How To Improve Mental Health, Regulate Your Nervous System, And Process Trauma With Somatic Therapy, with Therapist Simone Saunders

It’s World Mental Health Day this week, and we're having lots of important conversations to increase awareness around emotional wellbeing. I called in Trauma Therapist Simone Saunders to learn more about somatic therapy, how our mental health impacts our physical health, and how trauma and distress shows up in our bodies.Anxiety and mental illness can show up in so many ways physically — from getting sweaty and experiencing heart palpitations or nausea, to general posture and shoulder stiffness, gut issues, and sleep problems. More and more we're seeing physical diagnoses like chronic pain and IBS linked back to trauma and nervous system dysregulation. And it doesn't always have to be a big T trauma... we talk a lot in this interview about how repeated micro traumas can build up to have the same impact. So if you want to take control of your mental health and expand your techniques and awareness, this episode is a must-listen. Simone has a Master's in Clinical Social Work, with a specialization in trauma, emotional regulation, anxiety and depression. As a trauma therapist and educator she has over 800,000 followers across her Instagram and TikTok accounts, the cognitive corner, where she helps people understand the connection between the mind and body and patterns that your nervous system engages in.Tune in to hear more about:Signs we might struggle to regulate our emotions and nervous system, and the best tools for nervous system regulationThe typical survival responses we cycle through when triggeredNavigating familial relationships or partnerships that trigger the dysregulation loopUnhelpful coping strategies that might make you feel worseCognitive bypassing: The difference between intellectualizing and feelingHow trauma manifests physicallyWhat if you can't remember your trauma?Somatic therapy techniques and processing stored traumaBuilding a life that's healthy for your nervous systemNavigating the loneliness and isolation on our mental health journeyFollow Simone on Instagram and TikTok.Our show is produced by:Gillian Berner, Host, Producer & EditorOlivia Nashmi, Audio EngineerCarolyn Schissler, Designer & Web ProducerSara Valentine, Content ProducerFor advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network. Subscribe to my Substack:teachmehowtoadult.substack.comFollow us on the ‘gram:@[email protected] on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadultSubscribe on YouTube