Emotional and Energetic Healing After Illness
The Role of the Nervous System and Embracing Compassion and Patience
I used to think recovery was purely a physical process—a matter of medicine, time, and rest. I now know that true renewal extends beyond the body. The emotional and energetic imprints of illness can linger long after physical symptoms fade, affecting how we relate to ourselves, our bodies, the people around us, and the world at large. Recovery, then, is not just about mending what was broken—it’s about restoring trust in ourselves and in life, regaining emotional balance, and finding equilibrium.
In my own recovery journey, I discovered that emotional and energetic renewal were just as vital as physical healing. I came to understand the profound role of the nervous system in restoring balance and homeostasis, and how true healing requires patience, self-compassion, and curiosity.
Navigating Emotional and Energetic Imbalances in Recovery
When I began my recovery, no words could capture the immense joy, relief, and gratitude I felt for having a second chance. Yet, those emotions were soon met with a wave of confusion and overwhelm—uncertainty about my identity, shifts in my relationships, and the patience required to let my body truly heal. I often found myself wondering: Who am I after all of this? What comes next?
During treatment, life followed a steady rhythm of medical appointments and a singular focus on survival. But when it all ended, I was met with an unexpected challenge: adjusting to life beyond illness. The structured support I had relied on was suddenly gone, leaving me to navigate this next phase of healing largely on my own. Though I had the love and support of those around me, the absence of medical guidance left me feeling unsettled and uncertain about how to move forward.
While therapy and support groups were available, they often addressed recovery in separate parts—mental, physical, or emotional—rarely offering a truly holistic approach. I quickly realized that post-illness restoration is just as vital as treatment itself. This phase often involves processing trauma, restoring emotional balance, forging a new identity and path, and regaining physical strength and stamina. Though this transition was difficult and isolating, it became a period of profound growth, transformation, and self-discovery.
The Role of the Nervous System in Holistic Renewal
When we think of recovery, we often focus on physical healing—treatments, medication, rest, nutrition, and time. Modern medicine measures progress through the absence of symptoms, normal lab results, or a doctor's declaration of being "healed." However, many individuals discover that long after their physical symptoms have resolved, emotional, psychological, and energetic imbalances remain.
As Bessel van der Kolk explores in The Body Keeps the Score, trauma is not just an emotional experience but one that becomes embedded within the body. Even after an illness has technically "resolved," the nervous system may continue to react as if the threat remains. The body holds onto past distress, leading to chronic tension, hypervigilance, or persistent fatigue. This is why emotional wounds such as grief, anxiety, or depression often persist long after the body has healed.
Illness disrupts nervous system regulation, often leaving it in a survival state like fight or flight. Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory explores how the autonomic nervous system controls our ability to feel safe, connected, and balanced. When dysregulated, lingering exhaustion, emotional disconnection, and even a sense of mistrust in one’s body can emerge. At times, I have experienced this first hand—an unconscious fear of becoming unwell again and a hyper-awareness around every new sensation in my body.
Somatic healing approaches, which emphasize the connection between body and mind, can be especially beneficial in restoring nervous system balance. Practices such as somatic experiencing and breathwork help release stored tension and reestablish a sense of safety within the body.
Mindfulness has played a key role in this process, allowing me to regulate my nervous system, rewire my brain, and support emotional and energetic reintegration. As I discussed in Sustaining Spiritual Growth After Illness: Mindfulness and Healing Practices, techniques like meditation, tapping, and grounding exercises have been essential in rebuilding trust in my body and myself, fostering growth, and expanding consciousness.
As the nervous system shifts from survival to regulation, a newfound clarity often emerges—so powerful that it can feel overwhelming. Illness and trauma don’t just affect physical health; they can fundamentally reshape one’s sense of self, purpose, and relationships. I’ve come to recognize, with deep certainty, what I need to do, and how I need to show up in the world. This realization is empowering, yet it also brings the challenge of transforming clarity into meaningful, tangible action.
Embracing Patience, Self-Compassion, and Curiosity
Recovery is nonlinear, and understanding this has been crucial in my journey. There were many days of progress followed by unexpected setbacks. Accepting this as part of the process rather than a failure helped me develop patience with myself. I had to remind myself that renewal and growth are cyclical—even when it feels like I’ve taken ten steps back, there is still progress.
Self-compassion has been a cornerstone of my recovery. Returning to the Polyvagal Theory, emotional safety and self-kindness are essential for nervous system regulation. One way I practice this is by consciously staying calm when I experience physical exhaustion. Though I don’t always succeed and sometimes give in to frustration, I’ve learned to meet myself with grace. In those moments, I remind myself: I am patience. I am love. I am grace.
Curiosity played an equally important role in my healing journey. By remaining open to alternative approaches, I discovered new ways to support my emotional and energetic well-being. Exploring different modalities—such as mind-body practices and creative expression—introduced me to tools that traditional medicine hadn’t provided. A personal example is Qigong, a traditional Chinese practice that combines breathwork, movement, and meditation to promote balance and well-being—something I am currently exploring with great interest.
Transformation as an Ongoing Journey
Recovery after illness is more than just physical healing—it is an ongoing journey of reintegration and transformation. By rebuilding trust in ourselves and in life, and leaning into self-care practices, we can step into a deeper, more complete sense of wholeness.
For anyone on this path, I encourage you to trust your body’s innate wisdom and remain open to all aspects of renewal—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Recovery is not just about returning to where you were before illness but about emerging with a renewed sense of self, clarity, and purpose. Whether through science-backed methods or intuitive practices, the body and soul both hold the power to mend.
As you navigate your own healing journey, what has helped you feel whole again—physically, emotionally, or energetically? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Maya Sarin is a marketer, brand builder, and creator with 13 years of experience in the beauty and wellness industry. Her recent journey of healing and transformation after an illness has brought her to the dynamic intersection of beauty, health, well-being, and holistic living. Maya redefines beauty as a path to inner bliss—reconnecting with your authentic self and aligning with the creative energy of the universe. Through her work, she explores themes of healing, self-growth, spirituality, and meditation. Maya is a soon-to-be-published author of a poetry book on self-renewal and the voice behind an upcoming Substack dedicated to these topics. You can connect with her on Instagram at @mayapens, where she shares poetry and prose on these themes.
Resonating and nodding with each sentence in your article. I've been through a similar journey and my experiences have been exactly the same.
Glad to hear you speaking of the holistic approach to healing. I had a profound experience with a chiropractor as I was in the midst of dark days. He was talking about alignment of the spine and how it sets up so much in our bodies not just physically. Reminded me of what I was trying to do at the time, find the alignment of my heart, mind, and soul, because life had made me so divided inside, ashamed of my heart, glorifying my mind, confused about my soul, and waffling between hatred and gratitude with my body. A lot of healing has taken place since then and the holistic approach takes constant learning, looking forward to hearing more from you.