Collective Trauma, the Nervous System, and Finding Safety in Uncertain Times

In this episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we explore how collective trauma is impacting us on both an adoptee level and a human level. With so much uncertainty and constant information coming at us, it’s understandable if you’re feeling anxious, numb, overwhelmed, or disconnected.

We talk about how our nervous systems were never meant to be in a constant state of alert, and how this moment is inviting us to slow down, reconnect, and come back into the present. Through a gentle and empowering lens, we share why gathering in community, resting without guilt, limiting digital overwhelm, and updating old beliefs around safety are essential acts of care.

This episode is an invitation to offer yourself compassion, to remember you’re not alone, and to reconnect with what truly supports healing, regulation, and freedom especially in times like these.

If you are looking for support or tools for connection and regulation check these out:

1. Vagal Nerve Awakening 

• Ear Massage: Gently massaging the vagus nerve branch in the ear to signal safety to the brain.
• The "Basic Exercise" (Stanley Rosenberg): Lying down or sitting up, interlocking fingers behind the head, and moving only the eyes to the far right, then far left, until a sigh, yawn, or swallow occurs.
• https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/videos

2. The Power of Flow: Qi Gong & Tai Chi 

• "Shaking the Tree" (Qi Gong): A simple, accessible practice of bouncing gently on the heels and shaking the arms to "discharge" stagnant stress energy.
• Tai Chi Opening Breath: Slow, circular arm movements coordinated with deep inhalations to ground the energy into the lower abdomen (Dantian).
• https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/search?query=qi%20gong

3. Targeted Release: EFT Tapping 

• The "Overwhelmed to Empowered": Focus on tapping points (brow, side of eye, under nose, collarbone) while acknowledging the "heaviness" of the world and choosing to feel safe in the body.
• https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/search?query=eft%20tapping

4. The Anchor: Somatic Breathwork 

• The "Sigh of Relief": A double inhale through the nose followed by a long, audible "Aaah" exhale through the mouth.
• Box Breathing: A 4-4-4-4 count to bring the prefrontal cortex back online when feeling "victimized" by external stressors.
• https://insighttimer.com/adamcarbary/guided-meditations/10-min-somatic-breathwork-daily-practice

Reclaim Your Peace Workshop 1/24, 12pm - 2pm EST

Join us for a powerful online workshop specifically designed for anyone experiencing fear and the physical state of carrying the weight of the world's collective trauma in your nervous system. This unique event combines the transformative power of Somatic Breathwork™ with the accessible grounding technique of EFT Tapping to help you gently shed layers of stress and trauma and step into your personal power.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reclaim-your-peace-with-somatic-breathwor