When you're faced with overwhelming stress or trauma, your nervous system responds in ways that help you survive. One of those responses is called dorsal vagal shutdown. If you've ever felt numb, disconnected, or like you've mentally "checked out" during stress, this might be what’s happening. At Juno Counseling and Wellness in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, we offer compassionate, trauma-informed care to help you recognize and manage dorsal vagal responses in a safe and supportive setting.

What Is Dorsal Vagal Shutdown?

The vagus nerve is a key part of your body’s nervous system. It controls your "rest and digest" responses and plays a big role in how you handle stress. When things get overwhelming, your body may go into fight or flight mode. But if the situation feels inescapable or too intense, your body might instead switch into dorsal vagal shutdown—a kind of “freeze” response.

This shutdown can cause you to feel:

• Emotionally numb or detached

• Fatigued or unmotivated

• Disconnected from your body

• Hopeless or like you're shutting down internally

While this response is meant to protect you, staying stuck in it for too long can affect your relationships, work, and mental health.

Why Does Dorsal Vagal Shutdown Happen?

Dorsal vagal shutdown is your body’s way of coping with extreme stress or trauma. It often shows up in people who have experienced childhood neglect, emotional abuse, complex PTSD, or long-term anxiety. Over time, if the body doesn’t feel safe, this shutdown response may become more frequent—even when you're not in danger.

Understanding what’s going on is the first step in learning how to shift out of this state and reconnect with yourself and the world around you.

How Juno Counseling and Wellness Can Help

At Juno Counseling and Wellness, we specialize in working with clients who experience trauma-related nervous system dysregulation, including dorsal vagal shutdown. We don’t just focus on the symptoms—we focus on helping you feel safe and grounded again.

Our therapists use gentle, body-aware approaches such as:

• Somatic therapy to help you reconnect with your body

• Polyvagal-informed therapy to support nervous system regulation

• Mindfulness techniques to bring you back into the present moment

• Talk therapy to process the emotions behind your experiences

Every client’s experience is different, so we tailor therapy to your unique needs and pace.

Reconnecting with Yourself

Healing from dorsal vagal shutdown takes time, and that’s okay. Therapy at Juno is not about pushing yourself—it's about learning to listen to your body, feel safe again, and gradually return to a state of connection and calm. Small steps matter, and progress is possible.

Start Your Healing Journey in Palm Beach Gardens

If you recognize signs of dorsal vagal shutdown in your daily life, you're not alone. At Juno Counseling and Wellness in Palm Beach Gardens, we’re here to walk with you through the process of healing and reconnection.

Reach out today to schedule a session or speak with a therapist who understands trauma and nervous system responses. Let’s work together to help you feel more present, more energized, and more in control of your life.