A Palmwoods therapeutic practitioner has come up with a creative way to help people regulate the way they respond to stressors in their lives. 

Tani du Toit, of Catalyst Bodywork, has developed The Restore Method program after educating herself on the vagus nerve.

While the sympathetic nervous system controls the body’s “fight/flight” response, the vagus nerve, which runs from the lower brain into every organ of the body, controls the parasympathetic response. It splits into the ventral vagal branch or “rest/digest”, and the dorsal vagal circuit which uses “shutdown/collapse” as a defence mechanism.

Tani has long been interested in the operation of the human body and autonomic nervous system but began researching the vagus nerve after noticing a few years ago a relative was starting to struggle emotionally and shutting down.

Her studies led her to the work of American neuroscientist Dr Stephen Porges’ work on polyvagal theory, which proposes that the vagus nerve system helps regulate emotions.

“The body’s network that registers heartbreak is the vagus nerve,” Tani said. “Vagal tone is the health of the vagus nerve, and my practices aim to show how strengthening vagal tone through restorative breathwork, embodiment and creative practices can improve physical, mental and emotional well-being.”

Her Return to the Heart workshops invite people to explore the landscape of their ventral vagal circuit as a way to learn their body’s cues on how it wants to anchor back to rest/digest mode in challenging times. 

“Meeting your unique ventral vagal symbol for calm can become your best friend in times of stress and hopelessness,” Tani said.

“After the three years we’ve had, everyone has stress and trauma. A lot of people are hurting, and returning to their heart energy through the vagus nerve may just be the relief they are looking for.”

Tani said people were always delighted to interpret and draw what they see during the guided awareness. They can wear their drawings home from the workshops as henna designs.

“No two are ever the same. When they henna their design, it is quiet and meditative and a special space to be in.”

Tani’s three-hour Return to the Heart workshops will be held on the Sundays of 19 and 26 November for adults, and December 10 for 12-16 year olds. For information, phone 0413 939 527 or go to www.therestoremethod.com.