In today’s” Yoga Snack,” we discuss simple yet effective vagal toning exercises designed to help regulate the nervous system and promote a sense of calm. Tailored for both personal self-care and therapeutic client sessions, the episode dives into practices such as diaphragmatic breathing, shoulder release techniques, and bee breath meditation. Additionally, listeners can gain insights into the anatomical and physiological aspects of the vagus nerve, its role in stress regulation, and the application of these exercises in therapy sessions.

" Knowing that bringing yoga into the therapy room can be an experiment to see what works for each client, and it's important to individualize to different bodies and needs." -Chris McDonald

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Take a breath, drop in, and let's explore these gentle practices together on today's episode of Yoga in the Therapy Room. Podcast, stay tuned.

Welcome to Yoga in the Therapy Room, the non-traditional therapist guide to integrating yoga into your therapy practice. I'm Chris McDonald, licensed therapist and registered yoga teacher. This podcast is here to empower therapists like you with the knowledge and confidence. To bring yoga into their practice safely and ethically.

Today is a solo episode and yet another yoga snack. These are episode under 15 minutes, just little bite-sized practices to help support your nervous system and self-care, but also our practices that could easily be accessible for clients. In sessions today we're looking at vagal toning exercises.

Simple yet powerful practices that can help you regulate your nervous system, as well as increasing resilience and bringing a sense of calm to both you and your clients. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in how we experience safety, connection, and relaxation. And by incorporating these gentle techniques into your day, you can support a more balanced and regulated state.

'cause I know you're gonna love them. And really like the ending of this podcast and how you're gonna feel. So what is the vagus nerve? We're gonna get into that first, how vagal to can help balance the nervous system, and then we'll get to the practices. Without further ado, the vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve extends from the brainstem down through the neck, the chest, the abdomen.

But it also connects to major organs such as hearts, lungs, digestive track, and vocal cords, which is why using some vocal practices can help tone the vagus nerve. It plays a key role in regulating heart rate, breathing, digestion, immune response, and emotional regulation, as well as communicates between the brain and the gut, influencing mood and overall wellbeing.

So let's talk about the nervous system. We talk a lot on this podcast about polyvagal theory and the autonomic nervous system, sympathetic versus parasympathetic response. But when we use some vagal toning practices, which helps. Activate the relaxation response so it can shift the body. If a client is in flight or fight state the sympathetic, it can bring them back to the rest and digest on top of the polyvagal ladder.

If you are struggling with any gut issues, there could be a va. Agus nerve issue there and that be might be something to mention to your doctor. Also enhances on the emotional side with regulation, helping with mood, stability, and resilience. That is why the more we can do these practices, the more it's gonna help both you and your clients to be able to open that window of tolerance and be less reactive to stress on a physical level, lowers the heart rate and blood pressure.

It promotes cardiovascular health and improves sleep quality. So these are things you can do before bed to help calm things down, especially if you had a really busy day and feeling more stress. It also strengthens the immune system, reducing inflammation and promoting healing. I. Lots of amazing benefits and a lot of these vagal Tony exercises tie in perfectly with yoga.

And not just improve, but stay there so that they are more regulated on a regular basis. So the first practice I'm going to go over is diaphragmatic breathing and focusing on the long extended exhale. Now I know some people like 4, 4, 4 square breath equal breathing, so inhaling four, holding for four, exhaling four, and then pausing for four before you breathe again.

So get yourself comfortable, grounded, maybe noticing feet on the floor, feeling the support beneath you if you're on a chair or if you're on the floor or couch, feeling the support holding you up, reminding yourself, the earth is also beneath us, supporting us. The earth has our back. Noticing the spine as it reaches towards the sky.

Checking in with shoulders. Your face bringing softness to the body. Take an inhale to a count of four in your mind counting.

Pause for two, then exhale for a count of six.

Is it in your chest or your belly? What is speaking to you in your body right now? Noticing if it's deeper breaths or is it more shallow or is it harder to recognize? Wherever you are, just know it's okay. Whatever sensations are coming up with breath right now. How did that feel for you? You can modify this for clients if you just wanna exhale for equal counts, just doing the four.

Again, knowing that bringing yoga into the therapy room can be an experiment to see what works for each client, and it's important to individualize to different bodies and needs. So trying the pause for, for two or four, seeing how that feels. You can just exhale for it. Count a five if that feels better.

And just keep it simple. You don't have to keep going up and down with the numbers. If you wanna just keep it 4, 2, 6 or 4 4 6 and see what works. Are you a mental health therapist interested in bringing yoga into your therapy room, but feel uncertain where to start. Maybe you're worried about staying ethical or want to feel more confident in what you're offering.

Step into the therapy room with confidence and transform your sessions today. Go to HC podcast.org/build confidence. That's HC podcast.org/build confidence. One of my favorite simple practices to do is this inhaling shoulders up to ears, feeling that tension. And on the exhale, we're gonna drop the shoulders with a ha sound, letting it all out.

Seeing what's there right now. Using the voice through sound with breath is another way to stimulate the vagus nerve. And I find clients really like that one 'cause it does feel like it kind of releases something when you put the movement, the breath and sound together. It's a powerful experience for clients and this is a simple one that you can use easily in the chair.

Another practice you can do with breath is called be breath, and that's using breath and sound. If you wanna try it right now. Inhale through the nose on the exhale. Just hum like you're a bee.

Try that again. Inhale through the nose. Exhale through the mouth, and hum. Mm.

And your hum, maybe longer or shorter than mine. That's okay. And then we'll check in noticing how you're feeling. Any shifts in mood, energy, or emotion. What is coming up for you? The power of the pause after practice's so impactful. I'm gonna remove my glasses. If you have glasses on, you may wanna remove them.

For this next practice, bring fingers together in the middle of the forehead, fingertips pointing together gently. Slide your hands. Along the forehead, giving a little pressure down to the temple and having the pinky on the eyebrow just sliding gently, putting as little or as much pressure as feels good for you.

You're also welcome just to try it on the brow bone sliding from the inside of the brow down to the temple. Maybe feels a little different. And also I should have mentioned you might wanna wash your hands before you do this and doing it for as long as feels right for you. And if you notice sore spots, I know I feel some in my temple.

You're welcome to do a little self massage. Some small circles varying the pressure. Giving that self-compassion and kindness to yourself as you do this. The next part of the practice is bringing the fingertips of the three fingers, the middle ring, and four fingers underneath where the cheekbone starts.

And if you notice or spots on the jaw, just give some small circles, sliding the fingertips down the jaw. It can also be a soothing practice. And the final part of this practice is to bring hands to opposite shoulders. You can give yourself a hug, give yourself a squeeze down the arms, and then bringing 'em back to the shoulders.

Just giving yourself this care and compassion can make a big difference, can help bring that parasympathetic, but not too much. Just enough to settle your nervous system, to bring you back to ventral vagal energy that's rest and digest at the top of the polyvagal ladder so that you can feel like you can connect with others.

It feels safe again. And when that feels complete, letting that practice go Check in with yourself. Notice your stress level. Is it different from when we started today? Could one of these practices be helpful for you and your sessions with your clients? Would they benefit from this? I teach these practices to my clients and they really have utilized them as part of coping tools.

From Yoga In the Therapy Room podcast, I'm excited to share my giveaway, how to build Confidence and Confidence with Yoga and Therapy Sessions. This downloadable checklist includes best practices for integrating yoga plus reflection questions to help you refine your approach and feel more empowered.

It's the perfect tool for anyone wanting to blend. Yoga into therapy sessions. Step into the therapy room with confidence and transform your sessions today. Go to HC podcast.org/build confidence. That's HC podcast.org/build confidence. And once again, this is Chris McDonald's sending each one of you much light and love.

We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. Yoga is not recommended for everyone and is not safe under certain medical conditions. Always check with your doctor to see if it's safe for you. If you need a professional, please find the right one for you.