CRAVINGS • CONTROL • COMFORT A Nervous System Workshop - Hands + Habits

CRAVINGS • CONTROL • COMFORT
A Nervous System + Reflex Integration Workshop ~ Hands + Habits
with Michelle Carrie McDougall

Have you ever noticed how often your hands go to your mouth?
🍫 Snacking or emotional eating
🍷 Drinking to unwind
🚬 Smoking or vaping
💅 Nail biting
😮‍💨 Chewing, sucking, or fidgeting

These habits aren’t random — they’re rooted in your primitive hand-to-mouth reflexes, one of the first survival reflexes we develop as babies to feed, soothe, and feel safe.

When these reflexes don't fully mature, it can stay active into adulthood and show up as:

• Intense cravings
• Stress eating
• Comfort-seeking behaviors
• Difficulty controlling consumption
• Smoking or vaping loops
• Nail-biting or oral fidgeting
• Feeling like you “can’t stop” even when you want to

This isn’t a willpower issue.
It’s a nervous system pattern.

In this 90-minute experience, you’ll learn how reflexes, cravings, and emotional regulation are interconnected — and how to calm the body so you no longer feel controlled by these habits.

✨ WHAT WE’LL COVER

✔ The hand-to-mouth reflexes: what it is, how it develops, and how it shapes adult behaviors
✔ Why cravings happen when your nervous system feels unsafe
✔ The “Cravings → Control → Comfort” loop and how to break it
✔ How hand-to-mouth habits relate to emotional eating, smoking, drinking, and self-soothing patterns
✔ Somatic and reflex-based practices to reset this reflex and calm the stress response
✔ A simple technique you can use daily to reduce craving intensity
✔ How to build comfort without self-blame or shame

You’ll walk away feeling empowered, regulated, and more connected to your body, with real tools you can use immediately.

All are welcome — limited seats for a more casual setting.

Pic by Trina Cary Photography