<p>Unlocking the Vagus Nerve: Engineering Self-Healing for Trauma and Stress</p><p>In Episode 103 of <em>Beneath the Helmet</em>, Arjuna sits down with Chris Duquemin — mechanical engineer turned bodyworker, founder of New Vision Therapy (NVT), and author of <em>The Body Engineer</em>.</p><p>After suffering 10 years of chronic shoulder pain that conventional medicine could not diagnose, Chris began exploring the mechanics of the central nervous system. What he discovered changed his life — and now informs his work with first responders, veterans, and individuals living with post-traumatic stress, chronic anxiety, and unresolved trauma.</p><p>This conversation explores how a compromised nervous system can drive physical symptoms, emotional distress, and chronic stress — and how restoring mechanical balance may unlock the body’s natural capacity to self-heal.</p><p>Time Stamps</p><p><strong>00:00:00</strong> – Introduction and Chris’s background<br><strong>00:01:00</strong> – From mechanical engineer to chronic shoulder pain<br><strong>00:02:00</strong> – Medical dead ends and being told “it’s in your mind”<br><strong>00:05:00</strong> – The central nervous system as the body’s fuse board<br><strong>00:08:00</strong> – Unresolved trauma and the rib injury breakthrough<br><strong>00:10:00</strong> – Craniosacral mechanics and cerebrospinal fluid explained<br><strong>00:14:00</strong> – Compromised nervous systems and fight-or-flight states<br><strong>00:18:00</strong> – Fascia, compensation patterns, and cumulative trauma<br><strong>00:23:00</strong> – Vagus nerve mechanics and restoring self-healing<br><strong>00:27:00</strong> – DNA reset and the three-to-four-month healing cycle<br><strong>00:30:00</strong> – The three levels: balance, fight-or-flight, and breakdown<br><strong>00:39:00</strong> – Quick self-assessments: heart rate variability &amp; uvula test<br><strong>00:42:00</strong> – Practical tools: stretching, vagus exercise, grounding<br><strong>00:52:00</strong> – The amygdala, hippocampus, and trauma storage<br><strong>01:00:00</strong> – How emotional trauma becomes stored in fascia<br><strong>01:07:00</strong> – Making this practical inside firehouses</p><p>What You’ll Learn</p><ul><li><p>How a compromised central nervous system impacts digestion, immunity, sleep, and mood</p></li><li><p>Why unresolved trauma can lock the body into fight-or-flight</p></li><li><p>The role of fascia in storing physical and emotional trauma</p></li><li><p>Simple nervous system checks firefighters can use in minutes</p></li><li><p>Practical daily tools to support vagus nerve function</p></li><li><p>Why self-healing depends on restoring mechanical balance</p></li></ul><p>Chris shares how New Vision Therapy bridges engineering principles and bodywork to help those who are not responding to medication or counselling — especially veterans, military members, and first responders.</p><p>Chris Duquemin is the founder of <strong>New Vision Therapy (NVT)</strong> and is based in the Canary Islands (Tenerife).<br>He teaches foundational workshops and practitioner training programs internationally, with plans to expand training in Canada.</p><p>Those interested in practitioner training can attend workshops in Tenerife or the UK, with a five-workshop foundational path that can lead to qualification within 12–15 months.</p><p>Connect with Chris<a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank">[email protected]</a><a href="http://newvisiontherapy.co.uk/" target="_blank"><br>Newvisiontherapy.co.uk</a></p><p>If this conversation resonated with you, take a moment to subscribe to the channel and share this episode with someone who may benefit from it.</p><p>Conversations like this can spark real change — in firehouses, departments, families, and communities.</p><p>Stay well.</p><p>Host Arjuna George - Fire Chief (ret)</p><p> 🚨 JOIN THE BTH COMMUNITY </p><p> 📝 Podcast Newsletter: <a href="https://colossal-trailblazer-6113.ck.page/c0e1b81fbe">https://colossal-trailblazer-6113.ck.page/c0e1b81fbe</a> </p><p>📨 LinkedIn Podcast Newsletter: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7026972684089528321">https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7026972684089528321</a></p><p><strong>✅Become a </strong><a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/ajgeorge/e/487861">BTH Ambassador</a> for a one-time contribution of $23. Your Ambassador contribution supports the behind-the-scenes work that keeps this project alive. Click <a href="https://buymeacoffee.com/ajgeorge/e/487861">here</a> to support the show</p><p> 📺 WATCH &amp; LISTEN 🌐 Full Episodes &amp; Show Notes: <a href="https://www.beneaththehelmet.ca">www.beneaththehelmet.ca</a> </p><p>▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@beneaththehelmetshow?sub_confirmation=1">https://www.youtube.com/@beneaththehelmetshow?sub_confirmation=1</a> </p><p><br></p>