Episode 22: Nervous System Expert Breaks Down Trauma, Regulation & Real Healing

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Beyond The Surface, Belinda sits down with Jessica Maguire — physiotherapist turned nervous system educator, trauma-informed practitioner, TEDx speaker, and founder of the Vagus Nerve Program and the Nervous System Certification Course.Jessica opens up about her profound journey through grief, including the devastating loss of both her brothers, and how trauma shaped her life’s work. Together, Belinda and Jessica explore what real healing looks like — and why it must start in the body, not the mind.Whether you’re new to nervous system work or deeply immersed in the healing space, this episode is packed with insights, science, and soul.What We Cover:Jessica’s personal story of trauma, grief, and nervous system collapseWhy trauma can’t be “thought” away — and the body’s central role in healingThe role of the Vagus Nerve in emotional resilience, stress, and healthUnderstanding the four primary stress responses: fight, flight, freeze & fawnThe difference between stress and chronic stressHow functional freeze and perfectionism often mask deeper traumaWhy nervous system flexibility matters more than staying “calm”What bottom-up vs. top-down healing really meansThe importance of co-regulation in parentingPractical tools to improve vagal tone and regulate in real-timeConnect with Belinda:Website: www.belindaanderson.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/belinda.andersonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/belindaandersonauConnect with Jessica:Website: www.jessicamaguire.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/repairing_the_nervous_systemFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/repairingthenervoussystem/