Feeling Stuck in Stress Mode? How to Complete the Stress Response
Somatic Therapy & Burnout Counselling in Port Moody, BC
Stress isn’t just a mental experience — it’s a biological cycle your body is designed to complete. But in the fast-paced environments of today’s modern life, most stress cycles get interrupted long before they’re finished. Over time, this leads to anxiety, overwhelm, irritability, chronic tension, and burnout.
As an anxiety therapist in Port Moody whose clients are often struggling with stress and overwhelm, one of the most common things I help people understand is this: you’re not necessarily stressed because you’re doing something wrong. You’re stressed because your body hasn’t had the chance to complete what it started.
When we talk about “completing the stress response,” we’re talking about allowing your nervous system to move all the way through activation and back into safety — the way it was designed to.
If you’ve ever wondered why rest doesn’t feel restful, why you’re tired but wired, or why you can’t seem to shake tension no matter how much you “slow down,” it often comes back to incomplete stress responses.
What the Stress Response Actually Is
Your stress response has a beginning, middle, and end.
When something stressful happens — a conflict at work, a tense conversation, a near-miss on Ioco Road — your nervous system automatically activates. Your heart rate increases, muscles tighten, your breathing shifts, and your focus narrows.
This is the fight, flight, or freeze response.
It’s not psychological — it’s physiological.
Your body is preparing to protect you.
But modern life doesn’t allow you to sprint, shake, scream, or collapse into safety after stressful moments the way your nervous system expects you to. So the activation has nowhere to go. Our body is flooded with adrenaline and cortisol and then we just…stew in it.
Your body stays “on,” even when the moment has passed.
Why We Get Stuck in Stress Mode
Your body was designed for short bursts of stress followed by completion — not endless activation. But today, most people move from one stressor to the next without pause:
work pressure
parenting demands
caregiving
emails that never end
traffic on St. Johns
the constant expectation to be productive
Your body begins each stress response, but rarely finishes it. Over time, this trapped activation shows up as:
chronic muscle tension
irritability or anxiety
emotional numbness
overwhelm
difficulty relaxing
sleep problems
burnout
a sense of “I can’t turn off”
This is not weakness.
This is biology without completion.
If you want a deeper dive, I highly recommend the book: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
What It Means to Complete the Stress Response
To complete the stress response means giving your body the signals it needs to finish the cycle and return to a sense of safety.
Animals do this naturally — they shake, run, vocalize, or rest after stress. Notice the next time your dog interacts with another strange dog. You can see they have an “uh oh” moment of uncertainty - is this dog friendly or do I need to mobilize for a fight? If the interaction goes well, you can notice them shake off any excess stress from their body, allowing them to move on with their day in a state of safety.
Humans override this cycle.
We go to the next meeting.
We “stay calm.”
We hold everything in.
Completing the stress response looks different for everyone, but often includes:
1. Movement
Walking, shaking, stretching, dancing, or any movement that lets your body discharge energy.
2. Breath that tells your body it's safe
Slow, long exhales are especially calming for the nervous system.
3. Connection
A hug, a supportive conversation, or even time with a pet signals to your system that you’re not alone.
4. Emotional release
Crying, laughing, sighing, or any spontaneous expression can complete a stress cycle.
5. Rest and grounding
Your body often needs stillness or warmth after activation moves through.
Completing the cycle is like letting your nervous system fully exhale.
Why Completing the Stress Cycle Matters
When your stress responses are completed regularly, you become more resilient. You feel less overwhelmed, less on edge, more grounded, and more able to bounce back from challenges.
Without completion, stress accumulates. With completion, your body gets to return to balance.
With somatic counselling in Port Moody, we help clients:
notice where stress lives in their body
understand their nervous system patterns
move through incomplete stress responses
build capacity for rest and safety
reduce chronic overwhelm and shutdown
reconnect with themselves in grounded, embodied ways
This isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about supporting your nervous system in doing what it’s already wired to do — just finally given the chance.
Try These Small Practices Today
Here are a few simple ways to help your body complete the stress cycle:
take a brisk 2-minute walk
shake out your arms or hands
let yourself sigh audibly
press your feet into the floor
put on one song and move your body however you want
cuddle your pet or hug a loved one
place a hand on your chest and breathe slowly
These tiny shifts help your nervous system close loops that may have been left open for years.
You Don’t Need to Do This Alone
If you’ve been living in constant stress, overwhelm, or shutdown, it may be because your body hasn’t had the support it needs to complete stress responses for a long time.
Somatic therapy offers a gentle, supportive space to reconnect with your body and help your nervous system find its way back to safety.
If you’re looking for burnout counselling in Port Moody, somatic therapy for stress, or nervous system regulation counselling, we’re here to help.
You deserve to feel settled, grounded, and connected again — not stuck in survival mode.
Learn more or book a session with a Port Moody counsellor at Tannis Price Counselling.
