From Triggered to Tranquil: Rewiring Emotional Reactivity + Meditation

Have you ever felt yourself react so quickly that you barely recognized the person speaking — only to feel regret, shame, or exhaustion afterward? You’re not alone.

In this episode, I explore what’s really happening beneath emotional triggers — how they’re not flaws, but unfinished survival responses — and how we can begin to gently rewire them through awareness and compassion. You’ll also be guided through a calming healing meditation to help your body release tension, restore balance, and return to a grounded, peaceful state.

✨ One breath. One step. One breakthrough at a time.

With love,
 Dr. Evette Rose

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Intentions
• 0:54 What A Trigger Really Is
• 3:39 Why We Miss Early Signals
• 6:49 Mapping Mind And Body
• 9:10 The Power Of The Pause
• 11:12 Reframing Triggers As Guidance
• 12:54 Self‑Inquiry That Restores Power
• 14:33 Compassionate Repatterning
• 15:44 Key Takeaways Recap
• 16:41 Guided Healing Meditation
• 30:32 Closing Blessing And Affirmation

Transcript

Speaker: 0:01

Welcome to Heal Within here with me, Dr. Evette Rose, trauma therapist and also creator of Metaphysical Anatomy Technique. And this podcast is your safe space and place to explore emotional healing, nervous system repair, and also deep inner transformations. And so if you are ready to go deeper and you would like to be supported in your journey, you can also always book a one-on-one session with me or any of my certified metapsychology coaching practitioners. You can also join our upcoming live healing events, workshops, and even our retreats at metaphysicalanatomy.com. Let's begin your journey back to wholeness, one breath at a time, one breakthrough at a time. And I look forward to this podcast. We're diving into tranquility. How do we move from being triggered to moving back into a balanced state? How can we start to gently rewire this very deep layered emotional reactivity? They're not flaws, they're actually unprocessed survival responses. And so when we really start to learn and understand them, we can rewire them. Let's define also what does that trigger even mean, right? A trigger from what I have learned throughout my research and even just with my own experiences, it's like a trigger is like an external event. It's a word or a situation that activates an old wound or trauma or belief system within you. And neuroscience also shows us the amygdala, it gets hijacked when the brain perceives danger when there's that trigger. And our logical brain, it starts to shut down. So the nervous system reacts then in that strong final flight, freeze or born response. And that's why these responses can feel so powerful because it feels like a threat. So when we even just reflect a little bit, think about the last time when you were triggered. Where did you feel it in your body? And what reaction came up first? That reaction is normally a very powerful place to start and to explore. We can ask also the body, what would you like to do? Because sometimes there's an action that you or in the past part of you never could have taken. So the body is almost like locked into that that that reaction that it intended to take, but maybe it couldn't at the time. So there's like a part of you that is frozen in an action that was left incomplete. And this is where we start to look at it from a new angle. Because trauma and emotional imprints, they often also live outside of our conscious memory. And the subconscious mind keeps them very hidden to protect us, of course, from overwhelm. You see, if you grew up in, let's say, chaos, maybe there was neglect, maybe there was stress. And especially for me personally speaking, this became my normal. And what happened with me is that I just could not recognize certain dynamics and triggers that were unhealthy because they felt so familiar to my nervous system. And what this also ended up causing is an incredible sense of disconnect within myself and myself and having noticed a lot of people that I also work with, a lot of people, when we when we start to move through trauma, when we move through stress, before we start to address it, these pain points that that kind of pushes people to start to work on their challenges, these pain points can cause us to actually start to live in our mind. And this connects us from our bodily sensations. The insular in the brain helps us to feel and sense, become aware of shifts and changes and emotional triggers in the body. So that part becomes almost underactive, especially if we're stuck in a freeze response and in a dissociative state. You see, triggers are first felt in the body. You might feel your chest feels tight, your heart is racing, you're clenching your jaw. But we often also actually miss the signs. Why is that? You see, there's many different reasons. And one of some of the reasons that I've discovered as I work with people is that it can be also what's called cultural conditioning. You see, society always rewards the profession, right? Be strong, don't cry, instead of actually self-awareness, especially self-awareness in relationship to our emotions. And that is why it can actually make it so much harder to recognize early signs of reactivity. And to just share with you a key insight that I also have come to learn as I progress on my journey is that we're actually often quite unaware of our triggers, not because we're weak, but because our survival system was actually designed to protect us by keeping them hidden until we felt ready to face them, until that threat that we were so focused on finally starts to subside. And when that happens, we have more awareness, there's more spaces, there's more emotional spaces to take in new information that we could not have taken in at the time when certain stress factors felt like such a strong threat. Something that really helped me that I want to share with you as well while we're on this on this topic, because I mean the research is great, the information is great, but what do we do with that? How do we start to move through that? And I've done many masterclasses on you know mapping your triggers, mapping the body and learning to understand what do we do with that mapping? And how do we move through that and not just use the information as data, but how can we use that data to heal? So mapping is one way of helping us to understand what our triggers are. And because the more we understand what they are, the better action we can take instead of just having these knee-jerk reactions, which I'm sure you probably most likely have experienced, and absolutely I have myself. But one of the many ways that we can address these challenges is through mind mapping and body mapping. And this is where we use our awareness to bring it back to the body. And then we notice like, where's the reactivity in me? Where's themes? Where's themes of maybe um rejection or abandonment? Like, especially the actual trigger that you have. Where are the themes for these triggers? And it can be control even, it can be feeling unseen. The list is endless. And with that mind mapping, sometimes a lot of journaling also works. You know, writing about what is the situation about, you know, what is it always pulling me into? What are these intense reactions trying to tell me? And something that I know can be really hard when we have a trigger is to pause. Now, practicing pausing is much easier said than done. And I get that. Believe me, I am not preaching to the choir here. You know, it's that that that space between something happening and then us reacting. That can be a split second or it can be a few seconds, but what we do in that space can make or break how this trigger is going to play out. This is where we can grab and take control, if we are able to, of course, in that moment. Because when we have that trigger, one way to distract yourself, to actually give you time to make use of that space and to at least get slightly, ever so slightly back on your feet, is to name the feeling that's activated. This I find helps really well. So when I'm really angry and I'm triggered, I name the trigger. What is this trigger about? What am I feeling? Right? Because just naming it, being able to identify it, it means it's not just now this this threat that's just hanging in the air. I'm feeling it and I and I'm glazing over it because I'm I'm so focused on trying to take action. Instead, name it. What is it? What is that feeling, or what are these emotions and feelings and sensations that's coming forward? And once you've named it, just that in itself already deflates the intensity of the trigger because now we've identified it. It's not an identified um emotion or experience, it's something that we can ground just ever so slightly in. And then what helped me as well in the past was to reframe the triggers. Reframe the triggers instead of feeling powerless as a result of how you feel. We can reframe these triggers as signs, indicators. Uh I love to call emotions. I say, I say emotions is the GPS of the soul. This is what tells us are we moving towards our high purpose? Are we moving away from it? Do I feel good? Do I feel bad? Does the situation make me feel good or bad? Right. So this is something that we can start to use to reframe triggers as it's part of our compass. It's part of our compass. It's showing us what is unresolved. It's showing us what needs to happen next. If we perhaps maybe would like to stay on path, when I stay on path, it's hard to stay on a path of self-love and being creative and staying in our purpose. And we're triggered the whole time, right? It's a completely different vibrational match that we're even talking about here. So this is something that really deeply can play such a big role. It's just learning to start to reframe these triggers as well. And self-inquiry is also something that I have fallen in love with lately. I've always felt like I'm criticizing myself, I'm judging myself, I'm being negative, this is bad, this is not good. It's not true. I realize it's actually not true. I've learned to ask myself in the moment, what am I really truly afraid of right now? Because when we're triggered, we're not in our power. We feel actually disempowered. And often that anger is overcompensation for this empowerment that we felt in the past. So, what do I feel afraid of right now? What about this specific situation can really truly take my power away or control me or affect me in a very bad, disempowering negative way? Is this about the present? Is it about the past being reactivated? What is underneath this reaction? And last one that I would like to share with you before we go into our healing meditation, which you know I love to do on my on my episodes. And something that I another thing that I fell in love with, and I'm sharing all my self-love tricks up my sleeve during moments of triggering, because these really truly helped me, and they've helped so many of my clients and students is to repattern the triggers with compassion. This was one of the hardest things that I had to learn to give myself compassion. You see, instead of shaming yourself for being triggered, thank your body for trying to protect you. Replace also I shouldn't feel this with maybe it makes sense that I feel this. Now I choose how to respond. We need that from ourselves. So if we had to just gently recap some of the key insights that we discuss in today's episodes, is triggers their survival responses, the not personal flaws. And remember that our lack of awareness, sometimes it's not that we're in a place of avoidance, it's not that we don't care. Sometimes it's a protective tactic, it's not a weakness. And remember, when we start to build that awareness ever so slightly, that's when nervous system regulation becomes more possible because it opens up choice, it opens up conscious choice, and that conscious choice can lead you to freedom. So these are some of the key takeaways for today's episode. And now, when you are ready, let's start our healing meditation. So when you're ready, let's start by taking a nice deep breath and exhale. And I invite you now to find a comfortable seat, or you can lie down, closing your eyes gently. I invite you to take a nice deep breath through your nose and exhale slowly out your mouth. And notice as you do, feeling the weight of your body supported by the ground beneath you, and as you do, imagine roots extending from your feet and your spine into the earth. And notice as you do that, notice how that is anchoring you. Notice how with every breath, every breath, you feel more grounded, gently coming back into the body, in a very gentle, easy, graceful way, and notice as you're coming into the body how supported your body now also feels by the surface beneath you, feeling fully held, fully supported, and now bringing your attention to the crown of your head, and as you do, slowly scan downwards through your face, your neck, your shoulders, your arms, chest, your belly, your hips, your legs, your feet, taking your time. Notice any areas of tension, discomfort, or heaviness. And try to do it without judgment, just observation, silent, fully present, observation. And if you're finding perhaps any moments of discomfort, maybe tension, maybe there's a part of you that feels unsettled. You can also just acknowledge it. I see you. I see that you're there. Because sometimes these moments where we feel pain, when we feel stress, when we feel upset, these moments are actually magnified. If we try to reject that part of us, if we make it out to be wrong for feeling that way. That is when we bring a negative approach into a wounded experience, an old experience from the past. And just like you, when you need love during moments when you feel vulnerable or upset, that part of you right now, it needs the same approach from you. And allowing yourself to connect to that part and just saying, I see you. And I love you, I see what you've been through. I see the message. I see you. Because all that it is is just an old stuck message that's stuck in the body, and allowing now a warm golden light flowing through each area, softening and soothing it, and releasing that blocked stress. Feel how that golden light is just dissolving it, loosening it and dissolving it, and how it's just dissolving and disappearing, becoming weaker and weaker, lighter and lighter, weaker and weaker, lighter and lighter, gently moving up, going, going, going, God. And you can even in your body fully hold this intention. I let this go now, I give this away to the universe. And when you are ready, you can also place one hand on your heart and one hand on your stomach, and take a nice deep inhale on a count of four, one, two, three, four, and pause and exhale gently for a count of six. One, two, three, four, five, six, feeling your breath in this moment, slowly calming your nervous system with each inhale, invite peace. With each exhale, release tension. And now bringing your mind back to that part of your body that might feel a little bit heavy. Maybe there's tension. Imagine that area again being bathed in a soft golden light. Almost like the warmth of the morning sun. Feel how this light carries compassion and healing as it flows into this part of your body. And you can even say to that part of your body, I'm safe, I am healing, I'm becoming whole again. And see this light expanding through your entire body, filling you now with that warmth, with that peace and vitality. Allow yourself to just simply rest in this beautiful glow of healing energy. And as you do, allowing yourself to take in the affirmations that I'm now going to affirm to you. I notice my triggers with compassion and no longer judgment. My nervous system knows how to return to calm. Every trigger is an opportunity to heal and grow. I am safe to feel my emotions and let them move through me and out of me gently and gracefully. Awareness is the first step to transformation, and I embrace it. I am no longer my triggers. They are just old survival patterns that I now can release. Calmness is my natural state. I allow myself to breathe through discomfort and return back to my center. I allow my true authentic self to guide me back to who I am when I'm triggered. I also honor the lessons that my triggers reveal to me. I am patient and gentle with myself as I heal my reactivity. Each breath grounds me in the present moment. I am free to choose peace in my life and in any situation. But I teach it safety now. From triggered to tranquil, I'm rewriting my story now with self love. Finding yourself now taking that one last deep breath in, filling your lungs with gratitude, and exhale slowly, releasing any remaining heaviness that you might be feeling. Gently bring awareness back to your surroundings. Feeling the surface beneath your body, wiggling your fingers and your toes. And when you are ready, opening up your eyes ever so gently, bringing with you, carrying this calm, this healing energy that you just created here today. And remember that you're not alone. And you are healing one step at a time, one breath at a time. And the affirmation for today is each breath grounds me into the present moment. And if today's episode touched you, then please share it with someone on their healing journey. And as always, breathe deep, listen within, and stay gently curious. Thank you for being here. Thank you for your love, your time, and your energy. I love you. And until next time, be the light that you are. Bye for now.