Hello Reader
This week’s reflections come from holding space with friends and clients navigating grief in different ways — through loss, separation, or simply through the ending of something that mattered deeply.
Musings
😭 Grief is a very intimate process, but also a universal one. Sadly, it is a process for which we are seldom prepared, and that we barely understand. It's more than sadness; the reason it's so hard is that it’s a neurobiological process that is based in the way our brain works. When we grieve, we experience our brains clinging to old predictions, old maps of what life should be or should feel like. Letting go isn't about erasing those maps and "moving on" - it’s about allowing the brain to create new maps.
Whether you're recovering from a relationship, the passing of a loved one, or experiencing physical change, letting go isn't a passive thing that just happens with time. It is an action you take (consciously or not). This is why it might be harder or longer for some of us: we're not just holding on to something, we're trying to hold on to a representation of ourselves.
🎁 NeuroSomatic Practice of the Week
This week's practice is Part 3 of a longer lesson, called the Panic Button.
Use it when things get too much, to come home to yourself.
|
🧠 NeuroMinute...
Grieving is, at its core, a form of learning. When we lose someone or something meaningful, the brain continues to generate predictions that the person, relationship, or situation is still present. This mismatch (called prediction error) activates regions like the anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and default mode network, which are involved in attachment, memory, and self-reflection.
That’s why grief can feel like a constant wave of surprise, yearning, and disorientation 😱: your nervous system is literally rewiring to integrate a new reality.
And like all deep learning, it doesn’t happen in isolation. Co-regulation — being in safe, supportive connection with others — helps the nervous system integrate change, while somatic approaches give the body a pathway to release and reorganize. If you’re navigating this process, you don’t have to do it alone — reach out and let’s explore together.
Did you know?
Around 40% of people living with chronic pain also experience anxiety or depression. And it goes both ways: among those who report ongoing anxiety or depression, more than 50% also live with chronic pain. Pain and emotional health are deeply connected.
✨ Healing starts with connection. Explore how neurosomatic approaches can ease both pain and anxiety.
|
PS: You are not alone ❤️ 🧠.
PPS: Catch up on past editions and practices here.
Warmly,
Joana
Follow me here:
