I read Paul Byrne 's post on ππππππ«π¬π‘π’π© π’π¬ π πππ§ππ ππππ°πππ§ π¬ππ¨π«π², π¬πππ π, ππ§π π¬ππππ, and I was instantly inspired by the 5 Stress Responses Wheel. It was easy to understand and to reflect on the somatic and behavioral experiences when we experience fight, flight, freeze, fawn, or flop responses.
For the past years, I have been articulating the need to showcase healing-centered responses to prime our brain and nervous system to notice how we can pendulate in a healing-centered vortex. My trainings on HOPE - Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences , Healing-centered Systems change (thanks to Collective Change Lab), Post-traumatic growth, Healing-centered engagement (thanks to Shawn Ginwright), and Healing-centered education (thanks to Dr. Angel Acosta), the deep advocacy around Neurodiversity under Neurodiversity Foundation and Neurodiversity Education Academy , and creating spaces for healing through REFUGIA.WORLD have deeply immersed me in the framing of moving away from "what's wrong, to what's strong".
As a practice of working out loud, I decided to put together my first iteration of what the healing-centered responses wheel can be. This is version 1.0 and still needs further exploration and review before I pass it on to my amazing graphic designer for her to work her magic on it!
HEALING-CENTERED RESPONSES WHEEL
This wheel reflects the core healing responses of Flock, Flow, Soften, Stop, and Surrender, each rooted in embodied states and accompanied by sample behavioral expressions and practices when we are internally and externally resourced.
FLOCK β Belonging & Interdependence
Core intention: Returning to community, connection, and collective care
Embodied States: Reconnected | Co-attunement | Witnessing | Trust | Reciprocity
Reconnected
Rejoining a circle, group, or community gathering
Re-initiating contact after rupture or withdrawal
Offering repair in relationships with honesty and care
Participating in co-created rituals or group practices
Co-attunement
Mirroring body language or breath
Checking in with how others are feeling emotionally
Letting someoneβs calmness settle your system
Reading the room and noticing what needs care and attention
Witnessing
Holding space without needing to fix
Naming what you see in another with care and compassion
Being emotionally present during another's expression
Honoring and validating someone's lived experiences
Trust
Delegating a task or responsibilities
Expressing vulnerability and being open to receiving
Relying on collective wisdom to navigate challenges
Asking for support before overwhelm sets in
Reciprocity
Offering help while also receiving it
Practicing mutual aid or shared resourcing
Giving back in ways that honor your capacity
Celebrating and uplifting each other's gifts
FLOW β Presence & Purposeful Engagement
Core intention: Engaging fully with what is alive and meaningful
Embodied States: Energized | Aware | Aligned | Grateful | Agency
Energized
Channeling energy through creative movement
Intentionality in the use of time, energy, and attention
Acting on intuitive nudges
Immersing in a project that lights you up
Aware
Naming your needs or limits in conversations
Sorting through priorities using inner compass, not urgency
Decluttering physical and emotional spaces
Knowing how to get back in rhythm
Aligned
Taking action that matches your inner values
Checking with your body before saying yes
Creating space for reflection before committing
Saying no to what drains or distracts
Grateful
Speaking appreciation aloud to others
Noticing beauty in small moments
Tuning in to abundance rather than scarcity
Celebrating your growth without minimizing it
Agency
Making choices in alignment with your truth
Advocating for your boundaries or vision
Naming injustice when it arises
Leading with courage even when uncertain
SOFTEN β Regulation & Spaciousness
Core intention: Creating gentle space to recalibrate, feel, and breathe
Embodied States: Grounded | Calm | Gentle | Tender | Spacious
Grounded
Feeling feet and body firmly rooted to the earth
Noticing sensory input without judgment
Leaning into grace
Practice anchoring (i.e. mantras or physical objects)
Calm
Practicing slow, rhythmic breathing
Settling in a quiet, sensory-soothing environment
Speaking gently to self or others
Using a soft tone or movement to de-escalate tension
Gentle
Finding glimmers that bring micro-moments of joy
Letting go of urgency in favor of patience
Practicing βloving-kindnessβ to oneself and others
Moving with ease instead of force
Tender
Allowing tears or laughter to rise
Speaking gently to a part of you in pain
Caring for your inner child or vulnerable self
Valuing tenderness as a strength, not a weakness
Spacious
Pausing before responding or acting
Creating buffer time in your schedule
Cultivating restorative practices to return to presence
Letting go of perfectionism
STOP β Discernment & Boundary Setting
Core intention: Pausing to protect energy, recalibrate, and restore safety
Embodied States: Recognition | Intentional | Protective | Boundaried | Discerning
Recognition
Noticing bodily signs of activation
Asking βWhat is this really about?β before reacting
Tracking nervous system responses
Attending to self before you override your limits
Intentional
Choosing words with care
Stepping away before reacting
Delaying decisions to check with your body and values
Turning inward before responding outward
Protective
Exiting conversations or spaces when needed
Disengaging from harmful patterns without guilt
Prioritizing sleep, nourishment, and solitude
Holding boundaries as sacred
Boundaried
Saying βnoβ as a full sentence
Setting limits on how and when you engage
Letting people know your capacity upfront
Revising agreements that no longer serve
Discerning
Reflecting on "Is this mine to carry?"
Recognizing when something needs to be released
Checking in with your intuition and inner congruence
Choosing stillness over reaction
SURRENDER β Trust & Expansion
Core intention: Leaning into the unknown with grace, courage, and humility
Embodied States: Open | Brave | Trusting | Humility | Expansive
Open
Meeting discomfort with curiosity
Letting yourself receive without tension
Saying yes to mystery without needing answers
Listening beyond your usual ways of knowing
Brave
Expressing vulnerability honestly
Taking action before full certainty arises
Naming your truth even in discomfort
Allowing yourself to be seen in your imperfection
Trusting
Handing over control to a larger wisdom
Letting the body lead instead of forcing an outcome
Resting without guilt or shame
Following inner guidance over external validation
Humility
Saying βI donβt knowβ with integrity
Acknowledging interdependence openly
Receiving correction without collapse
Honoring the wisdom of those before and around you
Expansive
Imagining new paths without limitation
Embracing emergence, paradox, or not-knowing
Breathing into possibilities
Allowing the future to unfold without rigid plans
Dear readers,
What do you think? Are there other examples of somatic and embodied states that you can add? How about other samples of behavioral practices or expressions? I am curious to know how this work is landing for you.
In kapwa,
Lana