Nervous System Care

 

 

 

Transcript

Hi there, and welcome back to Scaling Up Your Impact—the podcast for trauma-informed therapists who want to grow their clinical confidence and reach—without burning out.

I’m Kelly Smyth-Dent, founder of Scaling Up, and today we’re diving into a powerful tool for nervous system care that goes beyond coping—the ASSYST protocol.

Whether your clients are in crisis, living in ongoing trauma, or just struggling to stay regulated in daily life, this episode will give you a deeper understanding of how the ASSYST can support real stabilization—not just symptom management.

[Segment 1 – Why We Need More Than Coping Skills in Crisis]

When someone experiences a traumatic or overwhelming event, their nervous system often goes into a state of acute dysregulation—what’s known as Acute Stress Syndrome.

This is when clients aren’t coping well at all. They may feel frozen, flooded, panicked, disconnected from their body—or like they’re reliving the event in real time.

In these moments, traditional coping strategies—like breathing exercises, grounding tools, or cognitive reframing—often aren’t enough.

What’s needed instead is a low-intensity treatment intervention that works directly with the body’s physiological distress.

That’s exactly where the ASSYST protocol comes in.

It’s not just a coping technique. It’s a trauma-informed, evidence-supported intervention that helps:

• Rapidly reduce the intensity of nervous system activation
• Interrupt the escalation of symptoms in real time
• And in some cases, prevent the development of PTSD when used as early intervention

ASSYST is both a clinical triage tool and a regulation protocol. It helps determine whether a client needs further trauma processing—like EMDR—or whether their nervous system can stabilize with this level of intervention alone.

And for clients who are in the early stages of trauma recovery, in crisis, or living in unstable environments, this can be the difference between spiraling and stabilizing.

[Segment 2 – What Is the ASSYST?]

So, what exactly is the ASSYST Protocol?

ASSYST stands for the Acute Stress Syndrome Stabilization technique. It was developed by Ignacio “Nacho” Jarero, one of the pioneers of EMDR’s global humanitarian applications.

The protocol is designed to rapidly reduce distress and re-regulate the nervous system—without requiring clients to talk about their trauma, tell their story, or revisit disturbing images.

Here’s what makes it unique:

✅ It works with the body’s physiological stress response
✅ It’s nonverbal, meaning it can be used with clients who are overwhelmed, shut down, or don’t have words for what they’re experiencing
✅ It can be used in the moment—after a crisis, before a surgery, or when a client is activated in session
✅ It’s incredibly gentle—which is ideal for clients who have been through recent or ongoing trauma and aren’t ready for full reprocessing

What we love about the ASSYST is that it bridges the gap between psychological first aid and trauma reprocessing. It gives therapists something to offer when clients are dysregulated but not ready—or able—to dive into deeper trauma work.

[Segment 3 – How It Works (In Practice)]

Let’s walk through a basic overview of how the ASSYST looks in clinical practice.

The protocol uses bilateral stimulation—similar to EMDR—but instead of asking clients to focus on a specific memory, you guide them to connect with the sensations of distress in their body.

You might say things like:

• “Notice where in your body you’re feeling this.”
• “Just observe the sensation as you follow the tapping.”
• “Let your body do whatever it needs to do.”

The therapist acts as a supportive guide—offering safety, structure, and gentle prompts while the client’s nervous system does the work.

Often, what happens is subtle but powerful:

✅ Muscles soften
✅ Breathing deepens
✅ The mind quiets
✅ And clients come out of the session feeling noticeably more settled

It’s especially powerful with:

• Survivors of recent trauma
• Clients in disaster zones or destabilized environments
• First responders and healthcare workers
• People dealing with grief, displacement, or overwhelming loss
• It’s also effective online, making it a great option for telehealth sessions.

[Segment 4 – When to Use the ASSYST (and When Not To)]

The ASSYST is a versatile protocol, but like all interventions, it’s important to know when it’s most appropriate.

✅ Use it when:

• A client is clearly in distress but isn’t ready to “talk it out”
• You need to stabilize the nervous system before moving into trauma work
• You want to help clients feel safer in their bodies
• The traumatic event is recent, ongoing, or unresolved

🚫 It’s not ideal if:

• A client is seeking deep cognitive insight or processing around the event
• They’re dissociating without awareness or have unmanaged structural dissociation
• You don’t have training in the ASSYST

In short, it’s a frontline nervous system intervention, not a substitute for comprehensive trauma therapy—but it’s a powerful complement to it.

And in many cases, it’s the first step that allows clients to even begin the trauma healing process.

[Segment 5 – Therapist Nervous Systems Need Support, Too]

Let’s not forget one important piece:

Your nervous system matters, too.

Therapists working with trauma—especially in high-need, under-resourced communities—are often operating from a place of chronic activation themselves.

Learning tools like the ASSYST isn’t just about supporting your clients—it’s also about helping you feel more grounded and equipped.

It gives you a concrete method to reach for when a session starts to spiral or when a client becomes flooded.

And just like clients, you deserve tools that help you regulate, not just survive.

[Segment 6 – Learn the ASSYST with Scaling Up]

If you’re ready to add the ASSYST to your clinical toolbox, we’ve created a complete online training that walks you through it step-by-step.

Our ASSYST Complete Training is fully online, self-paced, and packed with:

✅ Detailed demonstrations
✅ Printable protocols
✅ Clinical walkthroughs for both individual and group use
✅ Bonus materials on when and how to integrate ASSYST into your existing work

You do not have to be trained in EMDR to learn and utilize the ASSYST. You’ll come away with transformative skills you can use immediately.

You can learn more and enroll on our website ScalingUpEMDR.com – we’ll add the link in the show notes.

We’ll also include a link to a 45-minute webinar replay all about Acute Stress & the ASSYST for you to geek out on!

[OUTRO]

Thanks so much for tuning in today. The ASSYST is one of our favorite tools to help clients—and clinicians—go beyond just getting through the day.

With the right support, nervous system regulation can be accessible, effective, and even empowering.

Until next time—keep scaling up your impact.