You've already met Gentle Release
You've experienced the work and are ready to explore the vagus nerve more specifically.
Online Course · Self-Paced
Introduction to the Vagus Nerve
A gentle way to support your nervous system back to calm. The first four points of the Gentle Release Vagus Nerve work, taught as a soft, self-paced course you can return to any time.
The first four release points
Two guided releases (≈40 & 60 min)
For yourself, your child, or someone you love
Lifetime access
£45
New to this work? Read what Gentle Release Therapy is →
Why people come
When the nervous system never quite switches off
Sometimes we carry stress for so long that it begins to feel like who we are. The tight shoulders. The racing mind at 3am. The jaw that never quite unclenches. The background sense of being on alert that does not fully quiet, even on good days.
Perhaps you have tried everything. Breathing exercises, supplements, meditation apps, therapy. And yet something still feels braced.
There is a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from a nervous system that never fully switches off. You might sleep, but not feel rested. You might sit down, but not feel settled. You might take a deep breath, but it never quite reaches the places that are holding. It can feel as though you are permanently "on": on for your children, on for your work, on for the next unexpected thing. Even in stillness, there is a watchfulness.
Over time, that constant state of alert begins to show up in the body. Shoulders that are tight enough to feel normal. A jaw that aches by evening. Digestion that flares under stress. A mind that circles the same worries at night.
Breathwork, meditation, supplements and therapy can all help. But if the vagus nerve is holding layers of accumulated stress, stimulation alone is often not enough.
The body is not broken. It is braced. And bracing cannot be forced to soften. It has to feel safe enough to release. This is the piece that is so often missing.
The body is not broken. It is braced.
A different starting place
A softer way to help the body release what it has been holding
What if it did not involve pushing through discomfort, stimulating an already strained system, or trying to override what your body is doing?
The Gentle Release Vagus Nerve work begins from a different place. Instead of stimulating the vagus nerve, it gently invites it to release what it has been holding, layer by layer.
The vagus nerve is not a single structure. It is a wandering pathway that travels from the base of the brain, through the neck and chest, into the heart, lungs and digestive system. It plays a central part in sleep, digestion, mood, hormonal balance and our sense of safety. When it has been holding stress for years, the body stays in a subtle state of bracing.
Through four simple, precise hand positions at the base of the skull and around the ears, you begin to work gently with this pathway. No pressure. No manipulation. No force. Simply placing your hands and allowing the body to respond.
Many people notice yawns, sighs, warmth, small twitches, or a wave of emotion as the nervous system begins to soften. Others notice nothing in the moment, but sleep more deeply that night. Both are completely normal.
This short, self-paced course teaches you
- The anatomy and science of the vagus nerve, in clear, accessible language
- The first four release points of the full protocol
- How to work on yourself
- How to gently support a child, partner, or loved one
- How to recognise when an area has cleared
- Two guided releases: one just over an hour for a deeper session, and one around forty minutes for when time is shorter
Who this is for
For a nervous system that's tired of being on alert
It is especially supportive for those who have completed the Introduction to Gentle Release Therapy course. That foundation creates space in the system, often allowing the vagus nerve work to settle more deeply.
Your body holds long-rooted tension
You're navigating chronic stress, hormonal shifts, digestive disruption, or tension that feels rooted in the nervous system.
You're a parent of a sensitive child
You want to support regulation in a neurodivergent or emotionally sensitive child, in a way that's subtle and non-invasive.
You work in a caring profession
You're ready to support your own nervous system before supporting others.
Something quietly clicked
You felt a quiet recognition reading about the vagus nerve, as though something important fell into place.
You don't need special equipment, and you don't need to be "good" at meditation. If you can rest your hands gently, or even bring your attention softly to an area, you can begin.
This course may not be for you if…
- You are looking for clinical diagnosis or medical treatment.
- You don't enjoy working with subtle body cues.
- You feel uncomfortable with quiet, reflective practices.
- You don't have an open mind about energy work.
In their own time
What begins to shift
It may not be loud, and it may not be immediate. But there is a settling.
Many people notice they fall asleep more easily the first night they practise. Others wake feeling slightly more rested, their shoulders a little less tight, their jaw a little softer. Many people notice digestion settling. For some, headaches feel less frequent. The felt sense of being on alert begins to soften. Not because life has changed, but because the nervous system's response to life has shifted.
As you continue, the changes often deepen. People describe responding instead of reacting, feeling more present with their children or partner, noticing tension patterns they had accepted as normal beginning to release, and the body feeling lighter and steadier.
For parents, something gentle often happens: when you settle first, your child often begins to settle too. The simple act of holding the ears while they watch television. Resting your hands lightly at the base of the skull before bed. For children or adults who do not like being touched, the work can also be offered with hands hovering, or even at a gentle distance, since the nervous system responds to intention as much as to contact. Parents often find their child melts into it, and in that moment the whole household softens.
For practitioners, the shift can feel just as real. You begin to understand the vagus nerve not only intellectually but experientially, feeling the difference in your own system, and that embodied knowing changes how you hold space for others.
Over time, what begins as a simple four-point practice becomes something deeper: a relationship with your own nervous system, and a quiet reminder that your body is not broken.
In their words
"My adult daughter reached a point of complete burnout, autistic and ADHD burnout, and through her recovery she has had frequent meltdowns and a lot of spiralling, as her nervous system has struggled to settle. Helen suggested working on the vagus nerve.
I use the first four points. The two holds at the back of the head and the neck seem to reassure her, and the holds at the ears are the ones that settle her most. She comes down more gently than she did, and finds her way back to steadier ground.
It has become a steady part of her toolkit. It gives her more confidence, and takes some of the fear out of becoming dysregulated."
Shared with permission. This describes one family's experience. Gentle Release is a complementary therapy that supports rest and regulation; nothing here is offered as a medical outcome.
The story behind it
How this work began
Helen, founder of Gentle Release Therapy
This work began quite simply, through my daughter.
Gentle Release Therapy had already helped her, but she was still finding school immensely difficult at the time. A few people had suggested looking at the vagus nerve, so one evening we thought we would try some vagus nerve exercises together. We climbed onto the bed and looked a few things up on YouTube. Very quickly she decided she didn't want to do them, and that was the end of that.
After she wandered off, I remember thinking, why am I trying to do other people's vagus nerve exercises? Why don't I try Gentle Release on the vagus nerve instead? So I began working on myself. Very quickly I had a big release, and I knew I was onto something.
From there I started gently working with my daughter's vagus nerve, using the approach that was beginning to emerge. She had just moved to a new school and the transition had been very challenging. Whether it was the timing or the work itself I cannot say for certain, but what I do know is that whenever I return to working with her vagus nerve when she is struggling, it helps her settle again. It brings her back to a sense of safety. And when she feels safe, she can do just about anything.
My daughter is autistic, and has always been a very sensitive soul. Over the years we have continued to support her with Gentle Release, with vagus nerve work, and with her wider self-care. Today she is doing wonderfully well.
This work also helped me, in ways I had not expected. For many years my own body had been living in a constant state of stress without my fully realising it. I had developed psoriasis not long after my daughter was born. Knowing how central the vagus nerve is to the whole body, I was hopeful this work might help, and since working with it regularly, my own skin has noticed real shifts. For me it felt as though the deeper layers of stress were finally beginning to leave my system.
Over time, this exploration developed into the vagus nerve treatment I was using with clients. Around six months later, my colleague Sara, a complementary therapist in Northern Ireland, began exploring her own way of working with the vagus nerve through Gentle Release. She knew I had been experimenting, but not exactly what I was doing. She simply followed her own curiosity.
When we eventually came together and compared how we were each working, it was lovely to see. Sara had developed precise still-point holds along the vagus nerve. My work had evolved through a moving hand that cleared along the pathway. When we brought the two approaches together, they complemented each other beautifully. And from that collaboration, the Gentle Release Vagus Nerve Protocol began to take shape.
The first four points you will learn in this course were originally identified by Sara during her own exploration. As we compared our work and began sharing the treatment with practitioners, these four points repeatedly proved to be the most powerful place to begin. Working at the base of the skull and around the ears, they gently start clearing the vagus nerve from the top down, often creating a noticeable settling through the whole nervous system.
A grounded approach
A gentle approach, grounded in experience
Since these techniques were first explored, the vagus nerve work has been shared with Gentle Release practitioners and clients across many different situations. Again and again, similar patterns are described.
People often describe sleeping more deeply after the first session. Long-held tension in the neck or jaw beginning to soften. Digestion feeling more settled. The constant background sense of being on alert beginning to quiet. People often simply feel calmer in themselves, not dramatically different, but noticeably steadier.
Practitioners have shared their own experiences too. One practitioner who had carried long-held tension on one side of her jaw following dental work noticed a real easing there after working with these points.
This work is not based only on experience, though. The vagus nerve is one of the most widely studied nerves in the body, with a central role in heart rate, digestion, inflammation, immune function and emotional regulation, and in our ability to move out of the fight-or-flight response.
In the course you will find optional research papers exploring these connections, including studies linking vagal tone with areas such as cardiac health, perimenopause, autism, ADHD, long COVID and autoimmune conditions. You do not need to read any of them to benefit from the work, but for those who enjoy understanding the science, they are there to explore.
At its heart, this approach simply brings two things together: a clear understanding of the vagus nerve, and a gentle method of allowing the body to release what it has been holding.
A gentle reassurance
If you've ever thought…
"I've tried so many things already. What makes this different?"
Many vagus nerve practices focus on stimulation: cold exposure, humming, breathwork, specific exercises. Those can absolutely be helpful. The Gentle Release approach works a little differently. Rather than stimulating the nerve, it gently invites it to release the layers of tension and holding that may have built up over years. Nothing is forced. The body simply responds when it feels safe enough to let go.
"What if I don't do it properly?"
This is a very common worry, and the work is far simpler than people expect. You will be shown exactly where to place your hands and what to look for as the body responds, and you can follow the guided releases and simply be led through it. There is no pressure to get anything perfect. The body understands the intention.
"What if I don't feel anything happening?"
Everyone's nervous system responds in its own way. Some people notice clear releases such as yawning, sighing, warmth, twitches, or emotional waves. Others experience something much quieter, perhaps noticing nothing during the session but sleeping more deeply or feeling calmer the next day. Both are completely normal.
"Will I have time to do this?"
The very first session can take longer, as the body begins releasing deeper layers. After that, many people find it becomes much quicker, and even a few minutes of gentle attention can help settle the system once the pathway has begun to clear. There are two guided releases to choose from, one just over an hour and one around forty minutes, depending on the time you have.
"Can I really use this on my child?"
Yes. Many parents use these points gently with their children. Hands can rest very lightly, hover above the area, or even work at distance if touch is not comfortable. Because the approach is so gentle, it adapts easily to babies, children, teens and adults.
"Can I really do this without touching, or at distance?"
Yes. The work can be done with hands resting gently on the body, hovering slightly above the area, or entirely at distance. In fact, I have almost always worked with my daughter's vagus nerve at distance. I simply imagine the person in front of me, place my hands where the points would be, and set the intention that the work is for them. For those who are sensitive to touch, for children who may not want to be held still, or for loved ones who are not physically present, distance work can be a very gentle option.
Join the course
You're very welcome to begin
£45
A short, self-paced online course introducing the first four points of the Gentle Release Vagus Nerve work. These four points alone can begin to take the nervous system off high alert, allowing the body to release tension it may have been holding for years.
Inside the course
- A clear introduction to the vagus nerve, its anatomy and the part it plays in sleep, digestion, mood and regulation.
- The first four release points, with a step-by-step guide to where to place your hands and how to recognise when an area has cleared.
- Guidance for working on yourself or supporting others, including gently with family, children, or at distance.
- Two guided release recordings, one just over an hour and one around forty minutes.
- Optional resources for those who enjoy the science, including heart rate variability and a selection of research papers.
A gentle close
Simple does not mean small
Often the most powerful shifts in the nervous system come not from doing more, but from allowing more space for the body to release what it has been holding.
There is nothing here to force, and nothing to push through. You are simply learning to place your hands, bring your attention to the vagus nerve pathway, and let the body respond. Some people notice a shift the very first time they practise. For others, it is slower and quieter. Both are completely natural, because the nervous system releases in layers, at a pace that feels safe.
If your nervous system has been carrying stress for a long time, and the idea of gently allowing it to release resonates with you, you are very welcome to join us. You can begin whenever it feels right. If you'd like to read more about how Gentle Release works with the vagus nerve, there's a fuller piece on the blog.
