“Chasing Sunsets” with Teri Patterson and Kristen Horstman
If you’ve taken my 31-Day Course, you’ll know it includes a ton of information about what alcohol does to our brains and bodily systems. There are lessons on:
Alcohol and Nutrition
Alcohol and Sleep
Alcohol and our Emotions
Alcohol and Happiness
Alcohol and our Neural Pathways… and more!
When I first started my sobriety journey, understanding the impact of alcohol on all of these systems was really important to me, so I always appreciate learning more. My #1 CliftonStrength, LEARNER, has a mindset of curiosity and is energized by learning new things!
I learned something new about brain science when I listened to this podcast interview with Teri Patterson and Kristen Horstman, two of my favorite Alcohol-Free Coaches and colleagues.
Kristen explains that the part of our brain responsible for decision making and human behavior — the limbic brain — has no capacity for language. This is why telling someone to “calm down” when they are triggered is not helpful. We have to move back into our thinking brain (the pre-frontal cortex) to process the language. The limbic brain is also known as the “animal brain,” or the part of your brain that is responsible for your “flight, fight or freeze” reactions.
She says, “In order to do this, we need to start recognizing what’s happening in our body. This is what can help us better regulate our emotions.”
Kristen discusses her own sobriety journey during this podcast, and makes this comment that resonated with me the most,
"One of the beautiful things about taking alcohol out of my life is that it has allowed all this space for me to grow and work on things I wasn't even aware of! … Now I can bounce back from stressful events faster."
Teri and Kristen also discuss Polyvagal Theory, emphasizing the role the autonomic nervous system — especially the vagus nerve — plays in regulating our health and behavior and our response to stressors. She explains that over 80% of communication starts in the gut and moves up the polyvagal nerve to our brains; whereas only 20% moves from the brain down. This is why gut health is so important!
According to the Polyvagal Institute, a way to integrate polyvagal theory into your daily life is to practice self-regulation: Self-regulation is the ability to manage your emotional state and physiological responses to stressors. Many methods for self-regulation are based on activation of the vagus nerve, such as slow, diaphragmatic breathing, gentle touch, and engaging in activities that promote relaxation, such as yoga or meditation.
You can listen to Teri’s podcast episode with Kristen here. Learn more about Kristen and her coaching approach here. Listen to the episode where Teri interviewed me last year!
