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What is the autonomic nervous system—and why does it matter so much for stress, anxiety, and overall wellbeing?

In this episode, Ruth Lorensson and Tom Pals break down the autonomic nervous system in a clear, practical way—exploring how the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) systems work together to support homeostasis.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in stress, overwhelmed, or unable to “switch off,” this conversation will help you understand why. Rather than seeing stress as the problem, Ruth and Tom reframe the sympathetic nervous system as a protective ally—and explain what happens when it dominates the system.

You’ll learn:

• How the autonomic nervous system regulates stress and recovery
• Why “balance” isn’t the goal—dynamic homeostasis is
• What keeps the body stuck in fight-or-flight
• How the brain and body work together to restore regulation

This episode offers a new way to understand your nervous system—so you can move from chronic stress into greater resilience, stability, and wellbeing.

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Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website

Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org
Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com

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What if the brain isn’t just an organ—but the context for everything we experience?

In this episode of the Autonomic Homeostasis Activation Podcast, Ruth Lorensson and Tom Pals explore the mystery of the brain, moving beyond a purely scientific lens into something more expansive. Together, they challenge the common assumption that the mind and brain are the same—and instead suggest that the mind is just one function of a much larger system.

They unpack what happens when we stop trying to solve problems through the mind alone and begin engaging the brain itself—through interoception, homeostasis, and the practices behind AHA. From real-life examples to deeper philosophical questions, this conversation opens up a different way of understanding consciousness, identity, and human potential.

This episode doesn’t aim to give definitive answers. Instead, it invites curiosity—and a shift in perspective.

Because the real question might not be how your brain works… but what your brain actually is.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

You can follow us on
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Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts
Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website

Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org
Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com

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Send us Fan Mail

What if the brain isn’t just in your head?

In this episode, we take a 30,000-foot view of the brain and challenge one of the most common assumptions in modern neuroscience. Exploring the enteric nervous system—often called the “second brain”—we uncover why it may actually be the first, and what it means to understand the brain as a whole, integrated system throughout the body.

From interoception and the vagus nerve to the role of internal “conversation” within our bodies, this episode reveals how health is not driven by isolated parts, but by connection. When that connection breaks down, dysfunction follows. When it’s restored, the system can regulate, heal, and thrive.

This conversation offers a powerful reframe of how we understand the brain, the body, and what it really means to experience well-being in a complex, connected system.

Support the show

Thanks for listening!

You can follow us on
Facebook
Instagram
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts
Check out the Autonomic Healing Website & InnerWorkings Website

Email Tom thomasjpals@innerworkings.org
Email Ruth ruth@bridgeandrhino.com

Support us

We appreciate you!