How to Bring Your Clients Out of 'Freeze'

Clients who have been traumatised sometimes find themselves in situations where they feel unable to move, speak, or even think clearly. This 'freeze' response describes a state where the body is so overwhelmed that it essentially freezes in place. This survival mechanism is designed to protect us when situations feel too overwhelming or inescapable, and is often utilised when the fight-or-flight responses have or would fail. It's not a choice we make, but an instinct our body chooses in dire situations.

Polyvagal Theory explains this reaction as a combination of activity within the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and dorsal vagal (shutdown) systems that cause us to feel paralysed or stuck. During this state, people struggle to process information, speak, while feeling huge activation and sensation within their bodies.

The infographics below are to be used by clinicians and clients alike (you can distinguish between which is which by the headings) to assist while in a 'frozen' state. The goal isn’t to 'fix' oneself by use of these strategies but to learn new ways to understand and work with your body’s responses. If you would like a PDF copy of either (or both), reach out and I'll send one through ASAP.