Have you ever experienced a physical sensation in your body that defies verbal explanation? I’d invite you to recall a time when this was true for you. The reality is that long before we can cognitively process a stressful event, our nervous system has already mobilized into action, preparing us to fight, flee, freeze, or, in overwhelming situations, shut down and collapse.

If you’ve lived with anxiety at any point in your life, you’ve probably experienced moments where it felt all-encompassing. Your chest tightened. Your temperature increased. Thoughts were racing - you imagined worst-case scenarios and tried to figure out ways to avoid them. Your system was locked into survival mode.