In the past week, a few of my clients shared similar experiences with me.

During our somatic and/or vagal practices together, each of them felt intense emotions or physical sensations come up. They leaned toward the practice… then backed off. Then leaned in again… then pulled back.

Some wondered if they were “doing it wrong.”
Others felt a little afraid of what was surfacing.
A few thought it was just plain weird.

The truth?
This is part of the healing journey.

What they were doing is something we call a pendulum or titration in Somatic Experiencing—gently moving between a place of activation (the sensations, emotions, or thoughts) and a place of safety or ease.

Here’s the coolest part: their bodies were already guiding them through it, without me even naming it yet. They had woke up their vagus nerve and now their body was able to send them information.

Their nervous systems knew exactly how to pace the healing process—offering just enough contact with what needed to be felt, and just enough space to come back to safety. This back-and-forth rhythm is what allows us to release, integrate, and honor what’s happening without getting overwhelmed.

Want to try using this pendulum for yourself?

Here’s a simple way to practice:

1. Notice a sensation.​
   It could be warmth in your chest, tension in your shoulders, or an emotional heaviness.
2. Stay with it briefly.​
   Just 5–10 seconds—enough to acknowledge it without forcing anything to change.
3. Shift to a resource.​
   Bring your attention to something that feels safe or pleasant—your breath, the feeling of your feet on the ground, a memory of a calm place.
4. Go back and forth.​
   Return to the original sensation for a few seconds, then back to the resource.
   Let your body decide the pace.
5. Notice the change.​
   You might feel a release, a sigh, a sense of softening—or sometimes even more activation.

If that’s the case, here are 3 ways to help it move through and out of your system:

• Shake it off — literally stand up (you can sit if you like too) and shake your arms, legs, and whole body.
• Wave imagery — imagine the energy as a wave crashing into the sand or slowly rolling ashore.
• Sweep it away — use your hands to gently sweep down your arms, legs, torso, and back, brushing off the sensation.

Then you can check in again and Notice any change in your body, emotions, sensations, thoughts, breathe, or energy. If there isn't grounding yet, you can help the energy move again or seek to come to more grounded presence. What do you see, feel, hear? Lengthen your exhale and help slow your system down.

You don’t have to push through or stay in discomfort to heal.
Your body is wise, and it already knows the way forward.
Our job is to listen.

With you in this,

And....

Remember, ❤️

You Matter. Your Healing Matters. You Are Worth It!

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P.S. If this spoke to you, hit reply and let me know what you noticed when you tried pendulation—I love hearing your experiences.