The ability to engage in talking therapies or mainstream therapeutic deliveries such as mindfulness requires the individual to have some psychological contact with themselves and the cognitive capacity to experience space between self and for thoughts (particularly in the case of mindfulness). Pre-therapy and restorative engagement/restorative attention help to balance the arousal system. Every human enjoys a balance between motivation, interest, drive, get up and go, and reflection, rest mentally and physically digesting, recharging, processing, and making sense of a situation.
Resilience is more than our ability to bounce back from trauma. It is building capacity, adapting, and growing.
There are many ways to restore, rebalance and recharge the system. Dance, art, play, music, just sitting and pondering. As adults, after significant trauma or traumatic exhaustion, we find ourselves unable or unwilling to engage in these natural human homeostatic activities. The system is sensible – there is good reason for this resistance; trust that the system can move from this reactive state requires a safe space, confidence, and a signal that there is no present urgency. The system has to rest eventually; this is why without restorative moments, burnout can occur. Severe workplace burnout can lead not only to physical illness but also psychological disassociate states such as depersonalisation and derealisation as the system moves anyway it can away from further damage.
Restorative activities allow the system to return to a responsive rather than reactive state. Reactive managers tend towards fighting fires or just listening to the loudest person in the room. Responsive professionals easily manage their boundaries and can plan, organise and horizon scan.
Sonatorium 