When you’re on the path to recovery from chronic conditions like CFS/ME, Long Covid, Burnout and Anxiety, it’s easy to become focused on one treatment modality. Whether it's somatic exercises, vagal toning, dietary changes, or even mindfulness practices, any single method can provide some relief. However, lasting healing requires something more holistic. Your nervous system is complex and you may have had your symptoms for several years and therefore approaching healing from different angles can have a longer lasting effect.

Why Focusing On One Healing Approaches Can Have Limitations

Take somatic and vagal toning exercises, for example. They are powerful tools for calming a dysregulated nervous system, and for many, they can significantly reduce symptoms. But focusing solely on this technique without addressing underlying factors may only provide temporary relief. You might calm your nervous system, but unless you're targeting the deeper root causes of your symptoms, the imbalance remains. It’s the difference between managing symptoms and eradicating them.

Chronic conditions like fatigue, pain, and noise sensitivity are usually not caused by a singular issue. Instead, they are the result of a complex interplay of factors like stress, trauma, negative thought patterns, limiting beliefs, nutrition  and even emotional health. If you don’t address all these components, you may find yourself repeatedly managing flare-ups rather than experiencing full recovery.

Calming the Nervous System vs. Regulating It

Many people talk about calming a dysregulated nervous system, which is undoubtedly important. When you're in a state of chronic stress or trauma, your nervous system often gets stuck in a fight-or-flight mode. This perpetuates symptoms like pain and fatigue. Somatic and vagal toning practices help bring your body out of this state and into a calmer, more restful one.

However, calming the nervous system is not the same as fully regulating it. If your nervous system isn't well-regulated, it can continue to overreact to minor stressors, as it doesn’t feel safe - leading to ongoing symptoms. The goal isn’t just to intermittently calm yourself but to help your nervous system find a balance where it no longer feels the need to trigger these chronic symptoms in the first place.

The Importance of Holistic Healing

True healing requires a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that looks at the whole person. Here’s why:

⭐ Addressing Root Causes

Chronic conditions often stem from various factors, such as unprocessed trauma, emotional stress, poor nutrition, or even imbalances in the gut. Focusing on one aspect, such as somatic work, without addressing the others may provide temporary relief but not lasting healing. You need to dig deeper to uncover and address the root causes.

⭐ Balancing the Mind-Body Connection

Our bodies and minds are intricately connected. Chronic stress or unresolved emotions can manifest as physical symptoms. While calming the nervous system helps, healing also involves processing these deeper emotional layers. Practices like mindfulness, talk therapy, and emotional regulation are crucial for addressing the emotional and mental contributors to chronic conditions.

⭐ Nourishing Your Body

Chronic fatigue and pain can also be exacerbated by nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, or toxic overload. Incorporating dietary changes, detoxification, or even supplements into your healing process can significantly enhance your body’s ability to recover.

⭐ Lifestyle Adjustments

Sometimes, simple lifestyle factors such as poor sleep hygiene, lack of movement, or high exposure to environmental toxins can play a large role in keeping your symptoms active. Addressing these can help your body recover more efficiently and reduce the likelihood of symptom recurrence.

⭐ Cultivating Resilience

A holistic approach not only treats symptoms but builds long-term resilience. When you integrate multiple modalities—such as movement, stress management, nutrition, and emotional healing—you equip your body with the tools it needs to better handle stressors, reducing the likelihood of future flare-ups.

What can you do?

Continue with any of the techniques you have found help with your healing so far.  And if you haven’t already, you may want to look at what is causing your nervous system imbalance.

My signature Rebalance and Recover Programme takes a holistic approach to healing your chronic symptoms so that you can fully recover from your chronic conditions for the long term

Happy Healing 💜

Hazel