← Back to Submind

Topic

polyvagal ladder

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down

Pooky Knightsmith: Neurodivergence & Mental Health

When a child experiences a shutdown driven by their autonomic nervous system, it is crucial for adults to understand that this reaction stems from feeling unsafe rather than being a willful choice; in such moments, the amygdala triggers a dorsal vagal freeze state where cognitive functions like lang …