Living a Nervous System–Informed Life: Repurposing Trauma Symptoms for Healing

Introduction:

Trauma is increasingly recognized as both a psychological and physiological

phenomenon. It not only influences cognition and memory but also leaves enduring imprints on

the body and nervous system (1). Traditional approaches have often focused on cognitive

restructuring or symptom suppression; however, trauma-informed and body-centered

perspectives suggest a more integrative framework. Living a nervous system–informed life

involves recognizing the body’s protective responses, reframing them as adaptations, and

cultivating practices that restore flexibility and resilience.

Polyvagal Theory and the Hierarchy of States

Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory describes a hierarchical organization of the autonomic nervous

system:

 The ventral vagal system supports safety, social engagement, and co-regulation.

 The sympathetic system mobilizes fight-or-flight responses during perceived threat.

 The dorsal vagal system facilitates shutdown, withdrawal, and dissociation under

overwhelming stress (2).

Trauma often “traps” individuals in sympathetic or dorsal states, leading to cycles of

hypervigilance, anxiety, or emotional numbing (2,3). Importantly, these states represent survival

responses, not pathology. Through intentional practice and supportive environments, individuals

can gradually return to ventral vagal functioning, fostering safety and connection.

Trauma Symptoms as Survival Strategies

Janina Fisher emphasizes that symptoms such as flashbacks, dissociation, and

hyperarousal can be understood as “fragments of survival responses” (4). Dissociation, for

example, reflects the nervous system’s attempt to shield the individual from overwhelming

affect; hypervigilance ensures preparedness for danger; and anxiety represents mobilized energy

awaiting direction. Bessel van der Kolk similarly notes that “the body keeps the score,” encoding

trauma through muscle tension, disrupted physiology, and altered patterns of self-regulation (1).

Reframing symptoms as protective can reduce shame and create space for individuals to

repurpose them. For example, hypervigilant awareness may be redirected toward creative

sensitivity or situational attunement; mobilized anxiety can fuel movement, exercise, or artistic

expression; and dissociation may serve as a signal to pause, ground, and reconnect.

Practices for a Nervous System–Informed Life

A nervous system–informed approach emphasizes self-awareness and daily practices that

gradually reshape regulation:

1. Tracking states: Identifying whether one is in ventral, sympathetic, or dorsal activation

builds awareness and supports intentional responses (2,3).

2. Body-based practices: Somatic interventions such as grounding, breathwork, shaking, or

gentle movement support completion of survival responses (5).

3. Safe connection: Healing occurs within safe relationships—friends, community, or

therapeutic contexts—that activate the ventral vagal system (2,6).

4. Reframing progress: Success is not the elimination of triggers, but the ability to move

between states with greater fluidity and self-compassion (4,6).

Music and Movement as Regulatory Tools

Music and movement have emerged as accessible non-clinical practices for nervous

system regulation. Music activates widespread neural networks associated with emotion,

memory, and motor coordination, producing real-time shifts in arousal and mood (7,8). Low-

frequency vibrations, such as those present in bass-heavy music, have been associated with vagal

stimulation and grounding effects (9). Dance and spontaneous movement complete survival

responses, discharge stored energy, and restore agency (5,10). These practices highlight how

trauma recovery can extend beyond the clinical setting into everyday rituals of rhythm, sound,

and embodied expression.

Conclusion

Living a nervous system–informed life is about shifting perspective: from fighting

symptoms to understanding them as survival strategies. Polyvagal theory provides a framework

for recognizing autonomic states, while trauma experts such as Fisher, van der Kolk, and Levine

underscore the role of the body in healing. Through daily regulation practices, safe connections,

and embodied tools like music and movement, individuals can repurpose trauma responses into

pathways for resilience and connection. This approach offers not only relief from burdens but

also the possibility of a more flexible, compassionate, and embodied life.

References

1. van der Kolk BA. The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of

trauma. New York: Viking; 2014.

2. Porges SW. The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions,

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3. Ogden P, Fisher J. Sensorimotor psychotherapy: Interventions for trauma and attachment.

New York: W. W. Norton; 2015.

4. Fisher J. Healing the fragmented selves of trauma survivors: Overcoming internal self-

alienation. New York: Routledge; 2017.

5. Levine PA. In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness.

Berkeley: North Atlantic Books; 2010.

6. Siegel DJ. The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who

we are. 2nd ed. New York: Guilford Press; 2012.

7. Chanda ML, Levitin DJ. The neurochemistry of music. Trends Cogn Sci.

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8. Koelsch S. Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions. Nat Rev Neurosci.

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9. Ganesan K, Acharya H, Mooventhan A. Vibroacoustic therapy: A narrative review and

its future perspectives. Int J Yoga. 2021;14(1):47–55.

10. Koch SC, Riege R, Tisborn K, Biondo J, Martin L, Beelmann A. Effects of dance

movement therapy and dance on health-related psychological outcomes: A meta-analysis.

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