Welcome back to this safe space we're creating together.
Today we'll explore how your nervous system has learned to respond to the world around you when pain is present.
This exploration will be gentle and at your own pace.
Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position,
Allowing your body to be supported just as it is.
Feel the points of contact between your body and the surface beneath you.
Remember that you're allowed to move and shift and be as you please.
Can you see how even this simple act of settling in carries wisdom?
Your body truly knows what it needs to feel supported,
And if your mind is getting in the way of this awareness,
That's okay.
This week is about building enough safety so that your mind doesn't need to overprotect you anymore.
As you become aware of any pain that's present in your body,
See if you can observe what happens next.
What does your nervous system do first?
There's no need to change your automatic responses.
We are simply witnessing it with curiosity at this moment.
You might notice tension arising or a desire to move.
Perhaps your breath changes.
Maybe thoughts begin to race or emotions surface.
Everything you notice is welcome here.
Your response to pain carries deep intelligence.
It developed in relationship with others at a very young age,
Shaped by those early moments when you first learned what to do with discomfort.
As you bring attention to your breath now,
Letting it be a steady presence,
An anchor in this moment,
Notice if your breath wants to be shallow or deep,
Fast or slow.
This,
Too,
Is your nervous system speaking.
Sometimes when we slow down to notice,
We might feel a little overwhelmed.
If this happens,
You might hear an inner voice saying,
Keep going,
Or push through,
Or this isn't helping.
These voices often echo early messages we receive about our pain.
Can you let those voices be here,
Too,
Not trying to change them,
Just noticing their presence with compression?
These voices are a part of your story,
And they deserve a seat at the table.
When you were younger,
These voices were likely stifled when they should have been celebrated.
That celebration is what allows our anger and fear to transform,
Not through pushing them away,
But through finally being heard,
Through finally being welcomed.
When these protective voices were young,
Perhaps they weren't allowed to speak.
Maybe there wasn't space for anger,
For fear,
For saying,
This isn't okay,
I don't like this.
Now,
In this moment,
We are creating that space.
Notice what happens in your body as you allow these voices to be here,
As you listen to what they've been trying to tell you all along.
They might have messages about safety,
About needs that weren't met,
About boundaries that were crossed.
And this is how we begin to shift our relationship with pain.
Not by silencing these protective parts,
But by honoring their wisdom,
By understanding that their very presence is a sign of your system's strength and ability to know what's best,
Your body's deep commitment to keeping you safe.
As you sit here,
I invite you to remember the ways your younger self found comfort in response to feeling pain or distress.
Perhaps you gently rocked back and forth,
Or held a soft toy close to your chest,
Or lost yourself in the pages of a book,
Your eyes moving steadily across each line back and forth.
These self-soothing movements were your early steps towards a new life.
They were your early wisdom at work.
If you notice your body wanting to move in these familiar ways now,
Maybe wanting to rock or squeeze or touch something soft,
Or to make small rhythmic movements,
I invite you to allow this.
These patterns of comfort are smart,
And they helped you regulate your nervous system even before you had words for what you were feeling.
Sometimes our bodies might shy away from comforting us because it brings us too close to those difficult times.
Acknowledging your mind and body's protective mechanisms is hard,
But important.
Breathe through any tension that might be arising,
And notice if any of these comfort movements want to happen naturally right now.
You might find your body remembering what helped you feel safer as a child.
Whether you were alone or with others,
These self-soothing strategies were your nervous system's way of taking care of you.
Let your body move in these familiar ways now if it wishes.
Each gentle rock,
Each soft toy,
Each soft toy,
Each gentle rock,
Each squeeze,
Each rhythmic movement or sound.
Is your body remembering its own wisdom about finding comfort?
You might also take a moment to thank your protective voices for their dedication and their tireless work,
And for never giving up on you.
And we'll continue this work in our next session.
