy a peaceful,
Relaxed state.
Let's take a few minutes to think about gratitude.
Gratitude is so important because it shifts your body from threat detection to safety detection.
Tells your nervous system.
It's okay.
I'm safe right now.
Gratitude is a way to move out of fight-or-flight mode.
Also,
A very important point about gratitude.
Gratitude is not denying pain.
We want nothing to do with toxic positivity.
We're not saying everything is rainbows and unicorns.
Gratitude is about saying,
This is hard.
And there are things around me to be grateful for.
Those can both coexist.
So take a few minutes to think about what you have to be grateful for in this moment.
It doesn't have to be the big things.
Often,
Gratitude's about noticing the little things.
Cozy blanket.
Warm socks.
Ice cold water.
Maybe a furry pet you're snuggling with.
Take a minute to notice what you have around you right now to be grateful for it.
Okay,
Let's be upfront with each other for a minute.
I want you to ask yourself an uncomfortable question.
If I'm being honest with myself.
What am I doing that is contributing to my nervous system being dysregulated?
When I ask that question of myself,
If I'm being honest.
Things like social media.
Getting obsessed about the news.
Worrying about what other people are thinking.
Perfectionism.
Those are things that aren't really serving me.
And I notice my nervous system feeling more dysregulated.
When I go there.
So for me,
A big part of healing my nervous system is to detach from some of that stuff.
I know,
I know,
Easier said than done.
But take a few minutes to think about what you're allowing in your life right now.
That's keeping you from feeling more peace.
Were grounded.
More regulated.
I'm gonna ask you to think about something that's really difficult for most people.
Want you to think about.
What you have to be proud of.
Now,
Before you fast forward the music,
Stay with me.
This is actually really important to think about.
Feeling proud of yourself shifts your body out of stress cycles.
Most of the time with dysregulated nervous systems.
Our bodies feel like effort wasn't noticed.
Or needs weren't met.
So being proud of yourself.
Teaches your body.
I notice me.
I can rely on me.
That builds internal trust.
When you let yourself feel proud of you.
You're communicating to your body.
I'm doing something right.
I can rest now.
And that's what we're wanting,
Right?
So take a few minutes to think about what you have to be proud of.
I want to speak to one more thing that is so important as we're working to regulate our nervous system.
And that is the importance of letting go of self-criticism.
Self-criticism is interpreted by the nervous system as an internal threat.
So it doesn't even matter that the voice is yours.
The body just hears that it's in danger.
The brain treats harsh self-talk just like it would an external attack.
It even creates more stress hormones.
That can lead to shallow breathing.
Feeling restless or numb.
Even difficulty resting or sleeping.
Over time,
That self-criticism trains the nervous system to stay on guard,
Even when nothing is wrong.
So here's the most effective way to combat self-criticism.
Lean into self-compassion.
Self-compassion communicates to our body that we are safe.
It reduces stress hormones.
It helps us improve creativity.
Learning.
Emotional flexibility.
And being able to make changes in our lives.
So I want to take a minute to do a breathing exercise together.
And I encourage you to be mindful with this.
As you breathe out,
I want you to focus on breathing out self-criticism.
And when you breathe in.
.
.
I want you to think about breathing in self-compassion.
Let's do a few breaths together.
Breathe in through your nose.
Self-compassion.
Breathe out criticism.
Breathe in self-compassion.
Breathe out criticism.
Breathe in compassion.
Breathe out criticism.
Breathing compassion.
Breathe in compassion.
Breathe in compassion.
Now,
It's in you.
Keep coming back to that sense of self-compassion.
Especially when life is feeling extra hard.
Keep coming back to that sense of self-compassion.
And.
Keep coming back to this music.
When you're feeling heavy.
Or feeling afraid or lonely.
Or overwhelmed or stressed.
Or if you just need to reconnect with yourself.
I've got you.
Let's do this again together.
We are now nearing the end of this musical piece together.
I heard this section of the song in my mind about a month before I actually recorded it.
How I thought about the music was.
I could imagine a rainstorm.
End.
There's a lot of symbolism behind the rain.
In my mind,
I imagined the rain.
Washing away heaviness.
Pain.
And self-criticism and doubt.
And just leaving you feeling whole and safe and calm.
So give yourself that opportunity right now.
Let the music wash over you.
And allow yourself to rest in peace.
A warmth of calm.
Safe.
Peace.
And just notice.
See if you can hear what the music is trying to tell you right now.
I know I'm just a random internet stranger,
But thank you so much for joining me today.
It really means a lot.
I hope you feel a sense of peace and self-compassion as you move throughout your day today.
Be good to yourself.
