In times of uncertainty, high speed, and complex demands, many people look for strategies to maintain inner stability. Somatic resilience offers a new pathway: it draws on current neurobiological insights to work directly with the nervous system, among other things through body-based practices. This makes it possible to stay flexible and respond with composure even in challenging moments.
For leaders, trainers, and coaches, this knowledge is essential. Those who can regulate their own nervous system not only strengthen themselves but also create a stable environment for others. Somatic resilience is also highly valuable for participants and coachees, since a regulated nervous system is what makes processing and integrating content possible in the first place.
What Does Somatic Resilience Mean?
Somatic resilience describes the ability to handle stressful situations through conscious body awareness and nervous system regulation. It goes deeper than purely mental techniques because it works directly at the root: the interplay of body, emotions, and the nervous system.
Importantly, it also includes unconscious processes within our subconscious mind, which constantly reacts in every situation and directly influences our thoughts and bodily responses.
The goal: greater inner safety, clarity, and capacity for action – even in moments of high tension or exhaustion.
The Polyvagal Theory: Scientific Foundation of Somatic Resilience
A central foundation of somatic resilience is the Polyvagal Theory, developed by American neuroscientist Stephen W. Porges. His research shows that the vagus nerve – a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system – plays a decisive role in whether we feel safe, stressed, or frozen.
Porges describes three primary states of the nervous system:
Social engagement (ventral vagal state): We feel safe, open, present, and able to connect.
Fight-or-flight mode (sympathetic activation): The body mobilizes energy to respond to threats. Heart rate and breathing increase, muscles tense.
Shutdown/freeze (dorsal vagal state): When overwhelmed, the body goes into a kind of “emergency shutdown.” Energy is withdrawn, leaving us exhausted, disconnected, or immobilized.
These three states form the basis of how we respond to stress. They can also be described as hyperarousal (too much activation) and hypoarousal (too little energy and withdrawal).
Hyper- and Hypoarousal: What Happens in the Body
Our nervous system constantly shifts between activation and relaxation. When it gets out of balance, typical patterns emerge:
In hyperarousal
accelerated heartbeat
shallow breathing
muscle tension
irritability or nervousness
the feeling of being “wired”
In hypoarousal
slowed breathing and heartbeat
heaviness or lack of energy in the body
inner emptiness, numbness, or withdrawal
concentration problems or even dissociation
This “shutdown” can appear from the outside as withdrawal or emptiness. But beneath it lies a highly activated nervous system that has been “pushed down” as a protective mechanism.
Understanding these states is key to being able to intervene intentionally – whether through breathing practices, movement, or conscious self-awareness.
Why Mental Strength Doesn’t Work Without Physical Safety
Many odporność concepts focus on mental strategies such as reframing thoughts or zarządzanie stresem. But when the body is in alarm mode, these tools reach their limits. People in an activated state are simply not cognitively accessible.
Mental strength requires physical safety as its foundation. Only when the nervous system is in a regulated state can we think clearly, act creatively, and lead effectively. Our inner organization and sense of safety are essential for high cognitive performance.
Practice Tip: The “3-2-1 Breathing” for Self-Regulation
One simple yet powerful practice is 3-2-1 breathing. It calms the nervous system, activates the parasympathetic branch, and quickly brings you back into a state of inner safety.
Here’s how it works:
Inhale slowly for 3 seconds.
Gently hold your breath for 2 seconds.
Exhale for 1 second longer, i.e. 4 seconds.
Repeat this rhythm for 5–10 breaths.
Effect:
The extended exhale activates the vagus nerve and signals safety to the body. Stress hormones can be reduced more quickly, and within just a few breaths, you’ll notice more calm, clarity, and presence.
This practice can be done anytime, anywhere – in a training session, before an important meeting, or as a short pause in daily life.
Somatic Resilience for Leaders, Trainers, and Coaches
If you can regulate your own nervous system, you automatically become a safe anchor – for yourself and for others. This strengthens your impact, your clarity, and your ability to remain composed in difficult situations.
It’s a win-win: on the one hand, you are more regulated yourself, which raises the quality of your coaching or training. On the other hand, nervous systems resonate with each other – meaning that co-regulation through shared work also supports your participants and coachees.
