Four years ago, I could hardly make my son's school lunch and give him his breakfast at

the same time. I became so overwhelmed by these simple morning preparations that I felt like I was spinning, not exactly dizzy, but almost. I was very fearful of many experiences: airplane travel, being in the house by myself overnight, finding a tick on our dog. My physical reaction to these and many other fairly ordinary events was involuntary: pounding heart, muscle tension and pain. I also struggled with brain fog, strange body sensations, and constant worry.

It was a revelation to me to learn that my physical and psychological experiences had a reasonable physiological explanation based in the conditioned response of the nervous system to overwhelming life experiences. I began to use every tool and technique I could find to change how my nervous system was functioning and restore balance in the relationship of my brain and body. From this journey I have come to deeply appreciate the value of res...