Turn off Anxiety in Your Nervous System: 4 Ways to Turn on the Parasympathetic Response

Your brilliant, wise, beautiful body has a counterbalancing force to combat stress and anxiety. It's called the parasympathetic response (that's para as in parachute). And this is the body's natural way of slowing down and creating a sense of calm and safety. Learn how you can use your body's parasympathetic response to feel calmer and more grounded.

Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC, and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

About Me:
I’m Emma McAdam. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I have worked in various settings of change and growth since 2004. My experience includes juvenile corrections, adventure therapy programs, wilderness therapy programs, an eating disorder treatment center, a residential treatment center, and I currently work in an outpatient therapy clinic.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
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[Laura-moqj]

If you’re suffering from ptsd, depression, agoraphobia, or anxiety, just know that you’re not alone, and we’re going to be okay 👍🏻 ❤️

[metabolicnutritionist]

Being anxious is one of the biggest reasons many people don't achieve their goals. Great video!

[boopscoop]

If your anxious and it feels like it’s going to last forever, just be assured it’s not. Even if it has lasted for a long time, you can get through it. You are going in the right direction by watching this video! I believe in you!

[davidjoseph]

One great thing I learned after getting my anxiety tool box of techniques( breathing, grounding, CBT techniques) under my belt, was to tell myself whenever anxiety came on was, " Oh cool.This is a great chance to practice my anxiety tools, so thank you anxiety". This rethinking took my anxiety's power away. Also never try to fight your anxiety. It loves a good fight. Just learn to accept the feeling and ask what is it trying to teach you this moment. Hope these work for you and just know we have anxiety, but our anxiety doesn't have us.

[suesmith]

When you hear other poor souls going through the same awful anxiety situation, it does make you realise you are
Not alone, onwards and upwards ❤️

[charlotter]

I think this stuff should be taught at school, it’s an essential part of being a human and most people go through their lives not knowing 😢🙏🏼

[Kathrine-swtw]

Had a therapist who adviced me to put a cloth dipped in cold water onto my eyes when I felt anxious. Now I understand why and figured I'd leave that advice here for anyone watching this :)

[takeruonishi]

4 Ways to turn on Parasympathetic response:
- Deep breathing
- inhaling increases heart rate
- exhaling decreases heart rate
- ‘Soften’ your eyes
- Relax your muscles around your eyes (touch the sides of your eyes)
- Focus on softening your vision, and try to expand your awareness to the peripherals while keeping your eyeballs straight ahead
- Valsava maneuver
- Bare down, as if you’re passing stool
- Put pressure in your chest and down to the pelvic floor and then release
- Breathe for 5 seconds, hold and bare down for 5 and then breathe out for 5 seconds Just add a bit of pressure in your chest, no need to push too hard
- Yawn
- Make the ‘R’ sound and open the soft palette of your mouth
- Do a fake yawn

I wrote notes for myself so I figured I'd share it with you here in case it helps.. everything is going to be ok ❤

[KarimJovian]

Just listening to you calms me. I have a really bad Anxiety Disorder that I have developed and your videos are helping. I haven't been able to sleep for days

[Dino-uovj]

I’ve been going through a lot of mental health issues lately and I can’t afford therapy. So I’ve been watching these videos and it’s just amazing my whole life is changing I never think I never thought I could do it.

[georgelee]

It's the most amazing feeling when anxiety totally disappears. When people make you feel worthy, happy or when you achieve some great achievement. These are the times when anxiety goes away and its replaced by joy, calmness and happiness.. We all deserve to feel this way. Thank you for this great video.

[Oosmagoose]

Literally having a huge panic attack in my house. I stopped and searched for the first video about calming anxiety, I had watched her fight flight and freeze videos before. Truthfully, by the end of this video I was grounded and much more calm. I want to cry because I haven’t found something that worked so well ❤️ thank you

[spencerbewick]

Seems so easy but in the moment when ur anxious it’s so freaking hard to find a way to chill out sometimes

[ingermallia-elromantico]

Going through really bad anxiety attacks again. Impossible to read self help books so calm quick helpful hints and advice like this is saving my sanity.Does anyone else really think they're losing control of reality because of anxiety? It really frightens me .peace be with you all

[ElizabethhWatt]

I actually started to believe that breathing doesn't help with anxiety but then I realized that was just my anxiety lying to me. I used to think that my anxiety was too overpowering for breathing alone to help. It's about learning to disapline your mind. Thank you for this!

[angel.heart]

A few minutes ago I was feeling a bit desperate when I saw this video. Feeling like a Heart attack or something was about to happen.
All the sensations I get when I’m having an anxiety attack makes me panic even more. Ugh. This video helped alot. And to any of you out there feeling the same, you’re not alone… we’re going to be okay.

[kyxxit]

I've been stuck in anxiety for 5 days. I've tried everything I could think of to hold on to myself. I've felt stuck and out of control. I stumbled on your video and it has helped me so much. Thank you

[PwninFaceu]

I have had horrible panic attacks that have almost made me pass out, I’ve had to lay down flat, heart pounding, head pounding. It’s HORRIBLE!! Deep breathing and that realization that I actually do have control over my own anxiety saved my life, stay strong!!!

[margo]

Your voice is so calm and empathetic. Thank you for making these videos.

[Husky]

I don’t think people who don’t have anxiety know how lucky they are. Mines just seems to keep getting worse and worse.