The Family Assistance Education & Research Foundation (FAERF) has been at the forefront of the evolution of emergency management, combining the head-heart approach for a fully integrated response to survivors of traumatic loss. Practicing consciousness in the workplace involves caring for people first, without exception.
Written by: Carolyn V. Coarsey, Ph.D.
September 2025
Neuroplasticity, the brain’s remarkable ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, closely relates to vagus nerve stimulation. Engaging in practices that stimulate the nerve, such as mindfulness, meditation, or yoga, can promote neuroplastic changes that support emotional resilience and cognitive flexibility. This adaptability is vital for overcoming the effects of stress and trauma, allowing the brain to forge new pathways that facilitate healthier responses to future challenges.
– Lara Namaskar, Vagus Nerve Healing Bible (2025).
In the last article, the vagus nerve was presented as part of the polyvagal nervous system (PNS), and how understanding the body’s natural fight/flight and rest/digest and freeze responses can be helpful in our work of supporting survivors. For example, growing research in this area shows that simply being in the presence of someone calm and centered can cause another person to feel relaxed and less anxious. This is due to the sense of emotional safety, which occurs when the vagus nerve is relaxed on the part of the helper. This month’s article shows us how understanding more about the vagus nerve can help us in self-care.
As the longest cranial nerve, it reaches various essential organs, including the heart, lungs and digestive tract. This network acts as a communication super highway, transmitting crucial signals between the brain and these various organs within the autonomic nervous system. The vagus nerve plays a key role in the parasympathetic branch responsible for the rest and digest response, promoting relaxation and recovery.
The parasympathetic system, with the vagus nerve at its core, helps the body conserve energy and perform essential maintenance functions. These include decelerating the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and enhancing digestive efficiency, all crucial for long-term health and well-being. Vagal tone refers to the strength and efficiency of the nerve activity. High vagal tone correlates with numerous positive health outcomes, such as reduced stress levels, improved emotional regulation, and enhanced physical health. A well-functioning vagus nerve effectively modulates the body’s stress response, preventing it from becoming overactive and leading to chronic stress or anxiety.
Lifestyle factors significantly influence vagal tone. Diet can impact the health of the vagus nerve. A balanced diet, rich in omega-3 acids, probiotics, and antioxidants, supports its function. Regular physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, enhances vagal tone by promoting cardiovascular health and reducing stress levels. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, stimulate the nerves, fostering a state of calm and relaxation. These practices not only improve vagal tone but also contribute to our overall emotional and physical well-being.
Trauma is not merely an emotional experience. It’s a profound physiological event that can embed itself in the body, affecting both mental and physical health. When trauma occurs, the body instinctively releases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, triggering protective responses. These can have lasting effects, with the body retaining stress as body memories, not cognitive memories, but physical sensations stored in tissue and muscles in the nervous system. Unresolved trauma often manifests as chronic muscle tension, pain, or unexplained health issues. The body may remain in a state of hyperarousal, leading to persistent tension and stress-related conditions. The autonomic nervous system, responsible for involuntary functions like heart rate and indigestion, plays a role in trauma storage or freeze responses, essential for survival, which may cause long-term health problems when stuck in overdrive.
-Lara Namaskar, Vagus Nerve Healing Bible (2025).
Secondary Trauma
As Care and Special Assistance Team members, we are all exposed to trauma in our roles of helping survivors and each other every time we respond. One of the greatest things about Lara Namaskar’s writings and others who are writing about the relationship between the vagus nerve and trauma is how much we can do to help ourselves when we know our response to a traumatic event has affected us.
While there may be times that we may choose to seek assistance from our medical doctor or a mental health counselor, so many of the suggestions in the Vagus Nerve Healing Bible are ideas and techniques we can practice ourselves individually, or with our family, friends, and co-workers. In addition to practices already mentioned, including healthy eating, exercise, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, Lara’s book provides detailed instruction on somatic practices, the value of a gratitude ritual, and numerous other suggestions that we can practice in the privacy of our own homes, without engaging with outside professionals, unless we choose.
As we gain understanding about how we and others are impacted by trauma and all of life’s unexpected changes, it is equally important to learn about how we can take better care of ourselves and those survivors we serve. Self-empowerment begins with our becoming educated on areas like the polyvagal nervous system, how it affects us, and steps we can take to manage any effects left by the traumas in which we become involved.