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Healing Your Nervous System from Stress and Burnout

Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

Fri May 16 2025

Are you a busy professional with ADHD feeling overwhelmed and burned out? You're not alone. This week, David welcomes Brittany Piper, author of Body-First Healing: Get Unstuck and Recover from Trauma with Somatic Healing, and an expert in...

Summary

Podcast Summary: Overcoming Distractions – Thriving with ADHD, ADD

Episode: Healing Your Nervous System from Stress and Burnout
Host: David A Greenwood
Guest: Brit (Brittany) Piper, author of Body First Healing: A Revolutionary Guide to Nervous System Recovery
Date: May 16, 2025

Main Theme

This episode explores how chronic stress and burnout impact the nervous system, particularly for adults with ADHD working demanding jobs or juggling busy lives. Brit Piper, an expert in trauma-informed care, shares her insights on how past trauma, modern lifestyle pressures, and nervous system dysregulation contribute to burnout—and more importantly, practical somatic techniques listeners can use to heal, regulate, and build resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Nervous System Under Modern Pressure

Safety and Connection:
The nervous system thrives on a sense of safety (internally and externally) and genuine connection—both of which are jeopardized in today's hyperconnected but emotionally disconnected world.
- "We have each other at our fingertips, but we are not actually touching each other." (Brit, 07:36)
Chronic Stress Environment:
From technological interruptions to work/life demands, these unrelenting pressures leave many stuck in a physiological state of defense.
- "We live in a world right now where things do not feel super safe—from the food we eat, to the air we breathe, to our political climates." (Brit, 07:16)

2. Misconceptions Around Stress and Burnout

Simplistic Solutions Fall Short:
Advice such as “just rest, take breaks, or do yoga” fails to address the underlying allostatic load (“wear and tear”) from unprocessed stress.
- "It's misinformed advice. We're telling people to rest more when really what it is is that the nervous system is under too much pressure." (Brit, 08:59)
Pressure Cooker Analogy:
Unreleased stress accumulates like steam in a pressure cooker, leading to "explosions" (panic, rage) or "implosions" (burnout, depression).

3. How Stress Manifests Somatically (in the Body)

Physical Symptoms:
Chronic stress and trauma can appear as migraines, digestive issues, muscle tension, TMJ, and more.
- "There are neuroanatomical changes in the body when you're in certain nervous system states." (Brit, 11:18)
Face, Ears & Sensory Processing:
Stress can alter blood flow, muscle tension (especially in the face), and even ear function—shifting what frequencies we pay attention to (predator sounds when in fight or flight).
Invisible, Overlooked Signs:
Medical professionals often miss the stress connection, focusing on physical tests rather than exploring life context.
- "Not one doctor said, what do you do for work? What's your home like? What's going on in your life?" (Dave, 15:42)

4. Trauma’s Role in Building or Undermining Resilience

Early Attachment Patterns:
The presence, attentiveness, and responsiveness of caregivers in the first five years shape nervous system resilience. Absence or unpredictability (even without overt trauma) can wire lifelong anxiety and lowered stress tolerance. (Brit shares her own experience – 21:01)
Developmental Trauma:
Even environments deemed "safe" externally may create internal insecurity leading to chronic survival responses later in life.

5. The “Autonomic Loop” in High Achievers

High performers with ADHD often get stuck in cycles of adrenaline-fueled overdrive followed by system crashes—rooted in incomplete or misdirected stress responses from earlier life.

6. Defining and Achieving Presence

Being versus Doing:
True presence isn't intellectual—it's experienced in the body. Somatic techniques ground the body in the present, moving from defensive scanning (for threats) to exploratory orienting (engagement with the current environment).
- "One of the quickest ways to access presence is through the senses." (Brit, 26:01)
Practical Sensory Techniques:
- Slowly allowing the eyes, head, and neck to wander (peripheral gaze)
- Listening to subtle environmental sounds (air conditioning, distant noises)
- Using tactile objects (like a hair clip) to anchor sensation

7. Barriers to Pausing and Practicing Presence—Especially for ADHD Brains

Automatic Resistance:
The nervous system equates familiar (even stressed) patterns with safety; new routines feel threatening at first.
- "There's going to be resistance... The rule of the nervous system is same equals safe." (Brit, 29:37)
Tiny, Scheduled Intervals:
Start with micro-moments: set an alarm for 2 minutes, 2–3 times a day, to practice exploratory orienting with your senses.

8. The Constant "Alarm" of ADHD

Many with ADHD live in a near-constant "fight/flight" state, always scanning for threat, worrying about tasks, leadership, or performance.
- "Think of it like a security system. Your nervous system is always scanning...even if it's not there." (Brit, 31:15)

Techniques for Healing and Regulating the Nervous System

1. Somatic Practices at Your Desk (48:34–51:14):

Brit shares simple, actionable exercises for busy professionals:

Edge of Seat Press:
Sit on the edge of your chair, feet on the floor; press down with your legs as if about to stand (hold 30 sec, then relax and notice sensations).
Heel Drops:
While seated, lift and drop your heels one at a time (alternate, then speed up for 30 seconds). Increases limb circulation, helps release stress.
Chair Drops:
Tilt your chair onto the back legs (safely) and then drop down—engages muscles and the vestibular (balance) system.
Walking Breaks:
“Even just going on a walk on your lunch break—just get some air in your face.” (Dave, 51:14)

2. Exploratory Orienting (Sensory Reset):

Use your senses to take in the environment. Notice colors, textures, sounds, temperature.
These "glimmers" (the opposite of triggers) signal the nervous system that it's safe to slow down.
- “You’re just taking a moment to show the nervous system—hey, there’s a moment of safety here too.” (Brit, 32:05)

3. Mindful Technology Use (35:04–41:53):

When you instinctively reach for your phone, pause and observe what you feel in your body—craving distraction is often a cue of impending overwhelm.
Set intentional "device-free" hours (Brit shares her family practice: 5-7 PM = no phones).
Recognize the difference between true connection and digital "dissociation."

4. Accommodating the Stress Response Cycle (38:13–40:33):

Understand the “polyvagal ladder:” you move up and down nervous system states 100 times per day.
Regulation doesn’t mean staying calm continuously, but allowing stress responses to complete: feeling, expressing (crying, shaking, sighing), and then returning to ease.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Modern Connection:
"We have each other at our fingertips, but we are not actually touching each other. There’s not that real connection there.”
— Brit (07:36)
On Misguided Burnout Advice:
“We’re telling people to rest more when really what it is, is the nervous system is under too much pressure…think of it like a pressure cooker.”
— Brit (08:59)
On Physiological “Face Stress”:
“When I was going through burnout, I could like feel it in my face. Like my face hurts.”
— Dave (11:02)
On Early Life Stress:
“Our attachment system scans for three things: is my caregiver near, are they attentive, and are they responsive in a way that’s regulating?”
— Brit (21:32)
On Realistic Regulation:
“A regulated nervous system goes up and down that ladder, moves in and out of stress roughly 100 times a day.”
— Brit (40:33)
On Resilience:
“It’s not that the stress is too big, it’s that our capacity to be with the stress is too small.”
— Brit (45:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

05:14–08:09 – Nervous system needs safety and connection; modern life breeds chronic stress
08:59–10:38 – Burnout isn’t fixed by rest alone; pressure cooker analogy
11:45–14:54 – Fight/flight/freeze in the body; how physiology changes under stress
16:15–18:47 – Medical community misses the stress/trauma connection to physical symptoms
20:59–23:13 – Childhood, attachment, and how early overwork shapes adult resilience
26:01–28:34 – Practical methods to access presence via the senses
29:37–31:15 – How to start building pauses for presence (2-minute rule)
35:04–41:53 – The phone, “doom scrolling,” and recognizing emotional cues for distraction
48:34–51:14 – Three actionable desk-based somatic exercises to discharge stress

Actionable Takeaways

Use short, scheduled sensory pauses (2 minutes, 2–3×/day) to orient your body to safety.
Try desk-based somatic exercises (edge-of-seat press, heel drops, chair tilts) to release “pent-up” tension.
Build awareness of your “stress-relief” habits—especially technology use—and notice the bodily cues prompting them.
Accept that stress is normal, and true resilience means flexibly returning to ease, not eliminating stress altogether.

Resources & Connect with Brit Piper

Book: Body First Healing: A Revolutionary Guide to Nervous System Recovery
Website: BodyFirstHealing.com
Instagram/Social: See website for links

This episode delivers a nuanced, compassionate, and practical guide to understanding—and healing—the body’s response to relentless modern stress, especially for adults with ADHD. Brit Piper’s insights into somatic regulation, the impacts of early attachment, and her concrete exercises offer hope and actionable steps for anyone seeking relief from the “pressure cooker” of contemporary life.

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Transcript

A (0:07)

I'm Dave Greenwood and this is Overcoming Distractions. If you are an adult with adhd, a busy professional, an entrepreneur, a high achiever, or just need some strategies to navigate your adult adhd, you're in the right place. Who am I? I'm an entrepreneur with ADHD and the author of two books, Overcoming Distract and Overcoming Burnout. I coach and mentor people just like you, and together we navigate the ups and downs of adult adhd, from getting out of our own way to helping people just like you thrive in the workplace. That's what I do. Want more info on working with me? Hit overcoming distractions.com ready? Let's get to today's podcast. All right, gang, welcome back. Welcome, all my distracted friends. You are on Overcoming Distractions, and if you are in that classification of being an adult with adhd, you're a demanding career, you got a lot going on at home, you are definitely in the right place because that's all we talk about here. We don't talk about kids, college kids, anything. We are solely focused on you, the busy professional with adhd. So if you're new, welcome. If you're an old listener, thank you again for hitting that subscribe button. So, and that being said, I give you my quick little, you know, 15 second speech here. If you have gained a lot of value from the podcast, but you still have some things you want to work out, you want to do some problem solving, you want to work on the mechanics of ADHD and how it relates to your life, life, just hit the website overcoming distractions.com, hit that button that says book a 15 minute Zoom chat with me and let's get to know each other for a few minutes. So. All right, cool. We just did an episode on ADHD and Burnout. As you know, we focused on before. If you've listened to the podcast for any length of time, but I think we need to keep talking about this. I'm hearing more and more of you not only having challenges, maybe getting stuff done, juggling the demands of your career and home life, but you're feeling burned out. Some of you I talked to have even decided to leave your job or place of employment because things have just gotten a little too crazy. So. And as far, ADHD wasn't enough. Many of us do fall into that burnout trap. So take technology work, demand slack teams. Right? Demands on the other areas of our life, and we start to see what we call chronic stress. And I think we'll probably chat about this in a moment, but I think there, there's Definitely a difference between stress and burnout, but we can chat about that. So we're going to talk about how our modern world keeps us in that state of chronic stress and the practices you can do to bring your nervous system back to presence. And I learned over time that trauma and stress, while we feel it mentally, a lot of it is stored in our bodies. So I think we're going to, we're going to dig into that a little bit. So. Brit Piper is the author of their new book, Body First Healing, A Revolutionary Guide to Nervous System Recovery. She's an expert in trauma informed care, and over the past several years she's delivered more than 400 programs all over the world. She's been recognized by the US Army, Department of Justice, Cosmopolitan, Elite Daily, the list goes on. So welcome. British.

B (11:46)

And so when I talk about, for instance, safety and connection, that comes from the polyvagal theory. But there are, you're absolutely speaking truth. So there are neuroanatomical changes that happen in the body when you're in certain states of the nervous system. So for instance, when you're in fight or flight and you're going to be like, yes, that's why I felt that way. When you're in fight or flight, this is when the adrenaline and cortisol gets released into the body. And adrenaline and cortisol, it mobilizes us to fight or flee. Yeah, we get mobilized. That's why we can get fidgety or kind of, you know, move around or feel anxious in our body. That's why we tremble, shake. But in addition to that, the blood motility in our body changes. So our blood starts to circulate outward to our limbs to also propel us to fight or flee. Which is why when we are in a fight response, we feel heated in our head, we start to sweat. When we're anxious in that flight response, we have heated hands. But yes, all of those hormones will start to go outward. And in addition, the muscles in your body changes. So your nervous system, it impacts your musculoskeletal system, your cardiovascular system, it governs your hormones, your respiratory system, your endocrine system, your digestive system, we go on and on. But the muscles in your face also change. So for instance, when you're in a fight or flight response, your eyes will start to have what we call ocular cement. So they narrow in so that you're now in kind of like predator mode in your eyes. Rather than having like a peripheral gaze, the muscles in your ears change. So like when you're in rest and digest, your middle ear muscles are activated to hear the sounds of mid range frequencies, which is human voices. Right. So which means deeper connection, better communication, which your nervous system wants for you. Or when you come into fight or flight, your lower ear muscles activate and the middle ear muscles deactivate so you can hear the sounds of low range frequencies, which evolutionarily speaking is the sound that predators make. So. Growls, thuds, bangs. Right, so you're now like I always say, it's like your spidey senses are in overdrive. But you feel that. Yeah, but you feel that in your body, you feel that. In your face. And so if we get chronically stuck in. What we're talking about right now is survival mode over time, you know, And Gabor mate, he's a trauma researcher, psychologist. He has a fantastic book on this called the Myth of Normal and How We're Not Living in a Normal Society. It's really interesting.

B (46:21)

Absolutely. Yeah. So the, the, the presence or the exploratory orienting, that's more so what we call a tool for resourcing. And resourcing is anything again, that brings in that felt sense of safety, presence, connectedness. That's what you feel when you're at the top of the ladder. However, when we're down towards the bottom of the ladder, we want to be doing things that more so allow the body and the nervous system three E's to experience what we're noticing, express, allow the body to express what we're feeling, which then leads to the expelling. So in my book Body First Healing, there are roughly 80 different somatic practices. But maybe I can give a couple now, maybe the, the, the flight response. So when we're feeling really mobilized, anxious in that flight response. When we're feeling fidgety, scattered. Any of those things, we can. And I'm going to just lower my thing here so I can have my feet on the ground. But some things that we can do, again, recognizing that the blood motility goes out to the limbs. Okay. Some somatic practices you can do is you can work with the limbs. So for instance, if you're sitting at your desk and you're working, my encouragement or my invitation would be, can you actually sit on the edge of your seat? Okay. And then can you start to, with your feet firmly in the ground, start to put pressure into your legs as if you're about to get up, but you're not. You'll feel that the large leg muscles, you'll feel your calves start to engage and activate. Okay. And you want to be with that for about 30 seconds. Okay. Allow the muscles to just engage. And then you're just going to allow yourself to kind of sit back and notice what happens. You might find that there is a flash of coolness through the legs, that there's tingling, that there is a. An, you know, an impulse to want to then stretch the legs, which is what we call a pandiculation, where we stretch and then. Right. So that's the body's way of discharging. So again, working with the limbs is great. You can also do. And I'm just going to give you a bunch of stuff while we're at our desk, since we're working with, you know, talking about working professionals.

B (48:34)

You can also do heel, heel drops. Okay. So as you're sitting, what you want to do is you'll lift one foot onto your toes, lifting the heel up, and then drop it, and then do the left side and drop it. It's almost like you're kind of like running in place. Right. And you'll do that for about 30 seconds and then pause and you'll start slow and then start to go faster, faster, faster, faster, faster for 30 seconds. Then again, you'll pause and just see what happens, what this does. It's likely going to increase your heart rate. It's going to increase your circulation, it's going to increase your. Your breathing and respiration. But again, you're lifting the lid of that pressure cooker. You're allowing some of that adrenaline and cortisol to be released. And then you'll see how does that feel? So then the question I always ask is, after you do that practice, what do you notice or what happens next? And you Might notice that there is like again, you might stretch or you might feel the need to start to look around the room, which is your body being like, oh, we're back in exploratory orienting. Or there might be signs that you have discharged as well and you're now coming back up to the top of the ladder would be a sigh, a yawn, a swallow, a bit of like a shot shake. Those are all things that show that your body has discharged some of that, those hormones. So anything with the limbs can really help. You can also do chair drops, so I'll just give you a third one here. Chair drops is where essentially you will lean your chair into the back two legs, lifting the front two legs and then drop down, lift it again and drop down again. You're engaging the muscles, but you're also working with your vestibular system, which is your center of gravity. And your vestibular system is always communicating back and forth with the nervous system. So what you're doing is you're showing your vestibular system that you're nice and grounded here. And again, that can bring in some more regulation too. So those are just. Yeah, a couple of, couple of practices that you can do in moments where you feel really overwhelmed or kind of anxious in a, in a work environment.