Neurodivergent adults and people stuck in survival/trauma belief loops
Hypervigilance
When your nervous system won't turn off, even when you're safe.
You wake up already scanning. Is the house safe? Did you lock the door? What was that sound? Even before your feet hit the floor, your nervous system is on high alert and it never turns off.
You know logically you're safe. But your body doesn't believe it. Every unexpected noise makes you jump. Every person walking toward you feels like a potential threat. You're exhausted from being "on" all the time, but you can't figure out how to switch off.
Even in peaceful places—the countryside, your own home, time with people you trust—part of you is always monitoring. Scanning for exits. Reading body language. Preparing for danger that isn't there.
You're not broken. Your nervous system just learned to protect you in a way that's now exhausting you.
WHAT IS HYPERVIGILANCE?
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Hypervigilance is a state where your mind and body remain constantly alert, as if you're always waiting for something bad to happen. It's like having an internal alarm system that never switches off, continuously scanning your surroundings for potential threats—even when you're objectively safe.
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This isn't just being cautious or aware. It's an exhausting, involuntary state where your nervous system is stuck in high gear.
Your brain learned this response to keep you safe during a real threat. But now, even though the danger has passed, your nervous system still operates as if you're in that threatening situation. It's scanning for the tiger that isn't there.
DO THESE SOUND FAMILIAR?
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You startle easily at unexpected sounds or movements
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You constantly scan rooms when you enter them, checking exits or watching people
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Your muscles feel chronically tense - shoulders, neck, jaw
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You feel exhausted but can't "switch off" or calm down
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You have difficulty concentrating because part of your mind is always monitoring
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Your heart races in situations others find calm or safe
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You're always anticipating something going wrong, even when things are fine
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You feel uncomfortable in places where you logically know you're safe
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You're intensely aware of other people's moods, tones, or body language
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Small, unexpected events cause disproportionate anxiety
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You can never fully let your guard down, even around people you trust
"If you're nodding as you read this, you're not alone. And you don't have to live this way."
WHY HYPERVIGILANCE PERSISTS
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Your nervous system learned that the world is unsafe—usually through traumatic experiences, prolonged stress, or unpredictable threatening environments.
The problem isn't that your nervous system is broken. The problem is that it's still running outdated programming.
It operates across multiple levels:
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Subconscious beliefs about safety and danger
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Automatic nervous system responses (fight/flight/freeze)
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Physical tension stored in your body
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Thought patterns that reinforce the threat
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This is why hypervigilance is so stubborn. It's not just in your head - it's in your entire system.
And this is why you need a combined approach that works with all these layers.
HOW I TREAT HYPERVIGILANCE
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Clinical Hypnotherapy
Accesses your subconscious to reprogram the deep-rooted beliefs and memories that created your hypervigilance. We reprocess traumatic experiences so they lose their emotional charge and install new neural pathways that support safety and calm.
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Advanced EFT/Tapping
Works directly with your nervous system and body. You tap on acupressure points while focusing on specific triggers, sending calming signals to your brain's threat center. This systematically desensitizes you to what normally activates your hypervigilance and releases stored trauma from your physical body.
Together, these approaches create a comprehensive system that addresses the subconscious programming, regulates your nervous system, releases physical tension, and restructures your thought patterns.
We're essentially rewiring your entire system to recognize that you're safe now—and teaching your mind and body to release the constant state of alert that no longer serves you.
WHAT CHANGES LOOK LIKE
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Early sessions (1-3):
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You start noticing when hypervigilance kicks in (awareness is the first step)
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Your body begins to relax slightly—you might sleep a bit better
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You catch yourself scanning less frequently
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Middle sessions (4-6):
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You can sit in public places without constant monitoring
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Unexpected sounds don't trigger the same panic response
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You feel safer in your own home
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Your muscles start to release chronic tension
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Later sessions (6+):
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You walk into rooms without automatically checking exits
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You can be present with people without analyzing their every move
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You sleep through the night without jolting awake
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Peace feels possible, not dangerous
This doesn't happen overnight. But it does happen.
WHO THIS WORKS FOR
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This approach works especially well if you:
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Have PTSD, complex trauma, or chronic anxiety
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Experience hypervigilance daily
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Feel exhausted from constant scanning and monitoring
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Want practical relief, not just understanding
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Are neurodivergent (ADHD often comes with hypervigilance)
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Have tried talk therapy but haven't seen deep change
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This might not be right if you:
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Are currently in crisis (seek emergency care first)
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Have active psychosis or severe dissociation
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Aren't willing to engage actively in sessions
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Expect instant results without doing the work
Divya - India
My EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) session with Phil was a transformative experience. I've been struggling with stress, anxiety, and various mental blockages that I hadn’t fully recognized. Through his guidance, Phil helped me release these deeply rooted emotions. Afterward, I felt incredibly light, as if all the brain fog had lifted, leaving me with a newfound mental clarity and space for creativity.
Kirsten - Holland
Phil is a kind and intuitive EFT practitioner. He helped me immensely. He held the space for me to work through my stuff whilst being there when I needed guidance and support. Good session. Definitely recommend! Thank you Phil!
Merillee - USA
My time working with Phillip has changed my life. He is very good at getting to the real issue. He brings out exactly what needs to be resolved and then helps me to release the emotional patterns and thoughts that hold me back in life. Thank you Phillip for being there for me and making such a huge difference in my life.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How long will it take to feel better?
Most people notice shifts within 3-6 sessions. Some see changes faster. Complex trauma may take longer. Hypervigilance took years to develop, it won't disappear in one session. But you WILL feel progress.
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Will I have to relive my trauma?
No. We can work with trauma indirectly using metaphor and reframing. You don't need to describe every detail of what happened. Your nervous system can heal without re-traumatization.
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What if my hypervigilance is keeping me safe?
Your nervous system learned hypervigilance for a reason. We're not removing your ability to sense real danger. We're recalibrating your system so it only activates when there's an actual threat, not constantly.
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Can this work if I'm on medication?
Yes. These methods complement medication. Many clients find they need less medication over time, but that's a decision you make with your prescribing doctor.
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What if I don't know what caused my hypervigilance?
You don't need to know the exact cause. We work with what your nervous system is doing NOW and teach it a new pattern.
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Will I always have hypervigilance?
No. With the right approach, your nervous system can learn to feel safe again. Hypervigilance is a learned response, which means it can be unlearned
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH HYPERVIGILANCE
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In my late teens, hypervigilance hit hard. Every sound, sight, and thought felt like a threat. Even lying in bed, I was scanning for danger. That intensity followed me everywhere for far too many years.
I know what it's like to wake up already exhausted. To feel unsafe in your own body. To scan every room, every person, every possibility for danger.
I'm not guessing at what you're experiencing. I've lived it.
And I've learned how to rewire it, not by forcing myself to "just relax," but by giving my nervous system new information at the subconscious level.
READY TO START?
Book a free 20-minute consultation. We'll talk about what you're experiencing and whether this approach is right for you.
Have questions? Call 07849 205 813 or email reframeaheadtherapy@outlook.com
