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Chrysalis Healing
Complimentary Guide
🌿 Chrysalis Healing
A nervous system reset guide for women

Coming Home
to Your Body

For the woman who is tired of feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or disconnected from herself — and ready to find her way back.

Self-assessment Body-based practices 7-day ritual plan Journalling prompts Vagal toning guide
S
Written by Sally
Chrysalis Healing · Reiki Master · Somatic Practitioner
"Your body already knows the way home."
A note from Sally

This guide was written
for you.

Hello lovely,

If you've found your way here, I suspect you're carrying something. Perhaps it's exhaustion that sleep doesn't seem to fix. A sense of being stretched too thin, too long. A quiet disconnection from the woman you know yourself to be underneath all the doing.

I want you to know: this is not a character flaw. It is a nervous system that has been working incredibly hard to keep you safe — and that now needs your gentle attention.

In my years of practice as a Reiki Master and somatic therapist, I've sat with hundreds of women in this exact place. And what I've learned — in the treatment room, and in my own life — is that the body doesn't need fixing. It needs meeting.

This guide offers simple, deeply effective practices rooted in somatic therapy, polyvagal science, and the wisdom of energy medicine. You don't need any equipment. You don't need to set aside hours. You just need a willingness to turn toward yourself with kindness.

Begin where you are. That's always enough.

Sally x
Chrysalis Healing · Wickford, Essex
The four states we'll explore
🌱
Depleted
Empty, exhausted, running on fumes. The woman who gives and gives until there is nothing left for herself.
🌊
Dysregulated
Anxious, reactive, wired and tired. The nervous system stuck in high alert with no off switch in sight.
🌫️
Disconnected
Numb, foggy, floating above herself. Going through the motions without truly inhabiting the life she's living.
🌸
Healing
Emerging, sensitive, gently rebuilding. Beginning to feel safe enough to soften and come back to herself.
Step One · Begin here

Where are you right now?

Answer these five gentle questions. There are no wrong answers — only honest ones. Your result will point you to the practices that will help you most today.

Question 1 of 5
When you wake up in the morning, your first feeling is usually...
Question 2 of 5
When you think about your body, you most often feel...
Question 3 of 5
The thing that's been hardest lately is...
Question 4 of 5
When you have a quiet moment, you tend to...
Question 5 of 5
What you need most right now is...
🌱 Your state — Depleted

Your body has been giving everything.

You are not lazy, broken, or failing. You are a woman who has been pouring from a vessel that needs refilling. The practices in your section are gentle, replenishing, and designed to give back without asking more from you. Scroll to Section 1 — Depleted and begin there. Everything else can wait.

Scroll to your practices
🌊 Your state — Dysregulated

Your nervous system is doing its best.

Anxiety, reactivity, and overwhelm are not weaknesses — they are a nervous system that learned long ago to stay vigilant. Your practices are designed to send a different signal: that you are safe, that you can soften, that it is allowed to rest. Scroll to Section 2 — Dysregulated and start with the first practice today.

Scroll to your practices
🌫️ Your state — Disconnected

You haven't lost yourself —
you've just moved away for a while.

Dissociation and numbness are protective — your system found a way to keep going when things felt too much. Coming home to your body is a gentle, patient process. There is no rushing it. Scroll to Section 3 — Disconnected and begin with the grounding practice. Your body is waiting for you.

Scroll to your practices
🌸 Your state — Healing

You are already on your way home.

The fact that you are here — reading this, seeking this — is evidence that something in you is ready to tend to itself. The healing state is tender and beautiful. Your practices honour that. Scroll to Section 4 — Healing for practices that support your emergence without pushing it.

Scroll to your practices
🌱
Section One

For the Depleted Woman

⏱ 3 minutes
The Replenishing Breath
  • 01Lie down or sit with your back supported. Place one hand on your heart, one on your belly.
  • 02Inhale slowly through the nose for 4 counts, feeling your belly rise first, then your chest.
  • 03At the top of the inhale, pause for 2 counts. Feel the fullness. You are receiving.
  • 04Exhale for 6 counts through slightly parted lips — a slow, complete release.
  • 05Repeat 8 times. Notice what shifts.
This extended exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system — your body's rest-and-restore mode. Even 3 minutes changes your biochemistry.
⏱ 5 minutes
Warmth & Nourishment Ritual
  • 01Make yourself something warm to drink — tea, warm water with lemon, whatever feels nourishing.
  • 02Sit down. Not standing. Not checking your phone. Sit.
  • 03Hold the cup with both hands. Feel the warmth move through your palms.
  • 04With each sip, say silently: "I am allowed to receive."
  • 05Notice your body's response to being still and warm. That's enough.
Depletion often lives in the habit of constant doing. This practice interrupts the pattern with radical simplicity.
⏱ 10 minutes
Yoga Nidra Rest
  • 01Lie on your back with a blanket if you need one. Close your eyes.
  • 02Bring your awareness slowly through each part of your body — starting at your feet, moving upward.
  • 03Don't try to relax it. Simply notice it. Witnessing is enough.
  • 04If you fall asleep, that is not failure. That is your body taking what it needs.
  • 05Stay here for as long as you can.
20 minutes of yoga nidra is said to provide the equivalent rest of 4 hours sleep. Your body knows how to restore itself — your only job is to get out of its way.
Journal — for the depleted woman
🌿 What have I been carrying that was never mine to carry?
🌿 What would I do differently if I genuinely believed I deserved rest?
🌿 What does replenishment look and feel like for me — specifically, in my body?
🌿 If my body could speak right now, what would it ask for?
🌊
Section Two

For the Dysregulated Woman

⏱ 2 minutes
The 5-4-3-2-1 Anchor
  • 01Wherever you are: name 5 things you can see. Say them aloud or in your mind.
  • 02Notice 4 things you can physically feel — your feet on the floor, air on your skin.
  • 03Listen for 3 things you can hear — near and far.
  • 04Identify 2 things you can smell.
  • 05Notice 1 thing you can taste. Then take one slow breath. You are here. You are safe.
This technique interrupts the threat response by anchoring awareness in the present moment through the senses. Use it anywhere, anytime.
⏱ 5 minutes
Cold Water Vagal Reset
  • 01Go to your kitchen or bathroom sink. Run cool water.
  • 02Hold your wrists under the cool water for 60 seconds.
  • 03Alternatively: splash cool water on your face three times.
  • 04As you do, breathe out slowly — longer than your inhale.
  • 05Notice the immediate shift in your nervous system.
The mammalian dive reflex — triggered by cool water on the face or wrists — activates the vagus nerve and rapidly downregulates the stress response.
⏱ 8 minutes
Humming & Vibration
  • 01Sit comfortably. Close your eyes.
  • 02Take a deep breath in. On the exhale, hum softly — any note, any tone.
  • 03Feel the vibration in your chest, throat, and lips. Let it be louder than feels comfortable.
  • 04Continue for 5–8 minutes. Experiment with different tones.
  • 05Rest in silence for 1–2 minutes after. Notice the quality of the stillness.
Humming directly stimulates the vagus nerve through vibration. This is the same principle behind AcuSound tuning fork therapy — bringing frequency to the body to restore its natural balance.
Journal — for the dysregulated woman
🌿 When did I first learn that the world wasn't safe to relax in?
🌿 What does my anxiety feel like in my body — where does it live, and what shape does it take?
🌿 What small thing happened today that my nervous system responded to as if it were a threat?
🌿 What would it mean to feel safe? Have I ever felt it — when, and what was different?
🌫️
Section Three

For the Disconnected Woman

⏱ 3 minutes
Feet on the Earth
  • 01Remove your shoes and socks if you can. If possible, step outside onto grass, soil, or stone.
  • 02Stand still. Feel the texture of the ground under each foot.
  • 03Press gently into the ground — feel the resistance pushing back up to meet you.
  • 04Say aloud or in your mind: "I am here. I am in this body. This body is on the earth."
  • 05Stay until you feel even the smallest thread of presence return.
Earthing (direct skin contact with the earth's surface) has been shown to reduce cortisol and inflammation. But more than the science — it is ancient, instinctive, and it works.
⏱ 5 minutes
Self-Touch & Return
  • 01Sit comfortably. Place both hands on your thighs — palms flat, warmly.
  • 02Begin to slowly stroke your arms from shoulder to wrist — the same motion you might use to soothe a child.
  • 03Move to your face — gently, slowly, with full attention to each part you touch.
  • 04Press your palms to your heart. Feel your heartbeat.
  • 05Whisper: "Hello. I'm back. I'm here."
Touch is one of the primary ways we return to the body. Self-touch triggers oxytocin release and signals safety to the nervous system — you do not need someone else to bring you home.
⏱ 10 minutes
Sensory Awakening Walk
  • 01Go outside — even just to your garden or street. Walk slowly.
  • 02For the first 2 minutes: only notice what you can see. Really look.
  • 03Next 2 minutes: only notice sound. Near sounds, far sounds, silence between them.
  • 04Next 2 minutes: feel the air, the movement, the ground beneath your feet.
  • 05Final minutes: allow all senses together. Notice you are in a body, in the world.
Dissociation narrows sensory awareness. This practice gently expands it back — not by pushing, but by offering one sense at a time.
Journal — for the disconnected woman
🌿 When I feel most disconnected, what was happening just before it?
🌿 What sensations — however small — can I notice in my body right now?
🌿 What does it mean to be "at home" in my body? Have I ever known that feeling?
🌿 What is one small, kind thing I could do for this body today?
🌸
Section Four

For the Healing Woman

⏱ 5 minutes
The Compassion Breath
  • 01Sit with your eyes closed. Place one hand on your heart.
  • 02Bring to mind the version of you who was in the hardest part of this.
  • 03Breathe in — and as you do, imagine drawing warmth and love toward her.
  • 04Breathe out — and send that warmth from your heart to hers.
  • 05Tell her: "You did what you could. You are safe now. I'm so proud of you."
The healing state often carries grief for the self we were in the worst of it. This practice is an act of completion — meeting that version of yourself with love before fully moving forward.
⏱ 10 minutes
Gentle Movement & Shaking
  • 01Stand with feet hip-width apart. Begin to gently bounce on your heels.
  • 02Let the movement travel up — knees soft, hips loose, arms hanging heavy.
  • 03After 2 minutes, allow the shaking to be larger if your body wants it.
  • 04After 5–7 minutes, slow to stillness. Stand and simply feel.
  • 05Notice what has shifted. Rest if needed.
TRE (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises) uses the body's natural shaking mechanism — seen in animals after threat — to discharge stored stress from the tissues.
⏱ 15 minutes
A Letter to Your Future Self
  • 01Find paper and a pen — not your phone. The physicality matters.
  • 02Write a letter to yourself one year from today.
  • 03Describe how you feel. What has healed. What you know now that you didn't.
  • 04Write it as if it has already happened — with gratitude and specificity.
  • 05Seal it. Open it in a year. Or when you need reminding of where you're headed.
The healing state is one of active co-creation. This practice anchors your intention for recovery and gives your nervous system something safe to move toward.
Journal — for the healing woman
🌿 What is one small sign that I am healing — however easy it would be to overlook?
🌿 What do I want to let go of that served me then, but no longer serves me now?
🌿 Who am I becoming? What does she look like, feel like, move like?
🌿 What does my body need me to know as it heals?
Understanding your nervous system

Why your body responds
the way it does.

🧠
The Polyvagal Ladder
Dr Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory describes three states of the nervous system: ventral vagal (safe, connected, present), sympathetic (fight or flight — anxious, reactive), and dorsal vagal (shut down — numb, disconnected, frozen). We move between these states throughout the day. The goal is not to stay in ventral vagal always — it's to be able to return there more easily.
🌊
The Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body — running from your brainstem to your gut, touching nearly every major organ. It is the primary pathway of your parasympathetic nervous system — your rest, digest, and restore mode. Toning the vagus nerve means helping it become more responsive, more flexible, and better able to bring you back to safety after stress.
⚡
Stored Trauma in the Body
As the somatic therapist Peter Levine discovered, trauma is not stored in the mind — it is stored in the body. Unprocessed experiences leave imprints in our tissues, posture, breath patterns, and nervous system. This is why body-based practices can reach what talking alone cannot — and why Reiki, somatic massage, and AcuSound work at a level words never fully access.
🎵
Sound & Vibration
The ear and the vagus nerve share embryological origins — meaning sound literally speaks to the nervous system. This is the foundation of AcuSound therapy: calibrated tuning forks applied to acupressure points bring specific frequencies to the body. Even humming, singing, or listening to music you love tones the vagus nerve and shifts your physiological state.
Simple daily practices that tone the vagus nerve
  • 🌿Humming or singing — even quietly, even badly. The vibration in your throat directly stimulates the vagus nerve. A favourite song is medicine.
  • 🌿Cold water on the face or wrists — triggers the mammalian dive reflex and rapidly activates the parasympathetic system.
  • 🌿Extended exhale breathing — when your exhale is longer than your inhale (4 in, 6–8 out), you activate the vagal brake and lower heart rate.
  • 🌿Safe, warm eye contact — the social nervous system is regulated through connection. A moment of genuinely felt warmth with another person is physiologically regulating.
  • 🌿Gargling with water — activates the muscles at the back of the throat that are innervated by the vagus nerve. Simple, strange, and surprisingly effective.
  • 🌿Laughter — genuine laughter activates the diaphragm, tones the vagus nerve, and releases oxytocin. Find something that makes you truly laugh today.
Your 7-day coming home plan

One week of
gentle return.

This is not a programme to be completed perfectly. It is an invitation — one small practice each morning, one small practice each evening, for seven days. That is all. If you miss a day, you begin again without judgement. That too is part of healing.

The morning practices take 5–10 minutes. The evening practices take 3–5 minutes. Everything fits around the life you already have.

Day
1
Foundation
Arrive in your body
Morning
Replenishing Breath (3 min) — simply receiving before the day begins
Evening
Lie on the floor. Feel its solidity beneath you. Notice your weight being held. Stay for 5 minutes.
Journal: What does my body feel like right now — without judgement?
Day
2
Sensation
Awaken the senses
Morning
Sensory Awakening Walk (10 min) — one sense at a time, fully present
Evening
Self-touch practice — stroke your arms slowly from shoulder to wrist, returning to yourself
Journal: What one sensation did I actually notice today?
Day
3
Sound
Vibrate back to life
Morning
Humming practice (8 min) — any tone, any note, as long as you feel it in your chest
Evening
Play one song that makes you feel something. Listen properly — close your eyes, let it move through you.
Journal: What does my body feel like after sound?
Day
4
Breath
Regulate and restore
Morning
4-6 breathing: inhale 4, exhale 6. Repeat for 10 minutes. Notice your heart rate slow.
Evening
Warmth & Nourishment Ritual — make something warm, sit down, receive it fully
Journal: What does safety feel like in my body today?
Day
5
Earth
Root and ground
Morning
Feet on the Earth (3 min) — barefoot if possible. Press into the ground. Feel it hold you.
Evening
5-4-3-2-1 Anchor — gently bring yourself into the present moment before sleep
Journal: What am I grateful this body has carried me through?
Day
6
Compassion
Meet yourself with love
Morning
Compassion Breath (5 min) — breathe love toward the version of you who needed it most
Evening
Write three things your body did well today. Any three. However small.
Journal: What would I say to a dear friend who was feeling what I am feeling?
Day
7
Integration
What has changed?
Morning
Yoga Nidra rest (10 min) — lie down and let your body integrate a week of gentle attention
Evening
Write your letter to your future self — one year from today, healed and whole
Journal: What does coming home to my body mean to me now — compared to day one?
When you need more

This guide is a beginning.
Not an ending.

Some of what surfaces in this guide — the exhaustion, the disconnection, the held tension — can be deeply supported through hands-on therapeutic work. The practices here are real and they work. And sometimes, the body needs another pair of hands, another set of tools, another nervous system to co-regulate with.

That is what I offer at Chrysalis Healing. Every session is a continuation of this journey — going deeper into the layers that self-practice alone can only touch the surface of.

✨
Reiki
Energy healing that works at the level of your energetic body — clearing, balancing, and restoring flow where it has been blocked or depleted.
🎵
AcuSound
Calibrated tuning forks applied to acupressure points. Sound frequency that reaches the nervous system in ways that words and breath alone cannot.
🤲
Somatic Massage
Bodywork led by your nervous system's signals — slower, more intentional, and designed to support the release of what the body has held for too long.
Book a session with Sally Send me a message first
🌿

You are not broken.
You are finding your way home.

Every gentle practice you do is an act of devotion to yourself. Every time you choose to turn toward your body instead of away from it, something shifts. It doesn't have to be big. It just has to be consistent.

Return to Chrysalis Healing →
This guide is for general wellbeing support and is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological care. If you are experiencing significant mental health difficulties, please seek support from a qualified healthcare professional. The practices in this guide are gentle and suitable for most people — if anything feels overwhelming, please honour that and seek appropriate support.
Chrysalis Healing · Wickford, Essex · With love. 🌿
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