As a somatic practitioner, one of the first things I tell my clients is that I’m going to interrupt them—a lot. Not to be rude, but to help them slow down, explore, and truly process what’s coming up. I call this intentional interruption, and it’s a vital part of the work I do.
Why Do We Interrupt?
Trauma and Overwhelm: Trauma can keep us in a state of overwhelm or stuck in patterns. When left unchecked, we often find ourselves looping in the same thoughts, emotions, and bodily responses.
Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn Responses: These automatic nervous system responses can cause us to either speed through our experiences, shut down, or get stuck in cycles that keep us from processing fully.
The Power of Slowing Down
Slowing Down to Integrate: Interruptions create a pause, giving space for our nervous systems to catch up and process what’s happening in real time. It helps break the loop of automatic responses and opens the door to deeper awareness.
Creating a Felt Sense of Safety: Slowing down allows clients to reconnect with their bodies and the present moment. It’s about giving space for the nervous system to regulate and find its way back to safety and stability.
The Science Behind Pausing and Interrupting
Polyvagal Theory: The nervous system's three states—ventral vagal (safe and social), sympathetic (fight/flight), and dorsal vagal (shutdown)—help us understand why slowing down is crucial. Interruptions help us shift out of survival states and into a place where healing can occur.
Pattern Interruption in Somatic Experiencing: The body often moves faster than the mind when it’s triggered, leading us into old patterns of defense. By interrupting, we slow down the process enough to notice, name, and renegotiate these responses.
Why Patterns Need Interrupting
Breaking Out of Loops: When we're in survival mode, we often repeat the same stories, emotions, and sensations. Interrupting helps create a gap between these loops and opens up the possibility for a new narrative.
Inviting Curiosity: Interruptions invite clients to step back, reflect, and question their automatic responses. This is where true change and integration begin.
Making the Agreement: Why Consent Matters
Setting the Stage: At the start of our work together, I always ask for consent. I explain that my role is to guide them back to their bodies, even if that means interrupting. It’s an agreement based on mutual respect and the shared goal of deeper healing.
Empowering Clients: This isn't about taking control; it's about co-creating a space where they feel safe enough to explore their edges without getting lost in the overwhelm.
Conclusion
A Commitment to Presence: Every time I interrupt, it’s a reminder that your healing matters enough to slow down for. We’re not just pushing through; we’re pausing, feeling, and reorienting towards the root of who you are.
Invitation: If you find yourself looping in the same struggles, know that it’s not because you’re broken—it’s because your body is trying to protect you. Together, we can gently interrupt those patterns and guide you back to yourself.
The invitation is to reflect on where you might be moving too fast in your own healing process.
I encourage you to consider how slowing down could serve you in your journey.
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