Trigger the Restorative Brain State

Discover how your body sends safety and comfort cues to your brain to activate the restorative state. Share these practices as part of your trauma-informed strategies. 

I have been a trainer of trainers with the Community Resilience Initiative (CRI) since the early days. Theresa Barila, the founder, and I became great friends and learning partners. 

CRI’s signature ROLES Model invites us to follow the three Rs: Recognize emotions and triggers, Reduce stressors, and Restore the energy balance.

Now we want to take you deeper—into how to restore that energy balance. Specifically, how to activate the brain and body’s restorative capacities. Spending more time in this regulated/restorative state promotes learning, social engagement, physical and mental health.

The skill of moving from agitated (threat response) to calm and connected (safety response) is foundational to trauma-informed care. It starts with developing conscious awareness of our current state of mind (affect) so we can intentionally adjust our interpretation—or prediction—of what’s triggering us.

Because most information the brain receives comes from the body, a body-up approach is essential for restoring energy balance. For example, increasing oxygen and circulation supports the cranial nerves responsible for regulation and social engagement. More oxygen and blood flow to the frontal lobes of the brain enhance executive functioning. Caring for both the top and bottom of the spine throughout the day supports optimal blood flow, cerebrospinal fluid movement, and oxygen delivery to the brain. 

All systems of the body work in synchrony to support us through life’s experiences – including the PACEs. When we understand the dynamic relationships between brain and body, we can find countless ways for the body to send safety signals to the brain. These signals can trigger a cascade of calm, relaxation, energy, and restoration.

Join our programs to get awesome anatomy details and efficient practices that work.