💪 Last Episode: The Problem. This Episode: The Solution.

You learned about dorsal vagal shutdown—that numbness and disconnection physicians feel. Now here's the hope: There are ways to climb back up the ladder.

🚨 The Critical Truth

Sometimes you're so far outside your zone of resilience, you can't outthink it. You have to do something with your body.

🛠️ Your Toolkit for Climbing Up

1. Medical Interventions

SSRIs/SNRIs can help stabilize mood and increase arousal when you're too depleted to self-regulate.

No shame. We work in extreme stress. Therapy and medication are tools, not failures.

2. Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Simple ways to enhance vagal tone:

• Deep breathing (focus on the EXHALE)


• Humming or singing (yes, car karaoke counts!)


• Gargling


• Cold water on face

These aren't woo-woo—they're biological recalibrations.

3. Therapy (Especially Somatic/Polyvagal-Informed)

Somatic therapy uses your body during sessions to release stored stress through body awareness and gentle movement.

Real talk: "I go to therapy. I love my therapist. It makes my life so much better. We need to normalize this."

Why it matters: We're treated like we should be superhuman, taking on trauma with no sleep or self-care. That's a recipe for hitting the wall.

4. Yoga & Gentle Movement

Why yoga works: Gets you back into your body where you can reconnect. It's calming in a ventral vagal way (not dorsal shutdown).

Too exhausted to exercise? Try ONE yoga pose for 30 seconds. Just break the frozen state.

Different breathing techniques:

• Some are activating


• Some are relaxing


• Work with experienced practitioners

5. Biofeedback & Heart Rate Variability Training

HeartMath device: Like a pulse ox that shows your heart rate variability as you do exercises

Neurofeedback: EEG probes detect when you're revved up—TV goes black until you calm yourself down

Perfect for control enthusiasts: Learn to control your own physiologic responses

6. Essential Lifestyle Supports

• Healthy food


• SLEEP (we discount this too much—it's crucial)


• Exercise


• Meditation (even 1-2 minutes creates massive positive change)

7. Co-Regulation

Ever been around someone you just feel safe with? That person who makes you laugh and calm down instantly?

That's co-regulation. Seek those people out.

Also works:

• Physical touch, hugs, snuggles


• Pet snuggles (even 175-pound lap dogs!)


• Call a safe friend

8. Music & Laughter

Singing increases ventral vagus tone (car singers, rejoice!)

Create your comedy arsenal:

• Meme files


• List of funny movies


• Favorite Instagram topics


• Pet videos with voiceovers


• Healthcare worker parody accounts


• Daily Dose of Internet


• Kids saying sassy things

Reminder: Life is worth living. You won't be stuck in dorsal vagal forever.

🎯 Quick Action Steps to Start TODAY

Name It, Drop the Shame

"This is my dorsal reset. My biological recalibration. Not me failing."

Low & Slow Breathing

Focus on the EXHALE—that's when parasympathetics turn on

Gentle Movement

Try the 5-minute body scan:

• Lie down, close eyes


• Start at scalp, work to toes


• Relax each body part on exhale


• (You might fall asleep—that's okay!)

Connection

Text someone you care about. Check in on someone who needed help.

Micro Moment of Purpose

Gets you out of rumination and back into meaning

Interrupt the Narrative

Speak to yourself with compassion (the strongest antidote to burnout)

Release the Tension

• Neurogenic tremor


• Dancing, stomping


• Jump up and down


• Shake it out

Each micro step signals safety to your nervous system.

💡 The Ultimate Reframe

"This is an era, not who I am."

Sometimes it feels like "maybe this is just who I am now."

NO. Your true self is still in there waiting.

This is a physiologic reaction to things that have been happening to you. Your ventral vagal state—your executive brain—wants to get back online. It wants to reconnect with your empathy, humor, and creativity.

Burnout tricks you into thinking that version of you is gone. That's a lie.

🔥 The Science Behind Hope

Your nervous system is doing its best. It's meant for survival. With small signals of safety—grounding, breathing, humming—you can return to connection, vitality, and purpose.

Your nervous system is here for you. We're here for you.

🎁 Resources

Dr. Kristin Neff's Center for Mindful Self-Compassion - Research-backed approach to self-compassion

Podcast Fast Track - Nearly 200 episodes can be overwhelming. We've handpicked the most high-yield episodes to jumpstart your journey.

Get it: www.thewholephysician.com/fasttrack

That feeling of burnout numbness isn't your fault. It's not who you are. And it isn't permanent.

Share your recalibration tricks: podcast@thewholephysician.com

You can find yourself again. Let's climb together.

Our new Podcast Fast Track Book a Session  or Physician Wellness Triage (same link) Sign up for the Weekly Well Check