As therapists, we’re no strangers to anxiety—whether it’s our clients grappling with it, or those moments when the weight of our work finds its way into our own nervous systems. If you’re part of the healing community I serve through Sacred Healers, my platform for self-development, spirituality, and social change, you know how essential it is to have tools that help us regulate and guide our clients toward balance.
One of the most powerful yet underutilized tools we have is the vagus nerve. This nerve is like an internal reset button, helping shift the body from fight-or-flight into rest-and-recovery mode. Whether you’re supporting a client mid-panic or practicing self-care in between sessions, these seven vagus nerve exercises can make a world of difference.
1. Deep Diaphragmatic Breathing
As healers, we’re often the first to remind others to breathe, but how often do we truly practice it ourselves? Diaphragmatic breathing is one of the quickest ways to regulate the vagus nerve and calm an anxiety response.
How to use it in practice:
Encourage your client to sit with their feet flat on the floor and their hands resting gently on their belly.
Guide them to inhale deeply through their nose for a count of four, letting their belly rise, and exhale through their mouth for a count of six, feeling their belly fall.
Model this alongside them to co-regulate. This technique works wonders in-session and as homework.
2. Cold Water Stimulation
For those moments when anxiety feels physically overwhelming—rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, or sweating—cold water can be transformative. I’ve used this personally and recommended it to clients with excellent results.
How to use it:
Suggest splashing cold water on the face or holding a cold compress to the cheeks and forehead.
For a more intense reset, submerging the face in cold water for a few seconds can activate the "dive reflex," slowing the heart rate and creating calm.
This is especially helpful for clients experiencing panic attacks, and it’s a tool I’ve kept handy for myself on busy therapy days.
3. Humming or Chanting
In many wisdom traditions, sound is used as a healing modality—and now science is catching up. Humming or chanting not only grounds clients but also directly stimulates the vagus nerve through vibration.
How to integrate it:
During a session, invite your client to hum softly, feeling the vibration in their chest and throat.
Or, if they feel open, try chanting a soothing sound like "Om."
If this feels outside your wheelhouse, I encourage you to explore how sound can deepen your practice—not just with clients but also as a personal grounding ritual.
4. Gargling Water
This one might seem unconventional, but it’s a simple, effective way to stimulate the vagus nerve. I’ve had clients use it as part of their daily self-care routines, and many report feeling an immediate shift.
How to suggest it:
Recommend they gargle warm or cool water for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Frame it as an easy addition to their morning or bedtime routine—just like brushing their teeth.
While it’s not something you’d do mid-session, it’s an excellent tool to offer for at-home use.
5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
This technique is a staple for managing anxiety, and it’s an excellent way to bring awareness back into the body. For us therapists, it can also be a grounding practice before or after client work.
How to use it:
Guide clients through tensing and relaxing specific muscle groups, starting with their toes and working upward.
Encourage them to notice the difference between tension and relaxation.
As a therapist, you can use this as a mindfulness practice at the end of your day to release the energetic weight of your sessions.
6. Slow Neck Movements
Our necks carry so much tension, especially for those of us who spend long hours sitting with clients. Slow, mindful neck movements can release physical stress while stimulating the vagus nerve.
How to practice it:
Teach clients to slowly turn their heads to one side, holding for a few seconds, and then repeat on the other side.
Suggest this as a quick grounding exercise they can do before entering triggering environments—or even before a session with you.
For yourself, incorporate this between clients as a mini-reset.
7. Visualization
As therapists, we understand the power of imagination in both healing and self-regulation. Visualization is a powerful vagus nerve exercise that also engages the client’s creativity.
How to use it:
Invite your client to close their eyes and imagine a safe, calming space—like a beach, forest, or somewhere meaningful to them.
Encourage them to engage all their senses: What can they hear, see, smell, and feel?
This technique can be woven into meditative moments in session or assigned as part of a self-care plan.
Why These Exercises Matter for Therapists and Clients
In the work we do—sitting with the stories of pain, resilience, and transformation—our nervous systems are deeply intertwined with those of our clients. By incorporating these vagus nerve exercises into your practice, you’re not only offering powerful tools for your clients but also nurturing your own well-being.
This is the heart of the work we do in Sacred Healers—bridging self-development, spirituality, and social change to create a practice that’s sustainable, aligned, and transformative. The more we prioritize our own nervous system regulation, the more present and impactful we can be for those we serve.
Your Turn: What’s your go-to method for regulating your nervous system? Have you used any of these vagus nerve exercises in your practice or with clients? I’d love to hear how you’re weaving these tools into your work—or how you’re bringing your own self-care to the forefront.
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