Healing Through the Body, Brain & Nervous System Connection – Being with Our Fear Response – The Hidden Role of Primitive Reflexes in Adult Anxiety, Procrastination & Feelings of Isolation – Completing the Stress Response Cycle.
The first nine months in utero are actually the most important time of our life. This time
sets the tone and literal neural pathways for how we process stress for the rest of our lives.Babies are not just cute little things for the first two years of their life – they actually store what happens to them, within their unconscious, brain and nervous system.
Beginning to understand this truth is an important wake-up call. What happens to us, or doesn’t happen to us, in utero and especially in the first 18 months of life shapes who we are today. It also shapes how we deal with stress for the rest of our lives.
One critical piece of this developmental puzzle lies in primitive reflexes, the involuntary movements we’re born with. These reflexes serve essential survival purposes and they’re meant to integrate as we grow. When they don’t, they can wreak havoc on our adult lives in ways most of us never realize.
While these reflexes should naturally integrate as we grow, chronic stress—especially pre- and perinatal trauma—can disrupt this process. An unintegrated reflex doesn’t disappear; it lingers in the nervous system, creating ripples of discomfort, anxiety, chronic pain, motor skill issues, learning disorders and more as we grow up.
One such reflex, the Fear Paralysis Reflex (FPR), offers a powerful example of how these early survival mechanisms can get stuck and impact us decades later.
What is the Fear Paralysis Reflex?
The Fear Paralysis Reflex is one of the first reflexes to develop in the womb, acting as a survival response to perceived danger. It’s designed to freeze the fetus in response to overwhelming stress, keeping the baby still and “hidden” from potential threats. Ideally, this reflex should integrate before birth, allowing the nervous system to mature and adapt to life outside the womb.
When a baby experiences chronic stress in utero—perhaps due to maternal stress, medical complications, or a lack of connection—the Fear Paralysis Reflex can remain active, becoming a stuck freeze survival pattern that follows the person into adulthood.
An unintegrated Fear Paralysis Reflex can manifest in subtle, yet disruptive ways. As an adult, you might notice:
-
Chronic anxiety: A baseline feeling of fear or worry that doesn’t seem to subside, even when things are going well.
-
Procrastination: Feeling frozen or unable to take action, especially on tasks that matter most.
-
Overwhelm: A tendency to shut down or dissociate when faced with stress or decision-making.
-
Social withdrawal: Difficulty trusting others or feeling comfortable in relationships.
-
Sleep disturbances: Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep due to an overactive nervous system.
-
Feeling “stuck” in life: A sense of being unable to move forward, whether in your career, relationships, or personal growth.
The Connection Between Chronic Stress and Reflex Integration
Primitive reflexes like the FPR are designed to integrate within the safe and supportive presence of a caregiver. When a baby is consistently held, seen, and soothed, their nervous system learns to regulate, and these reflexes can complete their natural integration.
When there’s a disruption—such as pre- or perinatal trauma, chronic stress in the mother, separation, or medical interventions—this integration process can be halted. The nervous system doesn’t get the signal that it’s safe to move on to the next phase of integration and development, so the reflex remains active, shaping the person’s responses to stress throughout life.
You Can’t Heal Reflexes Alone
Healing unintegrated reflexes doesn’t happen through willpower or solo exercises. The very reason these reflexes didn’t integrate in the first place is because the baby felt alone or unsupported.
To heal, you need the safe, empathetic presence of another—a trained professional – who can guide you through the process. In this relational space, your nervous system can finally experience the sense of safety and connection it was missing. This is where integration begins.
I’ve worked with many individuals, guiding them in integrating unprocessed reflexes like the Fear Paralysis Reflex – here are what some people have experienced:
-
Feeling less anxious and more grounded.
-
Better sleep and an overall sense of ease in the body.
-
The motivation to take action on tasks they’ve been procrastinating on for months—or even years.
-
The clarity and courage to move into jobs, relationships, or life paths that align with their true purpose.
Clients describe feeling “unfrozen” and a deeper sense of belonging to life and family.
