Our embodied presence and the climate crisis: Clinical commentary on the interplay between trauma, the nervous system, the climate crisis and drama therapy.

This article examines the interplay between trauma, the nervous system—particularly the vagus nerve—and the climate crisis, emphasizing how drama therapy practices can foster healing, resilience, and collective action. It highlights the vagus nerve's role in regulating stress responses and promoting well-being, noting that trauma disrupts this regulation, leading to sympathetic nervous system dominance and disconnection from both self and nature. The commentary discusses how cultivating interoceptive awareness and positive emotions such as awe and gratitude through drama therapy techniques can strengthen vagal tone, support nervous system balance, and enhance individuals' capacity to engage with climate-related challenges. Clinical methods like the "nervous system sandwich" are presented as tools to build resilience and presence, enabling both personal healing and mobilization for environmental care.