When Stress Gets the Best of You: Unpacking the Freeze Response

Send us Fan Mail I've spent years studying stress, the nervous system, emotional regulation, and our default protective responses. I have trainings, certifications, coaching tools—and I help other women recognize these patterns in themselves every single week. But somehow, I didn't realize I was stuck in a freeze response. In this deeply vulnerable episode, I'm taking you inside what this stress response has looked and felt like for me—and why it was SO difficult to recognize when I'm normally the high-achieving, dependable person who prioritizes everyone else and just keeps going. The goal of understanding yourself isn't to become someone who never gets stressed. It's to recognize what's happening sooner, understand what your mind and body may be communicating, get the support you need, and stop making your struggle mean anything about how “good” you are. I’m still working through all this myself…pray for me. But a hard season is never the end of our story!   BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU'LL DISCOVER: Freeze rarely looks like doing nothing Why high-functioning, people-pleasing women have an especially hard time recognizing the freeze response The biology behind simultaneously feeling physically exhausted and mentally activated Why uncertainty leaves us stuck in an endless holding pattern—and the counterintuitive solution to finally move forward long before external things get better Why a freeze response is NOT the time to “push through” Expertise and tools don’t make you immune to stress—why the person holding it together for everyone else needs outside support all the more     PRIOR EPISODES MENTIONED: Episode 53 – The Five Stress Responses Explained: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2471152/episodes/18778797  Episode 64 – To the Mom Who’s Holding It All: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2471152/episodes/19363710    FOR SO MUCH MORE: Take my FREE quiz to find out your default stress response: https://solutionsforsimplicity.myflodesk.com/stress-response-podcast  Grab my on-demand “Nervous System Fundamentals” masterclass to finally understand your brain and body like never before: https://solutionsforsimplicity.thrivecart.com/fundamentals/   Join my 6-week Moms Made New program so stress no longer sabotages you—or your relationships: https://solutionsforsimplicity.myflodesk.com/mmn-waitlist  Book a free consult with me: https://tidycal.com/solutionsforsimplicity/free-consult    HOMEWORK: After hearing my experience, are you experiencing any signs of freeze or functional freeze? What do you notice about your body, your mind, your thoughts? What stress might you not have fully processed? How can you do that to “thaw” your nervous system back out? Reach out to me via email or on Instagram @solutionsforsimplicity to share your thoughts. And don’t forget to share this episode with another mama who needs to hear it!   COMING UP NEXT: Join me back next Tuesday at 5am Eastern to keep unpacking the hidden sources of stress stealing your time and joy. Don't miss my powerful on-demand masterclass, "13 Things Nobody's Telling You About Your Nervous System," that dispels the common myths and misleading advice out there about capacity, emotional regulation, and so much more: https://solutionsforsimplicity.thrivecart.com/13things/  Loving this podcast? Please help it get found by more listeners by taking quick minute to leave a rating & review in Apple Podcasts. Take a screenshot of your text review before you submit it, then email that to [email protected] and I'll send you my powerful Happy Mom Protocol™ (a $297 value) FOR FREE! CONNECT WITH AMBER: Website | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn  Ready to finally get to the root of your problems and change your life FOR GOOD? Book your free 60-minute consult to learn more about working 1:1 with Dr. Amber.