Mental health diagnoses have traditionally been understood through the lens of symptom clusters and behavioral patterns. However, a growing body of research and clinical practice suggests that these labels often reflect deeper nervous system adaptations rather than fixed disorders. Dr. Tracy King, a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, trauma specialist, and expert witness, advocates for a more nuanced understanding of mental health—one that integrates neuroscience, somatic healing, and transpersonal psychology.
Dr. King’s approach challenges conventional diagnostic frameworks by emphasizing the role of the nervous system in shaping mental health conditions. “Every mental health condition, at its core, is a reflection of an individual’s adaptive survival response,” she explains. “Understanding how the nervous system reacts to stress, trauma, and environmental demands allows us to move beyond symptom management and into true healing.”
The Nervous System and Survival Responses
The autonomic nervous system governs how individuals respond to perceived threats and safety. It operates through four primary survival responses: fight, flight, fawn, and freeze (shutdown). These responses are essential for survival, but when overactivated or shut down, they can lead to long-term emotional and psychological distress.
Fight Response: When overactive, this response can manifest as aggression, hyper-defensiveness, or an inability to tolerate perceived threats. It is often linked to conditions such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), some presentations of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and certain expressions of ADHD or autism.
Flight Response: Characterized by hyperactivity, excessive worry, and avoidance, an overactive flight response may contribute to Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and eating disorders.
Fawn Response: This response, rooted in a deep-seated need for approval, can result in chronic people-pleasing, codependency, and difficulty asserting boundaries. It is frequently observed in individuals with Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD), and certain forms of social anxiety.
Shutdown (Freeze) Response: Marked by emotional numbness, dissociation, and withdrawal, an excessive freeze response is associated with depression, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), PTSD, and some people with autism and ADHD.
Rather than viewing these responses as pathological, Dr. King emphasizes their functional role in survival. “The nervous system is not dysfunctional—it is responding to an individual’s lived experience,” she states. “Our work is to understand why the nervous system has adapted in certain ways and how we can create conditions that support regulation and healing.”
Expanding the Window of Tolerance
One of the central goals of nervous system regulation is expanding the “Window of Tolerance”—the optimal range of arousal within which an individual can effectively process emotions, engage with others, and respond to stress. When an individual’s Window of Tolerance is narrow, even minor stressors can trigger extreme survival responses.
Regulating the nervous system involves increasing flexibility between activation and rest. When individuals can shift between these states without becoming stuck in hyperarousal (fight/flight) or hypoarousal (freeze/fawn), they experience greater emotional stability and resilience.
Somatic therapies, breathwork, trauma-informed yoga, and nervous system regulation exercises are among the approaches Dr. King integrates into her work. “Regulation is not just about calming down—it’s about building capacity to engage with life in a way that feels safe and sustainable,” she notes.
The Intersection of Mental Health, Trauma, and Spirituality
Dr. King’s work extends beyond conventional psychological models by incorporating transpersonal and somatic perspectives. Her expertise in Jungian life coaching, dream analysis, and energy healing allows her to support individuals in exploring the deeper, often unconscious layers of their psyche.
“Trauma is not just stored in the mind—it is held in the body, the nervous system, and even in our energetic field,” she explains. “Healing requires an approach that integrates all aspects of self—cognitive, emotional, somatic, and spiritual.”
This holistic perspective is particularly relevant for individuals experiencing spiritual emergence or existential crises. “Many people who seek help for anxiety, depression, or dissociation are actually undergoing profound spiritual transformations,” Dr. King states. “When we view these experiences solely through a clinical lens, we risk pathologizing what may be a natural process of self-discovery and awakening.”
Reframing Mental Health Diagnoses
Dr. King advocates for a shift away from rigid diagnostic labels toward a more fluid understanding of mental health as an adaptive process. “Instead of asking, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ we should be asking, ‘What happened to you?’ and, more importantly, ‘How has your nervous system adapted to survive?’” she asserts.
A trauma-informed and nervous system-based approach considers:
- Regulation Before Cognition: Before engaging in traditional talk therapy, individuals often need tools to stabilize their nervous system.
- Polyvagal-Informed Interventions: The polyvagal theory highlights the importance of safety and social connection in shifting out of survival states.
- Somatic Integration: Techniques such as yoga, breathwork, and body-based therapies help discharge stored trauma and restore balance.
- Reframing Diagnosis as Adaptation: Rather than viewing symptoms as disorders, they can be understood as survival strategies that once served a purpose but may no longer be beneficial.
Toward a More Inclusive Model of Healing
Dr. King’s approach challenges the notion that healing must conform to traditional medicalized models. Instead, she embraces a paradigm that honors both scientific research and ancient wisdom traditions. “There is no single path to healing,” she states. “Some people find relief through therapy and medication, while others need movement, breathwork, or spiritual exploration. True healing comes from integrating all of these dimensions.”
Her work has been widely recognized for its ability to bridge the gap between evidence-based psychology and intuitive, body-centered practices. She has been featured in publications such as Newsweek, The Independent, Mumsnet, iPaper, Country Living, Stylist, Kinship Magazine, OM Yoga & Lifestyle, and Elephant Journal.
Dr. King shares her insights through various platforms, including Substack blogs on trauma, ADHD, menopause, relationships, and spiritual emergence. She is also preparing to launch Rewrite the Road, a travel blog exploring the psychological and spiritual significance of place and transformation.
Her upcoming parenting blog will focus on raising neurodivergent children, co-parenting after separation, and trauma-informed parenting strategies. Additionally, her published children’s book introduces nervous system regulation through yoga, providing young readers with accessible tools for emotional self-regulation.
Conclusion
Understanding mental health through the lens of nervous system adaptation offers a profound shift in how individuals experience healing. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, this perspective recognizes the intricate interplay between trauma, resilience, and self-discovery.
By integrating clinical psychology with nervous system regulation, somatic healing, and transpersonal psychology, Dr. King’s work empowers individuals to move beyond survival and into a state of thriving. “Healing is not about fixing—it’s about reclaiming,” she emphasizes. “When we learn to work with our nervous system, rather than against it, we open the door to deeper self-awareness, emotional stability, and lasting transformation.”
For more insights, visit Dr. Tracy King’s official website at www.drtracyking.co.uk and follow her on social media:
- LinkedIn: Dr. Tracy King
- Facebook: Hummingbird Health and Healing
- Instagram: @drtracyking
- Twitter/X: @DrTracyKing
- YouTube: Dr. Tracy King
- TikTok: @drtracyk
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