Reflex Therapies: A Bridge Between the Nervous System and Healing

I just had the privilege of attending a two-day weekend workshop at Lauterstein with Edward Ulme, a trauma-informed bodyworker and teacher of advanced bodywork techniques. His deep understanding of neuroscience and reflex therapies opened my eyes to the profound potential of these modalities to facilitate healing.

Reflex therapies work by sending signals from the peripheral nervous system (PNS) to the central nervous system (CNS) and back, creating a feedback loop that helps the body regulate itself. This dynamic exchange has far-reaching effects, including pain reduction, improved nerve signaling, and deep relaxation.

What Are Reflex Therapies?

Reflex therapies are based on the principle that specific pressure points and reflexive responses in the body can trigger changes in the nervous system. These techniques stimulate pathways that restore communication between the brain, spinal cord, and body, allowing for recalibration and regulation.

This approach is different from traditional massage, which primarily works on muscles and fascia. Reflex therapies target neurological pathways and tap into the body's innate intelligence to promote healing.

The Nervous System’s Role in Healing

Our nervous system is constantly processing sensory input—whether we’re aware of it or not. When trauma, chronic stress, or injury disrupts this flow of communication, the body can become stuck in patterns of tension, pain, or dysfunction.

Edward Ulme’s work emphasizes how reflex therapies help re-establish proper signaling between the PNS and CNS, which can:
✅ Reduce chronic pain by re-educating the nervous system
✅ Improve nerve signaling for better mobility and coordination
✅ Regulate the autonomic nervous system for stress relief
✅ Enhance proprioception (the body's sense of position)
✅ Support trauma release by resetting nervous system responses

By gently stimulating these reflexive responses, the body can “unlearn” patterns of pain and restriction and “relearn” healthier ways of functioning.

How It Feels & Why It Works

In the workshop, I experienced firsthand how subtle yet powerful these techniques can be. Unlike deep tissue work, which can sometimes overwhelm the nervous system, reflex therapies use gentle, intentional touch that invites the body into a state of safety and receptivity.

The body responds by softening, unwinding, and shifting in ways that feel deeply organic. Instead of forcing change, this work creates an environment where the body can regulate itself.

One of the most exciting takeaways for me was how this practice has expanded my ability to listen to the body on a deeper level. Through working with Edward Ulme and diving into these techniques, I now have a greater understanding of the language of the body. This is profoundly changing my work, allowing me to be more attuned to the subtle messages the body communicates and respond in a way that facilitates deeper healing. I am still integrating this into my work and observing results, and I’m happy to have it in my repertoire.

Who Can Benefit?

Reflex therapies can be beneficial for a wide range of conditions, including:

• Chronic pain and tension

• Neuropathy and nerve-related conditions

• PTSD and trauma recovery

• Stress-related disorders

• Movement and coordination challenges

This approach is especially powerful for trauma healing because it respects the body's innate intelligence, working with the nervous system rather than against it.

Final Thoughts

This modality is truly fascinating—a bridge between modern neuroscience and ancient body wisdom. It’s a reminder that healing doesn’t always require force; sometimes, the most profound shifts happen when we create space for the body to restore itself.

I’m excited to integrate these insights into my work and continue exploring the depths of nervous system-based healing.

Have you ever experienced reflex therapies? What was your experience like? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

📩 Interested in experiencing this work firsthand? Let’s connect and explore how reflex therapies can support your healing journey.

Pain, Intuition & The Nervous System: Why Your Body Might Be Holding On to More Than You Think

Ever notice how pain has a way of hijacking your entire reality? One moment, you’re fine. The next, your shoulder, back, or jaw is screaming at you, and suddenly, everything feels harder—making decisions, feeling joy, even trusting yourself.

But here’s the thing: Pain isn’t always a sign of injury. Sometimes, it’s a signal.

And if we don’t listen, it can cut us off from the very thing we need most—our intuition, inner wisdom, and connection to something bigger than ourselves.

Let’s talk about how this happens—and what you can do about it.

When Pain Pulls You Away from Yourself

Pain—especially chronic pain—keeps the nervous system on high alert. And when your system is stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode, it’s almost impossible to tap into your gut feelings, your inner knowing, or that sense of peace that helps you make aligned choices.

Think about it:

• When you’re in pain, do you feel open and connected? Or do you feel defensive, scattered, or withdrawn?

• When your body is hurting, is it easier or harder to trust yourself and others?

Pain creates a disconnect—from your body, your emotions, and even your spirit. And that’s because your nervous system is prioritizing survival over connection.

Pain Can Be Trauma Talking

Not all pain means you pulled a muscle or need a chiropractor (though, hey, sometimes that’s the case!). Some pain is unresolved emotional trauma stored in the body.

• Ever get a lump in your throat when you’re about to cry?

• Or feel a tight chest when you’re anxious?

• Or notice your jaw clenching when you’re angry but don’t say anything?

That’s your body holding onto unprocessed emotion. And when those emotions don’t get expressed, they can turn into chronic pain.

💡 Nervous System Tip: Name what you’re feeling when pain flares up. Instead of “My back hurts,” try:

• “I feel unsupported.”

• “I’m holding in a lot.”

• “I feel stuck in my life.”
  This simple act of naming can start the process of unwinding stuck energy.

How Pain Blocks Intuition

Intuition isn’t loud. It’s a whisper, a nudge, a subtle knowing. But when your nervous system is overwhelmed by pain, that whisper gets drowned out by the alarm bells of discomfort.

Here’s what happens:
🔹 You dissociate from your body. If pain is too much, you might check out—disconnecting from sensations and, in turn, your intuitive signals.
🔹 Your body becomes a “danger zone.” When pain is chronic, your body no longer feels like a safe place. And when you can’t feel safe in your own skin, it’s hard to trust your inner guidance.
🔹 You get stuck in overthinking. Instead of feeling your way through life, you get caught in loops of doubt, fear, and second-guessing.

💡 Nervous System Tip: Ground back into your body with simple, safe movement. Try:

• Slow rocking side to side (this soothes the vagus nerve)

• Placing one hand on your heart, one on your belly

• Shaking out your hands or bouncing on your toes
  Movement helps signal to your nervous system that your body is safe, making it easier to feel and trust your intuition.

Pain as a Portal (Not a Prison)

What if, instead of seeing pain as the enemy, we saw it as a messenger?

A doorway into what’s unresolved, what needs tending to, what’s asking for healing?

Because pain is often pointing us toward something deeper. Maybe it’s:
✨ A boundary you need to set.
✨ Grief you haven’t fully processed.
✨ A pattern of over-giving that’s draining you.
✨ A version of yourself you’ve outgrown.

💡 Nervous System Tip: Ask your pain what it wants to tell you.
Instead of resisting it, take a deep breath, put a hand where it hurts, and ask:

• “What do you need?”

• “What are you trying to show me?”

• “What would make you feel safe?”

You’d be amazed at what arises when you stop fighting pain and start listening to it.

Reclaiming Your Connection to Yourself

Pain doesn’t have to keep you stuck. It can be an opportunity to reconnect—with your body, your emotions, and your inner knowing.

And it starts with small, gentle practices:
🌿 Regulate your nervous system (breathwork, touch, movement)
🌿 Feel your emotions instead of suppressing them
🌿 Rebuild trust with your body (treat it with curiosity, not frustration)
🌿 Listen to the messages within the discomfort

Pain doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means there’s something ready to be healed.

And when you create the space to listen, your intuition will come back online, stronger than ever.