Get to Know Rachael

What Brings You Home? Understanding the Ventral Vagal Nervous System

As a physical therapist and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, much of my work centers on helping people find more ease and regulation in their nervous systems. One of the most powerful pathways to that ease is through the ventral vagal nervous system—the part of our autonomic nervous system that supports connection, safety, and social engagement.

When this part of our system is active, we feel grounded and present. We breathe more easily. Our movements feel less effortful. We feel more like ourselves.

But here’s the thing: ventral vagal activation doesn’t look the same for everyone. What brings one person peace might not register at all for someone else. This has been true in my own life as well.

As I’ve moved through my own healing journey, I’ve developed a deeper awareness of what supports regulation in my body—what brings me into that ventral vagal state. It’s helped me understand why I’m drawn to certain experiences and why my body instinctively seeks out certain environments, people, and sensations. These aren’t random preferences; they are ways my nervous system seeks safety and settling.

Here are a few of the things that support ventral vagal activation for me:

Water

I feel a unique sense of peace when I’m near water. Whether I’m on a paddleboard, swimming, or simply sitting by a lake, there’s a noticeable shift in my body—a softening, a deep breath, a settling. Water brings me home to myself.

Community

Spending time with people I trust—those with whom I feel fully safe and seen—is another powerful resource. I love hosting and sharing meals, sitting around a table with good food and real connection. In those moments, I feel open, present, and deeply human.

Flowers

I’ve always loved flowers—their colors, their impermanence, their vibrancy. I often have them in my home, on my clothes, in the art I collect. I even have a hobby of preserving wedding bouquets for friends and family. Flowers bring me joy, and that joy is a form of nervous system nourishment.

Play

Laughter and lightness are also potent regulators of the nervous system. For me, play shows up in dance parties, sports, wearing costumes for no reason at all, and getting into silly games with friends and family. These moments of unstructured fun help me release tension and reconnect with a more playful, creative part of myself—one that isn’t focused on doing things “right,” but simply enjoying the moment.

Core memories

Sometimes, even just remembering specific moments can bring me into a more regulated state. For me, that includes memories like waterskiing with my family, being surrounded by loved ones at our wedding, or standing on the summit of Mount Whitney, looking out across the horizon. Even hearing the echo of a kind word from a mentor can shift something in me.

These are the moments that help me access my ventral vagal state. They remind me that I am safe, that I belong, that I can soften. And what I’ve learned is this: resourcing the nervous system is deeply personal. There’s no one-size-fits-all.

In sessions at Reclamation, we support clients in discovering their unique pathways to ventral vagal activation. Sometimes this comes through touch, through breath, through movement. Sometimes it comes through imagery, memory, or simply orienting to something comforting in the room. It doesn’t have to be verbal or emotional—this work is often quiet, physical, and deeply embodied.

By learning what supports safety in the nervous system, we create a more solid foundation for healing. We build capacity not just to manage symptoms, but to truly thrive in our bodies. To reclaim joy. To restore vitality. To come home.