Anxiety, Depression, and our Capacity for Change

Anxiety and Depression through the lens of Somatic Experiencing and Attachment Theory

Somatic Experiencing and Attachment Theory understand ‘nervous system capacity as the ability to stay regulated while experiencing emotions. They explain that insufficient co-regulation from caregivers during early childhood results in attachment trauma and a limited ability to self-regulate emotions later on in life. Compared to individuals who experienced sufficient co-regulation, individuals with attachment trauma have a smaller window of tolerance. This means that they will more quickly enter one of the protective mechanisms, namely flight, fight or freeze when they experience emotions. Depression and anxiety are symptoms of the nervous system spending a significant amount of time in one of the protective mechanisms, fight, flight, or freeze. The nervous system has become chronically dysregulated.

The good news is that the nervous system is flexible and able to change (the concept of neuroplasticity). The model of Somatic Experiencing considers trauma on a continuum and provides a container for healing and change. Through pendulation between triggering material (activation) and a somatic resource, survival energy stored in the system can be released and integrated. Such integration results in increasing nervous system capacity. Ultimately, the nervous system no longer relates to activating material with a shutdown response and is able to once again experience the whole range of human emotions.

Various other modalities, such as solution-focused therapy, emotion-focused therapy, family systems therapy, and clinical hypnosis support clients to move forward from stuckness and depression and find inner calm in the midst of life’s challenges. If you would like to book a session with us, please get in touch.