1 – The 21 Day Nervous System Tune-Up is more of an introduction course to my work, think of it as ‘an appetizer before the main meal’ if you will. While we have had many people benefit from the 21 Day course on its own, many find that it opens them up to the theory and ideas that you then dive further into with the SmartBody SmartMind (SBSM™) program.

The 21 Day course is self-study composed of 9 neurosensory exercises and my signature biology of stress training videos (5 in total). With SBSM, you get 30+ neurosensory exercises, live Q&A calls, 9 training calls (this is in addition to the biology of stress videos), movement lessons, a supportive area to ask your questions, and lifetime access to all the material for as long as the course is offered, plus access to the 21 Day course.

MANY of the SBSM neurosensory exercises that aren’t in the ’21 Days’ are geared towards working with early/developmental trauma, the most widespread kind of trauma in industrialized society, which requires nuanced work with a strong foundation. For example, you learn how to work with the kidneys and adrenal glands, as well as the gut and brainstem interface, two essential areas for restoring safety and regulation to the nervous system. 

Also we bring in working with containers of the body called diaphragms, the joints, and the ‘layers’ – skin, fascia, muscle, bone. All of these practices involve bringing attunement, touch, and curiosity to areas of the human body that often hold old trauma and emotion, in a direct way that greatly supports working with early/developmental wounds, when there was no story or meaning, just direct sensation.

We also work quite a bit with the energy of anger by tapping into what we call Healthy Aggression, which is not in the 21 Day program.

There are also more advanced Feldenkraisian ‘awareness through movement’ lessons that work directly with improving skeletal movement patterns, enhancing the quality and capacity of breath, and tonifying the global nervous systems.

2 – Training (lecture) Calls provide added psychoeducation that go beyond what’s taught in the Biology of Stress Video Training. Anger and healthy aggression, the differences when working with shock trauma and developmental trauma, and what it takes to heal toxic shame (hint: it’s working with the emotion of disgust!), are just some of the key topics taught.

3 – Curated Q&A Calls with Seth Lyon, Irene’s husband and colleague, and other memebers of Team Lyon, will give all members an opportunity to dive deeper into their understanding of the autonomic nervous system, somatic healing, and the varied levels of integration that exist when we really focus on capacity building and building safety and regulation.

Plus, you’ll still get the same kind of professional support from Irene’s team of nervous system experts that is available in the 21 Day Nervous System Tune-Up (but from the full team of eleven rather than just the two who moderate the Tune-Up), and lifetime membership for as long as the program is offered in its current form (see SBSM program terms for more details).

4 – Added Bonuses: In addition to a larger amount of content and deeper learning, there are some unique bonuses to SBSM, such as movement lessons that are inspired by Tai Chi, Qigong, and dance which are taught by Irene’s teaching partner and colleague, Elia Mrak, and a series of pre-program training videos geared to cover other essentials of neuroplastic healing. 

Also, hours of healing original music composed and produced by Seth (who was a composer and sound healer before getting into this work), as well as various other supplemental resources such as my recommended books for additional reading, and additional (optional) neurosensory exercises.