Anthony Goldsmith
An anxious brain isn’t overreacting, it’s stuck in survival mode. When the amygdala (your brain’s alarm system) fires too often, it sends constant danger signals, while the anterior cingulate cortex can accidentally turn the volume up even more. At the same time, the prefrontal cortex, the part needed for logic, calm thinking, and good decisions, starts to go offline. That’s why anxious children (and adults) can’t just think their way out of it. Their brain has shifted from reasoning to protecting. The good news is with the right sensory, movement, and regulation, we can help the brain feel safe again, and when safety returns, thinking, learning, and connection come back online too.
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Anthony Goldsmith
Try this Exercise. Lie on your back and slowly hug one knee into the chest while the opposite arm reaches across the body to gently press into that knee, hold for 5 slow breaths, then switch sides. The cross-body pressure plus deep joint compression tells the brain and nervous system “I’m safe.” This movement lights up both sides of the brain, organises the midline, and helps calm an overfiring amygdala while bringing the prefrontal cortex back online. It’s simple, grounding, and incredibly regulating, especially before work or school, after a meltdown, or anytime the brain feels too busy.
