Tessa entered Nervous System Mastery (NSM) with a strong background in yoga, mindfulness, and somatic psychology—yet still found herself dealing with chronic nervous-system overdrive.
By late 2022, partway through her second year of graduate school, Tessa had already left behind unhelpful relationships and living environments. Still, despite these external changes, her internal jitters persisted.
Before NSM, Tessa’s strategy involved “managing” her anxiety in piecemeal ways. She understood the theory behind mind–body practices but hadn’t entirely woven them into her daily life. As a result, she often felt hypervigilant, with occasional spikes of panic.
The NSM Approach
When Tessa joined Cohort 2, she fully committed, transforming the five-week course into an intensive self-experiment. Instead of waiting for the panic to strike, she practiced NSM’s core protocols daily, working them into simple routines—humming in the shower, steadying her breath before meals, and revisiting guided emotional “surf sessions” in her car.
She appreciated that each technique came with a clear, science-based explanation. Understanding the ‘why’ behind tools like Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) and specific breathwork protocols helped her stay consistent.
Major Turning Points
- Resolving Panic: Since early 2023, Tessa hasn’t experienced any panic attacks (her last was on 31 December 2022). Though old triggers occasionally arise, they don’t escalate.
- Navigating Emotions: She can now experience strong feelings—be they excitement, nervousness, or intensity—without feeling overwhelmed. What once seemed threatening now feels manageable.
- Embracing New Horizons: Tessa has been travelling extensively for nearly two years, thriving in diverse places and social settings. It’s a marked contrast from her previous anxiety about unfamiliar situations.
What Changed?
- Consistent Daily Practice: Tessa regularly applied breathwork, non-sleep deep rest, and other NSM tools even on calm days. By repeating these techniques, she made regulation second nature.
- Supportive Community: The NSM community offered more than just protocols. There was group accountability, co-regulation, and shared learning, making it less of a solo endeavor.
- Realistic Expectations: Tessa found that it wasn’t necessary to do every exercise perfectly. She focused on integrating the most resonant practices into her routine in a sustainable way.
Life Now
Tessa now moves through life with curiosity rather than dread. Where she once steered clear of potential triggers, she’s now comfortable exploring unfamiliar territory—facilitating groups, diving into relational dojo sessions, and discovering new places around the world. She describes a deeper resilience, no longer spending hours bracing for anxiety.
“I can still have old anxious thoughts, but they don’t hijack me,” Tessa says. “NSM gave me straightforward, science-based tools to rewire those patterns. Now, I’m free to enjoy life without the constant ‘what if’ loop.”
Tessa's Parting Words
For Tessa, NSM filled the gap between knowing about nervous-system regulation and truly living it. She encourages anyone feeling stuck or overwhelmed to give the course a try:
“I can’t imagine who wouldn’t benefit from addressing their dysregulation. NSM’s flexible structure can fit even a busy schedule, and the impact on everyday life is hard to overstate. Not having to tiptoe around possible panic attacks has been invaluable.”
In Tessa’s view, learning to regulate is increasingly essential in our overstimulating world. “Yes, calm feels good, but what’s truly freeing is being able to handle life’s ups and downs without feeling lost or consumed by stress.”
