Plagiarism , Profits and Quick fixes: The Unethical side of Nervous System work.

The Other Side of Nervous System Support: When the System Keeps Us in Survival Mode

There’s a side of nervous system support that rarely gets talked about. The conversation often centres around individual healing—learning to regulate, practising self-care, and using tools to soothe ourselves when we feel overwhelmed. While these practices are important, they are not enough. Because the reality is, we are not just dealing with personal dysregulation. We are living within oppressive systems that actively keep us in states of survival.

The go-go-go culture. The glorification of busyness. The pressure to do it all—work the 9 to 5, be the mother, the carer, the role model, the perfect partner, the one who holds everything together. The weight of internalised misogyny, the sexism that still dictates so much of our lived experience, the horrific injustices happening in the world right now as we breathe. How do we find sustainable nervous system support when the very structures we exist within are working against us? When nothing around us is truly changing?

This is where the conversation needs to shift. It is not just our individual responsibility to regulate, heal, and “fix” ourselves. We are not dysregulated in isolation. Our nervous systems are responding appropriately to the chronic stress, oppression, and systemic harm that surrounds us. So how do we support our nervous systems while also contributing to systemic change?

The truth is, self-regulation alone is not enough if the conditions that create dysregulation remain the same. If the workplace still demands more than is humanly possible. If rest is still seen as a luxury instead of a necessity. If women and marginalised communities are still expected to stretch themselves thin, sacrificing their wellbeing for the sake of productivity, approval, or simply survival.

Sustainable nervous system support must include resistance. Resisting the grind culture. Questioning productivity myths. Challenging the belief that our worth is tied to how much we do. Creating networks of care, where we collectively hold space for each other’s wellbeing. Advocating for workplace policies that honour human nervous systems instead of exploiting them. Calling out the systemic issues that keep us trapped in cycles of burnout and exhaustion.

Healing is not just personal—it is collective. And if we are to find true, long-lasting support for our nervous systems, we cannot just look inward. We must also look outward, at the systems that need dismantling, and ask: How can we build something better?

Lately, I’ve been noticing a rise in popular trends like “vagus nerve resets” and “cortisol cleanses” circulating online. These quick-fix approaches make bold claims about healing the nervous system, balancing hormones, or reducing stress in just a matter of days or weeks. While there may be elements of truth in these practices, the reality is far more complex—and, frankly, the way they are being marketed is often misleading.

I see it in my own work, too. I’ve just started my first Empowered Embodiment Series, and already, I’m witnessing how deep this process goes. That’s why I only work one-to-one or in small groups of up to six people. We take our time. We build capacity. We don’t chase a “reset.” We gently explore nervous system resourcing as a way to gradually increase our ability to be with emotions and sensations. The work is not about hacking your way to healing. It’s about sustainable, long-term integration.

I myself have had many spinach in the teeth moments of believing something was ok or not seeing the forest or just being unaware or uneducated. It was the hard conversations others had with me that I opened myself to and the willingness to be open to change, to adapt and learn through trainings, books, podcasts that held me accountable for the work I offer and person I want to be moving forward. I sometimes will get specific mentoring to get feedback on my ideas and creations so that if I’m missing something I can get pulled up on it in a loving way with someone that I trust and has more experience than I do. I am still humbly always learning and do not claim to have all the answers, just insights and perspectives that so many others have passed along to me.

The Myth of a Quick Fix

Let’s be clear: there is no single exercise, breathing technique, or 10-day challenge that will “reset” or “heal” your nervous system. The patterns of stress, trauma, and emotional suppression we carry have often been built over a lifetime. Unravelling them is a process. And just like any deep physical cleanse, nervous system work can sometimes make things feel worse before they feel better.

One of my clients recently shared that some of the tools we explored were helping her sleep, but at the same time, old emotions were surfacing—similar to when she tried to quit smoking. This is a key piece of the process. When your nervous system has been stuck in freeze, fight-or-flight, or functional freeze for years, introducing new tools can thaw those frozen states.

Imagine an ice cube holding different emotions and experiences inside. As the ice melts, those emotions don’t just disappear—they have to go somewhere. Sometimes that means experiencing grief, agitation, or anxiety as your system starts shifting. That isn’t a sign that something is wrong. It’s a sign that something is moving.

The Danger of Superficial Understanding

Here’s where things get tricky. There’s a difference between experiencing a practice and integrating it. Between being introduced to a concept and embodying it. And yet, I have seen firsthand—too many times—people come to a session with me and others, absorb what is offered, and then take those tools straight to their own clients, students, or social media followers as if they were trained and have integrated this work.

Don’t be afraid to ask coaches, practitioners, therapists for their credentials or experience in their work, especially if it’s not clear on their websites and adverts.

This isn’t about ownership or gatekeeping. It’s about integrity.

Would you take one yoga class and then start teaching yoga? Would you go to a single shamanic journey and then run your own ceremonies? No? Then why is it suddenly acceptable to attend a single nervous system session and immediately turn around and offer these tools in an expensive program or session as if you have the education, mentorship, or depth of understanding to do so?

The worst part? Many of these people seem to not realise what they are doing due to lack of moral compass or think it goes unnoticed. That others lack the intuition to see exactly what they’re doing. We see it clearly. And I name it for what it is: a lack of integrity.

This is why I’ve had to put a disclaimer on my intake forms stating:

If you choose to take these tools and techniques to your clients, friends, or family, you do so at your own risk. If you want to offer this work with integrity, seek proper training, mentorship, and integration first.

Because nervous system tools are not neutral. They have real effects. And if they are misused—without nuance, without understanding, without the ability to hold space for the responses that may arise—they can do harm.

Why I Take a Slow, Supported Approach

This is exactly why I do not claim to provide a “safe space.” Safety is deeply individual, and what feels safe for one person might not for another. Instead, I focus on creating a supportive and braver space, where we resensitise our systems in a way that prevents overwhelm.

In my programmes, we explore somatic resourcing through movement, tools and techniques, restorative yoga, and self-inquiry—but I do not claim that these tools alone will fix or reset anything. Healing is about walking alongside what arises, not forcing it to be gone.

I also encourage my clients to seek multiple forms of support—whether that’s therapy, nutrition, movement, time in nature, or creative expression. Healing is not linear, and trying to “feel it all at once” can be just as overwhelming as suppressing it altogether.

The Social Media Problem

There is a growing concern among professionals in the somatic and trauma-informed world about the oversimplification of nervous system healing online. Dr Arielle Schwartz, a leading expert in somatic psychology, warns about the risks of engaging in vagus nerve exercises or trauma-releasing techniques without proper support:

“If we push the nervous system too fast, we risk reactivating trauma rather than resolving it. True healing happens through slow, titrated exposure to embodied experiences.”

Similarly, Dr Stephen Porges, who developed the Polyvagal Theory, emphasises that

“ regulating the nervous system is about creating conditions for co-regulation and self-agency, not forcing a quick reset.”- Stephen Porges

So when I see influencers pushing 5-minute nervous system hacks or breathwork sessions that promise to clear trauma in one sitting, I call bullshit. That’s not how this works. That’s not how any of this works.

A Compassionate, Sustainable Approach

In my work, I guide people to micro-dose their healing—taking baby steps rather than jumping into deep emotional waters too soon. One of the definitions of trauma is too much, too soon, too fast, and this applies even to positive emotions like joy and relief.

This is why I push back against the “you have to feel it to heal it” rhetoric. Feeling everything at once can flood the system, making things worse. Instead, we practise titration and pendulation, moving in and out of difficult emotions in a way that builds resilience rather than retraumatising.

So if you’ve ever felt frustrated that a single breathwork session or nervous system hack didn’t instantly transform your life—you are not doing it wrong. This work takes time, patience, and compassionate guidance. It’s not about fixing yourself. It’s about learning to walk alongside yourself with care.

I’m grateful to be walking this path with those of you who are ready to explore this work in a grounded, sustainable way. If you’re interested in learning more about what I offer where we gently integrate nervous system resourcing in small, supportive groups or one-to-one sessions, you can reach out to me directly.