Ep 39 | Jesus and Your Nervous System (Faith and Mental Health)

What if taking care of your mental health was an act of faith rather than a sign of doubt? Join Jemese LaChel Drewery, LCSW, a dedicated Christian trauma therapist, as she explores how understanding the intricate connection between faith, the nervous system, and trauma healing can empower you to live a peaceful life in Christ. This episode is particularly valuable for those transitioning from new age practices or other belief systems, seeking guidance on aligning mental and emotional well-being with Christian teachings. Discover how stewarding your body through Christ-centered strategies is not about lacking faith but about honoring God’s creation.

💁🏾‍♀️NEW HERE?  Jemese is a Christian trauma therapist, women's mentor and Spirit-filled host of A New Creation Podcast. Through Christ-centered conversations and inspiring testimonies, Jemese guides women through trauma healing, deeper faith, and freedom in Jesus Christ so they can form better relationships with God, self and others. 

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Transcript

Trauma Healing From a Christian Perspective

Jemese LaChel 0:00

I love episodes like the one that I'm about to share with you today , because we're getting into some tangible steps and real practical application that you can use to address your mental health from a Christian perspective . And so this is for anyone who has been wondering about their nervous system how does that relate to trauma and trauma healing ? Does that relate to trauma and trauma healing ? And also , specifically , if you're someone who has come out of new age religion , if you're someone who has come out of false religion and you're just like , oh man , I don't even know what is permissible anymore in terms of what can I do ? Like ? Can I breathe deeply , like ? If you have questions about any of that kind of stuff , you definitely want to listen through this entire episode , especially to the end . Let's go Well , hey there . Welcome back to a new creation podcast where we are pointing women towards victory in Christ , one Jesus story at a time . My name is Jameis Lachelle . I am your host . I'm a Christian trauma therapist . Let's dive right in to today's episode .

Jemese LaChel 1:10

Recently , I received a message from a young woman who is navigating a major spiritual shift . She is growing in the Lord , having left the new age behind to follow Christ , and she's feeling confused about what's appropriate when it comes to taking care of her health , especially her mental and emotional well-being . She's heard teachings that we should rely on prayer alone for healing , and that anything beyond this , particularly strategies for calming the body or the nervous system . Well , these things are questionable or even dangerous . This concern is common , especially when we hear terms that sound more secular than spiritual , and if you're someone who has come out of the new age or new thought , where everything is framed in terms of self-reliance and spiritual manipulation , you might be hesitant to trust anything that remotely feels like a method . Where everything is framed in terms of self-reliance and spiritual manipulation , you might be hesitant to trust anything that remotely feels like a method . There's often trauma that accompanies leaving such belief systems , a trauma that can lead to a lot of spiritual anxiety . After all , the entire framework you once trusted has been flipped upside down , leaving room for doubt and fear to creep in . Sadly , the enemy uses this to keep women stuck in fear , making them feel paralyzed and unsure of every decision .

Jemese LaChel 2:40

But let's clear something up Jesus calls us to steward our entire being , our bodies , our minds , our soul , our spirit . Stewardship means taking responsibility and managing wisely what God has entrusted to us . That includes our health . In fact , 1 Corinthians , chapter 6 , verses 19 through 20 , tells us do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who is in you , whom you have received from God ? You are not your own . You were bought at a price . Therefore , honor God with your bodies . This verse emphasizes the value of our bodies as God's temple . Is the value of our bodies as God's temple ? Your body includes the physical health and even your nervous system . We are being called to honor God with it , to be mindful of this , to be mindful of how we are using our body . We have a responsibility in that . Think of your body as a luxury car like a Bentley or a Rolls Royce , some of the most valuable vehicles in the world . Would you neglect its upkeep or put in the cheapest fuel ? Of course not . You'd ensure that it's well maintained because of its immense value . In that same way , god calls us , as the believer , to care for our bodies because they are temples of his Holy Spirit . Taking steps to maintain our health , which does include our nervous system , that is not a lack of faith . It is an act of honoring what God has given you .

Jemese LaChel 4:28

When I was a baby Christian , fresh out of new age , new thought , belief system . My own self , I used to think much more simplistically , just believing God to carry me entirely and essentially do everything for me . While that is true , we do rely on God , we do rely on the Lord to carry us . He's the one who finished the work , not me , and I can't add to anything that he's done . That's true , but as I've matured , I've come to realize that the Lord has also given me power , wisdom and free will . For a reason there are steps that I can and should take to maintain the freedom and deliverance that Christ has already secured for me .

Jemese LaChel 5:14

It's not about self-reliance , it's about faithful stewardship , and so I want to focus and hone in on this discussion around the nervous system . It's something that is so important in the work that I do with women . For those who don't know me , I do work as a Christian trauma therapist . I also work as a faith mentor for women , and when we're talking about trauma , so much of our nervous system impacts the trauma . It's like the traumatic events they kind of get . They have these nervous system responses , and so you may think that it's been 15 years and the situation is way behind you but your nervous system . If you have not addressed it , if you have not taken and surrendered it to the Lord , if you have not done the part that you can do in the matter , the nervous system often has a different story to tell . So I am speaking to the woman who is out there looking for heavenly solutions . She's wanting to know what are the steps that she can take to manage her mental health , to manage her emotional well-being , to steward her body in ways that are biblical . Let's just dive right into that .

Jemese LaChel 6:30

Let's talk about the nervous system . I'm going to be sharing some Christ-centered , specifically three Christ-centered , biblically grounded strategies that you can use to take care of your mental health and nervous system going forward . So your nervous system functions kind of as your body's control center and it manages essential processes like your heart rate , your breathing and how you respond to stress . And it's divided into two primary parts the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system . The sympathetic nervous system activates when you're under stress or sense danger , helping your body react quickly so you can think , fight or flight , or even like hot red . The parasympathetic nervous system works to bring your body back into a state of calm after the stress has passed , think , rest and digest , or cool . To keep it simple , I like to refer to in sessions with my clients , as you know , your hot nervous system and your cool nervous system . Activating the cool nervous system , the parasympathetic nervous system , is typically what we're trying to get to , because that's the place where you're operating and functioning from a place of calm .

Jemese LaChel 7:49

And in today's world , especially after experiencing deep spiritual upheaval such as what this young woman was sharing with me she was sharing about , you know , having left a new age and really anyone who's gone through any other form of trauma , I want you to know that if that's you , you're not going crazy , you're not insane . If you're feeling on edge all the time , if you feel like something's not right , it is likely that your sympathetic nervous system is simply triggered . It can become so overstimulated and when you are stuck in fight or flight mode , your body stays on high alert , even when it doesn't have to be . I have so many experiences of this , even personally . I can remember being so afraid of men related to a trauma that occurred to me years prior . I used to have so much trauma around men and just encountering groups of men it would just really trigger me . It got to the point where it was even impacting my marriage . This is the man I married . I love my husband so very much , but it had gotten to the point where , because I hadn't dealt with it in Christ , it was really having a heyday in my marriage .

Jemese LaChel 9:06

So I want you to understand that you know this stuff . It is real and it does impact your life , but there's something you can do about it . One of the best things you can do is just bring awareness and like educate yourself . Right , the Lord said that his people perished for a lack of knowledge . Like educate yourself . Right . The Lord said that his people perished for a lack of knowledge .

Jemese LaChel 9:25

So I want you to know how to determine if your body is operating in a hot nervous system or if your sympathetic nervous system is active . No-transcript . One way to know if this is happening is by simply checking in with your own body . Pause right now and notice Are you holding tension anywhere in your muscles ? Maybe in your shoulders , your neck , your jaw ? If so , this is a sign that your sympathetic nervous system is active . When your sympathetic nervous system is not active , we're not walking around with a tense body , right ? We want that relaxed muscle body From that place .

Jemese LaChel 10:16

That's when this work that we do with trauma and trauma healing really starts to take root , because it is hard to heal when you are in a hot nervous system . It's hard to heal . It's hard to heal when you are in a hot nervous system . It's hard to heal , it's hard to feel like you can have that peace , that past misunderstanding , when you are all tensed up . And maybe this sounds so simplistic , but it is . It is kind of simplistic . I'm trying to put answers and tools in your hands because I want you , as a listener , to know that you don't have to live like this , living from a place of a overactive , sympathetic nervous system or a hot nervous system , where you're in , where you are in fight or flight all the time Guess what ? It's not only exhausting , but it's also directly opposed to the peace and rest that the Lord , god , intends for you . An overstimulated nervous system can trap women in cycles of trauma .

Jemese LaChel 11:16

You will tell me in session that you know all you want to do is get healed . All you want to do is move past this . All you want to do is stop living like this . You're tired of it . But when your nervous system is preaching to you a different story and you don't know what to do about that . It leaves you stuck .

Jemese LaChel 11:38

You need to know that God created your nervous system . Your nervous system was his idea and , just as he makes your body and spirit , he also designed the intricate ways that your body responds to stress . He knew that we would need a Messiah . He knew that we would need the Lord . He knew that we would need the Holy Spirit living on the inside of us . And here's the thing if it was so easy this is my response to those who have been told you know , just pray it away and just trust God . And just you know , prayer is good and trusting the Lord is excellent . But here's the thing wouldn't we all be walking around , everybody in just this relaxed muscle body , nobody getting triggered or at anybody or anything , just the peace , just the heaven on earth that we have read about in scripture ?

Jemese LaChel 12:31

The reality is that we live in a fallen world , but if you're someone who has found yourself kind of stuck in a loop and in a cycle , I'm ready to put some tools in your toolkit . I'm ready to help you learn the things that you can do that are godly and biblical , to help you address and manage your nervous system , because learning to manage and regulate your nervous system in a healthy , god-honoring way is so crucial . It will help you to heal from the fear and the confusion that spiritual trauma can cause , or any form of trauma . Well , I'm going to show you , I'm going to tell you , I'm going to give you three strategies that are very Christ-centered , that you can do easy peasy , starting today . The first one is , I'm calling it the ABC method . This is not something I came up with . This is straight from the Holy Spirit , and so

Practical Strategies for Relaxation and Healing

Jemese LaChel 13:25

let's talk about that .

Jemese LaChel 13:25

So , when anxiety , fear or confusion hit , one beautiful way to shift your nervous system from a place of chaos to peace is by refocusing your mind on God's character . This could be a form of godly meditation , biblical meditation . While Eastern meditation focuses on emptying the mind , biblical meditation focuses on emptying the mind . Biblical meditation focuses on filling up your mind with the word , with biblical truth , with the word of God . And so , in this strategy , what you're going to do ? You're going to go through the alphabet and for each letter , you're going to name a characteristic of God , a name of God , something like this and so , for example , a might be Alpha , b might be Beautiful . C might be Creator . You're going to go through the ABCs and you can even take it a step further and turn that into praise , turn it into prayer . Lord A , I bless your name because you are the Alpha Lord Jesus . B , you are so beautiful . C God , I bless you . I praise you . Lord , you are creator of this universe . You are compassionate and go through every letter of the alphabet .

Jemese LaChel 14:39

This is wonderful to use if you're someone who suffers from anxiety , where maybe your mind is going in a million directions , it's going to be very grounding . You want to ground back into biblical truth . Instead of you know , let your mind run rampant on whatever anxiety is trying to tell you In moments of stress . This method can align your mind and heart with the truth of who God is , reminding you that he's the one who holds the world in his hands and he is also holding you . Powerful method If you're someone who can't sleep at night . Sometimes I remember going through bouts where I had trouble sleeping . I would do this at night and eventually I'd find myself fast asleep .

Jemese LaChel 15:23

The second practical strategy that you can try is something that I call body scanning , and it's just a simple , practical and prayerful way to bring awareness to the physical stress in your body , remembering that one clear sign that your nervous system is active and that you are . When I say active , I mean you know your fight or flight response is active . Our nervous system is always functioning . I'm specifically talking about the sympathetic nervous system , the hot nervous system that's active when you notice that your body , your muscles are tight , you have tension in your muscles for seemingly no reason , right ? A body scan is one way that you can just check in with yourself to see if this is going on . And so you can either start at the bottom of your feet or the top of your head and you're simply kind of like scanning your body , moving up from your feet to your shins , your knees , your thighs , hips , your low back , all the way up to the top of your head , and noticing any areas where you are holding tension or discomfort .

Jemese LaChel 16:30

If you identify tension in the body , consciously releasing those muscles , relaxing those muscles and even praying over those areas . And so just today , this beautiful woman of God she's a wonderful Titus 2 woman in my life I was telling her that you know I had been having trouble sleeping . I wasn't sleeping good and just tossing and turning at night and all we prayed together and we just spoke right to the body and she had me to say Lord , I surrender this tension in my body to you , and so that's a simple way that you can bring prayer into it . So if you notice that you tend to hold a lot of stress in your shoulders , for example , god , I release the tension in my body to you . Lord , I thank my body for trying to hold on to this , trying to keep me safe . But , lord , I know that you are the one who keeps me safe . You are my safety . Lord , I remember Psalm 121 . You keep me safe , you preserve me from all evil . I release this tension to you .

Jemese LaChel 17:37

It's a practice of releasing control and trusting God with your physical and emotional burdens . This method is especially important for nervous system regulation because , like I shared , healing from trauma is difficult if your body is in a state of active tension . Science has shown that a relaxed muscle body is effective for helping you shift out of your sympathetic nervous system into your parasympathetic nervous system . It's so important , and the very last one would be just breathing . Your breath is something that God himself designed . God himself designed deep breathing into your very being . In Genesis 2-7 , we read then the Lord . God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life , and the man became a living being . The very breath in your lungs is a gift from God given to sustain life .

Jemese LaChel 18:39

When we feel overwhelmed , anxious or stressed , taking a moment to breathe deeply can help regulate your nervous system , bringing calm to both your body and your mind . I want you to imagine a newborn baby who has been crying for hours . Maybe she's colicky , she's upset , but when she's placed in the loving arms of her mother or her father , her caretaker , she finally finds comfort , her muscles relax , she lets out that sweet , deep , contented sigh . Nobody would ever suggest that that baby is doing something wrong or dangerous by taking a deep breath of relief . And , in the same way , your breath is not something to be afraid of , it's not something evil or spiritually dangerous . I know this might sound strange for me to be saying it like this , but for someone listening , I know that you're in the process of renewing your mind after leaving a false religion , leaving the new age , leaving a false belief system , and it's important for you to hear this truth . You are safe in the hands of your heavenly father and your breath , just like the rest of your body , is a gift from him .

Jemese LaChel 19:59

For some believers , the confusion comes from seeing practices like yoga or , you know , a new age , guided meditation methods , things like this , which treat breath , treats breathing , as though it has some kind of saving power in and of itself . But let's be clear . Jesus is our savior . It's not our breath . The breath that God gave us is simply a tool to help us live . It's part of the way he designed our bodies to function .

Breathing and Trusting in Christ

Jemese LaChel 20:33

Taking a deep breath is not inherently wrong or evil . It is the , I would say , it is the spirit behind it . Are you using your breath in some sort of like manipulative , demonic sense , like new agers , eastern yoga , meditation , eastern meditation , things like this ? They really manipulate the breath and I think that's what a lot of believers are afraid of . They're afraid of Satan coming and attacking them through these breath practices . That's not what we're talking about here . Your breath is not evil . God gave you your breath . We want to be functioning in the Holy Spirit . We want to be functioning in the Spirit of God . So I just feel led to clarify that , for someone listening , your breath is not inherently wrong , evil . It's not wrong to know that scientifically .

Jemese LaChel 21:30

When I take a deep breath , my heart rate slows down . When I take a deep breath , it's easier for me to relax . Try holding your breath for a really long time , like that's a very tense situation . Right , we have to take a deep breath . This is how the Lord made us and so it's just .

Jemese LaChel 21:46

You know , having the right and proper mindset , you're not using your breath to heal you . You know that in Jesus Christ , only he is our healer . But you can't separate the fact that he made you a human being . He gave you this body , he gave you air and breath to fill your lungs and it is absolutely okay to know that by taking a deep breath your nervous system calms , that , it gets you out of . You know that trauma place in your mind . You can just simply breathe , you can pray and you can remember . You can slow down in Christ and then move forward from there .

Jemese LaChel 22:26

The Bible tells you that you're supposed to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ , and so when these anxious thoughts come in , you have the authority to tell those thoughts where to go , that they are lies and when you choose to breathe deep in that moment where the fiery dart has headed straight at you . When you choose to respond with rest , that confounds the enemy , you're putting your faith to work and you're acting on the truth that you are already safe in Christ Jesus . The key is to remember that your breath is not the healer . Jesus , christ of Nazareth is the healer , and I know I said three things , but here's a fourth one . This fourth and final strategy is foundational , and it really should have been the first one that we talked about , and it's as simple as taking Jesus at his word .

Jemese LaChel 23:30

In Hebrews 4.16 , we're reminded to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need . This isn't just an invitation , it's a promise . When we come humbly to Jesus , trusting fully in him , oh , he is more than enough . He is more than enough . We don't have to have all the answers or perfect solutions . He simply calls us to come to him and trust him . 1 Peter 5 , verse 7 says to cast all your cares upon him , because he cares for you .

Jemese LaChel 24:12

So often the anxiety that we feel and the constant state of being alert in our nervous system , it stems from carrying burdens that were never meant for us to hold on to Somewhere along the way , perhaps you've decided to trust in your own ability to protect yourself , to be in control of your circumstances . You took matters into your own hands . You said that'll never happen to me again . I'll never let somebody hurt me like that again . And now you function from a place where your body remembers that . Your body remembers . Your muscles are tight all the time you can't sleep at night or however it's manifesting in your life . Messes are tight all the time you can't sleep at night or however it's manifesting in your life .

Jemese LaChel 25:00

We were always supposed to trust the Lord , and so casting your cares on Jesus is an act of surrender . That word , cast , literally means to throw , and so I like to think of it as I got a fishing line and I'm literally taking this care , I'm taking this anxiety . I am throwing it to throw , and so I like to think of it as I got a fishing line and I'm literally taking this care , I'm taking this anxiety . I am throwing it to Christ , I am throwing it to my triune God . That's where it is now . It's not here anymore . I casted it away to him . It's an act of surrender .

Jemese LaChel 25:30

It's a daily choice to let go of your worries , your fears , your stresses and place them in the hands of the one who is able to bear them . This isn't a passive act . It's active faith . You are saying , lord , I trust that you care for me and I'm giving you everything weighing on my heart . When we release our anxieties to God , we are aligning ourselves with his word and his promise of peace . This is crucial for nervous system regulation , too . By casting your cares on the Lord , you're releasing the constant tension and stress that weighs down both your mind and your body . The peace that follows isn't just an emotional experience . It's a physical , spiritual and mental release that allows you and invites you to rest in his presence . So , in closing , I just want to say that , as believers , it's important to remember that God doesn't call us to choose between faith and wisdom . He invites us to embrace both , while our ultimate healing and peace comes from him . He has also entrusted us with these bodies that need proper care and stewardship .

Jemese LaChel 26:48

Learning to steward your nervous system as a Christian isn't about relying on secular or worldly methods . It's not about falling into self-reliance . It's about acknowledging that God created your body and gave you tools to help maintain the health that he has blessed you with . Remember our walk with Christ is not just spiritual , but physical , mental and emotional . By learning how to calm your nervous system and take care of your health in God-fearing ways , you are saying yes to Him . You're saying yes to His desire for you to live in peace . You are not denying His power . You are not denying His finished work on the cross , which says by His scribes . You are not denying his finished work on the cross , which says by his scribes you are healed , but rather you are partnering with the Lord to protect the temple that he's given you , to care for the temple that he's given you .

Jemese LaChel 27:42

And if you've come out of the new age or any kind of occultic practices , I want you to know there is freedom in Christ . The trauma that comes from spiritual abuse , spiritual deception , can cause you to second guess every decision , especially when it comes to things like your health and how to care for yourself . You don't want to fall back into old ways of living . You don't want to fall back on things you've done before , but you don't have to live in fear of every technique or tool for wellness as long as you're rooted in scripture , as long as you're relying on the Holy Spirit . As long as you're trusting Jesus above all else , you can confidently and biblically steward the body that he's given you . Remember you're a new creation in Christ and he is with you in every breath , every step and every thought .

Jemese LaChel 28:40

I want to thank you so much for tuning into this episode . Can I pray for you before we go ? Heavenly Father , I just want to bless your name . I want to thank you so much for creating us in your image . I want to thank you so much for creating us in your image . I want to thank you for the listener . I want to thank you for creating her body , or his body , fearfully , wonderfully , lord God , marvelously .

Jemese LaChel 29:04

Lord , we come before you acknowledging you as holy , holy , holy . You are the healer and the lover of our souls . We bless your name for this peace which comes from your presence alone . Help us , holy God , to embrace the truth that caring for our health is a form of stewardship which honors you . Remove from us every stronghold , every mental stronghold , every spiritual stronghold that would suggest otherwise .

Jemese LaChel 29:37

Lord God , we silence right now , in the name of Jesus , every deceiving spirit , every lying spirit . In the name of Jesus , we come against the lies of the enemy that whispers fears and doubt and try to create anxiety in us . Oh God , we simply receive the peace of God for our lives . You have not given us a spirit of fear , but of love , power and a sound mind , and with our sound mind , father , we say yes to you . As we navigate the challenges of our past and release those to you , father , we seek to grow deep , deep , deep roots in our faith . Lord , grant us wisdom and discernment in the steps that we ought to take and for those of us , lord Jesus , who are learning about our nervous system and ways to steward this and to steward our overall wellness or overall well-being , lord , help us . Help us remember that our identity is not defined by our ability to manage our health , but by the love and grace that you extend to us through Jesus Christ . Lord , I ask for your peace to fill our hearts and minds right now , but especially in moments of anxiety and fear as they come to taunt us , as they come up against us . Lord , let us remember your peace , that anxiety , fear , doubt is silenced , diminished . Teach us , lord , to cast our cares upon you , trusting that you care for us deeply . Help us to create healthy habits that reflect our commitment to honoring the temple that you've given us , lord . We bless you . We praise you In the powerful name of Jesus , amen .

Jemese LaChel 31:21

That's a wrap for this episode . I thank you so much for tuning in , if this was a blessing to you . If you want to chat , if you've ever struggled with this , I want to hear from you . I love to connect with you guys , and so please go to Instagram at Jamis Lachelle and send me a DM . Let me know how you like this message . I really do want to hear from you Again . Thank you so much . May the Lord bless you and keep you until we meet again .