43. Andrea Freemyer: It's Not You, It's Your Nervous System

Are you constantly feeling high-strung and like there’s never enough time to do anything? Or perhaps you’re the opposite and feel totally paralyzed and have absolutely no energy or motivation to do anything at all? The good news is that you are not crazy OR lazy…you’ve become dysregulated.

Andrea Freemyer, a neuroscientist, trauma informed breathwork facilitator, and embodiment guide came onto the pod to talk about all things nervous system and offer her personal story and insights to help us better understand what is happening within the body when we become overwhelmed and distressed in our daily lives.

We specifically dive into the captivating realms of the sympathetic and dorsal vagus states, which we mostly identify as ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression.’ Within these states, the logical faculties of our brains can falter, leaving us tethered solely to the emotional and fear-based aspects of our being. Understanding this connection becomes an indispensable tool for navigating our mental and emotional landscapes, paving the way towards greater well-being.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00:25] Using breathwork to gain perspective and clarity in life

[00:00:25] Personal experiences of feeling a loss of joy and resistance to encouragement

[00:17:07] The fight or flight response and how we’ve been socialized to identify with it

[00:27:14] Navigating personal crises

[00:31:49] Repatterning the Mind and Embracing Rest

[00:35:19] Understanding the amount of time & compassion required for re-patterning

Quotes to ponder:

"When we are in a state where the logical part of the brain is offline, our thoughts can become dark and colored by the lenses of that state."

Learn more about Andrea:

Website: https://www.elementalwellnesssanctuary.com/retreats

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreafreemyer.phd/