You Are Not Broken — The Ecosystem of Healing and Sustainable Change
by Šárka Soudková — Certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, Trauma-Informed Somatic Coach for Women & Yoga Teacher
In recent years, nervous system regulation tools have become increasingly popular in therapeutic, coaching, and even everyday wellness conversations. And that makes sense: we live in a time of growing stress, disconnection, and overwhelm. In such conditions, it feels empowering to learn how to support our own physiology — to understand what is happening in our system and apply tools that bring relief, soothing, or grounding.
But nervous system regulation is not the full story. It's an important piece of the puzzle, yet healing — especially the kind that is deep, sustainable, and transformative — rarely occurs in isolation. What I've come to believe, both through my own journey and through witnessing my clients' processes, is that healing is not linear. It is not a to-do list. And it is not something we can hack.
Instead, healing unfolds like an ecosystem.
From Survival Strategies to Rooted Change
Many of our coping strategies were shaped in contexts that did not support our full expression, needs, or safety. We developed ways to survive — sometimes through pleasing, hyper-independence, numbing, over-functioning, collapsing, or disconnecting from the body. These patterns are intelligent. They helped us navigate our environments.
However, when we begin to seek change — not only to feel better but to live more fully, authentically, and relationally — we often find that nervous system regulation alone is not enough. We may still feel stuck in loops. We may long for something we cannot name.
This is where a more holistic view becomes vital.
The Ecosystem of Change
In my somatic coaching and therapeutic work, I often come back to the metaphor of an ecosystem. Just as plants cannot thrive in depleted soil, our healing cannot flourish in hostile or misattuned environments — inner or outer.
So what else, beyond nervous system tools, contributes to real and embodied change?
1. Relational Safety
We heal in relationships — whether that is with a coach, therapist, community, or partner. A regulated nervous system is not just self-regulated, but co-regulated. Having spaces where we are met with attunement, presence, and non-judgment creates the fertile ground for change.
2. Core Beliefs and Inner Narratives
Our thoughts and assumptions shape our perception of what is possible. Often, underneath the stress response lies a deeper belief — that we are unworthy, too much, not enough, unsafe, or alone. These beliefs may live in implicit memory and body sensations, not just in our conscious minds. Working with them gently is essential.
3. Environment and Social Context
Sometimes we overlook how much our external environment influences our state. If we are in constant financial stress, unsafe housing, oppressive relationships, or systems of discrimination — our nervous system will reflect that. Sustainable healing must be contextual and compassionate.
4. Connection to Something Larger
Many people find that healing opens up existential questions. What gives me meaning? What do I want to contribute to this world? What am I connected to, beyond myself? Whether through spirituality, creativity, nature, or ancestry — these connections support our sense of belonging and purpose.
5. Embodiment and Choice
Returning to the body as a place of wisdom — rather than a problem to fix — is one of the most empowering shifts we can make. When we can listen, pause, feel, and respond (rather than react), we are no longer trapped in survival. We gain access to choice.
Healing is not a solo endeavor. And it is not a linear path with a single method. It is an unfolding, a remembering, a becoming. It asks us not only to regulate, but to root, to relate, and to reimagine what is possible.
If you're on this journey — I honor your courage. May you know that you are not broken. May you find or create the ecosystem you need to bloom.
About the Author:
Šárka is the heart behind Wildflower Somatics — a space holder for women on the journey back to their bodies, their rhythm, and their truth. As a trauma-informed somatic coach for women, trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, and certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, she supports nervous system healing, embodied resilience, and soulful self-discovery. Her work is rooted in the wisdom of the body, the power of presence, and the courage it takes to feel — weaving somatics, mindfulness, and deep listening in service of inner change. With tenderness and clarity, she holds space for women to root, rise, and bloom — in their own wild, gentle way.