^{A's to your Q's}

Activation means your nervous system has shifted out of a state of safety (ventral vagal) into a survival response - like sympathetic (fight/flight), or dorsal (freeze/shutdown). You might feel overwhelmed, anxious, reactive, or emotionally numb. These are not character flaws - they are protective responses your body learned to help you survive.

When you’re activated, your thinking brain (prefrontal cortex) goes offline. This is why logic or positive thinking often doesn’t work when you're overwhelmed. Regulation happens through the body first—your nervous system needs cues of safety to bring your thinking brain back online.

Co-regulation is the process of feeling safe in the presence of another regulated being—human, animal, or even nature. Our nervous systems are wired to regulate in connection. Babies, children, and even adults need this. If you didn’t get consistent co-regulation growing up, your system may struggle with self-regulation now - but it can be rebuilt.

Co-dysregulation happens when we grow up in relationships where the nervous system experiences constant stress, tension, or misattunement. Over time, the body can start to associate chaos or conflict with “normal.” This wiring can make safety feel unfamiliar or even unsafe later in life, but it can absolutely be rewired through new, safe experiences.

Not at all. Neuroplasticity means your brain and nervous system can change at any age. Healing happens through repetition, safety, and connection - not perfection. Every time you offer your body a new, safe experience - especially when paired with curiosity and compassion - you are building new pathways for regulation and healing.

If you’ve experienced chronic stress, chaos, or misattunement growing up, your nervous system may associate calm with unfamiliarity or even danger. This is called protective wiring. Your system might feel safer in tension because it knows how to survive there. Over time, with consistent safe experiences, your body can build the capacity to learn to tolerate and then trust calm.

You don’t need a single “big” traumatic event to experience dysregulation. Developmental trauma happens in subtle, repeated moments - like being ignored, misunderstood, or having to suppress your needs to stay connected. These small ruptures shape how safe your system feels in the world. This work honours those experiences.

That shut-down feeling is part of a survival response called the dorsal vagal state. It’s common for highly sensitive women who’ve had to freeze or shut down to stay safe. You’re not broken - your system is protecting you. With gentle, consistent support, even frozen systems can thaw and come back to life.

Healing is not linear. Some shifts happen quickly; others unfold over months. The good news is that every time you notice a pattern, pause, or make a new choice, you’re building new pathways. This work isn’t about rushing - it's about trusting that small, safe changes accumulate over time and create deep transformation.