Hypnotherapy, Overwhelm, and Nervous System Regulation (Podcast Interview)
- Danny Maresca
- Jan 30, 2023
- 2 min read
I was interviewed by Dr. Nicole Lindsey of Back in Balance Chiropractic in Asheville, NC, for a conversation on overwhelm, anxiousness, and how stress patterns get reinforced in the nervous system over time.
We covered what hypnotherapy is (and what it isn’t), why many stress responses aren’t “logical problems,” and a few simple tools you can use immediately to shift your state when you feel activated.
Watch the Interview
What We Covered
Common misconceptions about hypnosis and what a real hypnotherapy session is like
Why stress often pulls us out of clear thinking and into survival responses
How subconscious beliefs and early learning can shape overwhelm later in life
How hypnotherapy supports new “tracks” in the brain—new responses in the same situations
Simple nervous system tools you can use right away
Key Takeaways
1) Hypnosis isn’t mind control
Hypnosis is a natural, focused state—similar to being “on autopilot” while driving and realizing you’ve gone several miles. In hypnotherapy, you remain aware and in control. The work is collaborative, and you can stop at any time.
2) Overwhelm is often a nervous system pattern
Under stress, the brain shifts away from executive function and toward survival centers. That’s why overwhelm can feel irrational or difficult to “think your way out of.” The body is responding as if it needs protection.
3) Many patterns begin early
Before roughly age seven, children absorb messages and meaning rapidly. Those early beliefs can become an “operating system” that shapes how we respond to stress decades later—especially in situations that resemble old emotional dynamics.
4) Hypnotherapy helps update the pattern, not just manage it
The goal isn’t to force calm. It’s to shift the underlying beliefs and emotional associations that keep triggering the same response. When the pattern changes at the subconscious level, the nervous system can respond differently in the present.
Two Simple Tools to Calm Your Nervous System
These are not a substitute for deeper work, but they can help you shift your state quickly.
Eye-gaze reset (parasympathetic shift)
Without turning your head, gently move your eyes all the way to the left or right and hold your gaze for 60–120 seconds. Many people notice a natural shift—yawning, a softening in the body, or a sense of “coming down.”
Expand your awareness
Stress tends to collapse attention inward. To interrupt that pattern, widen your awareness: notice the space around you, the room you’re in, or something in nature outside. Even a brief shift of attention can take a “leg out of the stool” of the stress state.
A Practical Reminder
You don’t have to wait until stress becomes unmanageable before you work with your nervous system. You can be doing well and still create more clarity, calm, and capacity.
And most importantly: you are already whole. Everything else is noise.
About the Author
Daniel Maresca is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist based in Asheville, NC, specializing in transformational hypnotherapy and subconscious change work.
If you feel ready to release long-held anger and experience greater emotional peace, a complimentary clarity call can help you explore whether this work feels right for you.
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