The person as a system: This perspective views the person as a self-contained system, consisting of its own components (such as thoughts, emotions, and the physical body). It's about understanding the person as a whole, with their own internal dynamics.
The person in a system: This refers to an individual as part of a larger system (like a family, team, organisation, or society). The person is a component or element within the system, influencing and being influenced by it.
The system in context: This refers to the larger system (or systems) that the person is part of, and how those systems shape and are shaped by the person. Context is key here – it influences how the person and their internal system interact with and respond to their environment.
These perspectives are interconnected, and understanding them can support personal growth, teamwork, and leadership.
Brain-based approaches support processing undischarged capsules of data (trauma), to understand how the nervous system and trauma impact a person’s interactional style and relational dynamics, to heal the nervous system from trauma and re-traumatization, and to build resilient systems that can endure contextual stressors. Brain-based approaches include: BWRT, BSP, Somatic awareness, and Emotional Regulation, during which the individual is made aware of bodily sensations, releases tension and trauma, and promotes regulation of the Vagal Nerve.
UNDERSTANDING THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS)
The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve, one of 12 special nerves that originate in the brainstem and form direct links between the brainstem and key parts of the body, called the polyvagal system or multiple nerves. Unlike other cranial nerves the vagal nerve “wanders” through almost the entire body. The vagal nerve serves as a shared connection allowing numerous body systems and organs to communicate with one another.
The polyvagal system continuously monitors the nervous system and determines how safe or threatened we feel. According to the polyvagal theory, a shift in neural regulation of the autonomic nervous system passes through three global stages, each with an associated behavioural strategy. This is discussed below in:
