Understanding Your Nervous System with Andrea Edmondson
In this insightful episode of The Present Professional, John and Tony sit down with Andrea Edmondson, an expert in the science of the nervous system and its profound impact on our daily lives, especially in high-pressure situations. Andrea, who works with executives and leaders, explains how understanding and regulating our nervous system can elevate performance, reduce stress, and foster psychological safety in teams. Drawing on polyvagal theory and her personal experiences as a mother and professional, Andrea offers powerful insights into the ways our autonomic nervous system influences our behavior, emotions, and interactions at work and at home.
Andrea takes us through the three primary states of the nervous system—ventral vagal (safe and social), sympathetic (fight or flight), and dorsal vagal (shutdown)—and provides practical strategies for individuals and leaders to regulate these states. She explains how cultivating mindfulness and awareness can shift us from survival mode into a state of curiosity, connection, and optimal performance.
Listen to this episode to learn how self-awareness, play, and social connection are essential to staying balanced and performing at your best, even in the most challenging moments.
Key Themes:
Polyvagal Theory: How our nervous system works in three stages
Self-regulation and co-regulation: Tools for leaders and teams
The importance of awareness and mindfulness practices for high-pressure situations
Play as a vital element for health and performance
Understanding psychological safety and its biological foundations
Practical techniques for shifting from fight-or-flight to a more regulated state
What we discussed:
1:51 Andrea’s Background and Journey
2:50 Translating Knowledge to Business Environments
3:30 Introducing Autonomic Concepts to New Audiences
5:38 Andrea’s Personal Learning and Growth
8:46 The Role of Leaders in Organizational Change
10:08 Underpinning Psychological Safety with Physiology
12:16 Individual Responsibility for Internal Regulation
14:00 Defining the Autonomic Nervous System
16:02 The Importance of Interoception
17:11 The Autonomic Nervous System’s Role and Responses
19:09 The Impact of Leaders Who Embrace Self-Work
20:05 CEO’s Role in Organizational Change
22:01 The Importance of Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System
23:26 The Ripple Effect of Leadership Regulation
24:29 Letting Go When Change Isn’t Possible
25:11 Recognizing and Responding to High-Pressure Situations
26:24 The Importance of Mindfulness Practice
27:27 Awareness and Recognizing Autonomic States
29:09 The Five Bs of Changing State
30:08 Understanding the Traffic Light System of Autonomic States
32:59 Identifying Personal Signs of Autonomic States
34:02 Preparing the Nervous System for High-Pressure Events
37:42 The Importance of Preparation in Relationships
38:36 The Implications of Staying in Dysregulated States
40:27 The Challenge of Helping People Who Feel Safe Being Stuck
41:09 The Role of Reflection and Introspection in Change
43:49 The Consequences of Remaining in Yellow and Red States
44:55 The Benefits of Learning to Regulate Autonomic States
46:27 The Health Implications of Chronic Stress and Dysregulation
47:47 The Role of Play in Regulating the Nervous System
49:30 Staying in yellow and red states
50:42 The Importance of Play
59:12 Strategies for managing stress
1:06:13 Nervous system regulation techniques
1:07:23 Polyvagal theory and coaching practice
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