The Hidden Language of Autoimmune Disease
When Your Body Speaks What Your Voice Cannot
There's a peculiar wisdom in how our bodies communicate with us. Some of us carry the weight of life's pressures beneath the surface, seemingly unaffected on the outside. For others, like myself, the body finds its own voice when ours remains silent.
The Physical Expression of Unexpressed Emotions
My autoimmune journey began as a subtle rebellion within—my body speaking what my voice could not. I had become masterful at containing my emotions, controlling every aspect of myself for fear that my authentic expression might cause distress to others. I didn't feel acceptable as I was; I felt compelled to reshape myself to accommodate everyone else's needs.
This internal conflict manifested physically:
First as uveitis—inflammation in my eyes that threatened my vision.
Later as Graves' disease—my thyroid in perpetual overdrive
It's no coincidence that these conditions affected my eyes (how I saw my path forward) and my throat (the centre of expression and communication). My body was illustrating, with painful precision, the emotional battles I was fighting silently.
The Science of Mind-Body Connection
Recent research in psychoneuroimmunology has validated what many have intuitively understood: our emotional state profoundly influences our physical health. This connection isn't metaphorical—it's biochemical.
When we experience chronic stress, our bodies release cortisol and inflammatory cytokines that can trigger autoimmune responses. Studies show that adverse childhood experiences and persistent emotional suppression are strongly correlated with autoimmune conditions later in life.
The vagus nerve—the communication superhighway between brain and body—plays a crucial role in this relationship. When chronically activated by stress, it can contribute to dysregulation of the immune system, causing it to attack healthy tissue instead of protecting it.
Breaking the Pattern: From Survival to Healing
Autoimmune conditions often emerge precisely when we finally find a moment of rest from life's drama—when our nervous system shifts out of constant fight-or-flight mode and begins processing what we've been holding.
This timing isn't cruel irony but a window of opportunity. When our systems finally have the space to process rather than just survive, they can reveal what needs attention.
How SSP and IEMT Create Pathways to Recovery
In my practice, I've found two approaches particularly transformative for those navigating autoimmune challenges:
Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) works directly with the vagus nerve to regulate the nervous system. By stimulating the neural pathways involved in social engagement, SSP helps shift the body out of defensive states and into a physiological state conducive to healing. Clients often report reduced inflammation, improved sleep, and greater emotional regulation—all crucial for autoimmune recovery.
Integral Eye Movement Therapy (IEMT) addresses the emotional patterns encoded in our nervous systems. By processing stored emotional responses while using specific eye movements, IEMT helps release the emotional charge behind memories and beliefs that keep us in stress states. This can significantly reduce the emotional triggers that exacerbate autoimmune flares.
Finding Your Way Home to Your Body
My journey taught me that healing isn't about waging another war—this time against disease—but about listening to what your body has been trying to tell you.
"We are learning that before the body can become a temple, it first must become our home," writes Lucy H. Pearce. This sentiment captures the essence of my approach to autoimmune healing.
Learning to inhabit your body with understanding, care, and love is not a linear process. The emotional patterns may persist, but they become guides rather than obstacles—each one revealing another layer of healing potential.
I'll be offering a free online workshop on autoimmune recovery. If you've been navigating these waters and seeking a more integrated approach to healing, I'd love to have you join me.
If this resonated with your experience, I'd love to hear from you. Your stories help build a community of healing.