Why You Can't "Logic" Your Way Out of Rumination and Negative Thoughts: A Somatic Approach to Quiet a Racing Mind
As an EMDR Certified and Polyvagal-Informed therapist in Orlando and Winter Park, Florida, I use somatic and nervous system based (bottom-up) approaches to help clients reduce rumination when traditional talk therapy or Cognitive behavioral therapy hasn’t been effective for clients. With over a decade of experience, I've seen how vital it is to work with the body first and foremost (bottom-up approach) to help reduce rumination and racing/spiraling thoughts before moving to CBT and other behavioral techniques (top-down approach).
Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Approaches to Rumination
When people struggle with rumination, they’re often told to “change their thoughts” or “look at it differently.” While that can help some people, it doesn’t work for everyone, especially when rumination is driven by stress, trauma, anxiety, or nervous-system dys-regulation. Understanding the difference between top-down and bottom-up approaches helps explain why.
Daniel Siegel has a wonderful explanation of the brain and different approaches with decades of research. https://drdansiegel.com/brain-insights-and-well-being-2/
Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Approaches to Anxiety and Stress
Top-down therapy begins with the thinking brain (the cortex), aiming to influence emotions and bodily reactions by altering thoughts and beliefs. Common methods include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive restructuring
Thought challenging
Psycho-education and insight-based talk therapy
While effective in safe environments, top-down approaches can struggle when anxiety is high, leading to rumination and feeling "stuck in your head."
Bottom-up therapy focuses on the body and nervous system first, then addressing the thoughts. There are unlimited negative thoughts. This approach works on helping the body to feel safe first and then be able to have the capacity to complete top-down approaches. Bottom-up therapy approaches works with sensations, emotions, and physiological regulation. Key methods include:
Somatic therapies
EMDR therapy
Polyvagal Theory
Bilateral stimulation
Sensory regulation
Trauma-informed approaches
Bottom-up strategies help by regulating the nervous system, allowing the brain to perceive less threat, which can quiet racing thoughts.
How EMDR and Polyvagal Theory Help with Anxiety
Both EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Polyvagal Theory offer valuable insights for managing anxiety and stress:
EMDR: Targets unprocessed trauma, memories and beliefs that keeps the nervous system in a heightened (anxious or agitated) state, helping to integrate distressing memories and reduce anxiety.
Polyvagal Theory: Emphasizes the importance of feeling safe and regulated in your body; it explains how physiological states influence emotional experiences, guiding interventions that promote safety and calm. The story we tell ourselves often follows our physical state. If you change your physical state first, the story will change as well.
Benefits of Bottom-Up Approaches for Rumination and Intrusive Thoughts
Rumination often stems from:
A nervous system in threat mode
Unprocessed trauma or stress
A protective response rather than a cognitive issue
Bottom-up techniques address the underlying causes of rumination, focusing on calming the body to allow the mind to relax.
Key Techniques
Orienting Response: Shifts attention outward to signal safety to the brain.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Promotes parasympathetic regulation to slow down looping thoughts.
Titrated Movement: Helps discharge stuck energy through slow, repetitive motions.
Parts Dialogue: Engages the part of you that ruminates, fostering understanding and reducing its intensity.
Externalizing Thoughts: Speaking ruminative thoughts aloud alters their power and reduces threat perception.
Conclusion
For those struggling with anxiety and stress, especially when it manifests as rumination and difficulty stopping repetivie thoughts, integrating EMDR and polyvagal theory within a bottom-up approach can provide effective relief by addressing the nervous system's needs and fostering a sense of safety. This is where EMDR and Polyvgagal therapy can be especially effective, by targeting the underlying experiences that keep the nervous system on high alert.
Next Steps:
If you are ready to take the next step, consider reaching out to a certified EMDR and Polyvagal-Informed therapist, such as Tiffany Lowther. Healing is within reach, and you deserve compassionate care tailored to your journey.
Tiffany Lowther, LMHC, PMH-C provides compassionate, trauma-informed counseling in Orlando, Winter Park and throughout Florida. Certified in EMDR therapy and Perinatal (pregnancy and postpartum) Mental Health. Polyvagal-Informed Therapist. Specialities in trauma, ptsd and anxiety treatment, Tiffany offers both in-office and HIPAA-compliant virtual sessions.
Ready to take the next step? Schedule a session or free 15-minute consultation today.
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