How to Move Out of a Freeze State and back into Connection
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role in regulating our body’s response to stress, safety, and social engagement. A key concept within this system is the “autonomic ladder,” a model that represents different states of our nervous system. Understanding and moving through this ladder is essential for maintaining emotional and physiological balance. In this blog, we’ll explore how to climb the autonomic ladder, particularly focusing on how to move out of the dorsal vagal state—a state often associated with immobilization and dissociation.
Understanding the Autonomic Ladder
The autonomic ladder, a concept popularized by Dr. Stephen Porges in his Polyvagal Theory, consists of three primary states:
Ventrolateral Vagal State (Social Engagement): This is our optimal state, where we feel safe, connected, and socially engaged. It is characterized by feelings of calm and well-being, and it allows us to interact positively with others.
Sympathetic State (Fight or Flight): This state is activated when we perceive a threat. It triggers the body’s stress response, preparing us to either confront or escape from danger. Symptoms include increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and heightened alertness.
Dorsal Vagal State (Shutdown): This state is a response to extreme stress or perceived inescapable threat. It’s characterized by feelings of disconnection, numbness, and immobilization. In this state, the body may slow down significantly, leading to low energy, dissociation, or even shutdown.
Identifying the Dorsal Vagal State
Recognizing when you’re in the dorsal vagal state is the first step in moving out of it. Common signs include:
Physical Symptoms: Feeling drained, lethargic, or experiencing a slowed heart rate.
Emotional Symptoms: Numbness, dissociation, or a profound sense of disconnection.
Behavioral Symptoms: Withdrawal from social interactions, inability to engage or respond to stimuli.
Strategies for Climbing the Autonomic Ladder
Grounding Techniques:Engaging in activities that bring you back to the present moment can help. Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness can re-engage your ventral vagal system. Focus on your senses—notice what you see, hear, and feel around you.
Physical Activity:Gentle movement like walking, stretching, or yoga can help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and shift you out of the dorsal vagal state. Physical activity increases circulation and energy levels, which can counteract feelings of immobilization.
Social Engagement:Connecting with trusted friends or loved ones can activate the ventral vagal system. Engaging in positive, supportive social interactions helps restore feelings of safety and connection.
Safe Environment:Create a physical space that feels secure and comforting. This could involve arranging your environment to be soothing and free from stressors. Safety can also be enhanced through a routine or rituals that bring comfort and predictability.
Self-Compassion:Practice self-compassion and recognize that being in the dorsal vagal state is a response to overwhelming stress. Be gentle with yourself and acknowledge your needs without judgment.
Professional Support:Sometimes, the dorsal vagal state can be deeply entrenched and may require professional guidance. Therapists trained in trauma or somatic practices can offer specialized techniques to help regulate your autonomic nervous system.
Long-Term Strategies
Incorporating daily practices that support nervous system health can help prevent frequent dips into the dorsal vagal state. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, and stress management techniques are foundational. Additionally, cultivating a network of supportive relationships and engaging in activities that bring joy and purpose can enhance overall resilience.
Teens, Trauma & the Freeze State: When “Nothing Happens” Feels Deeply Real
For many teens who have experienced trauma, the nervous system doesn’t always snap into fight or flight—it may slip into the freeze state instead. In this state, the body and mind go quiet, shut down, or disconnect because the brain senses that neither fighting nor fleeing is safe or possible. (Ashley Addiction Treatment)
What this can look like in a teen:
They may seem withdrawn, “zoned out,” or unengaged in school or life, even though they might be physically present.
They might say things like: “I don’t care,” “Nothing matters,” or “What’s the point?” even though this is a signal of their nervous system being stuck.
Their sleep or appetite may shift dramatically — too much sleep, or trouble sleeping; eating too little or too much.
They may complain of physical aches, fatigue, or “just feeling heavy” — these are signs the body is conserving energy, stuck in that freeze loop. (Khiron Clinics)
They might still “function” outwardly (go to class, hang out with friends) but feel utterly separate inside — a form of what’s called “functional freeze.” (Thriveworks)
Why this is especially relevant for teens:
During adolescence, the nervous system, brain, identity, social relationships and emotional regulation are all developing rapidly. When trauma occurs, the body may choose freeze because it can no longer rely solely on external protection, and the teen may not yet have the tools to regulate. The freeze response can thus become a protective default.
Develop nervous-system safety first. Before deep trauma processing, we anchor in safety: grounding practices, breathwork, gentle movement, and sensory awareness so the teen’s system knows “I’m not under threat right now.”
Slow embodiment & reconnection. In the freeze state the body is often disconnected. Counseling offers intentional somatic tools (body awareness, movement, nature-walks) so the teen gradually reconnects to their own sensations, emotions and surroundings.
Processing at the right pace. Because the freeze state is often a response to overwhelm, pushing too fast into talk therapy can backfire. A trauma-informed counselor will pace the work, monitor the teen’s window of tolerance, and integrate somatic/emotional work—not only cognitive talk.
Rebuilding engagement & meaning. Part of thawing freeze is restoring the teen’s sense of purpose, connection to others, and momentum in life. Counseling helps the teen re-engage with interests, relationships, and activities that got frozen out.
Family & environment support. The teen doesn’t heal in isolation. Counseling will often include guiding caregivers on how to support their teen’s nervous system, how to avoid inadvertently triggering shutdowns, and how to build a home environment that supports regulation rather than freeze.
Bottom line:
When a teen seems “checked out,” “zoned out,” or “just not there,” it may not be laziness or lack of motivation—it can be the body’s survival mode in freeze. Trauma-informed counseling gives them the tools to gradually come back online, reconnect with life, and reclaim the energy, emotional presence and engagement that trauma stole.
Conclusion
Climbing the autonomic ladder is about understanding your body's responses and learning to navigate through them. By recognizing when you are in the dorsal vagal state and employing strategies to shift into a more engaged and balanced state, you can improve your emotional well-being and resilience. Remember, this process is gradual and requires patience and self-compassion. With practice, you can move toward a state of safety, connection, and vitality.
If you need ideas to get out of a freeze state and you are ready to start trauma therapy of Counseling for your teen , learn more at Counseling and Nature Therapy Center. Our Team of Therapists is available to support you on your healing journey. If you are ready to book, Contact Us. Our licensed therapists provide in-person and virtual trauma therapy in Frisco, Texas.
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