logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
52m 17s

Healing Your Nervous System from Stress ...

David A Greenwood
About this episode

Are you a busy professional with ADHD feeling overwhelmed and burned out? You're not alone. This week, David welcomes Brittany Piper, author of Body-First Healing: Get Unstuck and Recover from Trauma with Somatic Healing, and an expert in trauma-informed care, to dig into the profound impact of our modern world on our nervous systems.

They discuss how the constant demands of technology, work, and life contribute to chronic stress and burnout, especially for those already navigating the challenges of ADHD.

Britt highlights that our nervous system fundamentally seeks safety and connection. Modern life often undermines both, leading to feelings of unsafety within our bodies and relationships, and a sense of "connected but disconnected" through technology. They explore the difference between stress and the cumulative "allostatic load" of chronic stress, emphasizing that simply resting isn't always enough to release built-up tension.

Key Discussion Points:

  • The Impact of Modern Life: How 24/7 connectivity and societal pressures overload our nervous systems.
  • Beyond Surface-Level Advice: Why typical burnout advice like "take breaks" often misses the deeper physiological roots of chronic stress.
  • The Body's Silent Signals: Britt explains how stress and trauma are stored in the body, manifesting in physical symptoms like digestive issues, chronic pain, and even changes in facial muscles and hearing.
  • The Role of Early Experiences: The crucial impact of secure attachment in early childhood on developing a resilient nervous system and the potential for "developmental trauma."
  • Unpacking the Past: Recognizing how past experiences, even without overt abuse, can prime our nervous system for survival mode and impact our stress response in adulthood.
  • The Autonomic Loop: Understanding how some high-achievers unknowingly use the energy of unprocessed stress (adrenaline and cortisol) to fuel their careers, leading to eventual crashes.
  • The Meaning of Presence: A glimpse into how to truly become present by engaging the sensory-motor system.

Learn more about Brittany Piper on her website: https://www.bodyfirsthealing.com/

**Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

 

Up next
Nov 7
ADHD time management is nothing without energy management
Did you know your ADHD brain has its own rhythm? The key isn't to fight it, but to work with it. In this episode, Dave dives into one of the most overlooked parts of productivity: your energy rhythms. Because, you can't manage your time if you don't have the energy to show up for ... Show More
19m 22s
Oct 29
Understanding ADHD in Adults and the Late Diagnosis Journey
Dave welcomes Dr. Jennifer Dall, a grief-informed neurodivergence specialist and founder of ADHD Holistically, to discuss the increasingly common experience of being diagnosed with ADHD later in life, often in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. Many adults, particularly those who were succes ... Show More
33m 18s
Oct 23
Adult ADHD and Burnout-When we can't just walk away
Burnout when you have adult ADHD is complex. It's not as simple as social media makes it look. Sure, sometimes people walk away from a stressful job or career. But let's be honest….that's not always possible. You've probably heard the phrase, "People don't leave jobs, they leave ... Show More
25m 54s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
S3 Ep07 - Managing Stress & Burnout
We often overlook the early warning signs of burnout—subtle hints like exhaustion, irritability, or loss of motivation. Instead, we push forward, believing that powering through will get us to the finish line faster. But ignoring these signs only brings us closer to a breaking po ... Show More
23m 8s
Feb 2025
Stressed Out? How to Manage Stress and Reset Your Nervous System
How do you recognize and overcome stress manifestations? In this episode of A Really Good Cry, I dive into the deep-rooted effects of stress—how it sneaks into our thoughts, our bodies, and even our sleep. I share my Ultimate Stress Reset Formula, a simple three-step process to h ... Show More
25m 39s
Oct 2020
3 Minute Stress Management
<p>Stress is the aspect of anxiety that we feel in our body. Worry is about thoughts, but stress is how our muscles get tense, our breathing gets tight, it makes you ache or makes your hands sweat, stress is the physiological response to perceived danger. So when your brain perce ... Show More
4m 35s
May 2023
Rebecca Kase: Polyvagal Informed EMDR: A Neuro-informed Approach to Healing
<p dir="ltr">Rebecca Kase is the Owner of Rebecca Kase &amp; CO, LLC as well as a licensed clinical social worker and author of Polyvagal Informed EMDR: A Neuro Informed Approach To Healing. You may remember her burnout story from a previous episode of FRIED. Rebecca began studyi ... Show More
56m 24s
Jul 2025
Practical tools for understanding and managing stress
Send us a textIf you’re human you know what it’s like to be stressed. But what is stress exactly? Is all stress unhealthy or can our stress response help us adapt and build resilience? How does stress affect our mental and physical health? How can we effectively respond to and ma ... Show More
46m 52s
Oct 3
395 - 4 of the Best Things You Can Do to Regulate Your Nervous System
<p>You cannot heal your mind or your body in the presence of chronic stress. Full stop.</p><p>And here’s the hard truth: all the money, supplements, and energy you’re spending trying to heal without addressing your stress load? It’s mostly wasted.</p><p>Because stress is cumulati ... Show More
23m 36s
Sep 3
Reset Your Nervous System: Actionable Advice for Stress, Burnout, and Trauma | Linda Thai
<p dir="ltr">An expert trauma therapist offers a master class in resilience.</p> <p><strong> </strong>Linda Thai LMSW is a trauma therapist specializing in cutting-edge brain-and body-based modalities for complex developmental trauma. As an educator, she adeptly communicates on t ... Show More
1h 10m
Oct 2024
Understanding the Impact of Chronic Stress on Your Brain | Dr. Robert Sapolsky
Stress isn’t just in your head—it’s rewiring your brain. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Robert Sapolsky to dive into the science of stress and its profound impact on mental and physical health. We explore how chronic stress damages the brain, particularly the hippocampus, l ... Show More
1h 11m
Sep 1
Chronic Stress Ages You. Here's How To De-Stress for Longevity. | Elissa Epel
<p dir="ltr">How to reduce negative thoughts, get deep rest, and improve cellular health.</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.elissaepel.com/">Elissa Epel, Ph.D.</a>, is an international expert on stress, well-being, and optimal aging and a best-selling autho ... Show More
1h 11m