Chronic Stress Treatment Workshop

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Speaker

Shama Panjwani, PhD Related seminars and products

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Dr. Shama Panjwani is a certified and licensed professional counselor and expert in trauma-informed care specializing in attachment, immigration, cultural, and intergenerational traumas.

Dr. Panjwani serves as a core faculty member at Keiser University and is the founder of SoHolisticEnergy Counseling & Consultation, LLC, where she integrates holistic wellness with evidence-based practices to provide culturally responsive care and consults on Holistic Wellness and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI). With more than eleven years of experience, she has developed a reputation for leading impactful workshops that expand access to effective, culturally competent mental health care – particularly within the marginalized communities.

A graduate of Mercer University with a PhD in counselor education, Dr. Panjwani’s research, presentations and publications explore mental health stigma, trauma, social justice, and multicultural counseling. She has presented nationally and published on topics including immigration and acculturation, intergenerational trauma, crisis counseling, psychedelic-assisted therapy, holistic wellness and leadership development in higher education and clinical settings.

Dr. Panjwani’s own immigration story – moving from India to the US at age nine, navigating DACA status, and earning her green care while completing her PhD – deeply informs her work. This lived experience fuels her passion for creating pathways to healing for marginalized and immigrant communities.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Shama Panjwani has employment relationships with Keiser University and SoHolistic Energy Counseling and Consultation, LLC. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Shama Panjwani is a member of the American Counseling Association, the National Board of Certified Counselors, the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision, and the Counselors for Social Justice.

Additional Info

Program Information

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Objectives

1. Evaluate the influence that physiological responses to chronic stress have on mood, behavior, and relationships.
2. Analyze how chronic stress affect the autonomic nervous system.
3. Utilize somatic regulation techniques that promote interoceptive awareness and calm.
4. Apply mindfulness-based interventions to reduce physiological arousal and emotional reactivity.
5. Utilize polyvagal-informed techniques for fostering co-regulation and social engagement.
6. Integrate cultural responsiveness and ethical awareness when applying body-based techniques.

Outline

Chronic Stress and the Nervous System

• Chronic stress vs. acute stress
• The physiology of the stress response
• How stress affects the brain, hormones, and immune system
• The autonomic nervous system and vagal tone
• The role of neuroception and safety

Polyvagal Theory and the Hierarchy of Safety

• Overview of the Polyvagal Theory
• The three autonomic states: Ventral, sympathetic, dorsal
• Recognize dysregulation in clients
• Use the “Polyvagal Ladder” for assessment and treatment planning

Somatic Regulation: Grounding and Embodiment Techniques

• Principles of somatic experiencing and interoception
• Track sensations and identify activation
• Movement and micro-release techniques
• Grounding through sensory awareness
• Safe discharge of tension and completing the stress cycle
• Research, risks and limitations

Techniques Toolbox:

• Progressive muscle softening
• Body scanning
• Pendulation
• Weighted pressure
• Tapping
• Vagal stimulation

Mindfulness and Breathwork for Stress Reduction

• Mindfulness and neuroplasticity in stress regulation
• Trauma-sensitive mindfulness practices
• Breath as a regulator of the vagus nerve
• Mindfulness for emotional regulation and presence
• Research, risks and limitations

Techniques Toolbox:

• Box breathing
• Coherent breathing
• Heart-focused breathing
• Humming for vagal activation
• Loving-kindness meditation
• Nonjudgmental awareness practice

Polyvagal Co-Regulation and Emotional Safety

• Co-regulation and the relational nervous system
• How therapist tone, eye gaze, and body cues influence safety
• Repair ruptures and create safe relational fields
• Build self-soothing and self-compassion
• Research, risks and limitations

Techniques Toolbox:

• Eye-gaze softening
• Facial prosody tone practice
• Mirroring breath
• Safe anchor creation
• Rhythmic rocking or movement
• Co-regulation language

Integration: Design Treatment Plans for Chronic Stress

• Match interventions to nervous system state
• Integrate somatic, mindfulness, and polyvagal tools
• Move from survival to safety to connection
• Demonstration: Create a “Regulation Ladder”
• Group processing and practice with peers

Cultural Responsiveness and Ethical Implications

• Recognize cultural variations in stress responses
• Mind-body awareness in diverse populations
• Ethical boundaries in somatic and body-based work
• Trauma-informed mindfulness across cultures
• Clinician self-care and boundary management

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Psychologists
• Physicians
• Case Managers
• Addiction Counselors
• Nurses
• Other Mental Health Professionals